Notes: When I was in the sixth and seventh grade I wrote this. I don't feel like going back and rewriting it so please excuse the wrong timeline, the lame approach, the bad format, and the unusual writing style. This is merely the work of a real amateur and definitely, by far, not by best work. I never completed this story, but if I feel compelled to, I will.
Disclaimer: As of November 24, 2001. I own the story line and thus hold the right to remove this story if I ever feel an infraction of the disclaimer has been committed. I know that sounds like legal jargon and such especially for a fan fiction website, but I have already had my story line plagiarized. Kevin Sullivan owns the characters, the town, the timeline and everything. I own nothing but the story line and a few new additions to Avonlea.
Coming Home
August 1919, Avonlea
Part 5
Marching back from the hotel the mysterious town that was once so familiar seemed to leave the young man clueless once again. He could have stopped and retraced his steps but instead he took a long path on memory lane. He had to recapture to himself what the town had been. He saw the Pettibone house, still the same. Most houses had no change while most stores were different, totally strange to his eyes of wonder. He spotted the Velma Bugle riding on a rusty old bicycle probably on her way to see Elbert who was happily going with Cecily. Sallie Potts had just drove up to her job as telephone operator. He stopped walking; remembrance of these people shook him crazy. Blood. The feeling of it dripping down your forehead, on to your shirt, out your back, out your nose, seeing it kill one friend then another, blood, every where. Izzy! He felt the deliverance of pain as he tried to revere the grief before he collapsed helplessly. No! So far from the general store, so close the white sand hotel, yet so far away from them both.
********
Felicity looked on from the four-wheel automobile. The blood rushed as a man faint she helplessly pulled out of the dirty pits of Avonlea. Looking at the droopy man, on the dusty floor, the faint face sent a blush up her face, "Felix!"
********
His mind twirled and succumbed his muscled body together, he felt himself, no his body, land flat on the ground. His soul remained he stared down at his pale face and then he too froze and fell upon his lapsed body. Felix King needed help.
********
Silently he awoke to the worry of his older sister and the relaxing sound of a doctor. "Good afternoon, Mr. King." Dr. Snow quickly acknowledged to the young man.
"I've been better, Dr. Snow." Felix sat up to the hush of the waiting room, "Who's out there?"
"No one unparticular," In came the rousing voice of a female, before a couple of hushed laughs and a giant chuckle.
"Izzy Pettibone, Cecily King…and Elbert Wertz, oh and Gus."
"You're too good Felix King." Gus Pike's withering accent.
The awaiting people entered the cold harked treatment room, "Feeling better, Felix?" Izzy asked.
"Much better…now that you're here."
"You're too charming, Felix King." She smirked before giving him a gentle kiss on his warm red cheek.
********
He stepped onto the red earth, boy had he missed this place. It had been away in Boston to long. He didn't really know why had had come back, but this place brought joy and horror to his life. He walked up the narrow path and then to the small door. He rang the doorbell and could hear the hushed laughs of a couple. Her hair was a brush when she went to answer the door, "James?" James Riley looked at the younger woman and then he paused to hear the sounds from inside. "Izzy." He paused again, he heard movements inside, "Listen I don't know what rocks we hit, but-"
"We; there is no we."
"Izzy, we…I…could…I want to make it work."
"Good bye James." She slammed the door. She had been going out with Felix King for about four weeks now. She walked back down into the living room, the man turned his head, "Who was that?"
"James."
"What's his problem?" he asked and then Izzy sat next to Felix King, "I really don't know." Then she roped her arms around him and leaned down to kiss him; she kissed him once and then twice, before Felix stopped. "Did he know that I was here; did he know what you were doing?"
"No." then she turned her gentle lips back on his warm lips, "This is very wrong you know; what if someone finds us?"
He laughed, "Let them find us then…" She let out a loud chuckle before taking her hand and using it to connect his lips to hers.
********
He heard the gentle footsteps and then the loud thump, the wild crack of wondrous women and the hush of the male sailors. He started to turn around then he felt a nervous tingle and he decided not to turn back. After a few more streets and stares of people he turned to look to find a man. He grabbed him by the throat. No one is Boston seemed to notice, the man took him down a dark alley. The smell of mildew and the sound of wet drops dripped. The sound of rats and the man's feet thump the pavement. Once they had reached the end of the street. The darkness shaded over the spot the man held him. He took out a gun and looked out on the street. Then the siren, "Shoot, someone must have saw." Taking the knife out of his hand in which he had used to take the man, he threw it to the side. Taking out a piece of paper he stared down on him, "What's your name?" he snarled.
