Faith awoke the next morning feeling rested and refreshed. Sunlight flooded the room, which was large and airy and warm compared to the drafty, cramped sleeping quarters of the VAD hospital. She lay in the bed, just relishing the feeling of home, safe and secure, on such a beautiful morning. Jem's surprise was on her mind and she smiled. He'd told her of it with sparkles in his eyes and laughter in his voice, so she knew it had to be something she'd like.
Una's side of the bed was empty and cooler, indicating she'd been up for awhile. Throwing back the covers, she danced to the window and threw open the curtains, allowing the golden rays to illuminate the room and cover her in warmth. The window was open, and sweet scents drifted into her room, courtesy of the light breeze that bounced carelessly along.
She admired the familiar, comforting view of the Glen awakening below her. Her room overlooked the road, and because the room was on the second floor, she had a wonderful view of the surrounding world. How I've missed this, she thought. I've never realized how very fortunate I am to have a home like this. She watched for another minute before dressing in record time and dancing downstairs.
Breakfast was so lovely, so refreshing, every bit of it. Her parents' lively conversations…Jerry, still her dear older brother…sweet Una, who was the same caring, gentle person she'd always been, though changed—Walter's death had seen to that—and roughish Bruce, her youngest little brother, who was now nearly eleven now…not quite so little any more. The sight and sounds of them gathered around the breakfast table, laughing and reminiscing as they'd done in the past, was a miracle salve on the wounds of the images and sounds she'd experienced in England—the gory, bloody, heartbreaking sights of war.
Later, when breakfast was done, Faith found herself helping Una and Rosemary wash the dishes once again. Even the return of chores was welcome.
"Well, Faith, what do you plan on doing your first day back?" asked Rosemary.
"Just relax and savor being home," Faith grinned. "Jem said he had a surprise for me…he said he had to take me somewhere, it would be a day trip."
The corners of Rosemary Meredith's lips turned up in a little smile. "Oh," was all she said.
"When are you going?" asked Una.
"He won't tell me. He just said it would be a few hours to get there, we'd spend the day, and then drive home in the dark."
"What time are you leaving?" asked Rosemary, eyeing the clock, which stated that it was nine forty.
"At ten," replied Faith absentmindedly. Her head was bent as she wiped a dish clean so she did not see her stepmother look at the time again and shake her head.
"Faith Meredith, that's in fifteen minutes!" she exclaimed.
"What?" said Faith, looking up at the clock and gasping. "Oh, you're right! That's what I get for sleeping in." She picked up a wet plate and dried it with renewed vigor. Una's little white hand took the plate from hers.
"I can finish up in here. You go get ready."
"Are you sure?" asked Faith breathlessly.
"Very sure. Now don't argue."
"Thank you, Una," she said, kissing her sister's cheek and dancing out of the kitchen.
She decided on a pale green dress of hers that she'd left behind because it was one of her bests. It also happened to be Jem's favorite dress on her. She finished by putting a small pair of gold earrings on and wearing her hair up loosely.
She was ready to go on time, armed with a picnic basket and curiosity.
Jem came walking up whistling cheerfully promptly at ten.
"Beautiful morning, isn't it?" he called.
"It's perfect," she responded. "Are we walking there?"
"No, the morning was so pleasant I thought we could walk back to Ingleside where we can either take the buggy or the car. It's up to you."
"Could we take the buggy? It's quieter and you can enjoy the weather more."
"It'll take a little longer, but it won't matter. It will take a few hours to get there either way."
"Where are we going?" she exclaimed. "You know I hate being left in suspense!"
"Well, I'm afraid you will simply have to bear it for a little longer," he teased, eyes twinkling, "because I am not telling you."
"You're horrible," she sighed.
"That I am."
"Can you at least tell me what time we'll be home?" she asked.
"That I can do," he said. "It will be late—maybe ten or so. Is that alright?"
"That's fine…it'll just have tell Mother Rose."
"I'll go hitch up the buggy and bring it around while you do that."
He kissed her cheek and set off back towards Ingleside, whistling once again.
"Are you leaving now, Faith?" called Rosemary from the kitchen.
"Yes," she responded, poking her head into the kitchen. "Jem still won't tell me where…it's somewhere far though…we're taking the buggy. He said we'll be back late, around ten or so."
"Very well…have a good time. Oh, and take this" — she took a green shawl from the back of a chair and handed it to her — "it's still spring and these evenings can get chilly."
"Thank you." She kissed her stepmother's cheek.
"Have a good time," she smiled.
Jem had the buggy waiting when she came back out. He helped her up before getting in himself.
"When will you tell me where we're going?" she asked after they'd started on their way.
"When we get close," he said. "You're going to be persistent, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"And I'm going to be stubborn."
She burst out laughing and he savored the sound. How he'd missed that…how he'd missed her. "Alright," she smiled. "I surrender. As long as you tell me when you said you would, I'll leave it be."
The next few hours passed with them talking and laughing and enjoying being with one another. The time flew by, and the beautiful sunny day only raised their spirits. A sign on their right appeared, and as they drove closer, it became bigger and Faith could read it.
Town of Avonlea – 15 miles
"Avonlea?" she exclaimed. "You're taking me to Avonlea?"
"The secret's out," he grinned. "Yes, that's where we're going. But exactly where in Avonlea I'm taking you is still a surprise."
Faith had only been to Avonlea a few times, when she and her siblings accompanied the Blythes when they were children, and they'd only been day trips, and they hadn't seen every bit of the beautiful places the picturesque little village had to offer. Jem had been there dozens of times, and he nodded and smiled to many people as they drove through town.
People and buildings gave way to grassy, rolling hills and long red roads as they left the town. Faith marveled at the beautiful scenery and the clean scent of the fresh spring air.
