I had an idea to put this all as one fic, rather than crowd my short story
one with a long and complicated narrative. Divide and conquer worked for
the Brits so I might try it too. So I'll add my disclaimer here, I don't
own any of the recognizable characters LMM (or her family or some other
rich person does). Even the ones you've never heard of are inspired by her.
I just took a "what if" that struck me late one night and tried to make it into a story. Sorry for messing with the timelines. Read and review, it's soooo nice to get reviews (thanks Ruby).
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Beverly King left very much all that remained of his childhood and much of his heart in Europe and come home to Toronto, Canada. Beverly had spent the war years as a war correspondent for a fairly well known, British weekly. The post war year was divided between London and Paris. Returning to Canada was heart wrenching, reminding him of all the treasures he left behind, in Europe. He promised himself that he would never return, to the one place he called home for a few years, long ago. Toronto was not quite home, but it was devoid of painful memories.
Being grown up, as he was, did not mean he had no dreams. Being grown up meant he could now realize his dreams. Beverly's dream was to establish a magazine all his own, perhaps unconsciously fueled by a magazine he'd edited as a child. Beverly had turned to his brother, Felix to help him breath life to his dream. Felix at the time had just graduated from Redmond, receiving his BA. Unfortunately for Felix, Canada required a certain weight of its soldiers, Felix, try as he might, could not bring his weight down to suit the requirements. Thus, Redmond gained an economics scholar and another, well needed male companion for the campus suddenly devoid of male presence. Felix would have loved to take on the more practical position in his brother's magazine but he had received an offer he could not refuse. Felix was offered a position in Toronto's second largest bank.
"I guess I will have to apply for a position as a writer in another magazine and save my dream for later on." Said Beverly. "Bev, for a clever fellow, you can talk a whole lot of nonsense sometimes. I'm sure you'll find someone else, more capable than I, to publish your magazine." Answered Felix, the voice of reason. -"I'm useless at anything practical, as you know, I couldn't run a magazine myself if my life depended on it." Said Bev.
-"I'm not suggesting you do, we'll find someone to help you."
-"How many people, do you know that can convert dreams into business, fantasy into practicality, not many I presume?"
-"No, not many, but I can think of one." Said Felix.
This conversation held not long after Beverly's return to Canada lead to another conversation, this time over the 'phone. Beverly's description had conjured the image of a tall red-haired, fair skinned, hazel-eyed girl by the name of Diana Blythe.
Diana, home from Redmond and ready to become, once again Di of Ingleside, was quite surprised to receive a 'phone call from Felix King. Felix was a college chum, she had spent many a long night studying for exams with him, and he proved to be a jolly companion and a true friend.
After pleasantries were exchanged Felix asked Di how she was adjusting to her new life. "Doesn't it seem awfully quiet in your village after Kingsport?"
-"It is quiet, but never dull, mostly I stay at home with Mother. I think she needs me to be around, now my brothers and sisters are dispersing. It is peaceful here."
-"My brother has returned to Canada. He's in Toronto."
-"The writer?"
-"I have but one brother. He came back to realize his life's dream and you can help him."
-"Me? But I don't write? His dream must have something to do with writing." asked Di in amazement.
-"You're right, it does have something to do with writing and you don't have to know how to write in order to help him you have to be able to make dreams come true."
Felix had realized that Di had enough of the dreamer in her to recognize and understand a dream and enough of the practical girl to bring life to it. Felix went on to offer Di the position of publisher of his brother's not yet established magazine.
Di contemplated the offer for quite a while. She'd never imagined herself away from the Island again. She'd been quite content the past month or so since she'd retuned from Redmond. Ingleside was almost as she remembered it form childhood, full of prenuptial hustle and bustle. True, Jem was married and living in Kingsport and Walter was forever lying beneath a nondescript white cross in a green field in France (the word DEAD did not come to her when she thought of Walter), but the others were home.
