~The End of Kingsport Kin, Part 1~
The minute Anne returned home from the hospital, she immediately retreated to bed. She typically would journey into other worlds before rest: perhaps the realm of Dickens, or contrarily that of Dickinson, but the current night was particularly unnerving and atypical in nature. Anne felt that no book or poem would have the ability to act as an escape from her current predicament. Only sleep would offer such relief. Besides, she had successfully convinced herself that she was satisfactorily tired to crawl into bed and fall into the depths of slumber. And so that she did.
It did not take Anne a great deal of time to fall asleep given her exhausted state. However, she was unable to sleep soundly through the night, her imagination running wild with terrifying dreams of Gilbert hating her for eternity. She had only been asleep for one hour when she sat up in bed, her heart racing profusely. In her dream, Gilbert had been with another girl. And a very pretty girl, at that.
With a new air of determination, Anne leaped out of bed to embark upon a late-night journey to the hospital. She had to see Gilbert, regardless of the doctors' commands. If only she had said that she was Gilbert's wife, she would have been allowed to see him.
As Clara walked down the main hallway of the hospital, she stopped a rather tired-looking doctor to receive directions on how to get to Gilbert's room. The particular doctor whom she had stopped looked unfamiliar to her; he was most likely not a Kingsport native and most certainly not a Pringle of any sort. Her plan would likely work- as long as it was played on unassuming people.
"Excuse me, doctor," Clara said, putting on an air panic, "I...I'm trying to find my husband's room. You see, I just arrived in...in this town, and...his condition is bleak, I'm afraid."
"What is your husband's name, ma'am?" the doctor sighed.
"Gilbert. Gilbert Blythe. And I'm Clara Pr...er, I mean...Blythe. You see, we just got married."
"I see," the doctor muttered. "I just left Mr. Blythe's room. I'll escort you to it, if you wish."
"Thank you, doctor," Clara replied as she took out her handkerchief, pretending to dab her eyes.
"Here he is...Room 7. But you cannot stay too long. Visiting hours are technically over, though you do have extended privileges, since you are his wife. You are aware that he is likely suffering from amnesia, correct?"
"Yes, I am aware. Is he conscious?"
"Not yet, though we are expecting him to regain consciousness fairly quickly, as a result of the medication he is on."
When the doctor left the room, Clara kneeled beside Gilbert's bed and stroked his forehead, brushing his hair out of his face. Her hand trailed down his face as she cupped both of his cheeks and planted a kiss on his nose delicately. As she did so, his body moved slightly, showing signs of regaining consciousness. "Anne?" Gilbert whispered, barely mustering the energy to whisper her name.
Anne bolted into Gilbert's room, not thinking clearly as a result of her exhaustion. She did not care if the doctor tried to kick her out of the hospital. She only cared about Gilbert. Anne might as well have been his wife, anyway; they were kindred spirits, after all. She needed to let Gilbert know that she loved him and would devote her entire life to him, or her mind would never be at peace.
But when Anne saw Clara nuzzled up at Gilbert's bedside, her hand caressing his face and her lips meeting his, her heart sunk into the depths of despair.
Anne was even more stunned at the words Gilbert uttered. "I love you..." he whispered latently to Clara at her touches.
"May I ask what you are doing here, Ms. Shirley?" Clara sneered obnoxiously, making no effort to leave Gilbert's side. "And in your pajamas, at that?"
Anne gasped as she realized what she was wearing. How many times would she be caught within Gilbert's sight with a nightgown on, and a diaphanous one at that? Probably never again, she concluded, at his present responses to Clara's fondling.
"I've come to see my Gilbert," Anne replied with a hiss, trying her best not to break down and cry. "He is not yours, Clara. He doesn't know what he's saying; truly, he doesn't! Can you please be decent and just STOP!?"
"We are quite insistent now, aren't we, Ms. Shirley? Well, in case you cannot tell, he is my Gilbert now. In fact, he just professed his love for me."
"Really? Well I didn't here it," Anne lied. "If he did indeed profess his love for you, make him do say again."
"Fine," Clara huffed as she leaned in and planted a lingering kiss on Gilbert's cheek.
