Anne Blythe was determined to set the table herself for Christmas that year. Actually, she had to set many tables, but she didn't mind at all. Even though Walter and his children had returned the year before, this was to be the first Christmas since that beautiful time before the war that all of her children were home for Christmas. It was two days yet until that blessed day, but she took joy that only Gilbert and possibly the girls completely understood in setting up all of the places where everyone would sit. There would be no empty chairs that Christmas.
Nan walked into the dining room and mistook a sigh of joy as one of frustration and overexertion. "Mother, why are you doing all of this work by yourself? Why don't you let Diana, Faith, Rebecca, or me help you?"
Anne took Nan's hand and politely declined her offer. "No thank you, dearest. My entire family is coming for a splendid Yuletide celebration, and I want to be the one who sets their places; all of their places."
Nan Meredith knew when not to fight with her mother. A stubborn streak ran through those veins, some would even say that all three of her daughters had inherited it in one form or fashion. "If you say so, Mother. However, if you begin to feel tired, just let us know. It doesn't feel right to have you doing all this by yourself."
She looked at the arrangement of the main table remembering the infinite number of meals she had eaten there growing up and then remembered some that she wished that she could forget. "I remember that first war Christmas when Susan had insisted on setting Jem's place. He wasn't in the trenches yet, but we all knew that he would be soon. I may not have shown it so much then because Jem wasn't the only one missing that Christmas, but I do remember how different and slightly wrong it felt to be celebrating with him gone. Each Christmas after that seemed more and more dreadful. Then after the war, we became accustomed to that feeling and persevered despite it; attributed it to growing up. However, there is something in the air this year, something magical or miraculous about this Christmas. It seems so very right, and almost makes me feel like a child again myself. I'm thankful that Clive Gillis always visits his mother at Christmas and offers to preach so we can be here. I'm thankful that I have all of my brothers and sisters and their families with us this year. With time and circumstance, it may be the last time we are all together at Christmas. I know personally that it will be out of the question for us next year with such a young infant," she confided in her mother.
Anne slowly looked her daughter in her soft, brown, and yes, glowing eyes, asking the question with her own eyes, never having to say a word.
Nan's brown eyes were brimming with tears, and her lips were trembling. A trilled cry choked out as she fell into her mother's arms. Anne hugged her girl tight to her and could feel that she was telling the truth. She listened attentively as her daughter managed to say, "We've had so many disappointments that we wanted to be sure before we told anyone. Well, take a good look at me, mother. This baby should come in the middle of April. It will be our Easter miracle. I think that I'm far enough along to tell people, and other than Jerry, I had to tell you first."
Anne held her daughter close. It was but yesterday she had been a baby herself. A Christmas not so long ago, her Grandmother Blythe carried both of her twin granddaughters around so proudly, but couldn't have been more pleased how Nan looked like her. Finally, Nan, the child who had always wanted a house as full as Ingleside, was going to blessed with another baby. "Oh Nan," she said. "You don't know how I've prayed for this, especially when the news of Rebecca and Diana both came about. I wasn't sure how you could handle so many babies being born to our family in Avonlea next spring without one of your own." Then a sudden realization hit Anne.
"My goodness!" she exclaimed. "I hope your father doesn't mind taking an extended vacation to Avonlea this spring because I cannot be absent with so many grandchildren being born."
Through sniffles, Nan laughed and nodded, "Oh you have to come, Mother. It has been so many years since Cecilia was a baby and I will need your support, as will Jerry."
At this time, Dr. Blythe walked in seeing his wife and daughter in such a tearful state that he had to ask, "Whatever has made two of the most beautiful women in the world tear up so?"
Nan shared her news with her father, and he too had to fight back the tears. After congratulating Nan, he left to check in on a few patients. Anne finished her preparations soon after and found all of the women sitting around the fire in the living room, catching up on all the news of everyone's lives as Charity, Barry, and Teddy played together on the rug with Lucy and Nicky McGowan.
