Take notice Board
Anne with an E
Anne/ Gilbert
Anne's conversation with Gilbert about the Take Notice board takes a different direction and it changes everything.
I go over some parts rather quickly, without details and sometimes not even writing them just mentionning them, it means that it happens the same what it did in the show.
Anne was standing in front of Gilbert, telling him about the Take Notice Board and, as they spoke, she looked into his eyes and saw something there that felt like a slap across her face. She realized that he believed she was speaking about herself and obviously he was interested. Gilbert looked, she realized, like he had been hoping for a sign that he'd have his chance with her and that she was giving him that sign. Only she was supposed to tell him about Ruby, her friend.
She didn't want to.
She didn't want to tell him about Ruby's feelings, she only now realized that she wanted him to put a notice about her. Was she wrong to think he was interested in her? Was it even possible? How didn't she realize before that she had feelings for him?
"So, are you saying I should... Put a notice?" Gilbert asked expectantly and Anne knew that her answer could change everything.
He was asking her for permission to put a notice about her on the board, she knew it and she couldn't mention Ruby now, it would ruin everything and she didn't want that. He wasn't only asking for permission to put a notice up about her, but maybe, he was asking if he could court her too.
"I... I think you should do what you want to do... I... I just... You know, I just wanted to let you know about the Board so you could... I mean if you want to... if you feel this way about anyone... You know..." She replied, blushing a little and realizing that she wasn't making complete sentences.
"Thank you for the information... I... It's not something I would have noticed, the Board... I... I'll think about it." He told her with a soft smile and she realized that, the way he was looking at her at the moment, with hope and, maybe, romance, was something she wanted to see more often.
"I have to go... Something important to tell Ruby before class starts..." Anne replied quickly before she turned around and rushed to her friend, who'd hopefully still be her friend once they had spoken.
"Anne, did you see the look in his eyes when you were telling him about me?" Ruby started to say but Anne interrupted her.
"I didn't. I mean I saw the look in his eyes but I wasn't telling him about you. I told him about the Take Notice Board, but nothing else... I... I'm so sorry Ruby, you know how much I value our friendship but as we were talking I realized that he might be hoping I was speaking about me and I also realized that I wanted him to see me this way... I... I'm so sorry Ruby, I think I pushed it back all this time for your sake, for the sake of our friendship, but today, as we spoke, I just couldn't deny it anymore." Anne spoke.
"Alright class, settle down, I think we'll start with Arithmetic today. Nothing romantic about it, but maybe that's a good thing." Miss Stacy spoke before Ruby could reply.
Anne smiled sadly at Ruby and added:
"I hope we're still friends."
Class was too short that day, to Anne liking. She had quietly explained the situation to Diana who told her to have faith, that Ruby valued their friendship more than she thought, that everything would be fine.
When Miss Stacy announced that it was time for their lunch break, Anne got nervous. Would the other girls be mad at her again, because she decided to follow her heart in spite of her friend's?
"Come on, Anne." Diana said and they grabbed their lunch and sat down, before the others did, in their usual corner.
"Anne, can I talk with you please? Alone, without the others joining us?" Ruby asked nervously.
"Of course, do you want to head outside?" Anne asked and Ruby nodded.
The two girls stepped outside and, once they were in an isolated spot, Ruby turned to her friend.
"Please let me say this without interrupting me, Anne." Ruby asked first and Anne nodded patiently.
"I'm sorry for not noticing it earlier. After you talked to me this morning, I started thinking about everything and I realized that every time I thought Gilbert was looking at me, noticing me, smiling my way, you were right next to me. Then I started thinking about everything else that's happened ever since you arrived and it's clear that he's had a crush on you ever since you arrived here. I was so obsessed with him, that I built an entire relationship in my mind, one that wasn't real. Now I feel like I do when I'm done reading a story that I loved. Sad, but excited for what's next. I'm sorry if your friendship with me prevented you from noticing these feelings all along... The two of you are, I believe, a perfect match and I hope you'll be happy together. I also hope that you and I can still be friends." Ruby stated.
"Of course we can still be friends Ruby, I do value your friendship a lot! And I don't know where things will go with Gilbert, I just realized my feelings and that, maybe, he had feelings too. It's too soon to think about more." Anne smiled.
