"Hello, dear," Matthew said walking in and giving Marilla a kiss on the cheek.

Marilla seemed excited, she was talking very fast as she bustled about the kitchen. The whistle of the kettle made her spin around and pour some tea for them.

Once seated Marilla waited for Matthew to put his teacup down and then broke the news,

"Matthew, I-I think I'm expecting"

He looked up at her processing before sweeping her up into his arms,

"Really?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted, "my blood is late and I haven't been feeling too well."

"Should we get our hopes up?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe we should wait and see for a few more days. Oh, Matthew I so hope it's true! I want a baby so much."

He held her and smiled, they had been trying for children but nothing came up of it. He counted in his head, they'd been married for about eleven months, even if nothing came up of this there was still time for them to have children.

"Oh!" Marilla woke up a few days later and saw that her blood had come. Her hopes sank as she pinned a cloth to her clothes. She had wanted a baby so bad.

"It's alright, Rilla, I'm sure we'll have a baby soon," Matthew rubbed her back knowing how disappointed she must be.

Rachel came over for tea bringing Caleb, who at sixteen months had the features more of a toddler now.

"Em, em!" He cried as soon as he saw Marilla. His "em" was one of his favorite people, third to his parents.

She laughed as she bent over and picked him up.

"Hello, Caleb, how are you?"

He blew a raspberry back at her and willingly let her carry him inside.

"How are things, Rachel?"

"As usual. He keeps me up at night," Rachel said, nodding at Caleb, who now was having fun playing with the wooden animals that Matthew had carved for him for Christmas.

"This stage is so wonderful to watch. His personality is really starting to come out," Marilla said, buttering her scone.

"Mm yes, and just in time too. I'm expecting again," Rachel said with a smile.

"You're expecting?! That's wonderful!" Marilla said giving Rachel a hug, "how far along are you?"

"I'm a little over a month."

"Won't that be nice? A brother or sister for Caleb to play with."

"Two babies in the house as well. I pray Thomas and I don't go crazy."

Outwardly Marilla smiled and laughed with Rachel but internally she had so many emotions going on. She was happy for Rachel but she so wanted this for herself.

When Matthew came home from the fields that night he had come up with an impromptu date for the two of them, to cheer his wife up.

"Marilla! I propose that we go to Hester Greys Garden, just like we used to."

"That sounds lovely, but I just made a shepherds pie for dinner," Marilla said ruefully.

"We'll take it with us! Let me go get a basket"

Marilla smiled as he walked off, he truly was the sweetest man.

Together, arm in arm, the couple walked down the lane and set up picnic.

"Do you remember when I proposed?"

Marilla laughed, "of course I do! It was the happiest day of my life...except for probably our wedding day."

Matthew spoke with a twinkle in his eyes, "And wedding night?"

"Cheeky!"

Matthew stretched out on the blanket, "I remember when we were young; Michael used to make up the most riveting stories."

Marilla felt a touch of sadness thinking about her older brother, "he was a wonderful friend to me. I only wished he lived long enough to enjoy young adulthood. The three of us would've had lovely memories together."

"You know, as an only child myself, he was like a big brother to me."

"He enjoyed your company. The day he died changed my family forever. Even years after my mother stayed in her melancholia."

Matthew held his wife's hand in support, her family had pretty much been his. His mother died giving birth to him, and his father was a quiet man, drowned in his own grief. When the house got too quiet Matthew would go over to Marilla's house and take part in her family's activities—at least until Michael died from falling out of a tree.

Marilla voice broke him out of his reverie, "I always felt like my brother was the apple of my mothers eye. And I was...well, I mean she loved me, I have no doubt, but she spoiled him so while I wasn't. Nonetheless, I do wish Michael lived longer than thirteen."

"I remember when my father heard the news, he closed his eyes and with a sadder voice than usual, if you can believe it, said, 'the poor Hughes, losing a child as young as he, a boy who was the kindest lad I've ever met. I can trust that your mother will take care of him now, until Michael's parents join him'"

"He thought Michael was kinder than you?"

Matthew chuckled, "I know he didn't mean it in a negative way. Everyone knew Michael was special. He saw the world in a different way. Sometimes I wish his imagination was the way the world actually was."

"Mm, you and I both."

The couple watched the sunset and then headed home, both feeling more relaxed than they had in a long time.

"Marilla, I am gonna go and see if I can hire one of those French boys today; I need help," Matthew told her over his breakfast a few weeks later.

"I can pack you a lunch if you're going to be away."

"I hate leaving you all alone. I know that Rachel is in town today, Thomas told me."

"I'll admit it can get lonely being all by myself during the day, but I get house chores done and I would rather be alone then be with those stuck up women in their groups and sewing circles. Today I will await for you to come home," she smiled and kissed him.

"Maybe we should hope for a girl then, to cure your loneliness," Matthew winked at her as he left.

Marilla was startled from her needlepoint by a knock at the door.

"Hello? Marilla?"

Thomas Lynde was standing on her doorstep with a squirming Caleb in his arms.

"Thomas? What can I do for you?"

"One of my field hands informed me that one of my cows looks sick, I need to go and inspect her. Can you watch Caleb for me? I shouldn't be more than a few hours"

"Of course! He can keep me company," she laughed as Caleb tried to grab her nose.

"Thank you, Marilla."

Thomas gave Caleb a kiss on the head before leaving.

"Well, young man, what shall we do today?" Marilla asked the baby, bouncing him on her hip.

A/N: I realize that Michael isnt in the books but for my story's sake i think it will be better if he existed at one point.