"Say Anne, ain't it good to see you? I was ever so glad to get away and come get you. Mrs. Lynde is about to drive a man crazy. She and Marilla have been baking up a storm, and do you suppose I could get a bite of that cake or pudding? You don't eat that much Anne. Do you suppose you could slip a poor soul a generous portion when they offer you some? They're making it all just for you, you know."

Anne gave a heartfelt laugh as she embraced the smiling Davy who was waiting for her as she stepped off the train in Bright River. "I'll do better than that. I'll get in the kitchen and make something special just for you. My goodness Davy, you must've grown three inches this past year at least. It's so good to see you."

"I'll be as tall as Gilbert before too long. Won't that be great. We've all been worried over you and were real excited when you wrote saying you were coming. The whole house has been in an uproar ever since. I think Mr. Harrison was as excited as me. Here let me get that."

"Don't be silly, it's just a little bag. And you'll have enough with getting the trunk."

"And have Gilbert box my ears when he comes? I can handle 'em both. Trust me."

The drive into Avonlea was one full of little memories for Anne. She remembered and pointed out to Davy the cherry tree that she had once dreamed of spending a night in and for the first time retold the story of how she came to live in Avonlea. Davy was a captive audience and they spent a delightful trip talking and remembering. Anne found herself realizing that Davy was growing up and obviously not in need of all the discipline that she used to have to give out almost daily. Davy, she reflected, had a Josephienian soul and it was nice that they could be such chums now.

As they came into the lane and saw Green Gables in the distance Anne gave a happy little sigh. It was so nice to be back for a visit, and although she no longer called it home the place still knew her and seemed to be welcoming her home. Marilla met her at the door and held her in an extended embrace. "Goodness child, I'm glad you're here and made the trip in safety. I see the train was on time, thanks be to the Lord above. Of course, it may just be Davy's driving that got you here on time. I've been after Mr. Harrison about talking to Davy about slowing down. He doesn't set a good example you know. You didn't have any trouble with the traveling did you?"

For a woman who was considered in these parts to be an old spinster, Marilla had developed a mothering heart, especially in regards to Anne. She herself had gotten a good long look at this side of herself while she had paced up and down the garden in Four Winds during those long hours while it was uncertain if Anne would live or die. It had been hard to leave Anne and come back to Green Gables, but she could tell through her letters that she was slowly healing. Nonetheless, Marilla remained anxious for her girl and was delighted when Anne wrote of her coming for Christmas.

Mrs. Lynde wasn't far behind. "Anne, it's good to have you here again. This place just isn't the same without you, that's what. Although I remember a time when I thought you didn't belong. Well, come in, come in. Here Dora, you take her bag up to her room and then we'll all sit down and have a bite to eat. Dora, I believe, was just finishing with the fried chicken when you came in, Anne."

After taking off her coat, Anne was ushered into the cheerful kitchen where she was met with the delightful smells of freshly baked bread and the aforementioned fried chicken. The smile on her lips slowly faded, however, as she came to realize that another sensation was taking place. Not only was she tired from her journey, but hungry as well. Too hungry. And not all of the chicken had been fried yet. In her dear House of Dreams she was careful to not let herself go too long without food. As Susan would attest to, she was able to keep her nausea quite under control if she just kept a bit of bread close by. But hunger and that raw chicken were too much for Anne and she was unable to concentrate on anything that Mrs. Lynde was saying.

"And how is Gilbert? I hope he's not working himself to death. I hear these country doctors can end up being perfect slaves to their communities and they never end up sleeping regular hours," Mrs. Lynde was saying as she collected some dishes to set out for their mid-day meal.

Marilla, however, was looking worriedly over at Anne who didn't seem quite herself. She watched in surprise as Anne placed one hand at her stomach and another to cover her mouth. There was nothing for it. Sensing what was to come, Marilla grabbed the closest empty bowl and held it out for Anne who had turned more pale than usual. What happened next could only be described as pandemonium while a worried Marilla assisted Anne, a flummoxed Mrs. Lynde dropped a dish, and a newly entered Dora let out a shriek.

"Golly Anne, what's all the fuss about?" Davy asked as he entered on Dora's heels, having gotten the horse and buggy put away. "You never mentioned you weren't feeling well."

