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:
Guest - thank you, it's definitely been a learning process of plotting and outlining as I write and publish chapters before I finish writing the whole thing.
Kushinka - If she lied, she lied to herself, but I think there, she was just trying to oversimplify the tangled mess they're in. And I think we can say there will be no more butt cleaning by Anne in this story.
Faith-hope-and-glory - Part of why I wanted to start this story was what if she was there with him at the end? The love of LM Montgomery's life had died when she couldn't go to him after breaking things off with him because her family didn't approve as he was too poor. She based the Story Girl on herself, and the love of her life was the inspiration for Sara's love, Peter. Yes well the whole breath for breath was more the poetic symbolism for being included then it was medically what would have likely happened. And Yes the gossip is coming soon… But our lovers have a few more days to cocoon in the joy of Gilbert lives before they get bombarded with the gossip.
Warning… Gilbert remembers some things and freaks out. FYI Incase it triggers.
— Gilbert —
Friday, July 1st, 7:00am
Apple Bough, Avonlea, PEI
I wake, sore, achy, and warm. With a heavy weight on my calves, blinking I look down to see curled up in a ball at my feet, using my calves as a pillow is Anne. She's curled up in a quilt, and sleeping peacefully. I blink in surprise. But then my imagined future seemed to have bled through to reality, and only the fact that my calves that her red head rests on feel heavy with the weight do I doubt the reality. Have I woken into my dream world being true? I glance about the room, noticing Davy sitting on a chair scribbling on a list.
"Glad you're awake Gilbert…" He glances towards Anne then walks as quietly as possible for a boy to my head, and grins at me. "Anne's been refusing to sleep, or eat scared you're going to die. Marilla said I couldn't ask my questions until you were better. Are you all better now?"
"Hardly." I groan. "Water?"
He nods, helping me to drink and such without disturbing Anne whose reminding me of one of the cats, to which I notice the black and white one sleeping on the chair in the same position as Anne. It must be uncomfortable for she's in such a tight ball, her legs still though dangling off the side of the bed.
"Well, I'll wait for my questions then. I've got a whole list for you and Anne. I was going to ask about how babies are ordered and made, you know Mrs. Berry's got a catalogue she's convinced you can order a baby from. Told me and Dora, and Minni May all about it. And then Mrs. Lynde got into a fit because I told her about what we were learning in school about the birds and the bees and how boring it was."
"Boring?" I manage. Wondering how we were having this conversation and with Anne at my feet!
"I mean I know how orchard propagation works. Your dad explained that to me last year when I came round to help a bit. Well, Marilla thought after Mrs. Lynde stormed off to speak to the school board about how boring Mr. West's lectures are. I mean birds and the bees we all know that! She wanted to explain about where babies really come from and not from the garden like Milty's mother thinks. So I was going to write to ask you, as you're good at explaining all the scientific things."
I was struggling to keep a straight face. My insides hurt enough without trying to keep from laughing at waking Anne. "Maybe we can talk about it later."
"Oh I crossed that off my list. Fred Wright explained it all to me, when I was worried about that bite mark on your chest might mean you'd been attacked by a dog."
"Bite mark?" I asked faintly.
He pointed to a spot on my chest. "Was there, but mostly healed now. Reminded me of the time I got in a fight with Dora and she bit my arm. Well, Fred explained it all to me, and that Anne did it. Though I still don't get why your behind was all scratched up. Were you skinny dipping in a bramble? But then Anne had one behind her right ear too, bite mark, not scratches. I hope she doesn't get sick. Milty and I did that once, swimming along a bramble, not bite each other, I mean you two must have gotten in an awful big fight. I thought it was rabies not Typhoid, but Fred set me right. Even explained how babies are made and that Diana Wright's not fat, she's just growing a baby, like the milking cow. That he put it in her as a husband should. He also said it's done like that bull out in Mr. Bell's back pasture all the milking cows are brought to go see. Mr. Harrison took me once. Anne must have scratched you up good and bad if you were acting like that bull!"
Davy shrugged, but I couldn't find the words to interrupt his stream. Panic? Shock? Laugher? Why couldn't I remember that? I would think I would.
