i want to thank my new friend on Instagram for all her help with my questions. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 4: Anne's POV

After making sure Grace was sitting down and eating her breakfast, I thanked Candice and made my way back to the head mistress office. I felt nervous once again as I got closer to the door. Please let the head mistress be a nice woman I thought.

When I got to the door, the door was opened and I saw the head mistress. I knocked on the door and the head mistress looked up at me and smiled.

"Hello dear. You must be Mrs. Blythe, correct? Please sit down." The head mistress said.

"Thank you mam. Yes, I'm Mrs. Blythe. I came to see if I can work here." I said. I sat down and so did the head mistress.

"I'm sorry I'm late mam. I met a couple of your charges name Grace and Ruby. Ruby wasn't feeling well when I arrived. Grace came in looking for you to tell you about Ruby not feeling good. I told her you weren't in yet and asked if I can help. Grace told me Ruby has been up all night sick so I suggested that we take her to bed which we did. Nurse Emily is looking after Ruby. You see, my husband is a new doctor here in town. He is a well known doctor here and he can look after Ruby. We also would like to adopt her. Although that isn't the exact reason why I came here in the first place. I would like to work here as well." I added.

"Let's talk about your past work experiences and then we can talk about Ruby. Since that is why you came here in the first place." Mildred said.

"Yes mam. My name is Anne Shirley Cuthbert-Blythe. I was adopted when I was 12 years old by an elderly couple called the Cuthberts. They were brother and sister. I was suppose to be a boy to help Matthew out on the farm but I obviously wasn't. Marilla wasn't happy that I was brought to her house. But, I wasn't to be tossed out into the streets right away. I ended up staying in their house on trial for a week. A week later, I was officially adopted.

Before I came to the Cuthberts though, I was in and out of homes up until I was 12 years old. I had earned my keep in those homes by doing chores around the house and taking care of the children younger then me. That wasn't an easy time.

The last family I ended up staying with, her drunken husband got hit by a train and instantly killed. That last family I was with them since the wife couldn't keep all her children. The family had to be split up and nobody wanted me. I was sent to an orphanage myself.

I believe I was at the orphanage about three months and that was hell. Excuse my language but it was true. That's when a lady came to adopt a little girl from the orphanage I was staying at. Some how she got the message mixed up saying the Cuthberts wants a girl and not a boy. So, I was brought back to Prince Edward Island with the woman that had adopted the little girl.

After my trial, I was forever a Cuthbert." I paused and I took a peak at Miss Mildred.

When I was younger, my husband now, but a friend at the time, gave me the school to teach back in a small town called Avonlea back in Canada. I was 16 and that was my first job. My husband was supposed to teach in Avonlea where we went to school, but he found out I wasn't going back to Redmond because my family needed me at home. I was going to teach at the Carmody school that was a nearby town to stay close to my adoptive family. The lady that adopted me, her brother had died and I wanted to be near her, so I could help her out with the farm chores on nights and weekends. When my husband found that out, he talked to the school board and told them he wanted to switch schools. He wanted to give me the Avonlea School so I could be close to my adoptive family and he took a different school. I was so shocked and touched at first. He wanted Avonlea School too, but he would rather I had taken it. We both went to that school growing up. I thought at the Avonlea School for two years, and then I went to Redmond College." I said.

"It sounds like your husband cares very much for you, even back then Mrs. Blythe. That was very nice of him to give you the Avonlea School when he could have kept the position." Miss Mildred said.

I blushed remembering the memory very well. The way he called me "Carrots" and caressed my cheek looking at me.

"Yes mam. He knew it was important that I wanted to be close to home. Mind you, I was not expecting it nor did I ask him to give me the school. He did that all on his own." I saidMiss Mildred took a break from writing all of what I had said down. She put her ink pen down and looked at me.

"I take you're good with children?" Miss Mildred said.

"Yes. Growing up, I was in and out of different homes. Mostly to help out with the younger children and do a lot of chores. Before I got adopted, I didn't go to school. I was needed at whatever house needed my help. One family had two sets of twins - two sets. I helped looked after them. They had six children all together. After Mr. Thomas got hit and killed by a train, like I said before, I couldn't live with Mrs. Thomas anymore since her children had to be split up and I wasn't wanted. So, off I went to the orphanage. I'm very handy with helping and taking care of children." I said.