Upon future contemplation Di realized that Nan was home, for the next fortnight, and then she'd become Mrs. Gerald Meredith and leave. Shirley was home for the summer vacation, but had plans to return to Redmond in the fall. Rilla, her baby sister was also to be married and to Ken Ford of all people. But Mother and Father were home and they had not changed, MUCH. Susan Baker was still the same old Susan; such a comfort to Di that one thing had not changed.
Di was not of envious nature and very rarely would she covet what was not hers. Now she felt, she coveted what her family had, ambition and happiness. Mother and Father had lived their ambition to be together, to raise a great family and to love. Jem has married Faith and is to be a Doctor. Nan will marry Jerry and will take-up housekeeping. Shirley seems to want to learn how to build aeroplanes, now that he's learned to fly them. Rilla, much like Nan, wishes to become Mrs. Kenneth Ford more than anything else. Di could not think of one thing she dreamt of doing, but the role of magazine publisher started to grow on her.
A week after Felix's 'phone call she sent him a letter, accepting the offer and adding a suggestion of her own for photographer. Di waited until after Nan's wedding to Jerry Meredith to break the news to Ingleside folk. As it happened, they were al delighted, at the opportunity but sad to see her go. Glenn folk wagged their tongues as only Glenn folk could. One may wonder what would be Di's reaction to some of the things said about her. Luckily, these things did not reach Di, already settled in far away Toronto.
-"Did you here Di Blythe is moving to Toronto?" One would say.
-"I heard she couldn't catch a husband at Redmond so her parents sent her to try in Toronto."
-"It's no surprise none of the Redmond fellows would have her, she isn't exactly a beauty."
-"No, she looks nothing like her sisters."
-"I heard she is going into business, so unladylike."
-"No, there is nothing ladylike in publishing."
-"I just hope the Doctor and his missus know what kind of magazines this is, I've heard of many ill refuted ones published in Toronto."
-"Didn't you hear she is to live in a flat on her own, completely on chaperoned? Young girls these days, mark my word, let them have a job and they will lose regard for any morals they may have had." So on and so forth wagged the tongues, their gossip a dangerous mix of truth and fallacy.
Di was faraway decorating the flat she now shared with Persis Ford, the magazine's photographer.
***************************************************************
By the way, I can't get a hang out of HTML, how the heck do I put in italics and other such stuff?
I just took a "what if" that struck me late one night and tried to make it into a story. Sorry for messing with the timelines. Read and review, it's soooo nice to get reviews (thanks Ruby).
*********************************************************************
Beverly King left very much all that remained of his childhood and much of his heart in Europe and come home to Toronto, Canada. Beverly had spent the war years as a war correspondent for a fairly well known, British weekly. The post war year was divided between London and Paris. Returning to Canada was heart wrenching, reminding him of all the treasures he left behind, in Europe. He promised himself that he would never return, to the one place he called home for a few years, long ago. Toronto was not quite home, but it was devoid of painful memories.
Being grown up, as he was, did not mean he had no dreams. Being grown up meant he could now realize his dreams. Beverly's dream was to establish a magazine all his own, perhaps unconsciously fueled by a magazine he'd edited as a child. Beverly had turned to his brother, Felix to help him breath life to his dream. Felix at the time had just graduated from Redmond, receiving his BA. Unfortunately for Felix, Canada required a certain weight of its soldiers, Felix, try as he might, could not bring his weight down to suit the requirements. Thus, Redmond gained an economics scholar and another, well needed male companion for the campus suddenly devoid of male presence. Felix would have loved to take on the more practical position in his brother's magazine but he had received an offer he could not refuse. Felix was offered a position in Toronto's second largest bank.
"I guess I will have to apply for a position as a writer in another magazine and save my dream for later on." Said Beverly. "Bev, for a clever fellow, you can talk a whole lot of nonsense sometimes. I'm sure you'll find someone else, more capable than I, to publish your magazine." Answered Felix, the voice of reason. -"I'm useless at anything practical, as you know, I couldn't run a magazine myself if my life depended on it." Said Bev.
-"I'm not suggesting you do, we'll find someone to help you."
-"How many people, do you know that can convert dreams into business, fantasy into practicality, not many I presume?"
