Chapter 33

On a cold, late November day, Anne took her seat in the grandstands with Phil, watching the Redmond football team huddled around at the entrance to the tents. Gilbert's dark head was amongst them, and she repressed a little shiver as she looked at the bleak skies. Phil couldn't help but laugh as she noticed Anne's appearance.

"Honey, those colours do absolutely nothing for you."

Anne tightened Gilbert's scarlet and white scarf around her throat with a droll smile and a roll of her grey eyes. "Oh, I lost a game of checkers to Gil the other night. As a result, I had to wear Redmond's colours today, bright and bold in the stands."

Phil pretended to swoon dramatically. "Anne, the horror! What would he have done if you had won?"

Anne gave her a wicked grin. "Then Gilbert would have had to wear a bonnet to Mrs Whitley's house for tea- he only agreed to my terms because he was so sure that he was going to win. Which, I suppose, he did," she said philosophically.

"Betting on the outcome of a game! Not to mention accosting innocent young men in medical tents. Anne Shirley, I feel as if I hardly know you, anymore."

Anne swatted her playfully, her eyes twinkling. "Blythe, Phil. And unlike you, I don't need to live up to the idea of being a proper Bluenose."

Phil laughed. "Well, next year I will take up residence in Patterson Street with my beloved- and so I rather think my Bluenose days are over as well. Not that I mind in the slightest."

Anne gave her a curious look, as Phil's brown curls blew about in the breeze. "And how are your parents taking it?"

Phil shrugged, a slight scowl on her face. "Oh, Father is alright- it's Mother who is still rampaging; or at least, she was when we went to see them at Thanksgiving. She wants us to live near them- and we really can't, Anne. Jo has his appointment in Kingsport- and he was offered the Patterson Street Manse. It's too good an opportunity to miss."

Anne looked down to see Gilbert conferring with the football coach, and turned back to her friend curiously. "And what of the house?" she asked. "I thought your parents wanted to give you one as a wedding present."

Phil scrunched up her nose in distaste. "It comes with certain conditions. We have a house- if we choose to live in Bolingbroke."

Anne's face fell. "Oh, Phil."

"Which means that Jo was right to want to refuse their oh-so-generous offer," Phil said glumly. "No doubt he suspected that there might be strings attached. We had a terrible fight-"

"You and Jo?"

Phil gave a brittle smile. "No. Mother and I. She is insisting that Jo to ask the church board to relocate him- and she doesn't understand why he won't. She is being thoroughly unreasonable about everything- even Father hasn't been able to talk her around, yet. Jo is terribly upset. He believes that he caused it. And he didn't- Mother and I have never seen eye to eye, really."

Anne bumped her shoulder affectionately. "I'm so sorry, Phil."

"I'm not." She gave the crooked smile she was known for, her brown eyes thoughtful. "I came to college to escape her plans for me, remember? Although I shouldn't really talk so about her, I suppose. Mother always comes around, eventually. She was apparently even heard to be bragging about her almost BA daughter at her Garden Club, a few months ago- not that she has ever said so to me."

With a sudden roar of the crowd, Anne turned her head to scan the field quickly, to see Gilbert safe and sound, being slapped on the back by Timothy as they jogged forward. She smiled, well able to imagine the handsome grin on his face. Phil nudged her, then.

"I can't believe the two of you are about to celebrate your first wedding anniversary. Do you have any plans?"

Anne shrugged, her eyes twinkling. "We have some, yes. Starting today."

"Why today? It's just a football ga- oh," Phil snorted with laughter, then. "I see. Recreating the event, are we? And are you planning to surprise him in the medical tent again?"

Anne placed her hand on her heart, her grey eyes wide. "Certainly not, Phil. There are rules against that, you know."

Phil laughed and then turned to stare at Anne. "I've always wondered, you know- when I left you that night, you were so sure that you were going to leave. The next thing I knew, it was morning and Prissy was yelling that I had to come downstairs to the window just in time to see Gilbert going down on one knee on our veranda, with the biggest smile I've ever seen on his face. What did chang your mind overnight?"

Anne was silent for a short time, a small smile on her face. "It's simple, really. I imagined a world without Gilbert in it. That convinced me. And it has all turned out rather well, I think."