"I was an accident basically when I was adopted, remember, I said I was supposed to be a boy to help around the farm. They are an elderly brother and sister. I was at the train station when Matthew picked me up. He knew he couldn't leave me there overnight. The last train had come and gone for the day. Without knowing what else to do, he took me home which his sister was very surprised and unhappy that I wasn't a boy. I was heartbroken. "

I continued on with the interview for another hour or so and then Miss Mildred finally put down her pen and smiled at me.

"Well Mrs. Blythe, you had a rough life before you moved to Green Gables. Marilla and Matthew took very good care of you and made sure you got into a good college and you did very well in school and taught at two different schools. I am very impressed. Not many people offer to come and want to work in an orphanage, let alone be a teacher. You have the job if you want it. I can't pay much. $2.00 every Friday afternoon." Miss Mildred said.

I breathed a sigh of relief. " Thank you so much. I'll be a good teacher to the children here. There is on drawback though I'm afraid."

Miss Mildred looked at me with a confused look. "You see, when my husband is done with his training here, we plan on heading back to Avonlea and start a family. He wants to be a country doctor. His training is here in New York though. Will that be a problem?" I asked nervously.

"No Mrs. Blythe. I understand that. Sometimes you have to travel to get some education done for a certain job you want to do. In this case, your husband wants to be a doctor." Miss Mildred said.

"Thank you Mam. Is that okay if we talk about Ruby now? We would like to adopt her. My husband can take care of her." I said.

"Yes. Let me give you her background that we know. Well Mrs. Blythe, I'm thankful for you helping Grace to put Ruby back to bed. Ruby has only been here for a month. She is our newest orphan. Ruby's neighbor found her. You see, Ruby parents passed away before Ruby came here. Her parents were sick with Scarlet Fever. Ruby was taking care of them before they passed away. First it was her father that got Scarlet Fever, so Ruby and her mother were taking care of not only the farm, but, her father too, around the clock. Just the two of them. Then her mother eventually got sick from having the responsibility of not only taking care of the house, the farm, but of Ruby and her husband too. Then that left Ruby taking care of both of them and she did what she could in the farm and taking care of her parents. They lived further out of town, so they don't have a lot of neighbors, but some. One day, one of the neighbors came to check in on Ruby and her parents. She was shocked to see that her parents had died and she found Ruby curled up into her mother's side. Her mother's shawl wrapped around Ruby.

I'm thinking her father died first and her mother died shortly after. From the sickness and probably a broken heart as well. Ruby doesn't talk much. She doesn't eat much either. She gets panic attacks and works herself to where she throws up. She also has nightmares and gets so scared that she wets the bed sometimes." The head mistress said.

I was quite for a moment letting it all sink in. Even if the other girls told me about Ruby, Gilbert could help Ruby get back on track. He can help her with her anxiety, even talk to her about wetting her bed, and about her eating. He would mostly be concerned about her anxiety and eating habits. Yes, we can definitely make this work. I'm not going to back out now when I have my heart set on this little girl who needed Gilbert and I. I am sure Gilbert wouldn't mind taking in a sick child. He loves children as much as I do.

Miss Mildred was looking at me with an anxious expression. "I understand Mrs. Blythe that if you don't want a sick child, we have some healthier ones that are available for adoption."

I snapped out of my thoughts and I said "We want Ruby Miss Mildred. My husband certainly knows how to take care of a sick child. She will be very well cared for. My husband can do a quick exam here and do a more thorough one when we get home. He is very good at his job."

"Do you know what Ruby has?" Miss Mildred asked.

"I have an idea, but I want my husband to do the diagnosis since he is a doctor. I'll tell him what I think and he can make his own decision on what he thinks she has. Please Miss Mildred, let us adopt Ruby. I promise she will go into a loving home. She will be taken care of and loved. She will feel safe and protected." I said.

"Of course you two can adopt her. You have your heart set on her. I would like to meet your husband and see what he has to say about Ruby's health. Will that be alright?" Miss Mildred asked.

