"Happy Birthday Gil!" She called Up the lane, still gong easy on her leg she decided it was better to walk. It was the Monday after his birthday but she thought it was better late than never. He turned round looked down the lane and ran back to her.
"Anne! You're coming back!" he replied. "I can't think of a better birthday present." He said happily.
"Well this better do." She said back handing him a gift.
"Anne?" he said in shock "You didn't have to do this." He said surprised.
"It's not much just something I thought was nice." She said. He opened it to find a small sown cushion with his name embroided (obviously by her, it wasn't perfectly done) "trusted" in smaller writing under it. There wasn't much else on it some curved lines decorating the top.
"Trusted?" he asked.
"I found this old book on the bookshelf at green gables and the hero was called Gilbert and it said in the book his name meant 'trusted' I thought it suited you perfectly."
"it's beautiful Anne." He said. He leaned over and hugged her "Thank you." He whispered.
"I did it small enough so you could hide it in your bag without anyone seeing it, I didn't think you would mind it being girly coming from me but the other boys might make fun."
He let go of her "Well that was thoughtful." He said smiling. He wrapped his arm around her back on the side he knew the bad leg was. "Come on it's a long journey let me help with that ankle. Don't want it hurting by the time we get there I would have to carry you home." They started walking,
"So do you feel like a man yet?" She asked him remembering the conversation they had on her birthday. "You clearly didn't fall down any stairs this time?" she mocked.
"well that's nothing compared to someone else's ridgepole! Seems we're as accident prone as each other. And in some ways yes, I think I am a man, but in others… not so much."
"Oh?" she asked.
"Oh nothing in particular." He lied to her. If he told her the truth of how he loved to hold her she would certainly let go and given he was really being a gentleman he wouldn't let propriety stand in the way of him helping her.
"I can't believe you 15 Gil, see you are three years older all of a sudden instead of just two years older!"
"I shall always be the 12 year old who fell down the stairs Anne." He smirked.
"When I turn 13 can't we make a promise not to grow any older Gil, you shall always be 15 and I always 13 and we can run around Avonlea like children."
"Well how should we explain how old we really are to strangers? Come 30 they won't believe me still 15?" He asked.
"Oh we'll worry about that when we get to it. You will still be my friend won't you Gil? Your future wife won't have stolen you away from me?" she couldn't believe that had slipped out her mouth, she was always so unguarded with Gilbert she didn't quite understand why.
He managed to catch his breath without gasping for it. Could she really think of him with someone other than her.
"You might not have to." He told her. She looked at him confused. "I mean…" he stuttered "I may die an old bachelor."
"And I an old maid." She said smiling. He almost said to her that wouldn't do but the school house came into view. "Thank you for your help Gil, happy birthday."