"I think he'll declare himself soon. Now come on, let's join the others, I'm hungry and I wonder what they brought to share!" Ruby replied, making Anne smile as they rushed back inside.
On the way, they crossed Gilbert, who was reading a medical book he had borrowed from Doctor Ward. He smiled at them, but most especially at Anne when they walked past him and Anne smiled back, with a little blush.
"Oh yes, he's definitely noticed you." Ruby whispered into Anne's ear, making her giggle.
.
Anne was 16 now, her birthday had been great and she was even allowed to look into her past, which was something she was very eager to do.
Thinking back on it, it might have been better if Matthew had taken her to the train station on his own, without Marilla.
Anne didn't know if she was mortified or excited. She was going to Charlottetown, to meet up with Cole who'd take her to the orphanage where she'd ask them if they had records about her, about her parents and that made her happy, but she was mortified because Marilla was treating her like a baby in front of Gilbert.
"She just cares about you." Gilbert told her comfortingly once they were sitting on the train, guessing how she felt and why.
"I know, and I understand in a way but I'm 16, I am capable of taking a train on my own." Anne argued.
"I remember, especially since this time, you actually have a ticket." he replied with an amused smile, remembering her adventures to save miss Stacy's job.
It made Anne smile, forgetting her annoyed feelings.
"Women should be able to take the train on their own, just like men. I hate that we're considered as inferior in so many ways." She shook her head.
"I know, maybe some day it will change." he replied.
"Anyway, since I have to be escorted, I'm glad it's by you." She told him, making him smile happily.
She had decided to be more open with him, to show him more signs that she was interested in him. It had been Ruby's suggestion and she had to admit that it could only be better than ignoring him.
"Why are you going to Charlottetown anyway? Just to see Cole?" Gilbert asked her, trying to jump on an opportunity to make conversation with Anne.
"No, Miss Stacy guessed that her latest assignment about families and origins might have raised some questions inside me, about my lineage and she suggested that the orphanage might have some information about my parents, so Cole and I are going there today, to see if they have anything about me, my parents. Where they're from... If they actually died or left me there because they couldn't afford me... You know, that kind of information." She replied, happy to be there with him, alone.
"Well, good luck then. I hope you'll find what you're looking for. And, if you're done early, or if you need anything, just know that you can come and find me at Doctor Ward's office." He informed her.
"Thank you." She smiled.
She could see that Gilbert wished he was able to come with her and it made her smile.
.
Anne should have known that this was a bad idea.
Not only they didn't have any answers for her, nothing at all, but this trip had risen some terrible memories and she knew that it would take her a while to recover and get back to normal. Seeing the girl who had hurt her and humiliated her so much in the past had been the worst, it was like all these things had just happened to her again. She felt small, dirty, ugly, useless... So many dark feelings she believed she had pushed away...
"Come on, I'll take you back to Aunt Jo's before your train. Some tea will do you some good." Cole told her.
"No, I... I think I want to wait for Gilbert at Doctor Ward's office, if you don't mind. I don't want Aunt Jo to worry about me." Anne shook her head.
Of course it was only half the truth, and Cole seemed to guess it but he agreed none the less.
"Alright." He nodded with a half smile badly hidden.
When they arrived inside the office, Cole made sure she'd be fine and left once he saw Gilbert coming her way, after nodding at the future doctor and, without Anne seeing it, gesturing quickly to make him understand that Anne needed him.
"Anne, are you alright? Is something wrong?" Gilbert asked her, worried.
"No, I... Yes... Going back to the orphanage was a bad idea, that's all." Anne replied, shaking her head as Gilbert sat by her side.
"They didn't have any answers for you." Gilbert guessed.
"Their records were destroyed a few years ago because of rats, but that's not all... I mean, i was prepared for the eventuality that they wouldn't have anything on my parents but... All the bad memories, the ones I thought I had forgotten and gotten over... The bullying, the pain, all the darkness... It brought them all back and it's not something I ever wanted to feel again." Anne told him honestly.
"I'm sorry..." he said, not sure of how he should behave.