"As we all knew it would. I envy you, you know," Phil said candidly. "The teeniest, prettiest wedding in all history- no fuss, no demands-"

"Did you forget the faculty demanding that we become husband and wife?"

"Oh, please; the two of you were always meant to be. All I am saying is that if falling on top of a fellow gets you married to the man you love in such a fashion, then count me in. The results appear to be spectacular."

Anne couldn't help but laugh then, and for the rest of the game, the pair chattered through the whoops and hollers of the crowd around them. Anne kept one eye on Gilbert, who appeared to be having a fine time on the field, despite the mud plastered to his uniform. She was relieved to see that the young Colossus who had trampled him was nowhere in evidence this year. Perhaps it was even a different school playing- if she tried to think back, she wasn't exactly sure who she had been watching, last year. She had only noticed Gilbert.

Phil was able to catch Anne up with all of the goings on of the Patty's Place household, which had of course been quite busy over the past few months, and she squealed at the news of successes that Anne was beginning to be met with in her writing. Almost before they realised, the game was over- and Anne turned to see Gilbert himself jogging up the stairs in his uniform, cheerful and covered with mud.

He bent down to give Anne a long smooching kiss, ignoring the sound of disgust coming from Phil at the state of his clothing. "Honestly, Gilbert; did you have to roll in every mud puddle down there?"

He grinned at her, pausing to shake some mud off his shoes, thankfully away from the girls. "Not every one. But I did my best. Now, doesn't my girl look lovely in bright red?" he asked smugly, his hazel eyes twinkling.

Phil rolled her eyes as Anne scowled at her husband. "If you wanted her to look like a striped candy, then yes. Personally, I should have preferred to see you in the bonnet again. Now, cross-dressing aside, my darlings, I must be off- Jo is taking me to his family's home for dinner tonight. He's picking me up from the courtyard shortly."

Anne chuckled, then. "Well, I hope the two of you have a lovely time tonight."

"I shall. And I will leave you to the first of your anniversaries, you shameless pair," she threw over her shoulder with a grin. "Try not to do anything too scandalous this year."

Gilbert had been the one to declare an anniversary of the single week that they had been engaged- one that encompassed the accident, their betrothal and wedding all in one. Around their classes and exams they spent time wandering through the park, now swept bare of leaves, and mostly empty- only the most devoted of walkers would consider being outside in the cool wind coming off the harbour. Gilbert followed behind Anne with a huge smile those afternoons, watching as she danced through the pathways of St Johns looking for winter-blooming flowers, sitting with her in the pavilion to watch the sunset, and chasing after her past the old tower on their way home from the college, her bright laughter echoing through the bare trees.

On the day before their actual anniversary, Anne and Gilbert were invited to Patty's Place to celebrate with Aunt Jimsie and the girls. Jo and Moody were naturally there, and Charlie had promised to stop by later in the evening- that was if he could convince his young lady to forgo the end of the concert that they were engaged to attend. Gilbert had tried to tell him that they would understand if he could not get away, however, a solemn Charlie had assured him in turn that he regarded it as a duty to be in attendance- especially as he was so unfortunate to not be present for his best friend's wedding. This was said in a sorrowful tone, letting Gilbert know that he was forgiven for that oversight only under protest.

Gilbert looked around at the group assembled in the living room that night with a curious smile on his face. He'd wondered when they first began college if the Islanders would somehow drift apart from each other. It had happened some, he supposed- he had the football team, Moody had his acquaintances in the junior year, and Charlie- well, Charlie ran the student body, apparently. The girls had been inseparable since their Queens days- and living together had only drawn them closer. It was Anne, he supposed, drawing a circle of kindred spirits around herself. He smiled to see his wife following behind Aunt Jimsie to carry platters of food to the table, her creamy skirt swishing as she moved through the old doorway. She was lovely tonight, he thought dreamily, her red-gold curls twisted into a low knot at the nape of her neck- the neck that had distracted him enough to make them almost late that evening, despite Anne's giggled protest that they really didn't have the time for that.