"Absolutely Miss Mildred. Thank you so much. Will that be okay if I start work next week so I can help take care of Ruby and bond with her?" I asked.

"Yes. The children have not gone to school this long. They can wait another week. I'll see you this afternoon to pick up Ruby. We will have her ready for you. See you then." Miss Mildred said.

Once the interview was done, I thanked Mildred and told her we would be back this afternoon to take Ruby home. I gathered up my purse and made my way out the door.

Oh I hope Gilbert was close to being finished with his meeting. I was so anxious to tell him not only about my new job, but that we were adopting Ruby and that Ruby was going to be his first patient - one on one. I know he will fall in love with Ruby just like I did.

At least it has stopped raining and it was just cloudy outside which was a bit better. I made my way over to the hospital and I didn't see any sign of Gil yet. He must be in the meeting still. Sighing, I walked over to a near by bench and sat down. Oh, I was so anxious on how Gil would react to the news.

Would he be excited to get Ruby? Would he still want Ruby even though she is sick? Would he take care of her just like he would take care of any other patient?

"Anne Shirley Cuthbert Blythe! What on earth are you doing?" I heard somebody called my name.

I was surprised at first because I didn't know anybody in New York. I kept on biting my nails and I ignored the person. I was walking back and forth, muttering to myself like I sometimes do.

"Anne Blythe! Are you biting your nails?" There was that person again. Calling my name and he knew I was biting my nails.

I finally turned around and gave a yelp in surprise. I turned around so fast, I fell tripped on the sidewalk and moaned as I went head first. Blocking my fall by putting my arms in front of my face.

"Oh Anne-Girl. I didn't mean to scare you. Are you hurt? Did you hit your head? Let's get up slowly." It was Gilbert. He must have been the one calling my name.

Gilbert helped me get up and he steadied me on my feet. His doctor side kicking in. Looking at me up and down making sure I didn't have any broken bones or scrapes on me.

I winced a little as he put his fingers on my forehead checking for bumps. "Sorry Anne-Girl. A little tender right there?" He asked.

"A little bit." I mumbled. "I don't see any scrapes, I think you'll just have a small bruise that might cause a headache. I'll keep an eye on it. Let's go sit down and you can tell me why you were biting your nails. You never do that. I'll look at your nails and make sure there isn't any hang nails so your nails won't get infected." Gil said.

I let him lead me to the bench and he sat me down. I realized he still had on his doctors' coat and his doctor bag was near him to. Always prepared.

"You didn't take your doctors' coat off. Won't it get dirty?" I asked.

" I was to anxious to get back to you and see how your interview went. I only paid half attention to our meeting this morning." Gil said.

"Now Anne-Girl. Can you tell me what on earth has you so worked up? You never bite your nails. Your always telling Dora not too." Gil said.

Before I could tell him why I was biting my nails, he gently took both of my hands into his own hands. Starting to look over them.

"Let me look at your finger nails and make sure you don't have any hang nails. If you do, I'll treat it at home." Gil said.

I allowed him to go into doctor mode and he examined my fingers closely. Taking his time going over each and every nail.

I blushed. I'm still not used to him being a doctor, let alone married to one. So, when he examines me, I get embarrassed sometimes.

"Don't be embarrassed Anne-Girl. I'm just going over making sure you didn't do any real damage to your fingers. I don't see anything except a few hang nails. I'll remove those when we get home." Gil said.

I was going to pull my hands back, but, Gil just chuckled and said "No Anne, you chewed your finger nails to there cuticles. I'm going to hold them until you tell me how your interview went. I might write a letter to Dora to and tell her you bit your finger nails off. I might just write her a letter and tell her what you did. She wrote to me last week checking in. Said she misses us."

"Please, don't tell her Gil. I'll never hear the end of it." I begged.

"Fine. I do have to write her and you should too. She would love to get letters from both of us. In the mean time, please tell me about your interview. I have been anxious all morning. " Gil said.

I sighed. I couldn't put it off any longer. I wanted to pull my hands away from Gil, so I can chew on my finger nail while I told him, but I knew that was out of the question.