-"No, not many, but I can think of one." Said Felix.
This conversation held not long after Beverly's return to Canada lead to another conversation, this time over the 'phone. Beverly's description had conjured the image of a tall red-haired, fair skinned, hazel-eyed girl by the name of Diana Blythe.
Diana, home from Redmond and ready to become, once again Di of Ingleside, was quite surprised to receive a 'phone call from Felix King. Felix was a college chum, she had spent many a long night studying for exams with him, and he proved to be a jolly companion and a true friend.
After pleasantries were exchanged Felix asked Di how she was adjusting to her new life. "Doesn't it seem awfully quiet in your village after Kingsport?"
-"It is quiet, but never dull, mostly I stay at home with Mother. I think she needs me to be around, now my brothers and sisters are dispersing. It is peaceful here."
-"My brother has returned to Canada. He's in Toronto."
-"The writer?"
-"I have but one brother. He came back to realize his life's dream and you can help him."
-"Me? But I don't write? His dream must have something to do with writing." asked Di in amazement.
-"You're right, it does have something to do with writing and you don't have to know how to write in order to help him you have to be able to make dreams come true."
Felix had realized that Di had enough of the dreamer in her to recognize and understand a dream and enough of the practical girl to bring life to it. Felix went on to offer Di the position of publisher of his brother's not yet established magazine.
Di contemplated the offer for quite a while. She'd never imagined herself away from the Island again. She'd been quite content the past month or so since she'd retuned from Redmond. Ingleside was almost as she remembered it form childhood, full of prenuptial hustle and bustle. True, Jem was married and living in Kingsport and Walter was forever lying beneath a nondescript white cross in a green field in France (the word DEAD did not come to her when she thought of Walter), but the others were home.
Upon future contemplation Di realized that Nan was home, for the next fortnight, and then she'd become Mrs. Gerald Meredith and leave. Shirley was home for the summer vacation, but had plans to return to Redmond in the fall. Rilla, her baby sister was also to be married and to Ken Ford of all people. But Mother and Father were home and they had not changed, MUCH. Susan Baker was still the same old Susan; such a comfort to Di that one thing had not changed.
Di was not of envious nature and very rarely would she covet what was not hers. Now she felt, she coveted what her family had, ambition and happiness. Mother and Father had lived their ambition to be together, to raise a great family and to love. Jem has married Faith and is to be a Doctor. Nan will marry Jerry and will take-up housekeeping. Shirley seems to want to learn how to build aeroplanes, now that he's learned to fly them. Rilla, much like Nan, wishes to become Mrs. Kenneth Ford more than anything else. Di could not think of one thing she dreamt of doing, but the role of magazine publisher started to grow on her.
A week after Felix's 'phone call she sent him a letter, accepting the offer and adding a suggestion of her own for photographer. Di waited until after Nan's wedding to Jerry Meredith to break the news to Ingleside folk. As it happened, they were al delighted, at the opportunity but sad to see her go. Glenn folk wagged their tongues as only Glenn folk could. One may wonder what would be Di's reaction to some of the things said about her. Luckily, these things did not reach Di, already settled in far away Toronto.
-"Did you here Di Blythe is moving to Toronto?" One would say.
-"I heard she couldn't catch a husband at Redmond so her parents sent her to try in Toronto."
-"It's no surprise none of the Redmond fellows would have her, she isn't exactly a beauty."
-"No, she looks nothing like her sisters."
-"I heard she is going into business, so unladylike."
-"No, there is nothing ladylike in publishing."
-"I just hope the Doctor and his missus know what kind of magazines this is, I've heard of many ill refuted ones published in Toronto."
-"Didn't you hear she is to live in a flat on her own, completely on chaperoned? Young girls these days, mark my word, let them have a job and they will lose regard for any morals they may have had." So on and so forth wagged the tongues, their gossip a dangerous mix of truth and fallacy.
Di was faraway decorating the flat she now shared with Persis Ford, the magazine's photographer.
***************************************************************
By the way, I can't get a hang out of HTML, how the heck do I put in italics and other such stuff?