There was much laughter and teasing as the group celebrated together now, and as Anne sat on the edge of Gilbert's armchair after dinner with his arm wrapped around her snugly, she sighed in contentment, prompting her husband to nudge her.

"Tired?"

Anne shook her head. "Just happy." She looked around at the girls thoughtfully. Stella had seated herself on her Aunt's right-hand side, teasing Prissy who had a lapful of cats before the fire. Jo and Moody were discussing something or other- the doctrine of transubstantiation if she was hearing correctly, while Phil and Aunt Jimsie talked about the Christmas holidays to come. Charlie and his Madeline had arrived soon after dinner, solemnly congratulating the pair on their anniversary as they took the sofa beside Moody. Madeline was rather shy and slightly overwhelmed by the camaraderie and vivaciousness of the senior girls, and was content to sit by Charlie as he inserted himself into a conversation with the other menfolk.

While Anne watched the group talk together, she turned to Gilbert lovingly and stroked the splendid chin she had often admired. "You told me that this would be a good year," she murmured, watching the way the firelight flickered in his eyes.

"When did I say that?"

She touched her forehead to his and smiled. "Oh, I was worried about what the year would bring last New Years' Eve- and you reminded me that everything would be fine, as long as we were together. You were right."

Gilbert nodded. "Hard, at times," he added quietly, "But still the best year of my life."

Forgetting the rest of the room, Anne moved to nestle against his cheek, her contented sigh tickling his skin. "Mine too."

"Oh, now look here, you two," Stella interrupted, her voice cross. "You promised us no doe-eyes over the dinner table."

Gilbert grinned fiendishly, his eyes not leaving Anne's sparkling grey ones. "Well, we're not over the dinner table anymore, are we, sweetness?"

The chorus of groans that met this overly sappy comment made Anne chuckle, however, she didn't resist when Priscilla tugged her down onto the floor with her, poking her tongue out impudently at Gilbert. Phil insisted on separating the couple for the game she had organised, and Gilbert, Jo, Moody and Charlie were placed on a team against the five girls- something that they protested was blatantly unfair. The girls had their own ways of communicating, that the menfolk could only dream about keeping up with- however, Anne only winked at her husband as she settled in to play.

As the evening drew to a close, Aunt Jimsie commented placidly that she supposed everyone still had some room for cake; and brought out one that mirrored Anne and Gilbert's wedding cake from the previous year, complete with the little sugar flowers she had insisted on. Anne rose from her seat to embrace the older woman, knowing the love that had gone into the gift. There was a chorus of oohs and aaahhs, and no one was surprised when Phil rose from her seat, tapping her mug with a silver spoon, her brown eyes merry as she turned to the couple.

"Anne, honey, of all of our escapades as co-eds, I'm certain that getting you married with a week's notice will always be one of the craziest that we reminisce over as elderly women," she stated. "As such your wedding anniversary will always belong to us a little bit- and we are honoured to have been the sole witnesses at this historic event." There was a small harrumph from Charlie's end of the couch, however, Phil roundly ignored him. "Now, we swore that we would leave you alone tomorrow evening to celebrate in your own island-ish ways-"

"Hey," Prissy spluttered indignantly.

"Probably something uncivilized, such as swimming the channel, or climbing trees in the park, if I know you both-" Gilbert caught Anne's grey eyes, laughing at the raised eyebrow she gave him. "However, we want you to know that we couldn't be happier for the way that this has turned out for you both. And I hope that the college has learned its lesson- pity the institution who tries to stop the pair of you from doing something that you've made up your minds to do. And I very much look forward to seeing what comes of the end of our senior year," she said cheekily, making Anne laugh. She knew the dreams Phil had for them both then- of a little home somewhere in the vicinity of Patterson Street. She smiled then to see Phil raising her mug of tea towards them both, her brown eyes suddenly serious.

"To some of my favourite people in the world- may the next year be crowned with blessing and happiness for you both."

When the moon was high in the sky, and the night had been declared a success, the Blythes left Patty's Place to walk home, with Moody striding ahead beside Charlie and his Madeline. Anne and Gilbert wandered along behind the others, enjoying the starlight and the fresh breeze blowing around them. Winter would set in soon, Anne thought, with a little shiver, one that caused him to automatically draw her closer. Her gloved hand was tucked into Gilbert's, and she found herself watching him now as they walked, the strong set of his shoulders, the keen, clear eyes that roamed over the landscape.