"Elbert Wertz."
"Any last thoughts?"
"Why… I ain't gonna die." He mumbled hoarsely.
"Don't be so sure country boy, any last thoughts?"
"Tell Cecily I love her. Tell mama I love her. Now what ya gonna do with me?"
"Say good bye, sunshine." Bang, the crack roared through the city. The screams and siren roared through the city as they mixed and mingled together.
********
There was James; boy did he ever look handsome. She looked over at the man who had tears in his eyes and his arms around her waist. She knew she wanted at for along time she thought she knew Felix was the one for her. But now that Elbert was dead she wanted a change. She didn't feel free with Felix anymore, just for some reason. Though she loved Felix, she knew when she broke up with him it would be hard to look into his deep black eyes and not see the love he had for her and for him not to see the look she had for him also. Someday though maybe they would find love again, "Felix," She stopped and relaxed, this would hurt her more then it would hurt him, "Felix?" she turned to look into his passionate eyes, he looked depressed but she needed to do this. He was hurt, "Felix, I think," she took in a deep breath as his concerned eyes focussed on her, "I think we should see other people." Now he was crushed.
********
He eyes were torn, his face was frighten. He looked as if he would never recover. His heart hardened. He stared her; his loving eyes were cold. Tears poured from his eyes, from his heart. He wore a transgression; he probably would enter depression. He was hurting so much inside, he was hurting, she could tell. She could feel his pain, his intensity, it filled the area, between them. She knew how hard it must have been for him. She looked at him again. She studied his features, pale and robust. In his agony his muscles would have torn his shirt if he hadn't been in public. He licked his lips and then continued to stare back her, she knew he had to been hurting. * What had she done? * She saw the grief in his eyes, the pain. His heart was being torn from his soul. You could tell he wanted to ask her why, but the power he had once possessed, was gone. She reached out for him and took him in her arms; "You'll always be my best friend, Felix King." She whispered in his ear. She felt the tears from his eyes pour heavy drops of little faith, "I'll always love you, Izzy Pettibone."
********
The news had that Izzy Pettibone had broken up with Felix King spread over town fast. In fact the fact that she quickly picked it up with James Riley again made the town tingle. She was now engaged to him also. Felix was never the same though. He only time you'd see him was at the hotel or at the King Farm. He never attended the socials anymore. When Izzy had set a date for her wedding everyone knew she wasn't backing out this time and everyone knew Felix King would end up cold and alone. There was no one now he was ever going to fall in love with some one ever again. Felix was also slowly getting over the grief of losing Izzy and Elbert and occasionally he could be seen taking trips to the general store he would only speak one words to people like Izzy. He never met ones eyes any more. He would always look away.
********
He paced the room strenuously; "Izzy how could you?" he looked over at his daughter. His daughter moved from one side of the room to where her father was, tearing her eyes from her older brother Arthur, "I love James!"
"But, Izzy, your father and I don not really approve of James Riley."
"Yes, Izzy, he's different; he's an American." Arthur concluded.
"Oh, Arthur, he's a lovely man who makes a lot of money."
"He's also ten years older." Morgan examined.
"Oh, Morgan you of all people should understand-"
"Izzy what about Felix?" Muriel questioned.
"Muriel; I don't love Felix like that anymore-"
"Izzy, you two are a perfect match." Arthur agreed.
"He and you," Clive started, "Look like…"
"…you were destined to be together." A female voice called through the house.
"Aunt Lillian!" She jumped up as the rest of the family stood as well, "Oh my Izzy, how are you?" Izzy froze after giving her a hug, "Why are you here?"
"I heard you're getting married a had to come down then don't you think?" Izzy looked at her and then shook her head, before turning to her father and Muriel, "You two set this up, huh?" Clive and Muriel exchanged glances and nodded proudly, "You two don't like him at all do you?" Izzy exclaimed hot tears poring down her cheeks; her own family didn't quite respect her fiancée.
********
They walked across the jammed-pack-street. Full of busy people and cars running about. Aunt Lillian looked over at Izzy; "Everyone only wants what's best for you." Izzy turned from looking out over the road to her aunt, with great curiosity she smiled, "I know…but I want James."
"Your father and Muriel are going through a lot with little Billy just a baby and all. Right now they have there own crisis."
"Well, they didn't have to have Billy…life could have gone smoother if they weren't always up feeding him."
"You know your father didn't like the idea either when Muriel told him the news."
