Chapter 27

Avonlea, Prince Edward Island and Glen St. Mary, Prince Edward Island

"Anne, I've been curious about something," Diana said.

"What would you like to know, Diana?"

"Does Gilbert prescribe cocaine to himself?"

"What in the world, Diana? What kind of question is that?"

"Well, Fred and I hear from Marilla that Gilbert doesn't get enough sleep. That he works constantly. So, Fred and I just wondered how Gilbert manages this. Does cocaine do the trick?"

"I'm not going to answer that, Diana. Why, the very idea!"

"Well, he carries cocaine around in his bag, doesn't he? Doesn't he prescribe it to his patients?"

"I'm not going to give you an inventory of the drugs in Gil's bag, Diana! Where do you get such nonsense?"

Diana said, "Well, Fred read that doctors use cocaine to stay awake. Dr. Halstead does. We saw how tired and overworked Gilbert looked at the book launch. How does he manage with such a busy medical practice on little sleep?"

Anne said, "Gilbert gets rest! He slept for about a week after his cave rescue!"

Diana said, "Anne, the cave rescue was quite a while ago! You can't expect your husband to sleep for a week and then bank that sleep for the rest of his working years!"

Anne maintained, "Gilbert gets sleep!"

Diana said, "Sure. If you say so, Anne. He's your husband, after all."

Perhaps Diana and Anne both remembered that a very long time ago, in a one room schoolhouse, Diana confessed to Anne about Diana's own feelings about Gilbert Blythe. Perhaps Diana and Anne feared that the memory of said confession could damage their relationship further.

Anne changed the subject.

"So, Diana, I watched Anne Cordelia paint yesterday. She is becoming quite the artist."

Diana said, "Yes. We are quite proud of our daughter's many talents. She will make a fine wife when she grows up."

Anne said, "I found it quite interesting that she painted on worn burlap sacks."

Diana said, "Why, what do you mean, Anne?"

Anne said, "Well, I was a bit surprised that Anne Cordelia painted on burlap sacks instead of canvas."

Diana's voice turned cold. "Canvas costs money, Anne."

Anne said, "Yes, of course, Diana. You're right."

Diana drove Anne to the train station a short while later.

Diana whispered to Anne, "Don't turn around, but Josie is standing on the other side of the station!"

Too late. Josie saw Diana and Anne.

"Well, look, there's Anne Shirley! Where's your husband, Anne? Did he finally get tired of you?"

Anne remembered that Josie Pye had finally found a husband herself. What was the poor man's name again? Did it matter what Josie's husband's name was?

"Hi, Josie. Nice to see you. Gilbert would have loved to come, but he's a busy doctor. He can't tear himself away from his busy work. I'm taking a break from my writing career. I haven't had much of a rest since my book got published. You did hear that I wrote a book, didn't you, Josie?"

Josie said, "Oh, yes. I did hear that Owen Ford wrote a new book. I heard that he had to add your name to HIS book. I heard that you trapped him on a technicality. Same old Anne Shirley. Still taking credit for other people's success. Well, what do you expect? You took credit for Gilbert's work for years. Poor Gilbert."

Josie walked away.

On the train journey back to Glen St Mary and back to Gilbert, Anne thought about things.

Diana and Fred struggled because of Fred's poor investments. Also because of Fred's refusal to involve Diana in his business decisions.

Diana felt that Anne lorded her own successes over Diana.

Diana and Fred hadn't been able to afford canvas for Anne Cordelia's painting aspirations.

Gilbert was sleep deprived once again.

As Diana pointed out, the rescue at the Four Winds Cave happened quite a while ago. In fact, Owen's latest career redemption happened a bit ago. Long enough ago for Owen to have time to blow through whatever money he received for the book that he and Anne co-wrote on Nova Scotia. Oh, well. That was Owen's problem. And Leslie's, of course. Not Anne's problem.

What would it be like to be Owen Ford's wife? thought Anne. To be always one step ahead of the wolf at the door? Well, Leslie obviously loved Owen. That was the most important thing. Also, Anne didn't pity Leslie for being Owen's wife the same way that she pitied Diana for being Fred's wife.

Ouch! Anne had to be nicer to Diana. And Gilbert. Anne had to be nicer to Gilbert. If Anne wasn't careful, she would end up a friendless young widow.

Anne had hoped that Gilbert would be there to meet her at the train station when she arrived. This was not to be. Gilbert met Anne at the station when he could manage it. Obviously, he couldn't manage to meet her today. Anne understood that people were constantly being born or dying. Gilbert had to be there when either of these things happened. Anne paid a driver to take her and her bags to Ingleside.

Anne greeted her children and settled herself at home.

"Susan, we need to order two packages of painting canvas to be sent to Anne Cordelia Barry, Diana's girl."

Anne sorted through her mail. A reminder from the Canadian Authors Association to pay her dues. A letter from Phil. The newest edition of the Maritime Literary Gazette.

Anne flipped through the Gazette when she saw it - a review of the book that she co-wrote with Owen.

This critic maintains the following: Mrs. Blythe has no business writing about the Nova Scotia working class. Blythe left Nova Scotia during her childhood. Blythe was adopted by a prosperous farmer on Prince Edward Island. Blythe received a university education. She married a wealthy physician. Blythe has no talent in telling the story of poverty, in the Maritimes or anywhere else.

Anne snapped the Gazette closed. This critic had it all wrong! Anne left Nova Scotia because she was an orphan and nobody in Nova Scotia - not even the orphanage - wanted her. Matthew Cuthbert, God rest his soul, was NOT a prosperous farmer when he died. He lost all of his money in a bank failure, which is why the suffered his heart attack! Anne and Gilbert only received university educations because they struggled and hustled. Gilbert nearly died in his effort for education. Gilbert was NOT a wealthy physician. He worked himself to the brink of illness to feed their six children.

Owen warned her even before the book release that people would try to hurt her over the book. For writers, attention and publishing opportunities were cake. Not every writer who wanted cake would get cake. If you were the lucky writer who got cake, other people would resent you for having the cake. People tended to resent you even more once you got a second piece of cake, and a third piece of cake.

Anne wanted to cry even though she knew about the cake shortage.

Gilbert came home late that night. Anne took one look at Gilbert and understood that now was NOT the time to tell Gilbert about Gazette review.

Gilbert said, "Just came from the Allonby's. Rhonda Allonby didn't make it. I couldn't save her this time, Anne. I tried. I couldn't keep her from the Great Destroyer."

And with that, Gilbert collapsed in Anne's arms and cried.

A great while later, Gilbert said, "I am so glad that you got home safely, Anne-Girl. How was your trip? How was your day?"

Anne said, "My trip was fine, Gilbert. My day was fine. Let me get you something to eat. Susan made the most delicious buttercream cake."