"I'll be fine, don't worry. I just didn't want Aunt Jo to see me this way, she'd worry. I figured next time I'll go and check the church, maybe they'll have records." Anne replied with a half smile.
"You're never giving up." Gilbert smiled.
"Anyway, I don't want to take you away from work, I'll wait here, don't worry." Anne assured him.
"I'm almost done, just give me 5 minutes and I'll walk with you to the train. We might even be able to stop on the way to get you something to eat and drink." he promised her.
For the next few minutes, Anne watched as Gilbert finished sorting medicine for Doctor Ward and she was introduced to Winifred, his secretary. Of course the girl was beautiful and she even seemed to have her eyes on Gilbert a lot. Was she a rival? Should she worry? Could she even compete with such a woman against her?
"I'm done now, just let me get my coat and say goodbye to Doctor Ward and I'll be right there." Gilbert told Anne with a smile, ignoring Winifred completely and reassuring Anne.
He didn't care about the beautiful blond and he definitely showed sign of caring about Anne. He kept on glancing her way, checking if she was fine, if she was really still here and smiling at her each time.
"Of course, take your time, we're in no hurry. We still have plenty of time before the train." She smiled back at him.
Anne was surprised when Gilbert invited her in some fancy tea room to get something to eat and drink before the train arrived. It was a very romantic setting and the people around them definitely seemed to be courting. They didn't mention it though, Gilbert seemed to understand that Anne had something else on her mind at the moment and he did his best to change her mind.
On the way, Anne decided to be open with him, and when he asked her about the notebook she was holding and that she didn't have before, she told him honestly that it was things she had written years ago, tales of Princess Cordelia.
"It's what I used to stay sane, sort of... but... looking back on it, I think I believed I was princess Cordelia..." She whispered shamefully.
"It's understandable, you created a character you found beautiful and who lived a happy, peaceful and cheerful life, loved by those around her. you had none of that, obviousy you craved it. I get it." he replied, showing her that he was getting her better than she thought and that he wasn't about to mock her.
.
It had been a week since Anne came back from the orphanage and was grounded by Marilla for going to to Native's village without permission. Gilbert hadn't posted on the Take Notice Board, but that might be because he was worried over Mary being so sick. Anne was worried as well. They had even brought baby Delphine to Green Gables, just in case it was contagious.
"Doctor Ward was supposed to come see Mary this morning, I hope she'll feel better soon. I know she must be missing having Delly by her side." Anne commented to Marilla as they worked together in the kitchen.
"At least he'll do his best." Marilla nodded, upset that no other doctor was willing to help Mary because of the color of her skin.
"I know Bash is grateful for us cooking though. Gilbert admitted that he wasn't a good cook, though it's understandable. Bash and him don't have much time after the farm work to spend too much time cooking." Anne added.
"I know, Bash told me yesterday that he loved the stew you made. Your biscuits were, apparently, delicious too." Marilla complimented.
"I know, Gilbert had one for his lunch at school. He made sure to let me know that I was welcome to make more anytime" Anne chuckled before she stopped, the worry she felt for Mary coming back.
When Gilbert arrived later, telling them that there was no hope for Mary and that she wanted to spend some time with her daughter, they all rushed there to do anything they could, to try and figure out how they could make her last days happy and peaceful ones. Anne walked there with Gilbert, doing her best to reassure him on the way, making sure he knew that she was there for him.
A few days passed, and Anne thought that Gilbert was looking at her differently, making her actually feel beautiful, when she came to bring over the hat she had decorated especially for Mary's Easter at the Barry's, but she shook her thoughts away, now wasn't the time.
It wasn't until about 2 weeks after Mary's funeral that things changed.
Anne was reading the newspaper with Miss Stacy and Gilbert and she had almost forgotten about the Take Notice Board, she had stopped looking at it, figuring that maybe it just wasn't Gilbert's style. Gilbert had glanced her way when she arrived, like he was expecting something but since she hadn't reacted, he went back to his reading of the medical articles of the newspapers. Suddenly, they were interrupted by Diana.
"Anne, what are you dong here, you need to come and look at the board!" Diana exclaimed, making the occupants of the room look up.
"Why? Did someone new notice you, Diana? Or was Ruby noticed again?" Anne asked kindly.