I took a deep breath and said "The interview went fine Gil. I start next week. The head mistress name Mildred seemed alright. Not as strict or mean like some of the other head mistresses I have met in the orphanages growing up. Before I met Mildred though, I notice a little girl sitting in the hallway in a chair. She looked exhausted Gil. Sleep bags

under eyes, hair all messy, though it was pulled back in braid. The other girl that was with the girl sitting down showed me were Ruby slept. Ruby was the little girl that was sitting in the chair. Mildred had told me about Ruby's last. It isn't a happy story Gil."

Gil looked at me with said and concerned eyes. He was rubbing both of my hands with soothing circles to go on.

"Go on Anne-Girl. Can you tell me what happen so I can help Ruby?" He asked.

I couldn't say no. So, I continued. "Ruby and her parents lived on a farm with neighbors spread apart. They mostly kept to themselves, like Marilla and Mathew did. Only went into town when they had to which was once a week Mildred was told. Even though Ruby and her family didn't go to town much, everyone knew who Ruby and her family were and everyone liked them. Well, once Ruby's father took sick, he had Scarlet Fever, it was all on Ruby and her mother to look after not only the house, and the farm, but, now they had to take care of Ruby's father too. It didn't seem so bad at first. Ruby and her mother settled into a routine. Ruby would do the farm chores that she could, and her mother would look after Ruby's father and the house. Ruby even helped take care of her father when her mother needed a rest. Her father didn't eat much, slept a lot, Ruby didn't eat much at all if anything. She would give her food portions to her father so he could get his strength back. They were a very close family. Her father didn't want Ruby to starve on the account of him. But Ruby said she either wasn't hungry, or ate when her father was sleeping, which I think she was telling a lie. She is so thin and skinny Gil. Her mother seemed to have notice Ruby not eating much either, but didn't say anything about it. Eventually about a week later, Ruby's mother came down with Scarlet Fever. That meant Ruby had to look after both of her parents and the farm. She managed to somehow to do all of that for at least a week. She mostly took care of her parents and only doing what she had to on the farm. Ruby would make food for her parents and hardly ate a thing herself. By this point, her mother told Ruby she needed to eat to keep her strength up until her and her father can get back on their feet. Ruby did eat like I said, but food doesn't sit well with her anymore Gil."

Anne-Girl told Gil she wanted to adopt Ruby and He said of course we can.

Gil sighed and said "I'm going to have her on a strict feeding schedule. I want her to eat light when we first get her home and settled. I would like to be in charge of her meals. I want to make sure she is eating a healthy diet. "Are you okay with that?"

"Of course Gil. You're her doctor and knows what's is best for her." I said. "Thank you Anne-Girl." Gil said.

"What happen to Ruby next?" Gil asked.

"Ruby's friend Grace told me that when Ruby has her nightmares, Ruby sometimes accidentally wets her bed. Ruby gets so upset by this. Grace or Emily would calm her down. They would clean her up, put new sheets on the bed, and one of them will stay with her until she falls back to sleep. Grace begged me not to get mad at Ruby when she has these accidents. I promised her that we couldn't get mad at Ruby. Not for something like that. I gave her our word that Ruby would be in a safe place with us." I said Gil sighed and ran a hand through his hair and face. "It's common for children that young to sometimes go through that phases of wetting the bed. They grow out of it. We will never get mad at Ruby for something like that. We just need to make sure she goes potty before bed. Anything else I should be aware of?"

"One last thing. Ruby get anxious. She works herself up and sometimes throws up. When she gets like that, Grace told me that Ruby won't eat anything or drink anything. No matter how much Grace or Emily begs her to eat or drink. I think Ruby has been like that since her parents died." I said.

"This poor child has been through so much in just a short time, just a month. That will be enough for anybody to have an anxiety attack like what Ruby has gone through. Ruby will be safe with us Anne-Girl. We can promise Emily and Grace that. They have our word that we will keep her friend safe." Gilbert said.

' Anything else I should be aware of Anne-Girl about Ruby?' Gil asked gently.

Taking a deep breath, I nervously said "I think she has Scarlet Fever Gil. Just like you and I did."