"And Mrs. Berry no matter what she thinks didn't really order a baby in the catalogue. And Mr. James Pye, I forgot to ask about him. He's not growing a baby too I hope? I don't think men should."
"No he's not." Is all I manage to get out.
"Someone really should try to explain things to Mrs. Berry. I think Fred and Diana Wright are scared of her. Maybe you should as you're studying medicine?"
"Davy…" I glance down at Anne who is thankfully still sleeping deeply through our conversation. "Maybe we should talk more later on this. We don't want to wake Anne. And it's a men's conversation. And please don't mention what you saw. Rather embarrassing."
He grinned whispering, "I'd say, only mentioned it to Fred. I wouldn't want anyone to know I got a girl so mad she bit me." He pointed to a spot on my chest, over the pectoralis major. I used what strength I felt to move aside my night shirt, and saw a faint bruise there. "Anyways, women folk don't know anything. Why if Mrs. Bolton thinks babies are grown in the garden, and Mrs. Berry that they're ordered in a catalogue, and I think Mrs. Lynde thinks they're grown in an orchard. How do the women not figure it out if the babies are growing inside them? How'd the babies get in there? Do you order a packet of seeds and take them like pills? Because Fred's idea that a man should chase after his wife while she's eating and attack her from behind. I'd think there'd be a lot more broken china if that were the case. He was rather red, and just said it was like breeding the cow with the bull. There must be a more scientific explanation..."
I shift then trying to not think of certain dreams, and my autonomy class, unfortunately it wakes Anne who blinks at us.
"Morning Anne." Davy grins, as she blinks her eyes.
"Davy?"
"Just explaining to Gilbert how someones got to talk some sense into Mrs. Berry especially. I mean at least Mrs. Bolton and Mrs. Lynde think babies are grown. Mrs. Berry thinks babies are ordered in a catalogue!"
Dad pokes his head in, "Davy, we've got chores…"
And the two hurry off.
My mind is whirling. I don't remember how I got home, how I got sick. I remember graduation, convocation, Anne refusing to dance with me. Having to listen to the gossips about her and Royal Gardiner getting engaged, or soon would, doing everything I could to drown my sorrows volunteering at the clinic with their Typhoid epidemic. Meeting with the Cooper Prize committee, and signing my agreement to their standards and ethics, and being awarded the prize. Glaring as I realized that Mr. Royal Gardiner was on the committee, having taken his father's place with graduation on that committee and several others.
And a mystery. Waking up before with Anne in my arms, wearing my ring, and having battled Typhoid myself clearly. Lying in the spare room at Apple Bough, and now Davy's comments? I couldn't pinpoint the last day I remembered. My mind was whirling as Anne smiled sleepily and stared at me. "Gil?"
I was not about to ask her about the evidence Davy's seen. For all I knew she had nothing to do with it, or maybe Davy's theory was right. I could only hope. That somewhere was a bramble of thorns where I'd gone swimming. Hopefully only Davy, Fred and Dad know. I didn't dare ask Dad. If what I'd guess from what Davy saw, that should only be done between a man and a wife! That I'd…
She stretched, and I was self conscious that she was on the same bed with me, and wearing my old robe over her nightclothes, it didn't fit me since I'd joined the football team at college. Well it might now for I'd clearly lost a lot of muscle and weight. I'd woken with her on the bed the last few nights. She'd said yes, but yes to what? Dad and Davy had acted completely acceptable for Anne to be asleep on the bed beside me.
When was it? June? July? Had we married? Or were we just engaged? How did one ask that? Engaged I could understand. But I couldn't support a wife yet. It had to be engaged. But why would my parents just blindly allow Anne and me such liberties? How much time could I not remember?
"Anne, what's the date?" I ask.
"June 30th, she tilts her head in thought, her misshapen red braid falling down her shoulder is quite distracting. "I should head upstairs and dress. Especially before your Aunt sees me."
I ran through in my mind. I was missing likely over a month, maybe even six weeks. I could remember the week after graduation, but it began to fade after that. But before I could ask her more she was gone. And of course was replaced by Aunt Mary Maria.