Charlie was the first to leave to escort his Madeline home, and Moody farewelled the pair soon after, as he left them at the ivy-covered pathway to the Mushroom. A minute later, at their doorway, a contented Gilbert reached into his pocket for the key, only to be stopped by Anne's hand on his arm. He looked up with a slight smile, to see her big eyes on his, full of unexpected emotion.

"Anne? What is it?"

Anne shook her head, coming close to slip her arms around his waist, her face buried in the lapels of the old grey coat he wore. Abandoning the key, Gilbert wrapped her in his arms and bent to kiss the top of her head.

"I wouldn't have thought a night of celebration would end like this, love," he teased lightly, slightly concerned about the look of turmoil in her grey eyes.

Anne looked up at him, before pulling back to touch his cheek with her gloved hand. "I could have lost you, Gil."

He blinked at her then, not understanding. "But you didn't."

Anne gave him a pained glance. "A year ago, I was preparing to walk away from Redmond, Gil. From you."

He was still for a moment and reached across to tug the glove from her left hand. He grasped her ring finger then, shaking it slightly with an amused look on his face. "You do remember our first year of marriage, don't you, sweetheart? I'm fairly sure you were there for it."

Her hands came up to cup his cheeks then, and he was startled to see a tear fall on her own as she spoke softly. "I would have missed all of this. I wouldn't have known what we were meant to be- I could have lost you."

She didn't wait for him to answer her, with her hands on his face, and her lips seeking his own with a fierceness that showed how deeply her emotions ran. He caught her up in his arms, willing to go wherever she led- and he sighed as her fingers slipped into his hair, knocking his hat onto the steps, reminding the pair of the chill outside. He groaned as she pressed him against their front door, his hands leaving her slender form only to fumble for the keys- however, Anne's deft fingers found them without once moving her lips from his- and Gilbert couldn't help but laugh as she unlocked the door quickly, sending them stumbling through the doorway. For a brief moment, he pulled away to retrieve his hat, however it was quickly tossed aside when Anne launched herself at him again, giggling as he disposed of their coats and scarves in short order. Once free of her own, she stretched slender arms around his neck again, her body pressed tightly against his, her big eyes fixed on him.

There was a moment when all laughter fell away, hazel eyes becoming lost in green as the same want reflected in both. Gilbert bent his head to kiss her deeply, his eyes sliding shut as her tongue gently stroked against his, still faintly in disbelief that she was his now. Somehow the door was shut behind them- somehow the keys were thrown on the kitchen bench; the bench that now Anne found herself pushed up against, his firm torso holding her firmly in place, as he raked his hands through her hair, sending little shivers up her spine. Hands that suddenly shook were loosening his tie, and she caught her breath as he lifted her in his arms, setting her down on the counter before him, his breath hot against her mouth as strong arms crushed her close. Some dam seemed to have broken in Gilbert- and Anne closed her eyes in ecstasy at the kisses that scraped against her jaw and her throat, as she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist; quaking at the firmness she found there, the tight way he held her.

Another passionate kiss that caused Anne to knock her head against the kitchen shelf, and Gilbert apologised profusely- at least, Anne assumed that was what he was doing; it was rather hard to tell, with his head buried as it was in her collar- and he picked up his laughing wife, stumbling with her over to the well-used sofa, infinitely more comfortable than the bench had been.

He dropped her without ceremony on the cushions, grinning at the way her hair fell over her face- before tenderly pushing it back behind one ear. There was a little sigh then, a wistful look that Anne almost missed, and he smiled as he turned resolutely away from the bedroom door.

"You know, if I was a betting man, I would have been confident that tomorrow would cause the bigger temptation," he muttered, rubbing his face with a sheepish grin.

"You have a timetable for this?" Anne teased breathlessly.