"Mmm..." Gilbert moaned, jerking slightly. "Anne...marry me..."
Clara pulled back at the unexpected statement. She crossed her arms haughtily, inwardly cursing Gilbert all the while. If only Gilbert had left the 'Anne' part out of it, Clara could have had Gilbert for keeps. Hesitantly, she raised her head toward Anne to gage her reaction.
Anne Shirley's mouth was hanging open, her eyes wide with surprise. Not only did Gilbert remember her, but he loved her! She giggled at the opportunity to hear Gilbert's uncensored thoughts about marriage and romance, and at Clara's failed attempt to claim Gilbert once and for all.
"I'm sorry, Clara, but I think you have to leave. My dearest, dearest Gilbert has made it quite obvious whom he wants to see. Besides, I've had plenty of experience with warding off Gilbert's suitors, all successfully, I might add," Anne laughed wholeheartedly.
"I'll go find myself a better man, then. A more decent man with money and wealth and proper pedigree! You know, my mother could fire you immediately for stealing my man," Clara sneered.
"You may do so, Clara. Tell your mother whatever lies you wish. But I assure you that none of your threats will make me change my mind about loving Gilbert."
Clara scrunched up her face at Anne, unable to come up with a clever response. She turned around with a huff and exited the room, unable to admit her failure, even to herself.
In the dim moonlight, Clara walked with determination, in fear that her mother was wondering where she was. She could hardly see in front of her, though she luckily knew the streets of Kingsport by heart. As she hustled down the sidewalk, Clara bumped into someone accidentally, causing the person to drop several boxes.
"I'm sorry," Clara said to the stranger as she reached down to pick up the packages. She squinted her eyes, seeing that she had bumped into a young women about her age with blonde hair and a snobby look about her.
"No need to apologize," the girl said as politely as such a disagreeable person could. "Are you a native here in Kingsport?"
"Yes, I'm Clara Pringle. The Pringles rule Kingsport, as you probably know."
"So I've heard. I'm Josie Pye. And the Pyes rule Prince Edward Island, where I'm from."
Prince Edward Island? Why, that was Gilbert's island, was it not? "Do you happen to know a Gilbert Blythe?" Clara asked.
"Ugh, Gilbert Blythe is the most arrogant boy on this side of Canada. I'm proud to say I outgrew him years ago."
Clara smirked. "I could not agree more. In fact, I just left him for good. I So what exactly are you doing here, Josie?"
"Well, I've heard of the fine catches here in Kingsport, so my father graciously paid for me to come here and find my match. I suppose there are far better men here than the likes of Gilbert Blythe. I'm heading back to the Pringle Hotel at this moment, but would you like to go husband-scouting with me tomorrow?"
"My father owns the Pringle Hotel. I live directly across from it, and I'll walk home with you. And oh, I'd love to go husband-scouting. I sense that we have the same exact taste in gentlemen."
And with that, a new, rather shallow friendship was born, and Gilbert Blythe never encountered another suitor again.
Author's Note:
Surprise, surprise! I recently decided to pick up this story again, because I just couldn't leave Gilbert in such a state! I've been incredibly busy with schoolwork (never-ending!), and I've also some serious health issues going on, but I've decided to take some time to do some enjoyable things, such as writing fan fiction! This story will be coming to a close fairly soon; no more evil plot twists to keep Anne and Gilbert from being together! (Yay!) The next chapter will involve their engagement and early marriage (it will be different than what occurs in the books and the movies). There also will be another exciting, surprising moment for the couple (also a unique twist). I also may include a short epilogue documenting Anne and Gilbert's life one or two years subsequent to their marriage. The end of the story, I assure you, will be pure romance and fluff!
Also, when this story is over (mid-November is my plan), I will likely start on a new multi-chapter project (sometime around the beginning of December, most likely). I have a few ideas: maybe something involving Christmastime with Anne and Gilbert, or, as a reader suggested several months ago, a story in which Anne does not break the slate over Gilbert's head, and a friendship blooms from the very beginning. If you like either of those ideas or have a different idea in mind, let me know! I'm open to suggestions!
Thank you for reading, and as always, please review!
Cheers! ~MusicWriterGirl~