"Una, is your husband-to-be spending Christmas in the Glen?" Di asked as she knitted away at small booties.
Una had been content to just enjoy being in the company of everyone else, she hadn't expected anyone to be interested in her life when so much was happening in everyone else's lives. "No. He's saving money right now and cannot afford the fare here." There, that was a good enough answer, and it was the truth, if it wasn't the entire truth.
"The good reverend, Samson Bell, doesn't believe in celebrating Christmas, does he Una? " Faith told not trying to hurt Una, just admitting a truth Una had told her.
Everyone in the room stared at Una in disbelief, even poor old Miss Cornelia.
"He doesn't believe in celebrating Christmas?" Diana Wright asked as her oldest friend, Anne sat beside her.
"You've always loved Christmastime so much," Rilla implored incredulously.
Una didn't know what to do or say. What Faith had said was true, but so was what Rilla said. Thankfully, she had a savior in Rosemary. "If you just listen to Faith, you would think that he didn't believe in the miracle of Christmas at all. He does. He just also believes that the Christmas tree is a heathen idol and that we focus more on the commercial and fictional side of the holiday, forgetting the truth."
This caused everyone to be quiet and reflect a bit on what they believed. Everyone except dear old Miss Cornelia, whose faith was a rock solid fact. "Hmph!" She looked to the pale Leslie sitting next to Persis and decided to change the subject. "Well Leslie, is does my old heart good to see that you and that writer man have moved to the Glen permanently."
Leslie was still very weak from the journey to Prince Edward Island from Toronto, so she only smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgment.
"It is so nice to have everyone here," Anne said with a special smile given to Ginny sitting beside the shy and quiet Rebecca.
"I only wish that Carl could have come," Faith stated.
At the mention of Carl's name, Persis' eye lit up. "Is your brother, Carl, not coming home for Christmas?"
Faith shook her head, "Sadly no. He has been working on a huge dissertation for the past several months, and he tells us that he must batten down and finish before the New Year."
"Oh, what a pity," Persis said with downcast eyes.
"Didn't you and he become friends when he was stationed in Toronto before going overseas?" Rilla asked.
"Oh, well we saw each other from time to time."
Just then, Graceful Anne stumbled into the living room, her eyes wild, after having played in the garret with the other children.
"Whoa there, Grace!" Persis caught her young niece before she ran into her mother, who was obviously far from comfortable. "Where's the fire?"
"In the garret," she honestly answered.
All of the women jumped in alarm. Faith and Persis sprinted upstairs as Anne called down to Miller's store to alert the volunteer fire department, then she called over to what was now being called McGowan Farm where all of the men folk had gathered to look at the progress that Walter and Gideon were making.
The two women soon came downstairs with the remaining children ahead of them, their faces covered with shame. "Cancel the alarm, Mother Anne," Faith instructed. "The fire is out. It was only a small one, and didn't really cause any damage to anything except this Apple-leaf quilt of Mrs. Lynde's," she informed everyone, holding up the burnt quilt that was used to extinguish the fire.
Anne was a bit sad to see the old quilt ruined, though she knew that Mrs. Lynde had bequeathed enough to everyone that it wouldn't be too terribly missed. She was far more happy to see that all of the children were safe. "Whatever were you doing?" she asked Gilly who was standing the closest to her.
"We were holding our own candlelight Christmas service like the one tomorrow night at church," Tenny told her. "I was the preacher just like Mr. Meredith and Uncle Jerry. If anyone gets in trouble, it should be me."
"You all know better than to play with fire, children," Rilla scolded, looking as if she was in great pain.
Gilly could tell his mother wasn't feeling well and walked to her, "We know that it was wrong, Mummy. We promise to never to it again."
"It scared me half to death!" Hope said as she climbed into Una's lap. Instinctively, Una kissed the child's head and tried to soothe her fears.
"It sacred us half to death!" Di exclaimed.
"I'm horribly sorry. Aunt Di," Cecilia said with her brown eyes cast to the ground. "If anyone gets in trouble, let it be me. It was my idea."
