p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chapter 3/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Anne was inside the house with the other mourners when she spied Gilbert outside the window, watched him hesitate then turn around, and she hastened to grab her coat to follow him. Calling his name, she ran to catch him, buttoning her coat and pulling her hat onto her head. As she caught up to his long strides, she wanted to say something. A thousand thoughts swirled through her head. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was. She wanted to tell him how lucky he was to have good memories of his father. She wanted to offer him orphan comradeship. But none of the words sounded right, so she said nothing, steadily following him as he walked, prepared to simply offer her friendship, in silence if necessary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Gilbert led them to the woods and kept walking. Anne almost called his name, certain now that he had no destination in mind, but she didn't want to disturb whatever thoughts were in his head. Even if they were ugly thoughts, painful thoughts, Gilbert deserved to have them uninterrupted. For a time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"So she followed him as he tromped through the woods, leading them to a place Anne knew very well. Gilbert stopped, startled as they came upon the small shed that was no longer as plain as he remembered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What is this place?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It's ours," Anne replied. "Diana, Ruby, and myself. We come here to talk and share stories."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Gilbert started, as though only noticing she was beside him for the first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Come on," Anne said, impulsively grabbing his hand to lead him to the little shed. She paused just outside the doorway and turned to him. "But first, you have to swear that anything said here doesn't leave here, and that you won't ever tell anyone about this place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Gilbert watched Anne solemnly for a moment before a tiny smile touched his lips. "I promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Anne nodded decisively, and pulled him into the shed, still leading him by the hand. Once inside, she let go, and Gilbert almost reached out to take her hand again, but he stopped himself. He looked around at the decorations – the pinecones and stones, the little boxes made into stools. It was nice. Anne had made a nice little place where he knew her imagination must run free./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"His father would love to hear about…Gilbert sighed as he lowered himself to the floor. He would never be able to tell his father anything again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Anne had just turned to Gilbert to tell him about the fox she'd seen when she noticed tears dripping down his face. Anne had never seen a boy cry before. But she'd also never had a friend who'd lost his only living parent before either. Dropping to her knees beside him, she touched his shoulder, only to drop her hand when a great sob escaped Gilbert's lips. He pulled his knees up and dropped his head onto them as he mourned. He was trying to be silent, Anne could tell, but his breath came in gasps that sounded as though they were torn from his body. She didn't know what to do. She knew what she wanted to do, what she would do if Diana were crying. And then she knew what she em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"should/em do. Gilbert was not Diana, but if anyone needed a hug right now, it was him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Gingerly reaching out, Anne wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, and was relieved when he didn't recoil. Rather, he unfurled himself, wrapping his arms around her back and resting his head on her shoulder. He shook with the force of his sobs, and she held him tighter, resting her head against his. She felt the shoulder of her coat becoming damp, but she ignored it, stroking his head and back as she soothed him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"When his tears finally subsided, he pulled away from her, and she scooted back to a more proper distance, handing him her handkerchief. He took it with a quiet word of thanks before turning his head from her to clean his face. She graciously looked away until he finished. With a final sniff, Gilbert put the soiled linen in his pocket before turning back toward Anne. She was still looking away from him, and he smiled fondly, grateful that she'd recognized his need for a private style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe stretched out his hand, hesitated, then took her hand in his. Anne started, but quickly turned toward him, squeezing his hand with her own. When he didn't release her hand, she smiled and moved a bit closer so that the distance was more comfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Thank you," Gilbert said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""For what," Anne inquired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""For being here," he said. "And for not saying any of the mundane things everyone else has been saying."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Anne smiled sadly. "I almost did, but now I'm glad I didn't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Me too," Gilbert replied. "Sorry about your coat," he said, gesturing to her shoulder with his free hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It'll wash out," Anne said, unconcerned. "Do…Are…" She cleared her throat and began again. "I know you're not okay, but do you need anything?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Just this," Gilbert said, squeezing her hand and then gesturing around them at the solitude. "Just this. For a while. If that's okay?" He turned his weary brown eyes to meet her wide blue ones, brow furrowed in concern./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Of course it is," Anne replied, smiling gently. "I know it won't take away the pain, but I'm here if you need me. And I'm afraid I'm going to have to say just one mundane thing, Gilbert," she confessed. "You're not alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"His eyes widened. How had she known?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I know it feels like you are. I know it feels like you'll always be alone. And the pain…well, it never really goes away." They shared a sad smile. Of course Anne understood. "But you're not alone," she repeated. "I'm here. Your friends are here. Marilla and Matthew will help you too if you need it. And everyone in Avonlea. You're not alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Another tear rolled down Gilbert's cheek, and he hastily wiped it away. "Thank you." He said nothing else, and neither did she. But he held her hand tighter and she moved just a bit closer, and they simply sat for a while, two kindred spirits, drinking in the silence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Anne was inside the house with the other mourners when she spied Gilbert outside the window, watched him hesitate then turn around, and she hastened to grab her coat to follow him. Calling his name, she ran to catch him, buttoning her coat and pulling her hat onto her head. As she caught up to his long strides, she wanted to say something. A thousand thoughts swirled through her head. