The characters are created by LM Montgomery, and are her property... the original characters & storyline are unique to this story are copyright 2021, by Nell Lime.

Author's Note: Sorry it formatted wrong when I copied and pasted yesterday... fixed now.

— Anne —

Saturday June 19th, 6am

Mount Holly, Bolingbroke, Nova Scotia

We woke to the whirlwind which is Mrs. Gordon with her deputy Meg trialing behind. Before we knew it we were wrapped into our dressing robes, and lectured on the curls and styles needed to make Phil's wedding the talk of Bolingbroke Society. I'd curled Pris's hair and she'd followed by mine, attempting to curl a few coils to hang loose on my shoulder only to singe the hair when Meg walked into talk about her special friend coming. Thankfully she was able to hide the singed hair, and the look was still quite elegant.

None of us ate much, as we spun about turning from dainty sleeping beauties into one beautiful bride and her three faithful bridesmaids. And as we worked, Stella and Pris began to pack, I had barely unpacked myself. My Valice was still packed, mostly with gifts wrapped in a spare dress and undermost undergarments to protect them. I would toss my nightgown on top when it was time, pack the rest of my dresses in my trunk and early Monday morning I'd be on the first train home to wonderful Avonlea. It would be a grueling long day but I'd be home!

The day though began to go downhill with the arrival of Meg into our midst when we were half dressed, and her excited talk about her particular friend coming, whose name we finally learned just as Mrs. Gordon rushed in in exclamation we were not yet ready. Oh it was to be a Jonah day. Not only a Jonah day but the next few days, the pinnacle of Jonah days! For the particular friend of Meg's was none other then Gilbert Blythe's love, Christine Stewart. I couldn't describe my reaction, yet did my best to not temper how I did react.

Funny how that candy heart necklace he'd given me some years ago and I'd worn for the convocation dance only to hear of his soon to be announced engagement to Christine Stewart. Was still sitting at the bottom of my Valice, with the broken clasp from when I had snatched it off my neck. I had kept nothing else of sentiment from my former best friend. And so as Meg gushed about her excitement about Christine coming. Worries about the storm threatening to blow in, and how we'd likely be stuck by a cozy fire all the next day for she'd never known it not to rain after a wedding. Good luck she claimed to have the rain after the wedding instead of the day of.

I'd intended to spend the day on my own, walking across town to attend the little church where my parents were buried, and see them. But now, I worried we would be stuck in doors. Especially as Mrs. Gordon who was adjusting Phil's veil insisted on she'd need all the young girls to keep her merry with the loss of Phil the next day. She'd even asked Pris and Stella due to join Stella's aunt on the western coast of Nova Scotia that evening if they could delay their trip to comfort her.

The blow then came, just as Mr. Gordon came to see his daughter, and Meg gushed how she could not wait to be a bridesmaid for her particular friend, for Christine had finally been able to announce her engagement. I'd had no time to respond, no time to process. Instead I'd found myself pushed out by Mrs. Gordon and Meg from the room with Pris and Stella who glanced at me worriedly. I must have gone white for Meg made a comment about my paleness most became me. And I'd found myself on the arm of one of Jo's friends walking down the stairs to the garden behind the house where the wedding was to be.

I barely registered any of the wedding. Instead I couldn't describe it. I'd truly lost Gilbert. If I'd had my dream we'd gone on for years just as we were. Best friends with no romance to complicate things. He'd had to ruin it all by telling me that he loved me, not that I truly believed him. And begging me for some hope I might marry him one day. So, as Philippa Gordon became Mrs. Jonas Blake, I found myself wondering what would have happened if I'd given him hope. Oh not agree to marry him, for I could not have done that. I didn't love him the way he deserved. But perhaps, hope.

So as I found myself in the procession leaving the wedding ceremony I decided on two things. One, I would need to finally mourn the loss of my best friend. And two, I could not stand an hour more then necessary in the company of Meg and her particular friend, Christine Stewart. For all they would talk would be of Gilbert. They no more belonged in Gilbert's world then Roy did in mine. They didn't belong in Avonlea.

