Mary and Bash leave just before New Years, the house emptying on a cold winter's day and leaving me to stir alone in a building that housed so much laughter and love. I long for work and a reason to get out but the phone is quiet, even Mrs Murphy not requiring any follow up since the birth on Christmas eve.
Eventually I find myself saddling my horse and heading towards town, seeking out anything to keep me busy for the afternoon. It's there I find Michael and Sarah doing some shopping, their friendly faces beckoning me towards them as they walk hand in hand down the street.
"Dear boy, how was your Christmas? We didn't see you at the service!" Michael greets, eyes questioning as I shift my bag on my shoulder.
"It was wonderful, really. Family from Avonlea came over and it was so good to see them again. We all missed the service on account of the Murphy baby," I reply lightly and they both nod, gauging my answers.
"Well, that is to be expected in the life of a doctor I guess! We're actually so pleased to meet up with you today - we've decided to hold a little gathering for New Years and we simply can't miss having you attend!" Michael exclaimed, brightening once more.
"Oh - that's very kind," I reply, shifting on my feet and debating whether to ask who would be in attendance. I look between the two of them carefully, chewing my cheek before swallowing thickly. "I was wondering - who - "
"Why of course you could bring a guest!" Sarah counters enthusiastically, pressing her hand to her husband's chest. "Wouldn't it be delightful to have the doctor bring someone, Michael?"
The man nods and I close my eyes, a smile coming to my lips. "I was only wondering who would be in attendance," I correct, looking at her head on.
"A couple friends from town, one or two families from our old community. We do have quite a name for ourselves when it comes to New Years, I must admit. But if you're worried or wanting to spend the evening with someone special, please bring them along, we'd be so happy to meet them!" Sarah continues babbling and Michael chuckles knowingly.
"Dear, I think he understands your point," he says with a smile. I breathe a sigh of relief and nod my head instinctively.
"I'll try to make it. Thank you for the invitation but I must be on my way to the cafe before it closes." I bid my goodbyes and make off towards the building at the end of the street, careful to disappear inside before the Turner's can make any more assumptions on my relationship status.
I order a tea and biscuit, settling myself into one of the seats near the fire as I debate whether to ask Anne or not. It's not unknown in the village that Susan is still away and though I've been meaning to talk with Anne since Christmas Eve the opportunity hasn't yet arisen.
Sighing, I pick at my biscuit and stare into the flames with warring thoughts running through my head. Though it had been difficult for a moment, overall Christmas Eve had gone well. Anne had come out of her shell a bit more, had almost been the girl I once knew when she was with the children. It had been hopeful to see and I'd wished, selfishly so, that she would be like that all of the time.
But reality was different. She had demons. Dragons. And I wasn't sure I was big enough to be the one to slay them, no matter how hard I tried. There was almost too much history between us now for me to be the one she needed, or ever.
"May I sit here?" Elizabeth Collins asks kindly, motioning to the chair nearest mine by the fire.
"Sure," I reply and watch her settle onto the cushion lightly. She glances up at me and smiles, her eyes bright.
"How was your Christmas, Doctor Blythe?" She questions as she sips her tea.
Shrugging, I look back towards the fire and answer her politely. "It was well - and how was yours?"
"Oh, it was splendid. Father closed the store early and Ruth came home with her husband for a few days. It was so good to see them again and she had such exciting news - she's pregnant you see, so we were all happy for her of course." Her voice lights and she sighs contentedly with the story.
"That does sound like a good Christmas. Please pass on my congratulations to Ruth."
"I will. Say, I just met the Turner's down the road and they've invited me to their New Year's celebration and they mentioned you were going. Would it be too forward of me to ask if you would escort me? You see my father - he wouldn't let me - " She stops up short when I see a figure over her shoulder look towards us, my face going pale as I recognize Anne frowning in her dark skirts. "What is it Doctor?" Elizabeth questions, shifting in her seat as I get to my feet.
Anne disappears out through the door of the cafe before I can even take a step, my coat and tea abandoned as I chase after her. Though neither of us would admit it out loud, it was clear to those in the cafe that as soon as I stood from my seat and left after her, something was going on between us.
