A/N: Hey there! How do you like the story? Thanks for all your wonderful reviews! I'm going to try to update more often. I hope you like the characters and everything. This chapter is mainly dedicated to Emily. A shopping day in town! You'll meet some new characters too! Lots of drama in this chapter. You better read to find out! Please read. Please tell me what you think… Please, please, please review!
Terreis: I'm glad you liked the new chapter. It took me so long to get it going again. Clarissa is my work in progress. I'm going to explain everything later. You'll see… :) I'm not too fond of Mary Vance. She really annoyed me. I might not put more of her in the story, but we'll see. Hope you like this one. Thanks for reviewing. It made my day. :)
Stella Maynard: Yes, I'm finally back! Well, I love your reviews, so keep reviewing! I love Una too! What a coincidence! We have so much in common! :) Well, you'll have to wait and see why Clarissa doesn't like Una, but that won't be until later! (laughs evilly) I hated Mary Vance too, except I just hoped she'd disappear mysteriously without a trace. I think Diana should live close to Anne, don't you? Well, hope you enjoy the new chapter. Tell me what you think! :)
Silliana: I'm so happy you love my story! Welcome to the world of fan fiction, and welcome to my world! Enjoy getting to know our L.M. Montgomery fandom!
After two wonderful weeks at Ingleside, the bunch finally exchanged farewells and goodbyes. The whole matter wasn't as sad as it seemed. Most of the children would see each other at school again. The Meredith clan took off last. Nan decided to stay behind and help Grandmother tidy up a bit, so the kids got to see everyone off. They eventually left after an early dinner (Mother got carried away) and drove off before night fell. As they reached Kensington, Emily could see Clarence House on top of the hill. The trees had changed while they were away. Once green and lively were now replaced with warm golden tones. The lane driving up to the home was so picturesque. Sarah would have loved to be there to paint. As Father drove up to the home, they could see the windows lighted and that the gardens were well cared for. Nancy ran out to greet them, hands thrown in the air waiting to hug them all.
"You're home! Oh, I've been waiting forever! Douglas took Becky to Charlottetown. I didn't want to go because they are staying with his family. Anyway, I was just fixing up the garden. My, my, my! Look how you've all grown." Will and Harry hopped out first. They helped Melanie and Madison down because they were too worried about ruining their new shoes to get down themselves. Matt carried luggage and bags with Father, and Nancy pulled Emily out.
"We've only been gone two weeks, Nancy."
"Oh I know, Will. But soon you'll all be leaving again. I'm just cherishing the moment. Listen, you kids get inside. There are snacks and some dinner in the kitchen. You help yourself. Now, Nan, darling, tell me all about Glen St. Mary. I want to hear everything." Mother was swept away by Nancy, and the others went inside. Emily scampered off to her room. She was so tired that nothing seemed to matter anymore. Em opened the door, fell on the bed, and drifted off into dreamland.
"EM! Wake up! Mum's calling you!!!"
Matt was banging on the door, his usual method of waking anyone up. Emily slowly dropped out of bed. She was still wearing yesterday's clothes, probably because she was too tired to change out of them. Em opened the door abruptly, letting Matt fall through the threshold. Downstairs, Mother was preparing breakfast, Father was hidden behind the newspaper, Melanie and Madison were giggling about who knows what, and Will and Harry were helping themselves to the food.
"Good morning, Emily. Sleep well, honey?" Father seemed like he was in a good mood, but when wasn't he?
"Is it possible to be happy this early in the morning?" Emily sat down and put a few pancakes onto her plate. Mother came by and put a glass of orange juice in front of her.
"Sweetie, your sisters and I are going into town to buy some things before you leave. Do you want to come?"
"Do I have to stay with Melanie and Madison the whole time?"
"Yes, unless there's a problem."
"Knowing Emily, there might actually be one, Mother," said Harry, who was now diving into his third or fourth helping. It was impossible to tell.