"No, I mean yes but that's not the point. You! You were noticed!" Diana insisted.
"Very funny, Diana. Who would notice me?" Anne snorted, forgetting for a moment that she had thought, a few weeks ago, that Gilbert would.
Diana was about to reply once more when Ruby joined them, just as excited as Diana.
"Anne, why are you still here? You're on the board! You've been noticed twice!" Ruby exclaimed.
"Twice?" Anne asked just as Gilbert stood up suddenly.
"What? What do you mean twice? Who's the other?" Gilbert asked before he dropped the newspaper and went outside quickly, followed by a curious Anne, and her giggling friends.
Miss Stacy simply shook her head and went back to her reading.
In front of the board, there was a lot of people, as usual but when they saw Gilbert and Anne arrive, they all stepped back.
Gilbert took one quick look at the board before he turned to Charlie. Anne didn't notice the tension though, she was too busy looking at the board.
Charlie had noticed her and wanted to walk her home. Gilbert had noticed her and wrote, here in front of everyone, that he wanted to court her. Not just walk her home, or dance with her at the fair, no, court her.
"So Anne, who are you going to dance with at the fair? Or tomorrow at the dancing lessons Miss Stacy arranged for us? Charlie or Gilbert?" Josy asked Anne.
Anne suddenly looked up and noticed Gilbert and Charlie facing each other, turning their head toward her. She blushed.
"You don't have to make a decision right away Anne!" Tilly protested.
Anne shook her head, Tilly might be fine with two boys fighting for her attention, but Anne only wanted one. She didn't want to string one of them along.
"I... I'm sorry Charlie but... You have to know what an ill match we'd make..." Anne declared, walking closer to him and speaking in a low voice.
"It's okay, I figured I'd get this answer when I saw Gilbert's note about you. Good luck to you two." Charlie replied with a shrug of his shoulders before he went to to board and took his notice off.
Anne and Gilbert were now facing each other, blushing a little, aware that everyone was staring.
"So Anne, does it mean you allow Gilbert to court you?" Josy asked.
"Will you two go to the fair together?" Ruby asked as well.
"I..." Anne didn't know what to say.
"How about we let them have an actual conversation about this before we overcrowd them with questions they don't have answers for." Diana declared, saving her best friend and pushing everyone away.
"I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner, I just generally try to avoid looking at it, too much drama unfolds around it and Josy likes to taunt people who don't get noticed or people who don't have new notices because there's always one about her." Anne apologized to Gilbert.
"It's alright, you saw it eventually, that's all that matters. But let's make it clear, you're not rejecting my proposition, right?" he asked her with a smile.
"Of course not!" She exclaimed before she blushed, realizing what she had just said.
"Then how about this: You agree to let me be your escort at the fair, and at the dance later, and, if by the end of the night you don't completely hate me, then maybe we could consider ourselves courting and start planning a future together?" He suggested with an hopeful smile on his face.
"I think that this is a splendid idea." Anne smiled, unable to stop from picturing herself in a perfect white dress, walking toward Gilbert to be married.
"There's something else... I... I wanted to do something for you, I almost posted it on the Board but I figured it's something you'd want to keep private, maybe. At least at first. I... I went to the Church with Cole, to look at their records. Between the two of us it didn't took much time. I didn't know when you'd be allowed to go and I knew you'd want to know. Here's what I found." Gilbert said, handing Anne a carefully folded piece of paper.
Seeing Anne cry from afar, Diana and Ruby rushed to them, followed by the other girls.
"Anne, what's wrong? What did he say?" Diana asked, glaring accusingly at Gilbert who ignored her.
"Gilbert went to do research at the church for me. My parents are dead, and I'm Scottish!" Anne exclaimed, smiling through her tears.
"He did? How romantic!" Ruby smiled dreamily.
"Thank you Gilbert, really! I don't think anyone has ever given me a better present." She said.
"I figured you could write to that church in Scotland, see if they have any more records about your family." Gilbert added as some of the other girls walked away, seeing that nothing interesting to them was happening.
"I will! Thank you, Gilbert, really!" Anne smiled at him, holding hi hand in her own.
