Diana and Anne talked extensively about their argument, Diana apologizing profusely and explaining that it was facilitated by an extreme amount of panic and stress. Anne inquired further about this and Diana exclaimed with a bright smile painted on her face that she was having a baby! While Diana blamed mood swings partly for her outburst she made it clear that it was entirely her fault and that Anne was not to blame herself in the slightest. Anne could not comprehend the second part of this sentence anymore however since the prospect of a baby overtook her attention. She jumped up from her chair and being completely ecstatic had to squeal and jump around the house for a few moments before she could continue their conversation.
It was now that their argument was completely behind them.
Diana somewhat timidly knowing their history asked Anne if she would ask Gilbert on her behalf for help. Her hands met her lap and she looked down slightly, ashamed to ask for such a thing. Her shame was immediately replaced however by happiness as Anne didn't waste a second to agree to her request.
At that, Anne was headed off to Gilbert's house.
She knocked on the door, straightening and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she waited for him to open it. He met the door, expression blank and formal at first, then softening when he saw it was her. "Anne!" He exclaimed, eyes widening finally as it clicked in his mind the significance of this visit. His mind immediately went to something being medically wrong, and looked to see if she had any obvious injuries. Seeing Anne's bright smile and the happiness in her eyes, however, he relaxed a bit, considering the possibility that this was a social visit. "How may I help you?" He said, leaning against the doorframe of his home. Anne, who'd been more than happy to assist her friend in her request not two seconds ago, was now finding it hard to speak as she saw the gruesome scene of her adoptive parents' death in front of her.
"I-I came to ask on behalf o-of Diana," She choked out. She was now looking down, instead of forward as she had been, and Gilbert quickly picked up on her distress.
"Diana's husband mentioned they were expecting. Have you come to ask for her if I know someone who might assist her?" Anne nodded, not looking up, her cheeks pink and her mind berating her for appearing so vulnerable for such an unchangeable event that had happened in the past.
"I do, I can refer her to a female provider if she'd like?" Anne nodded, and forcing herself to speak, said "Yes, I'm sure she'd appreciate that." The existence of a female doctor was becoming much more prominent while still not quite a regular occurrence, so Anne was not surprised that in the year he'd spent traveling studying incurable illnesses he'd met one or two.
Gilbert nodded, and writing down some content information for the woman on a small slip of paper, handed it to Anne, and looked down. He wasn't quite sure whether this interaction was simply awkward because of their distance from each other or if their previous interactions and Matthew and Marilla's tragic death were contributing factors, and decided not to approach or acknowledge the awkwardness because of this uncertainty. Instead, he simply nodded, and, stepping back from the door, Anne finally making eye contact, waved. Anne waved back and gave a small "Bye" before turning around and walking away while he shut the door.
On the walk back to Green Gables, Anne mentally chastised herself for letting events that were almost entirely out of his control sour her relationship with Gilbert. She resolved that in two weeks, when there would be a break in school, she would get on a train and go to see Diana in her home. Although the very thought of going on a train sent waves of terror through her, she knew it was inevitable she would have to at some point, and she couldn't bear the thought of not being there for her friend even more than the thought of a train. So, she went and got tickets for midday next week.
The worker set down his hammer, wiping a few drops of sweat from his forehead. The tracks were not yet completed - not by a lot, but it was about time for lunch, and he decided to take a small break before completing the track. Setting a ribbon down next to the last rail he completed, he set off to find a spot to have lunch.
When he returned, however, the ribbon was nowhere to be found.
He was not particularly concerned, however, and upon inspecting the nails, he deduced that one of the rails was the one he left off on, and continued without concern.
A large patch of tracks, however, remained unfinished, and would not be checked until one hour before Anne's train was supposed to use them.