"How about I give you some money, and you buy what you want. Does that sound reasonable?"
"Why do you give Emily money to buy what she wants, but you never give the rest of us money, Mother?"
"Melanie, you know perfectly why. If I gave money to you or Madison, you'd spend it all on clothes you don't need or ones I might not approve of. If I give the money to Harry, he would buy some fake war artifacts or something—"
"That was only once, Mother!"
"Right, so Will makes his own money and Matt doesn't want the money."
"Are you crazy, Matt? Why don't you want the money Mum gives you?" said Will, who finally stopped daydreaming about Brooke.
"I don't know what I want to buy."
"So, why does Emily get the money, Mother?"
"Firstly, don't use that tone with me Madison Leigh. Second, Emily is responsible and she's shown me before that she can shop sensibly. When you can do the same, I'll let you go on your own. End of discussion. Jerry, are you going to eat or not?"
The last statement made Jerry wake up from his trance. "Nan, can you believe this?" Nan leaned into the newspaper. "At this rate, we'll never see the end." That was the "code" to clear out of the room. They all knew Mum and Dad would get into some deep conversation about the war's progress and they'd end up telling the children to cherish every moment of their lives together. Once was sentimental, twice was redundant, but over and over again was just too much! Will left to pick up Brooke for a date, Harry went over to the Spencers, Matt buried himself in a book in Father's study, Emily cleared the dishes, and Melanie and Madison went upstairs to get their shopping lists.
"Emily, you don't have to clean up," said Mother, who finally got back into the kitchen. "Go upstairs and get dressed. I'll call you down I'm ready."
"Mother, may I use a bit of my savings to buy some new books and stationary?"
"Of course, sweetie. Do you want to go into town with a friend? That way you won't get lonely or anything."
"No, not really. I'll go get ready. Thanks, Mom." Nan sighed. It was impossible to get Emily to socialize with people her age, but she'd probably learn to make friends at Queen's.
Anderson's Book Shoppe. Emily's favorite store in the world. Mother, Mel, and Maddie went shopping for clothes and fabrics, leaving Emily to do as she pleased. Mr. Anderson was an old, friendly man, who Emily knew well. He kept a wide range of books, and always ordered anything Emily needed.
"Good morning, Emily. Back from Glen St. Mary, I see. What can I do for you today?"
"Hello, Mr. Anderson. Could you look these books up for me? They're all out of print. Just ring up Clarence House when you've got them. Thanks."
Emily made her way over to a few bookshelves and picked up Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, and Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist. Next, the travel section. Emily couldn't wait to be able to travel the world. She often spent time reading travel guides and planning out different trips. A Guide to Europe and The United States at a Glance.
"Mr. Anderson, have my other books come in while I was away?"
"Ah, yes. Here's Yale University: a History, Great Political Minds, and Ivy League Colleges. I see you've picked up some old travel guides. They are very outdated. Do you still want them?"
"Oh, yes. They will go into my collection of historic books. I'm going to buy Wuthering Heights and Oliver Twist again. Melanie seemed to "misplace" my other copies while cleaning the library."
"Very well. You may have the travel guides. I've been meaning to get rid of them anyway. When I clear the shelves of the old things, you can come by and pick what you want. There you go."
"Thanks, Mr. Anderson." Emily paid for the books and took the bag, which was quite heavy.
Off to Avondale's, which was a store of various goods. Emily needed to pick up stationary, writing utensils, and some school books and supplies. Unfortunately, there was a group of unwanted girls standing in front of the store. Madelyn and Michelle Hughes along with Melanie, Madison, and other school girls Emily didn't care for. And there was a group of boys too. What ever happened to chivalry? The boys acted as if they were the men of her parent's age.
Okay, Emily. Just walk past them calmly and go into Avondale's. Stay calm.