She almost told him here and there that she loved him, but she didn't want to say it first, or too soon, and definitely not when half the class was around, listening.
"Come, let's get back to reading the newspaper before class starts again. There was an article on antitoxins I wanted to read." He suggested and she smiled, taking his offered hand.
.
Of course Matthew and Marilla were happy to know that Anne and Gilbert were going to the fair together. Bash would be going with the Cuthbert's to allow Gilbert and Anne to spend more time alone together. They trusted them after all. Marilla was especially happy, she saw this as a second chance at fate. She hadn't been able to be with John Blythe, but Anne would be able to live out her intended romance with Gilbert.
But before that, they had to go to the dance lesson and it didn't exactly start out the best way.
Anne loved it, dancing with Gilbert was something she never knew she'd love, but she did. Of course Ruby and her questions had to ruin it a bit and so, they all decided that Anne should be the one to ask Gilbert for more information. Anne promised them that she would and tell them everything she had learned the next day.
"Thanks for walking home with me today. I know that you usually ride home to Bash after church, but I wanted to speak with you." Anne told Gilbert as they walked.
"I figured. I saw you in some sort of tensed conversations with the other girls. Is something wrong?" He asked her.
"Not really. It's just... Ruby started wondering about some things, and of course it gave us all questions and they decided that since you were training to be a doctor, you'd have the answers and that I should be the one to ask you because we're... you know." Anne explained.
"Alright, I'll do my best to answer your questions, and theirs." He nodded, still smiling, showing her that he was happy to spend time with her.
"I don't think this is going to be a very comfortable moment for either of us." She warned him.
"Now you've got me worried." He chuckled before he added "I promise I'll answer your questions, then, if you want, I can pretend nothing happened." He suggested.
"Good idea. They... Well, Ruby thought that she could get pregnant by simply touching a boy. Miss Stacy reassured her and told her that this wasn't how it happened, but now she has another question that we all kind of share... Apparently, some of them heard that women of passion... I mean, women who are smart, think a lot or who feel their emotions fully can't have children, are barren. Is it true?" Anne asked, embarrassed but trusting that he wouldn't make fun of her.
"Well, I'm not an expert but there's nothing I've read or seen that would suggest this to be true." he shook his head.
"Oh, good." Anne breathed out, unable to stop herself from imagining what a child of hers, with Gilbert as a father, would look like.
"Did they ask you to ask me something else?" he asked her, willing to help and to show her that he wasn't bothered out by her question.
"Not really, I think the whole 'Not knowing' of the entire thing is making some of them nervous. I told them we'd be able to find plenty of information next year at Queens but you know how impatient some of them can be." Anne replied.
"I could explain it to you if you'd like or... I have a book that explains it pretty well. I could let you borrow it. It would surely be less awkward." He offered.
"I think I'll take you up on that offer." she smiled back, grateful.
.
When Anne broke the bottle of Vanilla during her preparation of the 'Mary Cake' for the baking contest at the fair, she immediately smelled that the second bottle held something else, so she ran to the Blythe house to ask for theirs. Of course Bash gave it to her happily. He wanted her to win after all, winning with Mary's recipe would honor his wife.
Later, when Anne decorated her perfect cake at the fair with flowers, pine cones and other natural elements, Gilbert by her side, she couldn't help but be confident she'd at least win a prize, even if it wasn't the first place.
"Are you nervous?" Gilbert asked her as he offered her his arm to walk around.
"Not really. It's the first time I make something perfect, on my own, without any help at all and I'm confident that I'll at least place." She smiled.
"So am I. Now come, I'll buy you some Ice Cream." he offered and she nodded happily.
They spent a very happy moment together and the more Anne thought about it, the more confident she was that they could work out, even if they went to different colleges next year.
"Anne, I... I'd like for us to get our picture taken together." Gilbert declared suddenly.
"You would?" She asked, surprised.
"I know in my heart that we will work out, I'm confident of it. Next year, I'll go to the University of Toronto, and you'll go to Queens. We'll write to each other of course, and I'll see you for Christmas, but I'd like to have a picture of you to hold on to when I miss you, because I know I will." He admitted.
"I think it's a splendid idea. I'd like that too." She nodded, already thinking of giving him a lock of her red hair to stick to the picture.