"Cordelia, wait!" I shout down the sidewalk, watching as she walks quickly away. I hurry after her, slipping on the ice and crashing to the ground with a thump and a groan. My fall finally catches her attention and she turns to look at me, her face surprised. She takes a few steps back in my direction as I move to my feet once more, clutching my wrist in my hand. It was definitely sprained and the throbbing had already started.
"Doctor! Are you alright?" Elizabeth shouts, my coat in her hands as she kneels down beside me. I look up and catch sight of Anne pausing and stepping back, betrayal clouding her features as she takes off.
"I'm fine," I mumble, taking my jacket from the young woman's arms and hissing at the pain in my wrist. She reaches for my hand and I pull it away abruptly. "I'm sorry Lizzy - I can't escort you to the party. I hope your father lets you attend anyways but I really must go now."
I step around her and head to my horse, my hands dumbly working to loosen his reigns. I struggle to climb up but somehow manage it, taking off out of town and towards Anne's cottage.
"It isn't what you think," I state when she opens the door, niceties abandoned as I take in her flushed cheeks and her eyes wide with surprise.
"And what is it that I think, Doctor Blythe?" She counters harshly, steeling herself towards me.
"I was trying to figure out how to ask you to the party. Lizzy just happened to have worse timing than me," I offer and watch as her expression shutters. I don't know what to make of the pause she takes and I say a small prayer when she opens the door slightly to let me inside.
"I'm sorry I ran away like a child," she says once I step into the kitchen, watching her pace next to the stove. "I don't know what came over me. I should have been more like an adult and remembered I have no ownership over you. I'm sorry to have embarrassed you in town."
Was that jealousy in her tone? Where did that come from? I wonder to myself, watching her shift under my gaze. "You didn't - that's not why I'm here. You're my friend, Anne, so I want to go to the party with you," I sigh, trying to catch her eye.
She looks over at me and frowns. "Why?"
"Because you're Anne. Because I want you to feel safe in this town and the one way I know how to do that is to help you meet the people of it. It doesn't have to be anything more. It can just be us, as friends, enjoying a night in the company of good food and good people. Come with me, please," I finish quietly, my eyes locked on hers.
There's a drawn out silence as she turns it over, her arms crossing and uncrossing over her chest as she changes her mind repeatedly. Finally she closes her eyes and nods, opening them to look at me with a measured look.
"Is your wrist hurting?" She questions while inside I'm jumping, leaping bounds of joy so high that I can barely feel the ache. "Let me look at it."
That sentence shocks me out of my distraction and I stuff down the surprise as she takes my hand in both of hers. It's the most contact we've had in years, apart from my medical exams, and her touch feels otherworldly against my skin.
Her fingers move slowly, checking each finger before sliding across my palm and to my wrist. I wince as the pain riddles up my arm and into my shoulder, drawing back despite my heart shouting at me to stop.
"Yes - it's definitely sprained. It's fine though, really. I'll wrap it when I get back - "
"And how do you propose to do that properly with one hand?" She interrupts, looking at me plainly. Marilla's aged sensibility shines through her for that briefest of moments and I can't help but smile.
"You've got me there," I admit and shrug, meeting her gaze with mine.
"Let me wrap it before you go and I'll sleep better tonight."
"Okay. But tell me really - are you coming with me to the party?" I try not to sound too hopeful, afraid of making her change her mind.
"Yes." She replies shortly and I exhale, lifting my arm and offering my aching hand to her willingly.
"Good. It'll be fun, I promise," I add as she draws me further into the house. My boots track slush across the kitchen but neither of us seem to mind as she pulls out a chair and eases me into it. "Now, I'm going to let you do this but I don't want you to get any creative ideas, okay? You have to follow my instructions on wrapping it, I don't want you ruining a perfectly good appendage because you got too fanciful with it, you hear?" She nods and leaves the room laughing, loud, joyful laughs, and I feel like I'm on cloud nine.