"Really," Izzy's eyes widened in disbelief, at the time Muriel had discovered her pregnancy her father had been in Montreal on a teachers convention, "Poor old man was so terrible he even called me up for advice. The child's birth made him feel twenty again, it made him change."
"Now they're changing for you also; it's very tough to change for two people at the same time."
"But I love James and nothing will keep me and him from getting married!"
"Nothing, not even Felix? Then you must talk with you father and say you know it's best for your life."
"Oh, Aunt Lillian you are a life saver…but Muriel and Father they…"
"Tell them you know marrying James is the right thing and nothing will stop you from marrying the man you love."
********
She paced forward in the dark room, "Oh, Father I know it's the right thing." She stopped to look her father straight in the eyes. They were sharp and fierce; she wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"Izzy I love you and want what's best for you, do you understand?"
"Yes," she obediently shook her head in acknowledgement, "I love you too."
"If you are so sure James is the one than you have my permission and blessing to marry him…"
"And the rest of the family will try to begun to accept him like you have and over look his flaws." Izzy turned to see Muriel proudly standing in the doorway, "Congratulations!" she ran over and gave the once Muriel Stacey a hug. Before going over to her father and embracing him with love. Her family had changed like her aunt said, not for the best or for the worst but enough she they were different. Handling problems differently and they showed their love to her.
********
"Oh, Felix you must," The tall man turned from his bill to face the woman, who should have been his mother-in-law, "Mrs. Pettibone?" His tipped cap seemed to fall forward more. His paranoid eyes stared straight at Muriel Pettibone, "Felix…Felix, it just wouldn't be the same if you weren't at the wedding. You're Izzy's best friend."
"I'll try to fit it in my schedule."
"Felix, try not, but only do things."
"Good day, Mrs. Pettibone." He tipped his hat in acknowledgement to the married woman of Clive Pettibone; the former teacher and army drill captain. He slowly walked out the door, once he had left, "Oh, Felix, if only you knew how much Izzy really loves you and how much Clive and I would have rather had you for a son." She talked in thought out loud.
********
She walked across the lawn and knocked on the cheery house's doors. The man who answered it looked at her for a moment and then asked her in, "Ms. King, I suppose you're ready for the wedding today. Let me just change and we'll be on our way. I just came from the general store and it seems everything for the party is set."
"Why, thank you, Morgan."
"All the pleasure I can do for such a beautiful woman…my sisters getting changed so why don't you help yourself out?"
"Cecily!" Izzy shrieked at the sight of her closest friend.
"How's it going, Izzy-dear child you look spectacular!" Cecily exclaimed at the sight of Izzy in her wedding gown. It was white of course and had lace. There was a low collar and the helm hung down to her ankles and lower.
"Why don't you go change and we can get going!"
********
They waited out for the guests to settle in at first. They were stationed out side the White Sand Hotel. More particular it was almost sun set on the beach where they were having the wedding. Izzy looked out at the all guest; "Felix isn't here?" Cecily knew the story, she sadly shook her head for her brother. She could understand why he wouldn't go if only Izzy hadn't been his best friend just his ex girlfriend he would hadn't had an impact on Izzy, though he needed to go; Izzy needed him to come and he needed himself to come.
********
He stood there. Looking straight at the clock; he still had time to make it there. Tracing back his thoughts, one by one. He owed to him self and to Izzy to go. He needed to see her, to feel her presence. But then again she might not want him there. Even though she would mean well she wouldn't want him to come and ruin the happiest day of her life. What would it hurt if he went though? Felix King had already dressed himself in his most fancy suit and climbed aboard the automobile car. He could still make it.
********
"If anyone has any objections to the marriage of these to young people please speak now or forever hold your peace-" Just as he was about to finish his sentence the door cracked open and the nerves of people rushed, Felix King had shown up. He quickly found a seat and seated himself far in the back. "Hold your peace forever…" the minister continued till the vows were spoken, the rings were given and the groom kissed his bride.
********
He stood there, in the small white doorframe. Rice was being passed out; hugs and kisses were given to the bride and groom, now man and wife. He knew he should have been that man, her husband, he should have asked, cause she meant the world to him. People were laughing, not him, people were rejoicing, he wasn't, people showing love to others, he had no one. He spotted his sister, the widow of Elbert Wertz, he had figured Elbert had asked her before he had left; yet Cecily told no one. She was busily talking to a bunch of guys. Daniel, his brother, was running around the churchyard. Felicity and Gus were mingling with others. His mother and father were talking with Clive and Muriel Pettibone. Life had moved on without him.
********
Move on to Part 6.