Nan gathered her little daughter in her arms, "I'm sure that all of you have learned your lesson."
"We sure have," Walt stated. Then his browed furrowed as he realized that they had committed this crime all to close to a certain date. "Gee, you don't think Santa will be mad and not come, do you?" he asked.
"I imagine that Santa can forgive all of you if we and especially your Grandmother Anne can," Rebecca told him sweetly, wondering what kinds of scares she would soon have to endure in the name of motherhood.
"You do forgive us, don't you Grandmother?" John asked, his blue eyes liquefying in front of her.
"Well of course I do! I love all of you so much. I can't remain cross with you."
All seemed right with the world again and when the men came, everyone eventually had a good laugh at what had happened.
Had the fire in the garret been the only exciting thing to happen that Christmas, it probably wouldn't be remembered so well. However, that was just the beginning of the extraordinary excitement experienced that Christmas.
The next day, Christmas Eve, was a flutter of chaos and preparation for the next day's feast and festivities. Having already almost burned down Ingleside, the children kept out of the way until that evening when everyone left to attend the candlelight service that Reverend Meredith was holding at the Presbyterian Church to be followed by eggnog, the singing of carols, and a reading of the second chapter of St. Luke around the fire at Ingleside.
Rilla wanted terribly to help more, but found herself quite unable to work. So she was relegated to watching as the children played quietly amongst themselves.
Ginny soon showed up with her children in tow. Rilla, who was very curious about this friend from Walter's other life, and who more importantly, had been a friend of his late wife's, begged her stay in the living room and keep her company.
"It's your first Christmas here, and you've juts moved to an entirely different country. No one expects you do a lot of work. I would however, love to have you keep me company."
Ginny looked toward the kitchen, "I don't know. It wouldn't feel right not to contribute. Your family has done so much for us."
"Think nothing of it," Rilla quickly told her. "Walter doesn't, and he's the one who has done all the work." She then started another subject, "What do you think of our little Glen so far?"
"I love it," she admitted. "I didn't think that I would because I have lived in Oklahoma all of my life, but with friends such as you and your family, I think we will be fine. I also wasn't prepared for how beautiful it would be here."
Rilla smiled with pride, "A season doesn't exist where Prince Edward Island isn't beautiful. Sometimes I think that it isn't really blood that flows through my veins, but the red soil."
Ginny smiled with a small laugh, causing Rilla to ask what was on her mind. "Oh nothing, you just remind me of someone, especially after that last statement."
"Really? Whom?"
"You remind me of Katie, Walter's wife."
Rilla was surprised by Ginny's comment. "How so?"
"Oh just the way you carry yourself; your sense of humor. Katie always said that the soil of Dovedale flowed through her veins.
Ginny's words sparked an interest that had harbored in Rilla for over a year. She looked to Ginny with a purpose in mind, and asked, "Please, would you tell me more about Katie?"It was a frigid, blue evening, and the North Wind brought with it the starry scent of snow. Those who recognized it kept it to themselves just in case they were mistaken. Hope wore a green velvet dress that highlighted her eyes and hair, and Cecilia wore a green one just like it. They reminded their family of two other little girls, once upon a time. Which was perhaps why Nan had made them a little different than that of the other girls.
Everyone walked into the church to be astonished by the beauty of the decorations. Poinsettias lined the pulpit and were accompanied in each window by a large, red candle garnished with holly and ivy. Each pew was polished to shine, and their ears were greeted by the pleasant sounds of Rosemary Meredith and Bruce playing beautifully on the piano and organ, "O Holy Night."
Miss Cornelia greeted Anne and at the door. "I have never seen the church look so good, Anne Dearie. I don't know who did all of the work, but the Methodists cannot compare their service to this."
Hope and Cecilia, holding hands walked up to their Grandmother just then. "I know who did it, Mrs. Elliot," Hope tugged at her dress.
The kindly old lady stooped down curiously, "Who, Dearie?"
