Inspired by a post from Anne of Green Gables Incorrect Quotes on Tumblr. This particular quote is from "Reba" (S1E4). Direct quotes and actions are in bold.
"Mrs. Doctor, dear?"
A gentle voice slowly roused Anne from sleep. Through heavy eyes, she made out Susan Baker standing at the foot of the bed. Her pinched, but kindly face mimicked the worried tone her voice had carried. One hand fidgeted nervously with the bedpost finial while her narrowed eyes stayed fixated on Anne, making a preliminary diagnosis through first glance.
Gilbert had been called out to see a patient the night before, and not long after he had left, Anne had suddenly fallen ill. Though this hadn't been an all too unusual occurence as of late, the nature of this particular bout of sickness seemed harsher and more drawn out than the others. Susan had been more than helpful and attentive and had insisted on staying with Anne through its entirety, no matter how often Anne pleaded with her to go to bed.
"This is all entirely normal, Susan," Anne assured her constantly. "It's only because of the baby."
"Baby or no baby, Mrs. Doctor, dear, I am not trusting you to take care of yourself in such a state," Susan responded emphatically. "I wouldn't get a wink of sleep knowing you were sick without the doctor here to care for you."
This morning, as Susan looked her over, Anne didn't look too much better. Her bedraggled braid paired with the exhaustion in her eyes and paleness in her cheeks discouraged Susan immediately. She ached to see Anne looking so pitiful.
Anne let her eyes droop again as she slowly rolled onto her back. She winced a little as she did so; her sides were tender after a night of over exertion and her temples throbbed with the beginnings of a dehydration headache. She felt the bed sink in around her as Susan gingerly sat beside her, laying a comforting hand on her leg.
"And how are you feeling this morning?" she asked expectantly. "Any better?"
Anne smiled weakly. "I believe I'd feel much better if it weren't for so little sleep. I didn't think it would go on as long as it did."
"I was beginning to worry after awhile," Susan said gravely.
"Awhile? Susan, dear, you were worried from the start," Anne said, a hint of laughter in her tone. She bent forward to pat the hand on her leg. "But I couldn't have fared well without you."
"Well..." Susan humbly brushed off the compliment, but couldn't hide a blossoming smile. "I woke you because I thought I heard the doctor stamping around in the kitchen and I thought you might like a bit of breakfast."
Anne grimaced.
"Or thought you might need a bit of breakfast," Susan added, standing up. "Come on down as soon as you're dressed."
A few minutes later, Anne weakily stepped into the kitchen and groped around for something steady to lean on; she found strength in Gilbert's hands reaching out to help her.
"Why, Anne, what's the matter?" Gilbert asked, sitting her at the table.
"I'm sorry, dear—I don't feel well this morning," Anne explained, trying to comfort him with a flicker of a weak smile.
"Nor most of last night, I'm afraid," Susan chimed in from the stove, where she was frying some eggs and bacon. The thick, greasy smell started to nauseate Anne again.
Gilbert, sitting down next to her, eyed Anne with that studious look cast by all doctors. He laid one hand against her forehead, the other on her swollen stomach, and after a moment, pulled them away with a nod.
"Yep, you're pregnant."
Anne gave into a weary groan, her head falling into her arms, folded on the table. Gilbert scooted closer to her and, tucking a slip of hair behind her ear, pressed a long kiss against her cheek.
"Sweetheart, morning sickness is just one of the perks," he said facetiously, rubbing her back. "You'll soon be over it."
"It can't be morning sickness , doctor dear," Susan said. "It's been going on all night."
Gilbert laughed. "'Morning sickness' is what some liar called it."
"A liar, indeed," came Anne's muffled voice from the crook of her arm where her face was buried.
"I can't wait to meet this little stinker that's been putting you through so much," Gilbert said, lifting Anne's head and meeting her sleepy gaze with a smile.
Anne matched his smile with one of her own. "Neither can I."