So with a quick word to the girls, I ran the train schedules and ferry schedules through my mind. I would barely make it, and none would except me. But I could walk the eight miles from Bright River to Green Gables to surprise them when all rose for breakfast the next morning.

Minutes later I found myself heading back to Phil's room with her to adjust her dress before the reception. She'd cornered me. "I hadn't known her particular friend was Christine Stewart, oh Anne Honey…"

"Oh don't be angry, but I've a mind to leave the wedding early that I might catch the train in time to make the last boat and train to home. East, or West, but home is best." I smiled.

"Anne," She nodded as I helped her to raise her skirts to use the chamber pot. "You're quite right. Why I've a premonition that you're supposed to go. Why perhaps you'll meet your true prince charming today on the train."

"No," I laughed. "I intend to be an old spinster maid teaching at Summerside High School for years to come. If my romantic idea Roy Gardiner would not do…" No the romance I shall have will be a moonlit walk over eight miles of country side I love so well to surprise my loved ones at home at breakfast in the morning. That will be my adventure for otherwise it'll be much as other trips."

"Well, Anne." She shook her head. "Now you write all the details. I'll write Monday soon as the post can go out and explain the mysteries of a married woman. You an old maid spinster. I hardly think it. Why I always thought you'd be the first of us girls to marry and I the last for my lack of making up my mind. And now I'm the first. Now, I'll write you tomorrow once we're settled into our Honeymoon home. A friend of Jo's set up connections is all I know, and Father helped pitch in too. Though Jo hasn't dared tell me for fear of Mother finding out where we'll be. But it's far enough away he's promised and I shall love it. So I'll write you as soon as we're settled with all the details of what married life is like. The mysteries of a man behind closed doors. Why I tell you Anne, all the older married ladies for the past month have been cornering me. Why even Aunt Jimsie tried to warn me men are ugly in bed. I don't think Jo will be though."

I laughed.

"So I'll promise to write you all the details Anne if you write me every detail yourself of your trip home. My premonition is rather strong. Perhaps you'll befriend an old lady who'll introduce you to her son you'll love. Or save a soul that's rather ill. Like Florence Nightingale. Or just write and spin me stories to read to Jo about. Now course, if you mark any section for my eyes only…"

I laughed. "I promise Phil, but you'll have to guess what is truth and what is fiction. For perhaps I'll make up quite the story?"

She laughed, kissed me on both cheeks and with my valice tucked into my arm, I slipped with her. Through all that I'd forgotten to more then grab my valice for tucked daintily still beneath my pillow was the nightgown I'd worn that night. My other things either in the small trunk I'd brought with me that Stella and Pris would bring to Charlottetown when they returned to the Island a few weeks later, or shipped ahead with my larger trunk to Green Gables the week before.

So catching a cab near Mount Holly I rode to the station. Purchased my tickets, and boarded the train. I sat down smiling as Bolingbrook fell into the distance. I'd arrive at 12:30 in Kingsport, then a quick change to catch the 1pm train to Hopetown, followed by a quick transfer to the boat line at Pictou. I'd then catch the last ferry at 5pm to Charlottetown. There then would be the last boat train. Only in summer did the boat and trains run so late, for there would be one final boat train from Charlottetown and I'd be at Bright River followed by the most lovely moonlit walk home.

—*—*—*—*—

Author's Note:

So Geography…

Where places are mentioned in the books I used those names and approximated where I think they are located. LM Montgomery seemed to use real towns and places just changing the names typically. But not always.

Kingsport - Halifax

HopeTown - Likely New Glasgow I would think as the river mentioned does exist, and it matches the descriptions the best from what I can find.

Bollingbrooke - Uncertain, I imagine it 60-90 minute train ride west of Halifax. Either Windsor or on St. Margarets Bay.

Island place names are a little more researched online and there's some good maps showing where they are located.

For places that are not in the books, I just used the towns that looked right for their stops. Such as Pictou.