"Oh, it all came on so suddenly. And I'm alright now, really. Just get me a little bread and butter with some water. I know what's wrong, or rather right. I just let myself go a little too long without having a bite to eat. It's nothing really."

"I wouldn't say it's nothing Anne," was Mrs. Lynde's startled reply. "With ten children of my own I should think I would be familiar enough with the signs and symptoms. You're expecting again, that's what. No use denying it. I can see I'm right plain as day."

Anne didn't deny it, nor did she want to. She had wondered how she would end up telling Marilla, and now it was done with absolutely no consultation to her imagination as to how it should be done. She had wanted it to be a private conversation with Marilla, but here she was in the middle of the Green Gables kitchen with Marilla holding a bowl in front of her. So much for the romantic and fanciful, thought Anne, who was now beginning to see the humor of it all. She gave a weak laugh and said, "Well, now that we all know the surprise I brought, I suppose I should get cleaned up and go lay down after I have that bread and butter. I promised Gilbert I would take a nap every day."

With that the two ladies of Green Gables took care of getting Anne fed and off to bed. "We've given you your old room Anne," said Marilla as she walked with Anne up the stairs. "Dora will be in with me. That way when Gilbert comes we won't have to shuffle around again."

Anne was glad to find her own room still remembered her. Dora had made a few changes here and there, making it her own. But the room still knew her and seemed to be welcoming her to relive her girlhood dreams once more. It was on this thought of dreams that Anne undressed and crawled into bed. She remembered telling Captain Jim after she had lost Little Joy that she was done with dreams. She was glad to find out that she had been wrong. Dreams had always been a part of her, and being able to do so again was such a welcome distraction. Although she had given much of her time last winter to dreams concerning a precious little one that was to make her entrance in the spring, she was hesitant to let herself go too far in that direction in her dreams right now. She just didn't think she could survive another heartbreak. Her thoughts turned instead to her husband. She remembered her last night in this room before her wedding. She knew she would be moving on to a different room, one she would share with Gilbert. One that she would be a wife to him in. Thinking of this the night before her wedding had made her blush, but it no longer did. She loved hearing his steady breathing beside her and being able to lay her glossy red head on his shoulder as she laid in bed. Their bed. She remembered the bliss that first night brought as they were finally able to express their love fully. Waking up the next morning to find him there beside her with his arm draped around her waist was heavenly. She had not missed her old room at all then, but looked forward to what her new House of Dreams would bring. As she drifted off to sleep it was the thought that in just less than two weeks time Gilbert would be easily welcomed into the room he had never before been allowed to see. She wondered briefly if Gilbert had always wanted to see the room and what he would make of it before sleep finally claimed her.

When a refreshed Anne came downstairs two hours later it was to find a certain Mr. Harrison sitting at the kitchen table in hot debate with Davy. "I tell you, it was bully fun Mr. Harrison." "I don't deny it wasn't Davy, but you have yet to learn how to handle a woman. Oh, you've got time enough for it yet I reckon. But having a spitting contest with Andrew with the winner to walk Millie home is surely not a way to a ladies heart and made no good impression on her father either. Not that it made any difference in the end, she wouldn't have you anyways would she?" Davy was forced to admit that his tactic hadn't worked, "But wouldn't a girl want someone as could do such a manly thing? Seems to me she should've been impressed with my skills, and after all that practice too."

"You're not the first boy to try to impress a girl by some sort of insult," Marilla piped in. "Gilbert Blythe probably did the most foolish thing of all, and payed dearly for it in my opinion. Of course, he never imagined he'd get such a reaction when he did it."

"What do you mean? What did Gilbert do? And who was he trying to impress? I want to know."

"He was trying to get my attention," laughed Anne, "and he got it in a way he never expected."

So for the first time Davy was told the story of how Gilbert met Anne. Davy laughed wholeheartedly and exclaimed, "Poor Gilbert! I'm surprised he was still interested after all that. Well, he got you in the end, so I say there's still hope for me."

When Anne wrote to Gilbert that night she related this little scene in the kitchen to him and told Gilbert how happy she was that he hadn't given up. "Providence, it seems, was looking out for us from the start."

Chapter 2_option 2