Once they had both gotten their pictures done together, paying to get one each, they went back on their tour of the fair, crossing some of their friends with their parents or on their own. They went back to the contest tent just in time and Anne held Gilbert's hand so tightly, he knew she had to be just a little bit nervous anyway.
"They seem happy about your cake." Marilla commented.
"They didn't seem to like my decorations much." Anne shook her head.
"That's only because it's unusual, it's beautiful. Trust me." Gilbert reassured her.
"Look, they're smiling!" Bash pointed out, making them smile.
Later, when they announced that Anne won the first place, she jumped out in joy and into Gilbert's arms. She felt like this was a perfect moment. She never thought she'd ever be completely happy but she was. She had won something, she was surrounded by friends and family, she was loved, and she had someone in her life that made her feel pretty.
"Here you go, Delphine. I might have made the cake, but it was your mother's recipe and you should hold on to that ruban." Anne said, handing the desired ruban to the baby girl.
"Are you sure Anne? You've worked so hard to win this prize!" Bash shook his head.
"I have, and now I won. I know I've won. I wanted to win to make Mary proud, now I want Delphine to have it, so she can know that her mother's recipes are prize winning ones." Anne told Bash with a smile.
"Thank you Anne." Bash smiled, tears in his eyes like every time he thought about his beloved Mary.
Later, after more time spent all together at the fair, Bash went back home, leaving the Cuthbert's and Gilbert to go to the dance.
"So, just so I'm clear, you don't hate me, yet, right?" Gilbert asked Anne with a smile as they watched other dance.
"No, I don't. Not at all." She shook her head happily.
Gilbert was about to say something else when they were called for the next dance. Of course it was even more perfect than it had been during practice. Romantic. Like the rest of the world had disappeared from around them.
"Would you like to step outside with me, for a little walk?" Gilbert suggested after they witnessed Matthew dancing with miss Stacy, probably to spite Rachel Lynde.
"I'd love to." Anne smiled so Gilbert grabbed them both something to drink and they stepped outside, away from the music.
"It's beautiful here, even at night. I think I'll miss it when I'm at Queens." Anne declared.
"Me too, but probably not as much as I'll miss you. I... Anne... There's something I want to tell you, it's important that you know... I... I have Matthew and Marilla's permission! I... I love you Anne, I think I've loved you from the beginning, and the more time passes, the more certain I am that you are the one for me. I love you and... I really wanted you to know it. And... I'd like... You don't have to answer right away, you should take the time to think about it for a while but... I'd like to marry you, for you to become my wife, once we're both out of college, done with school." Gilbert declared nervously, down on one knee and presenting Anne with a simple yet beautiful ring that had once belonged to his mother.
"Gilbert I... Of course I love you too! I... I was definitely not expecting this..." She replied smiling.
"You don't have to answer me right away, you should take some time to think about it. I... Let's wait until the end of the exams, then you can answer me." He declared.
"You just proposed and you're telling me you don't want an answer right away?" She asked him, smiling.
"I don't want you to answer too quickly." he shook his head.
"Even if my answer is in your favor?" She insisted.
"I don't want you to say Yes too quickly, I want you to be sure this is what you want, forever. I'll wait 10 years if that's what you need to be sure." He insisted with a smile.
"I'm pretty sure it won't take me that long. 9 years maybe, but definitely not 10." She teased with before they exchanged their first kiss together.
Soon after that, they walked back towards the dance, willing to dance some more, when they spotted Billy and Josy together. Josy was pressed against a door and seemed to be uncomfortable and protesting a little, so the couple made their presence known.
"Hey Josy, do you want to come with us? There's another group dance coming up, it should be fun!" Anne asked, trying to distract Billy and testing to see if Josy was truly unwilling or not.
Gilbert didn't speak, letting Anne handle it, but he stood taller, remembering how cruel Billy used to be to Anne and ready to jump in to protect and defend her at any sign of attack.
"I'd love to!" Josy exclaimed, relieved, before she ran to Anne.
"You two go inside, I want to speak with Billy for a minute." Gilbert said in a low voice.
"Don't get into a fight, alright?" Anne asked him, showing that she knew what he had on his mind and he nodded before kissing her once more.