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was. She wanted to tell him how lucky he was to have good memories of his father. She wanted to offer him orphan comradeship. But none of the words sounded right, so she said nothing, steadily following him as he walked, prepared to simply offer her friendship, in silence if necessary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Gilbert led them to the woods and kept walking. Anne almost called his name, certain now that he had no destination in mind, but she didn't want to disturb whatever thoughts were in his head. Even if they were ugly thoughts, painful thoughts, Gilbert deserved to have them uninterrupted. For a time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"So she followed him as he tromped through the woods, leading them to a place Anne knew very well. Gilbert stopped, startled as they came upon the small shed that was no longer as plain as he remembered./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""What is this place?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It's ours," Anne replied. "Diana, Ruby, and myself. We come here to talk and share stories."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Gilbert started, as though only noticing she was beside him for the first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Come on," Anne said, impulsively grabbing his hand to lead him to the little shed. She paused just outside the doorway and turned to him. "But first, you have to swear that anything said here doesn't leave here, and that you won't ever tell anyone about this place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Gilbert watched Anne solemnly for a moment before a tiny smile touched his lips. "I promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Anne nodded decisively, and pulled him into the shed, still leading him by the hand. Once inside, she let go, and Gilbert almost reached out to take her hand again, but he stopped himself. He looked around at the decorations – the pinecones and stones, the little boxes made into stools. It was nice. Anne had made a nice little place where he knew her imagination must run free./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"His father would love to hear about…Gilbert sighed as he lowered himself to the floor. He would never be able to tell his father anything again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Anne had just turned to Gilbert to tell him about the fox she'd seen when she noticed tears dripping down his face. Anne had never seen a boy cry before. But she'd also never had a friend who'd lost his only living parent before either. Dropping to her knees beside him, she touched his shoulder, only to drop her hand when a great sob escaped Gilbert's lips. He pulled his knees up and dropped his head onto them as he mourned. He was trying to be silent, Anne could tell, but his breath came in gasps that sounded as though they were torn from his body. She didn't know what to do. She knew what she wanted to do, what she would do if Diana were crying. And then she knew what she em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"should/em do. Gilbert was not Diana, but if anyone needed a hug right now, it was him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Gingerly reaching out, Anne wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders, and was relieved when he didn't recoil. Rather, he unfurled himself, wrapping his arms around her back and resting his head on her shoulder. He shook with the force of his sobs, and she held him tighter, resting her head against his. She felt the shoulder of her coat becoming damp, but she ignored it, stroking his head and back as she soothed him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"When his tears finally subsided, he pulled away from her, and she scooted back to a more proper distance, handing him her handkerchief. He took it with a quiet word of thanks before turning his head from her to clean his face. She graciously looked away until he finished. With a final sniff, Gilbert put the soiled linen in his pocket before turning back toward Anne. She was still looking away from him, and he smiled fondly, grateful that she'd recognized his need for a private style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanHe stretched out his hand, hesitated, then took her hand in his. Anne started, but quickly turned toward him, squeezing his hand with her own. When he didn't release her hand, she smiled and moved a bit closer so that the distance was more comfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Thank you," Gilbert said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""For what," Anne inquired./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""For being here," he said. "And for not saying any of the mundane things everyone else has been saying."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Anne smiled sadly. "I almost did, but now I'm glad I didn't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Me too," Gilbert replied. "Sorry about your coat," he said, gesturing to her shoulder with his free hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""It'll wash out," Anne said, unconcerned. "Do…Are…" She cleared her throat and began again. "I know you're not okay, but do you need anything?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Just this," Gilbert said, squeezing her hand and then gesturing around them at the solitude. "Just this. For a while. If that's okay?" He turned his weary brown eyes to meet her wide blue ones, brow furrowed in concern./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Of course it is," Anne replied, smiling gently. "I know it won't take away the pain, but I'm here if you need me. And I'm afraid I'm going to have to say just one mundane thing, Gilbert," she confessed. "You're not alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"His eyes widened. How had she known?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""I know it feels like you are. I know it feels like you'll always be alone. And the pain…well, it never really goes away." They shared a sad smile. Of course Anne understood. "But you're not alone," she repeated. "I'm here. Your friends are here. Marilla and Matthew will help you too if you need it. And everyone in Avonlea. You're not alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Another tear rolled down Gilbert's cheek, and he hastily wiped it away. "Thank you." He said nothing else, and neither did she. But he held her hand tighter and she moved just a bit closer, and they simply sat for a while, two kindred spirits, drinking in the silence./span/p