Chapter 5 – News on Green Gables
One week, only seven days that Anne was gone of the Green Gables.
Matthew was the one who had the most difficulty with this separation, and Marilla really didn't know what to do to cheer him up.
Jerry had moved into the Cuthberts' house, and though he didn't have their favorite redhead, he still had some youth in their home.
It was the young man's birthday that day, it was his seventeen years, Marilla had decided as she did before for Anne, to prepare a cake for him, but she lacked vanilla to make her recipe.
She was in her kitchen dithering, then finally decided to go to Matthew to ask him for a favor.
She thinks that at the same time she could take the opportunity to brighten up the day of the latter.
Matthew was in the barn setting up a wheel from a cart.
The older sister went to her brother, "Have you finished what you had to do for today?"
The gray-haired man replied, "Well, as you can see, I'm still busy.", his tone was firm.
Matthew was not particularly unpleasant, let's say that he was still as talkative, but we felt that the heart was no longer there.
Marilla felt it was going to be complicated to get something from him, but she still went, "It's Jerry's birthday today, he's going to be seventeen."
The old man did not look his sister in the eye but said, "It will also be Anne's birthday in three months, we would have to send her money."
The woman with the bun did not expect this answer, so she did not know what to say, We have time to think about it, especially as I think we will see it well before. Anyway, I wanted to make a cake for Jerry, but I was missing an ingredient, vanilla, I also thought we could buy him a present. I was wondering if you were willing to go to Carmody together?"
The elderly man surprised by this request always replied as firmly, "Why at Carmody? Of course I have nothing against offering Jerry something, he deserved it, and he's a good boy, but I really don't see why we have to go there."
The mischievous woman had anticipated any response in advance, "Well! There's a shop across from Jeannie that I'm very interested in, I think we could find something there."
Matthew was confused when he heard Jeannie's first name, it had been months since he had seen her, he remembered in particular an embarrassing situation, when Anne had pretended to be him by responding to the poor woman's correspondence. Of course, he had been able to apologize, he had run into her once or twice since this famous incident, but he had not heard from her again.
Marilla who had noticed that her brother was once again lost in her thoughts, took advantage of this moment to add, "So I take that as a yes, I will prepare myself, I will wait for you in thirty minutes." She said with a little smile on her lips as she returned home.
The silent man, did not even have time to react, he had just been fooled by his sister, when she wanted something, she was intransigent.
Later on, Marilla and Matthew were on their way to Carmody, they were both dressed in their city toilets, the man driving the cart was more tormented than ever, what was he going to do when he saw Jeannie again? For he could not avoid saying hello to him, but he did not know how to deal with women, and it was even worse when it was a woman of whom he had a particular affection.
When they finally arrived at Carmody, the older sister took things in hand once again, «I go to find the ingredient I miss for my recipe, in the meantime, you will greet Jeannie for me!».
The shy man barely had time to say, "But I wasn't going..." that the mischievous woman had already left.
Matthew took courage with both hands, and went to Jeannie's shop. He entered clumsily as usual, then he saw the beautiful dresses that the distinguished woman had made. Suddenly he heard a playful voice calling him "Matthew! I wasn't expecting a visit at all!"
This one scratched his head, visibly embarrassed, "Well, that is to say I was passing by, I thought to myself why not check in."
The lovely woman smiled at these words, "So that's it, Anne took off, the last time you told me she was taking the exams to go to Queens College, I guess it was a success!"
Matthew was proud of his daughter, "Yes, definitely a success, and I think it's just a start for her." He ended up thinking.
Jeannie saw that the man looked a little sad about this separation, «Now that Anne has opened a new chapter of her life, are you ready for you too- », this one was interrupted by a client who was entering the shop, it was Marilla.
The man was half relieved at the arrival of his sister, and even if Jeannie knew how to hide it, as for her, she was a little disappointed to have been disturbed.
Oh Marilla, I'm glad to see you! What are you doing here?" she kindly asked.
The older sister felt a little uncomfortable, to have visibly disturbed something between these two, "Oh hello! Excuse me for going home like that, I didn't want to hold up your discussion!" she says, starting to turn around.
When Matthew intervened, "Oh no, no, it's nothing, uh I was going to suggest to Jeannie if she agreed to come to Avonlea for lunch."
The matchmaker was surprised to hear this from his brother, and the same reaction was felt on Jeannie's face. She finally replied enthusiastically, "Well, I-yes! Gladly!"
A little later, when the sister and brother had left the shop, the elderly woman discovered a button that had been placed on the counter of her cashier.
The two had gone back to Avonlea, they had finished their groceries, Marilla had trouble hiding her satisfaction, she had totally succeeded in her mission of the day. Then she leaned for a moment on Matthew's vest, "But what do you do with your buttons, you have lost one again!"
He pretended not to hear and smiled.