A sweet, floral aroma permeated the air as they drove, and before them, a marvelous sight appeared. Jem had seen it many times but its beauty never failed to catch his breath. This was the first time Faith had seen it, and he couldn't wait to experience it with her.
Long lines of cherry trees in the prime of their fragrant, blossoming splendor lay ahead as far as the eye could see. The scent was heavy and pleasant, the air felt crisp and fresh and the place was alive with colors and sounds. Faith drank the sight in with hungry, marveling eyes as they drove closer. Jem slowed the horse and reached over to hold Faith's hand.
"Oh, Jem," she murmured, finally regaining her ability to speak, "what is this place called?"
"It's amazing, isn't it?" he responded, squeezing her hand. "Its official name is 'The Avenue' but my mother renamed it 'The White Way of Delight' when she lived here, because she couldn't bear such a common name for such a beautiful place."
"I'm so glad she did," said Faith, taking a deep breath of the sweet air. "I can't believe I've never seen this place before…"
"It never gets old, and I've seen it dozens of times. Walter adored this place…he'd come here every day when we came to visit Aunt Marilla and Aunt Diana when we were younger and be gone for the better part of the day." He sighed. "There are so many memories from this place…and some of the best, most bittersweet ones happened right here." He stopped the buggy and jumped down and came over to take Faith's hand to help her. He took the picnic blanket and she the basket, and they walked hand in hand to a particularly large, flowery tree.
They ate a simple, good meal under the canopy of flowers and leaves, enjoying the air and the smell and being with each other.
"You know something, Jem," said Faith, looking around at the rows of blossoms, "it's hard to believe something like this—something so pure and good and lovely—can still be this perfect after the world has been put through so much. It feels ironic that such beautiful places can exist when the world has just seen some of the most gruesome images possible."
"I know what you mean," he said. "I don't think that's something we'll quite ever be able to understand. But I think—" he paused thoughtfully for a moment— "places like this remain unaffected even through the hardest times to remind us that there's still beauty in the world…there's still hope…still good."
"These last five years have shown the very best, the very worst and the very ugliest of humanity," she said softly. "At the hospital, I'd see such broken, battered men—boys, really. Some of them were only seventeen years old…they'd only begun to really live, and already they'd seen some images that left deep wounds that would never fully heal. Sometimes they'd wake up in the middle of the night screaming and shaking…reliving horrific images and sounds over and over again in their dreams…" She shook her head. "It was awful. Whether they'd lost both their legs or had half of their faces blasted away, every time I saw them, I saw someone's son, someone's brother, someone's sweetheart…someone who'd had a life, who'd had a future, dreams, goals, ambitions, a family, friends, a home…"
They were quiet for a moment and then Jem spoke up. "When Jerry and I left, we thought we were heading off to experience a glorious, once-in-a-lifetime adventure." He gave a small laugh. "How naïve we were—all of us were—and I don't mean that in a bad way. We just had no idea that something this horrific and life-altering could last so long."
"Yes," said Faith sadly. "But then I'd see boys who'd been wounded saving a friend, or those who'd survived an attack or explosion would tell of the heroism they'd seen from their comrades as tears fell down their cheeks. I'd meet girls who'd left everything behind to come and care for these boys so selflessly…how brave every one of them were! Working with girls like that while caring for boys like that makes me feel so proud of who we are. It showed me that there is still good left in the world no matter what, no matter how ugly it gets."
"At night, we'd often fall asleep cold and dirty and wet, but those hours—however uncomfortable and short—were the ones that kept me going. I'd see everyone and think them, focus on them and relive every memory of them until I could practically touch them, hear them, see them. Those images, the courage from the boys that fought and died and sacrificed everything beside me, the bravery of the girls that cared for us…those are more powerful than any bullet or bomb."
A tear ran down Faith's cheek. Jem leaned over and wiped it away and kissed her. "I'd think of you most of all…I'd relive the moment I first saw you, the first time I kissed you, the time we carved our initials into that tree, the wonderful moment when you agreed to become my wife, the moment when I said good-bye to you…how beautiful and strong you were…the thought that I may never get to experience any more special moments like those with you made me all the more determined to keep those precious memories alive no matter what."
"The girls I worked with would talk about family and friends and home with each other and the soldiers we cared for…it was bittersweet and beautiful."
"We would do that all the time," Jem said. "It'd be cold and nearly dark except for the falling bombs, and we'd talk of family and friends and sweethearts and dreams…so much so that it felt everyone knew everyone's family without ever seeing them."
"I can only hope the next generation, and children everywhere and anywhere, don't have to live through something like that," said Faith. "We can at least hope for that. Hope for the future…"
"Speaking of the future," said Jem suddenly. "I have to ask you something. We have a little bit before we can get married…but we are free to dream and plan, and I have an idea for that."
"Let's hear it," said Faith.
"I know it may be a little early, but your mother and aunt made an offer to you and I. They would like to know if we would like to have the Hill House—cleaning it up and living in it."
"That's wonderful!" Faith exclaimed. "Oh, it's perfect. I've always liked that house, to be able to call it home, to have the laughter of the child—" She broke off suddenly and looked down at her hands.
"The children?" he asked gently.
She nodded and looked up. "I've always wanted a big house full of little boys and girls to love and raise and care for."
"I can't imagine our home without that," he said softly.
"Me either."
"Then you think we should accept it?"
"Absolutely!" she replied immediately.
He broke into a grin. "Then it's settled." He moved over until he was facing her and got onto one knee and winked at her. "I've done this before…but now that it can truly happen, I need to ask it again. So, Faith Cecilia Meredith, will you marry me?"
"You bet I will!"
He laughed and wrapped his arms around her and the two of them stayed caught up in a blissful, giddy embrace as the sun smiled down on them.