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.
— Gilbert —
Saturday June 19th, 3pm
Countryside near Brookfield, Nova Scotia
Besides physically feeling the worse I'd ever felt, I was elated. We walked slowly, my exhaustion and fever she kept reminding me of slowing me down. Or perhaps it was to treasure the moment. But was it true? Or was she just my ghost Anne, to soon mock me of the life I couldn't have? My mind wasn't straight. Had she told me there was no truth to her and Roy. That she'd refused him? No, I shook my head, glancing towards her. She'd given me the same glance before. And I caught a glint from her hand. The mocking dream of what I'd never have I'd woken to find my my reality. I was confused. Which was real?
The other passengers seemed to get ahead, but with each step I felt my stomach queues again. I'd paused, and I'm afraid I'd felt it all come up suddenly, spilling over my suit. She'd dropped the bags and helped me lean over as the rest heaved up. She kept the hair brushed back from my forehead, and my tie that has slipped out of my vest, from worse damage.
"Gil, we've got to continue if we're going to make the train…"
I nodded, picking up the carpet bag she'd dropped and walking beside her, felling marginally better now that my stomach was empty. I still kept my arm about her waist, because for the first time in our lives she let me. She'd glance at me worriedly and I'd smile at her, remembering that morning and her news.
"Little Anne will love playing with Little Diana…" I grin.
She glanced at me, an odd look on her face. "Yes, well Diana isn't up for much of our old playing right now, with the pregnancy. Now hurry Gil. I would rather not get stranded as I'd left in a rush after the wedding today. Oh Phil and Jo, did you ever meet Phil's new husband Jonas Blake?"
"Rev. Blake." I nodded. "Patterson Street. The wedding…"
"Oh it was lovely. In the garden early morning. Of course if you ask me the ideal time to marry would be sunrise. But I doubt even the thought of marrying her beloved Phil would get her up early enough for that."
"In the woods." I grin picking up speed. "Or an orchard. With the apple blossoms." We walked, starting to get closer to the crowd ahead of us. I imagined it. Her coming down with only Phil and her Jo as witnesses. Marrying alone in the woods, and just as the sun would break through when we'd vow a lifetime together. I was dreaming of us then signing the marriage license when she groaned. "Anne?"
"The train! Run!" She took off, leaving me to try to run behind her, but I hadn't the strength left in me. Instead we were left, standing there as the train whipped out of sight. "What a scrape!" She cried. "I gave my extra funds to Stella to make sure she could send my trunk on afterwards. And I'd only enough for the fairs and food. One night if necessary, but I'd hoped to make it to Charlottetown. Then if necessary to beg lodging on Stella's parents."
I'd dazed out then smiled. Mrs. Anne Blythe. "I'll take care of the boarding house. If you can get us some food to last us until the trains go. You don't look so good."
She rolled her eyes. "I'll sleep in one of the Apple boughs. I saw an orchard as we passed…"
"Absolutely not Anne." I took the bags from her, finding more strength well up in me. A sudden memory came back from that morning. She'd rushed out of bed to loose her stomach. Seeing the results on her face. "I'll take care of the lodging. You see to what food we'll need. And get onions. Nurse Lewis always demands onions. Helps with fevers. And Ginger for your stomach."
She rolled her eyes, and I stumbled slightly taking the two bags. Truly I'd likely sleep straight through the Sabbath until we could leave Monday morning.
My mind had been fuzzy. Exhaustion from medical school I thought. Walking with Anne I could have sworn I'd fallen asleep walking. I'd had to shake my head as we came in view of the station only to see the train leaving. Anne was so excited to be heading home. To share the news. The news she'd woken me up, was it that afternoon? Little Diana. We already had little Anne. But I didn't see her. I'd shrugged it off. Anne knew where she was no doubt.
I'd convinced her we might as well stay there. So while she went to purchase what we'd need for food and wasn't it Saturday night? My mind was fuzzy from pain. Yes, we'd be here for two nights. I grinned.
"Why, as I live and breath!" The woman behind the counter exclaimed as I approached the counter of the hotel, she'd been in the midst of letter writing. "Gilbert Blythe! Fancy seeing someone from Avonlea here. Were you stranded? We've become nearly filled up due to that accident. Traffic both ways stalled. Though there's still the mail train going out. But nothing now to the Island. Probably don't remember me. Prissy Phillips, though back in the day it was Prissy Andrews. My Teddy Phillips was the schoolmaster when you came back from out west with your father. Same year I believe that red head."
I grinned. "Anne Blythe."
Her eyes went wide. "You don't say! I hadn't heard. I've been so busy, but Mother and I write every week, writing her now in fact. By the looks of you... you're ether most ill or it's sympathy pains How long? I find men get that often with the first. Always can tell a woman's expecting by how green her husband is."
I glazed over slightly then shook myself. "Sorry haven't slept much. Been working the night shift at the clinic."
"Never mind." She laughed prettily. "Now just sign here, and when you're ready to check out, should be my husband at the counter then. You can pay your bill then."
I then blinked. Somehow it was both the memory of Anne talking and a text book combined. "Morning sickness. Need something… Going home to tell them about Little Diana."
"Little Diana?" She asked..
I took the pen as I signed the line for room 203, Mr & Mrs Gilbert Blythe. Smiling, what a dream. It had to be. "That's if it's a girl. Going to tell them back home. Surprise them. Told me this morning before the wedding." I then remembered touching her cold little body. "No… sorry, will likely sleep all day tomorrow. Anne went to get dinner and what she needs. Said she needed some things." I looked about confused. "Night Prissy."
With that I turned back. I found Anne rushing up the street with a package under her arm, I still carried the bags and tried to take the package but she brushed me aside. "All set."
She rolled her eyes. "Even the onions and ginger. I'll drop them in your room. Oh Gil, if you weren't so ill I'd think of sleeping on that apple bough. It was my plan only a cherry tree the day Matthew picked me up at Bright River when I first came. So much scope for the imagination. Just returning home. Did you get us rooms?"
My mind whirled in confusion. Oh, for little Anne. But I could never remember. I wanted her alive so I nodded. "Little Anne's got a room. And take good care of little Diana… We talked about this. You need a good nights sleep…"
"Gil." She paused me in the shadows, near the side door to the hotel. Closer to the stairs Prissy had told me about for our room was at the end of the wing. "This is the strangest day… Where's my room then."
I'd lead her to room 203. Opened the door and set the bags down. She'd set her hat down on the dresser glancing about. The small stove in the corner, a dresser, single chair and table, with a double bed taking up most of the space. The room was. Small, not that there was much left in the rooms.
She'd turned to look at me then. "Gil, what's your room so I can check on you before I retire."
I'd stared at her puzzled as I shut the door. I didn't have any more energy. I just wanted to sleep and moved towards the bed, not even bothering with my shoes I was asleep as soon as I hit the mattress. I'd wake up again to the nightmare of a world without Anne, where she was marrying Roy Gardiner. And I'd lost her forever. Her haunting me as I tried to continue a shell of a life until the good lord took me home. But I was too tired to care
Author's note: Yes... LOL Gilbert