"Well, well, well, girls. If it's not Miss Emily herself. We were just talking about you. Predicting, actually. I mean with all those books you always have slung over your back, you'll grow up and be a shriveled prune. You'll be like Mrs. Weaver." Madelyn Hughes knew how to cut it deep. She had a way of tossing her golden-brown curls or looking innocently at boys that made Emily's skin cringe. Everyone knew that Mrs. Weaver was an old, senile lady who was as hunched as the Hunchback of Notre Dame, worse even.
Just keep walking. Just keep walking. Oh, great! They're blocking the door.
"Could you please move, Madelyn? I need to get inside Avondale's."
"Oh ho! Are you giving me a little sass, Emily? Look at these dirty rags you're wearing. Better spend that money on clothes rather than books. Let's see what you've got here." In an instance, Madelyn snatched the bag of books and started to go through them. "Wuthering Heights, are you sure a child like you should be reading such stories? Sense and Sensibility, you might actually need that one. Guide to Europe, like a pig-face like you could travel. United States at a Glance, don't tell you're going to follow in your aunt's filthy footsteps. What a disgrace! And she calls herself the representative of Canada! Ha!" That was the last straw!
"HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT AUNT UNA LIKE THAT? YOU'D BE LUCKY IF YOUR SOUL WAS SAVED AND YOU WERE HALF THE PERSON SHE IS! DON'T YOU EVER INSULT MY FAMILY EVER AGAIN!!!! OR ELSE—" Someone grabbed Emily back or else she'd probably pounce on Madelyn.
"EMILY, STOP! Don't listen to her." It was Matt. He swung her behind him, blocking Madelyn, who flushed and was obviously trying to find an excuse. All of Kensington knew Madelyn Hughes was sweet on Matt, but Matt knew better than to fall for her tricks.
"Matt, I was just—just—"
"I know what you were just about to do, Madelyn. Stay away from my sister and if you ever say anything about my family again, I'll let your stepfather deal with you. Come on, Emily." Matt took Emily into Avondale's and let her cool down for a bit.
"Did she hurt you? Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Why are you here?" asked Emily, who wasted no time in hurrying to grab supplies.
"Father got me to leave the house. He was busy with a sermon, and I was probably bothering him. Calm down. Take your time getting these things. I'm here now," said Matt, who pulled Emily into a tight squeeze.
"I'm fine, Matt. Let go of me. I just want to get back home. So much for my day in town. I was going to go to Weston's Bakery and everything."
"We can still go, Emily. I'll buy you a cup of coffee, as long as you don't tell Mother. She still thinks afternoon tea is what children should drink.
"She's so old-fashioned. Can you believe she could have been young once? "
"No, but you know Mother just wants the best for us. Come on." Matt looked outside the window, checking for signs of the girls to assure Emily that the coast was clear. "Don't worry, Em. They're gone."
Later that night, Emily was upstairs packing her trunk. Just another week and she would be at the prestigious Queen's Academy. Dinner was cut short because Harry brought up the subject of going to Ambrose instead of Queen's. That sparked a heated discussion, and the rest of the children were forced to leave. Emily looked around her room. It was the most comforting room in the world. It belonged solely to Emily, and it was her shrine. Here, the world wasn't so big and scary, but exciting and promising. The walls were a nice creamy yellow with white trimming all around. She had an old, country desk that used to belong at Green Gables, two tall, filled bookcases, and a cozy sitting area. The four-poster bed had a beautiful, gauzy canopy, two nightstands flanked each side of the bed, and the large corner window had a comfortable seat. There was also a dresser and small closet. Emily loved her room. It was her haven, and she felt so sad that soon this room would be so far away. But then a knock on the door brought her back to reality.
"Come in." It was Will. He had a book in one hand and was balancing a plate of cookies and a glass of milk in the other.
"I wanted to return your book, just in case you wanted to pack it. Thought you could use a snack too. How are you?"
"Mmm…chocolate…Just put the book back on the shelf. I put a marker where it's supposed to go. So, how was your date with Brooke today? I'm sure she was excited to see you."