"No, I- I just-"

Anne again took his face in her hands, almost making him stumble at the clear love he felt radiating from her. "It doesn't take an anniversary for me to want you," she whispered. "I know that we can't- I know that it isn't time- but right at this minute, all I want-"

He wrapped his arms around her again, breathing heavily. "I know, love. I- I don't know how else to do this," he said, his voice breaking. "It's my fault, if I wasn't-"

At this she sat up, her eyes glittering at her husband angrily. "No. You are not doing this, Gil. There is no regret here, and you know that. This is right between us."

"You don't think I know that? That's what makes this all so maddening," he said between gritted teeth. "I don't know how we planned to make it through the next three years, if we can't even do three months."

Anne paused and pulled him down to her, with a suddenly shy smile on her lips. Her slim legs were still firmly wrapped around his hips, and she couldn't help blushing as she placed her hands on his chest, swallowing hard at the intimacy of the position. The passion between them was electrifying, and for a brief moment, she chuckled at how her younger self would have been terrified out of her wits at this juncture- one she positively revelled in now. "We'll do it the only way we can, Gil. Together."

"We already do everything together."

She lifted a shaking hand to his cheek, smiling as he turned his face into her palm. Summer had changed everything between them- the long weeks away from each other, the letters that had opened their hearts in a way that merely living together had not done. Anne sighed as he pulled her closer into his arms, resting his brown head against her chest. She knew him, in all ways but one- he would never ask for more than she was willing to give, and he would not jeopardize their future, however painful it might be.

"Not everything," she murmured, her cheeks scarlet. The room was lit only by the glowing coals in the fireplace, but even in that light, she could see the change that came over Gilbert's face, the way he seemed to want to pull away from her in embarrassment. She held him still, her hands soft on his face. "What if there were some more- some things that we did together?"

Gilbert seemed to flinch at this, hardly believing what he was hearing. "Sweetheart-"

"And I know that it's a little different physically for you than it is for me-"

He made a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh, and straightened up, shifting her until she was sitting on his lap, her red head resting on his shoulder. "I- er- good heavens, Anne, I'm so sorry. thought I'd done better in hiding it."

She looked up then, a quirked smile on her face. "Dearest, I'm not as naive as you might think I am. Although I was hardly going to mention it to you." He lay his head back on the sofa with a groan, prompting her to turn to him, drawing his eyes back to her. "I- I always hoped that one day someone would feel that way- about me," she said softly. "I didn't expect it, and you know that I wasn't ready for it at the beginning of us." she sighed, her eyes troubled. "Without meaning to, I led you on a merry chase."

This made him chuckle, and he smiled at her broadly. "Worth it."

"You were nothing but patient with me, Gil- you didn't pressure, or make me feel guilty- you were every bit the gentleman that I had known before we married."

"My mother will be so very thrilled to hear that."

Anne swatted his shoulder with a scowl, and he shielded himself from her attack, laughingly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Continue."

"I- it's just that I know that this costs you," she said, her blush feeling as if it covered her from head to foot, as she watched him adjust his collar uncomfortably. "It costs both of us."

Gilbert sighed, and a wry smile on his face. "Love, I'm obscenely lucky to be living with you now, and not saying goodnight to you on the doorstep of Patty's Place. You share my name. You share my bed. I'm- I'm grateful. I know that- parts of me might seem impatient- but I can wait. I promise you that."

Anne curled her shoulders into him as he held her close, and she traced the line of his shirt buttons absently. "I know. And yet I'm wondering just how much harder it will get, as time goes on."

Gilbert gave slight choke at her innocent remark and contented himself with a slight grin into her hair. "More difficult, perhaps, yes. That doesn't mean we need to change anything."

Well aware that this was the first time they had come close to discussing this topic, Anne's grey eyes were hesitant. "Perhaps it should change."

He froze, watching her curiously. "Anne?"

"Oh, not everything," she said, with a nervous chuckle. "You will still become Doctor Blythe if I have anything to say about it." She didn't see the slightly odd look on his face, so anxious was she to correct his impression. "I- I only meant that not doing anything seems a trifle- unnecessary, don't you think?"

"Er- Anne, I'm not really reading between the lines very well-"

"What do you think I am talking about?" she said, in some exasperation.

He shook his head with a slight smile. "Well, I'm seeing the same problem you are, sweetheart- but we don't want to get carried away, and miss out on what will actually be our wedding night. You deserve better than that."

