Chapter VII

Before Christmas Eve....

"Anne!" Diana shook Anne. It was morning at Green Gables, and the morning light was shining through the curtains in Anne's room onto Anne's face. "Di...Diana?" Anne yawned. "What are you doing here so early?" Diana jumped right off Anne's bed and ran to her closet. "Theres so much to do before Christmas Eve, and I have a plan to get back Aunt Josephine's affection." Anne, who was not the least expecting this, leaped off her bed. "What are we going to do?" Diana's eyes shined. "Going to Carmody." Anne's eyes sparkled in comprehension. "Oh! We can buy her another gift with the money we made by babysitting Ginger the parrot for Mr. Harrison." Diana beamed at her idea, and got some clothes for Anne to change into. When they went downstairs, they told Marilla they were just going for a skate on the Lake of Shining Waters, because Marilla had no idea on the whole Mrs. Barry affair. The Lake of Shining Waters had froze once again, and people were just starting to get used to skating on it again after the Great Crack. "At least have some breakfast before you...." started Marilla. But when she turned around, the girls were already long gone. "Those girls," laughed Marilla.

By the time the girls had crossed Lover's Lane, it was snowing so hard, it was hard to see. "Anne, I think we should run to Carmody," said Diana in a muffled voice from behind all her scarves and sweaters. "Its starting to snow harder." Anne had on so many layers of clothes, she couldn't speak, but when she nodded, Diana understood fine. They ran the rest of the way to Carmody, and ran inside the Blair's store. Once inside, Anne took off some of her layers so that she could once again talk. "Diana, what are we going to buy her?" The store was full of many things, but mostly expensive. "Lets just look around for something inexpensive and pretty, so we can get out of here before we get snowed in," Diana said hurriedly. They looked around the store for half and hour, until Anne finally claimed there was nothing and that they needed to find something before Christmas Eve rolled around and they were going to be stuck in Carmody if they didn't hurry up. Next they went to the Lawson's and they spent another hour until they finally found something. They were feeling discouraged and walking out of the store when Anne spotted it. "Diana! Look! Its the perfect thing for Aunt Josephine!" And indeed, it was. It was a huge barrel stuffed with brown sugar and it was on sale for such a low price, they found it hard to believe how anyone could refuse. It took both girls' efforts to roll the barrel to the clerk, but once they got of of the store, they relized their problem. "Diana! What are we going to do? If we try rolling this barrel all the way to Green Gables, we will freeze still trying," said Anne wringing her hands. Diana opened her mouth to suggest something, but she helplessly closed it when she couldn't think of anything. They started rolling the barrel slowly, hoping they wouldn't freeze, but it was starting to snow harder. When Anne finally had it, she stopped and sat down, resting her head on the barrel. "Diana, we will just have to face it. We will freeze and our spirits will wonder among the Haunted Wood forever," said Anne closing her eyes. After resting for several minutes, they heard the the wheels of a carriage coming towards them. It was Diana who heard it first, and she jumped up and exclaimed, "Anne! Our souls will not wonder freezed in eternity! Look! There comes a carriage!" Both girls starting jumping, and when the carriage reached them it stopped, and Gilbert Blythe hopped down. It appeared Josie Pye was with him and was trying to get his attention, but it didn't seem it was working. "What are you doing here with....." Gilbert turned the barrel over and took off the lid. "A barrel of brown sugar?" Anne and Diana looked at each other, and were now too frozen to talk. "Need....hot....chocolate....." Anne's teeth chattered. Thankfully, Gilbert got the message, and all four of them, including Josie, helped haul the barrel onto the carriage. On the way back to Green Gables, they laughed and talked, having a good time, and occasionally thrusting a handful of brown sugar into their mouths. By the time they reached Lover's Lane, they were drunk on brown sugar, and swaying a little as they got off the carriage. Gilbert was so drunk he threw the barrel off the carriage, and him and Josie rode away laughing so fast they almost ran over Anne and Diana. "He didn't even say bye," said Diana in a tipsey voice. When they got to Green Gables, they found no one home, except Davy and Dora. Davy was eating all the preserves, so Anne and Diana, still intoxicated, stuffed him into the middle of two couches. By the time they were finally themselves again, Anne decided they needed to send out the barrel. "Diana, we need to send this barrel out so it reaches Mrs. Barry before Christmas Eve. She will be even more offended if thats possible if she doesn't." So they rolled out the barrel again and sent it, and by the time they got back, Marilla was home, and she scolded them for squishing Davy inbetween couches, and told them to get cooking for the Christmas party that was going to be held at Green Gables. "Oh, Marilla! How exciting! Why didn't you tell me earlier?" asked Anne excitedly. "Because you would be too excited and neglect your chores," said Marilla, trying to shape up the squished Davy. "Whose coming?" asked Diana. "Well, the Allans, the Barrys, the Lydnes, the Sloanes, the Andrews, the Blythes, the Irvings, and almost everyone in Avonlea. So I should think you girls should start putting up decorations because its less than a fortnight away. And girls, be careful you don't drop another tree ontop of Dora again. Poor child was wobbly for a week after you did that." "Sure Marilla, and Davy and Dora can help too," said Anne cheerfully. So Anne, Diana, Davy, and Dora spent the rest of the day putting up decorations for the exciting day coming up ahead.

Chapter VIII

Christmas was approaching Avonlea. Most of the snow that had come before was now nearly completely melted. The most gorgeous view could be viewed from Anne's window in the east gable. The Haunted Wood was as cold and dark as ever. Lover's Lane was as pleasantly green as Dryad's Bubble could accomplish. The spicy smell coming from Avonlea was drifting warmly through Anne's window, and was mesmerizing her. "Oh, what a lovely day," sighed Anne peacefully. But, alas, she knew it were not going to last. Uncle Abe, the Avonlea weather forecaster, was predicating that it was going to be a nice warm week, and everyone in Avonlea always made plans opposite of what he predicated, for he was never right.