"What now, Gilbert? Jealous your girl doesn't have anything to show?" Billy smirked before Gilbert punched him.
"You better watch out how you behave, and be careful not to speak of this to anyone, it would cause a lot of trouble for Josy. If you truly care for her, you apologize to her and don't speak of this again." Gilbert warned him in a serious voice, ignoring his remark about Anne.
"What's happened to you Bud, you're not capable of having fun anymore?" Billy asked Gilbert, confused.
"Fun? Billy, all you do is try to hurt and destroy those around you, one way or another, especially Anne. I won't let it happen again. You're the one who needs to change and to grow up. You're not 12 anymore, you're an adult, time for you to act like one! You seem to care about Josy, yet you were about to do something that could have destroyed her." Gilbert snapped back before he walked inside, pretending nothing happened.
He was glad to see Anne smiling happily with her friends, trying to distract Josy.
"Gilbert, is everything alright?" Anne asked him discreetly as soon as he walked back inside.
"Of course it is, don't worry." He replied, adding the last part in Josy's direction, to let her know that everything should be fine.
.
"How come Gilbert isn't in town? I saw him at the train station this morning." Diana asked Anne as they walked together, gathering flowers and simply spending time together before the exams.
"He said he had something to do in Charlottetown, he'll be back with the late train, but I'll see him tomorrow at church and then Monday for the exams." Anne replied.
"What do you think he's doing?" Diana asked, wondering why Anne wasn't more suspicious.
"Well, I trust him enough not to ask. I just figured he wanted to speak with Doctor Ward before the exams, or maybe borrow more books or something." Anne shrugged her shoulders
Little did she know, Gilbert had spoken earlier in the week with Marilla and Matthew about going to ask the first person who took Anne in to see if she'd have more information about the Shirley's. They had given him the name and address they had and so Gilbert was now with Misses Thomas, old, lonely and losing her mind, using all of his strength not to respond when she insulted Anne and hoping the old woman would have something he'd be able to give Anne.
At the end of the day, he did have something, something he believed Anne would love to have, but he decided not to tell her about it until after the exams were over. He didn't want it to distract her.
The exams came and Anne and Gilbert both felt that it went well for them.
"Anne, before we join the others at the bonfire, I'd like to speak with you." Gilbert told her.
"Of course, time for me to give you my answer." She smiled.
"No, I mean yes, if you want, but I do have something else for you first." he insisted.
"Something else?" She asked him, confused.
"I... I wanted to help you have more information about your parents, and so I went to visit Misses Thomas, the first woman who took you in after your parent's passing. She lost her mind, doesn't remember much most of the time but she did have something of your parents. I decided to wait until after the exams to give it to you, I knew you wouldn't want to be distracted." Gilbert said before he opened his bag and gave Anne a large yellow Book.
"The language of flowers." Anne read aloud as they both sat on a fallen tree to look at it.
Anne had tears in her eyes as she opened it, seeing her father's handwriting, finding out that her mother was a teacher who loved the natural world, just like she did.
"Go the the last page." Gilbert whispered and Anne did.
"I look like her!" Anne exclaimed happily.
"She must have been very beautiful then." Gilbert replied, making Anne blush.
"My father drew this..."
"He was talented." Gilbert nodded.
"Gilbert, this is so... I don't know what to say... Thank you so much! Anytime I think I can't love you anymore than I already do, you go and do something like this..." Anne told him, a bright smile on her face and tears in her eyes.
"I love you Anne, and all I ever want is for you to be happy." He replied, kissing her softly.
"I think this is a good time to tell you that I do want to marry you, granted we do wait until we're both done with school and ready to start our lives and work." She replied, making him smile.
"You do? You'll marry me?" He insisted.
"I will." She nodded and he took his mother's ring out of his pocket and placed it on her ring finger.
They kissed once more before Anne placed her book back into Gilbert's bag to keep it safe and they joined their friends, ready to share their good news with all of their friends. Anne was especially eager to tell Diana all about the book, but she had time. Right now she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Gilbert, they'd be separated soon enough, for a long periode of time.
What did you think?
I hope you liked it. Review please?
Lorelei Candice Black