"It was me and Cecilia and Miss Una did it. She said it was all we could do to make God's house look nice considering all He did for us."
Anne was very proud of her two granddaughters at that moment. She looked to Cornelia brimming with pride. Cornelia was only a little flabbergasted. "Well I never…"
Just then, someone came up behind Cecilia and swiftly picked up. "Uncle Carl!" she cried out upon realizing who had her. Everyone turned their attention to the two. Persis Ford dropped her Bible when she heard Cecilia.
Faith gave her brother a big hug, welcoming him. "I didn't think you could come this year, Carl."
He smiled to his sister, "I didn't think that I could either, but I finished my work early, and I felt rather left out of everything so I made it possible." It was then that everyone was motioned to take their seats so the service could begin.
As always, the Christmas Eve service at the Glen St. Mary Presbyterian Church was beautiful. As Rosemary and Bruce played their instruments, each person old enough there lit a small, handheld candle, adding majestic ambience to the service. Alicia Stone sang "Silent Night", and Mr. Meredith gave a beautiful sermon over the true gift of Christmas. The service ended with an extended chorus of "Joy to the World," before the congregation was released to enjoy their own rituals and traditions of Christmas.
The western sky was overcast, but those imposing clouds had yet to cover the Eastern sky where the stars illuminated the road, that those who drove automobiles could have easily not turned on their headlights. Everyone was filled with a spirit of joy, hope, faith, and love as they arrived at the front steps of Ingleside.
"Carl, old man!" Jem called out to his brother-in-law, "It's wonderful that you were able to come after all."
Carl was looking about the small crowd of people, and a group containing, Una, Persis, Walter, Jerry, Gideon, and Kenneth caught his attention. His stared with not only his one good eye, but with his heart, as he said, "Yes, well when I heard about how large this year's celebration was to be, I couldn't resist coming home. Anyway, it doesn't really feel like Christmas when you're not surrounded by those you love the most."
John ran up to his uncle and hugged his leg, "Uncle Carl, I couldn't believe it when I saw you in church. I have a new pet frog that you have to meet. "
Carl picked John up, and turned him upside down. "You do, do you?"
"Yes, his name is Toto," the little boy told him in between giggles.
"I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm terribly cold, and would love some hot cider, chocolate, or eggnog" Di said loudly enough for everyone to hear and continue with the evening.
Anne agreed with her daughter. "Yes. Let's go inside and have a nice, quiet, relaxing Christmas Eve night now."
Everyone seemed to be in agreement. The children were all anxious to finish the evening and get to bed so that Santa could soon come. However, Rilla soon put an end to all thoughts regarding a relaxing evening by screaming out in pain.
Kenneth ran to his wife, who was then doubling over in agony and being held up by Shirley and Rebecca. "Rilla, what's wrong?" he asked, knowing in his heart what it was.
"I think that the baby doesn't want to miss Christmas either, Dearest," Rilla told him, trying to make light of the torture she was feeling.
"But it's a month early, Rilla!" he cried out, trying to reason with nature.
"I don't think it matters, NOW!"
Thankfully, by that time, Gilbert and Jem had rushed to Rilla's aid, and they soon managed to get her upstairs and into a bed in order to examine her. As for everyone else, they were forced to remain downstairs and just wait to see what the outcome of the examination would bring.
Thank you to everyone who has recently given a review. Actually, thanks for all of the reviews.
Ruby, don't worry. I don't think that you've abandoned me.
IrishPrincess: Thanks for the compliment.
racheallynne: All I can say is, I hope to leave to no stone unturned before this ends.
r6144: Thank you for being so faithful. I'm sorry to say, but I don't intend for Samson Bell to be anytihng like St. John. He is a cat of his own color. I always admired St. John sort of in Jane Eyre. This man... well, let's wait and see. However, in the next chapter, I intend to give everyone a real reason for why Una is engaged to him.To everyone else, thank you for reading. Please continue to do so, and please, plese review. Knowing what you think of this story really makes it worth writing.