I quickly feigned falling back to sleep and really did sleep rather than hear her rambles, talking about Anne, and there being too many cats about, and the best way for me to recover.
Though I might have wanted to think about the mystery of my missing weeks, and Anne, and her wearing my ring, and what Davy'd seen. But I couldn't think of that around Aunt Mary Maria!
Fred came by, but Anne was there, along with Mother neither wanting my face to leave my sight. As much as I loved them, I needed to talk to Fred. Finally in exasperation I asked the ladies to leave so Fred could help me relieve myself. They both blushed and left.
"So… Still need help with that. Heard you were wearing a diaper."
Thankfully that had been removed that morning for good. "Yes…" I reached for him and he helped me to sit up and positioned the chamberpot for me to aim into. "I… Davy said he saw some marks on me, talked to you about it."
Fred shrugged. "Just told me you'd been in a fight and he was worried it was rabies not Typhoid. I'd assume if it's what I think you'd remember. You finally kissed her. How was it? You'd bragged years ago your first kiss would be with Anne Shirley. From what I hear, congratulations are in order... or rumored. Anne swore she'd not share any of your news until you were well, and being the one sharing them."
A memory that was quite indecent or a dream came to mind. I wasn't certain which it was. "Perfect." Was all that I could say. I imagined any kiss to Anne would be perfect. Not that I was certain it was a dream or reality. Perhaps just a dream induced by my thoughts of what we might have done, or my wishing that if I'd been so foolish to fall into sin, that it was at least...
He helped me settle back against the pillows. "The baby born yet?"
"Nope. Few more weeks we hope."
I laugh. "Davy's convinced you and Diana are scared of Mrs. Berry, whom he thinks is off in the head for thinking babies come from catalogues. And wants me as a scientific man to set her straight."
He roared with laughter, slapped me on the shoulder. "Well, welcome back and you're welcome to that conversation… Diana's busy preparing the nursery for Little Anne, course the baby could be a boy."
"Fred… if it's a boy please don't name him Little Anne…"
He shook his head. "Long as you don't name your first son Little Diana. I heard from Davy you declared that in your fevered state."
I had two hours that afternoon sitting with Anne reading to Mother and me from one of her books we'd both read together a few years ago, reminding me of passages we'd loved and smiling at me. She'd take my hand from time to time and I reveled at the intimacy. Mother knitted in the corner, some baby booties no doubt for Fred & Diana's upcoming baby, and just smiled at us as she and several cats chaperoned us. Dad even came then as Davy'd gone off to Green Gables for his chores there, and Anne gave up her chair and sat beside me on the bed. She'd helped me sit up propped up with pillows before.
I tried to slyly glance at her, for any sign of a bite mark behind the exposed ear to my left. There was a faint trace of a blemish but the skin looked smooth. Maybe she'd sleep again at my feet, and I'd be able to ask her then? But I knew that unlikely. Some breach of propriety might happen with me in my sick bed, and them carrying for my around the clock.
A little before supper, Dr. Spencer came by, examined me, and declared, "You'll yet be Dr. Blythe yourself, checking on patients as you make your way home. Your fevers dropped well and good, almost down to 101, and you all can rest easily tonight. Still check on him John, but he should be able to rest easy on his own in another night or two, just a few more days and that fever should be completely gone. And Anne, you're to sleep the whole night. Someone else can be nurse maid tonight."
So Anne was sent upstairs, and I was stuck with Aunt Mary Maria. I'd been forced to face Aunt Mary Maria each time I woke working on some sewing by lamplight in the corner and insisting on feeding me broth and water each time I woke and not even giving me privacy in the middle of the night when I needed to relieve myself. Instead insisting on keeping me upright.
I fell asleep with what had to be a figment of my imagination from all that had happened. Anne beneath me, the two of us skin to skin, as I found release with her body begging me to stop. "Gil… Stop…" At least I prayed it was a figment of my imagination. Was that why she's said yes? Had I… Had I raped her? I shed tears, ignoring Aunt Mary Maria as I fell to sleep.