"She was happy, but her father wasn't. I was afraid he would shoot me or something."
Emily sighed before speaking again. She wanted to talk to her brother about Brooke for so long, but chances were that he'd take everything offensively. "Will, maybe you and Brooke should take notice that your families don't approve of this relationship for a reason. You've been completely ignoring how we all feel about it. You both have your entire futures ahead of you, and I have a feeling you're rushing into something that might not work."
"Emily, don't talk about things you don't understand. I love Brooke, and that's all that should matter. I thought you would be more supportive. I thought you would understand."
"Don't take this the wrong way. That's not what I meant. I know you love Brooke, but that's not the complete story. What you two do affects the rest of us. Brooke is spoiled and arrogant. Think about all the times we invited her to dinner or to a family function, she never came. She never even considered being with our family. You're going to break Mum's heart if you marry her, Will. I love you. I just want what's best for you. I just don't think Brooke's right for you."
"Have you never heard of Romeo & Juliet, Emily? Maybe you should brush up on your Shakespearian literature."
"Will, Shakespeare wrote stories. Life is not a story, its reality. If you're not careful about what you write, you'll end up with a tragedy before you know it. Please listen to me and take what I say to heart. I just want what is best for you."
"Fine. Have a good night." Will and Emily rarely fought, but when they did, it was always big. They got along very well most of the time, but the household would always seemed cold when they fought. Usually, Will and Emily were the responsible ones, who stopped the others from fighting. Will slammed the door on his way out of Emily's room. He stomped off towards his own room, passing the Matt & Harry's room along the way.
Meanwhile, Matt, Harry, Melanie, and Madison were sitting comfortably discussing Harry's conversation about Ambrose. Apparently, Nan and Jerry did not take the news well. Jerry disapproved of his son wanting to go into the military as a career, while Nan was so upset over the thought of losing Harry that she couldn't even talk.
"I can't believe you told them you wanted to go to Ambrose. Didn't you know they were going to be saddened over it?" asked Madison irritably. Mother was in a horrible mood, which meant Madison couldn't coax her into buying a velvet blue muff to go with her best dress.
"Well, obviously Harry wasn't aware of that or else he wouldn't have brought it up, Madison," said Matt cruelly. He was still upset at Madison and Melanie for teasing Emily with Madelyn earlier that day.
"Is there no hope for Ambrose, Harry?"
"No. Father put his foot down. He said 'no son of mine is going to a military school!'. How am I going to have a career if I don't get started now, Mel? I just don't want to go to Queen's anymore. There's no excitement…nothing's there for me." Harry gazed out his window at the starry sky. Melanie put a comforting arm around her brother. She could always sense when he was uneasy. Melanie may have been materialistic and vain most of the time, but she always had a strong devotion to her family, most of the time.
Madison and Matt were in an intense argument now and it looked as if both were going to blow up any minute. "Matt, Madelyn was just having a little fun. And you have to admit, it was a little funny comparing Em to Mrs. Weaver."
"No, it was not. You always make fun of her. She's your own sister, Madison! How could you be so inconsiderate?"
"You just don't know when to have fun, Matthew. I never want to see you again."
"Then get out of my room!" Madison didn't need another cue to make her exit. She flared out of the room in the blink of an eye. "What are you looking at Melanie?" Melanie ran out of the room to comfort Madison.
The whole time Nan & Jerry were sitting downstairs listening to doors being slammed, footsteps stomping around, and exchanges of yelling and screaming.
"Well, sweetheart, it looks like we better fix this before they leave." Jerry would always jump at the opportunity to straighten things out before they got out of control, but Nan tended to wait for the children to cool down.
"We'll do that tomorrow. Welcome home, darling," said Nan, as she snuggled closer to Jerry.
"Yes, home sweet home."
A/N: That was a lot more drama than I anticipated, but I hope it turned out okay. Please tell me what you think. Please review!