She sighed and chuckled then, her eyes twinkling. "There will still be a wedding night, you goose- even if I need to sun-bleach that lovely nightgown every year until it's time to use it." She smoothed her hands over his shirtfront, briefly admiring the muscles underneath her fingertips as she tried to gather her courage. "I'm sure you that would know better than I that there are more ways to be intimate than- than-"

"Hang on, why should I know better?"

Anne huffed impatiently from his lap. "Gilbert, I raised young boys; I went to school with boys, and I taught boys in my class- not to mention, that I have been present for some startling conversations between your teammates. I do have some idea how the average male talks."

His sheepish smile seemed to confirm her suspicion, and Anne continued, allowing her hair to sweep over her pink face. "Not that girls are always much better, I grant you. I- I want to be with you, Gil. And it isn't that I want to remove anything from what will one day be our wedding night-"

He shushed her then, a huge smile on his face, as he thanked God for the fiery, passionate girl he held in his arms. "It's alright, sweetheart- I think I'm getting the picture." He pulled away and felt his stomach swoop at the intensely vulnerable look on her face. He bent to kiss the tip of her nose, his voice soft. "Make no mistake, I'm the luckiest fellow in the world already. And I wouldn't ever have thought I was owed anything more."

She gave him a loving look, and turned to face him on his lap. "No. You wouldn't." She cupped his face in her hands, and kissed him then, loving the way his arms pulled her against him. There was an unasked question in his eyes when he pulled away after a few minutes, bright hazel eyes that suddenly gleamed as Anne sat back, and placed his shaking hands on the pearly white buttons of her blouse, flushing as his hands smoothed over the contours of her chest in silent delight. When his fingers pushed the first button at her throat through the buttonhole, his breathing rapid, the two of them suddenly started as the mantel clock began to chime midnight. Silently they each counted the strokes before stillness fell over the dim living room. Gilbert pressed a chaste kiss to her precious mouth. He held her to him tightly, his voice low. "Happy anniversary, Mrs Blythe."

Anne pulled back to smile at him brilliantly. "It appears that we are right on time, then."

He then raised an impudent eyebrow at her, his hands still on her blouse. "Well? Is it bedtime, or shall we go on?"

Anne laughed and moved to kiss him again, shifting against his hips in a way that made him groan blissfully.

"Gilbert, if you don't, I will." She swung her hair over her shoulder, her eyes twinkling. "And you know that I'm just as stubborn as you are."

"Oh, I'm counting on that."

His lips were on hers then, and he turned them both to lay on the sofa, his thigh sliding between hers as she shifted, her skirts exposing slender white legs as they moved together.

"Anne?"

"Mmm?"

"How do I get this contraption off?"

Hey, everyone! Just a quick personal note to you all: Thank you so much for your patience with me and this story, and thank you again for sending encouraging notes, follows, prayers and good wishes over this way! I'm so blessed by this community- and I can't tell you how much your interest in this story has meant to me, and the support you have been through what was a pretty gross year. I know many of you have been following my stories for some time, and so some of you would know that I was pretty sick this time last year (making finishing Shore of Dreams haaard) and it turns out that a disgusting bout of Ross River Virus some months ago has complicated things much further than I realised- so it's no wonder things haven't been the best lately! I'll be fine, it's just going to take some work to get well again- and I'm already feeling better than I have in months. All that to say, this community has been one of my happy places, and I want to thank you all. I've made some wonderful friends on here in the past three years.

To all the writers on here: thank you also! I love your interpretations of Anne and Gilbert, I love the innate need to create that we have, and I love that we encourage each other to do the very best we can, with these wonderful characters of LMMs. I can't always respond to everyone personally, but please know that you've made me laugh, made me cry, (mostly in good ways) and you've allowed me to tell you stories, and read your own. Lastly, special thanks go to Kwak and Carrots, who remind me to keep writing- you inspire me, you nudge me if I need it, and you make me remember why we all love Anne so much.

Love to you all, and I hope that 2019 is going to be a wonderful year for you all.

Cate.

P.S. By the way, I wrote most of the next chapter while THIS one was being recalcitrant! No month-long wait next time….