Chapter 17 - An Unexpected Reunion

On the train platform in Montreal, Anne had just heard her name, it had been pronounced with such force, and that voice was so familiar, she didn't want to believe it.

But she finally turned around and that's how she saw him, that confused look in his eyes, that expression he could sometimes have, was more than ever present in the young man's eyes.

The redhead finally dropped a word, "Gilbert?", and the latter did the same, "Where are you going?", he walked slowly towards her.

Anne stepped forward as well, "I'd like to ask you the same question?", she said with a smile.

When the two young people exclaimed in unison, "I was going to visit you!", they instantly laughed.

Gilbert couldn't help but point out, "Some things never change", which made the young woman laugh more. A question tapped her, so she asked awkwardly, "I-I wanted to know why you never answered me?!"

The young woman did not expect this answer at all, "Anne ... I did, I kept writing to you while you did not deign to answer me, I only received two letters from you. Did you write me anymore?"

The young redhead didn't know how to answer, "Well... No.", a certain disappointment was felt in the eyes of the dark-haired boy, "Oh... I see."

Anne gasped at the young man's expression, "But in my defense! I never received all your letters! Except the one with this." She took out the little white shell she had slipped into her pocket.

She took Gilbert's free hand, and slipped the precious object into the palm of his hand, the young man sighed and couldn't help smiling, "It looks like we have some catching up to do..."

A few moments later, they were both settled in a tea room near the station. Their luggage was on the floor at their feet, they had a cup of hot tea in their hands, the bouquet of flowers was placed on a nearby table.

"I'm glad things are going well for you in Toronto, I would have liked to meet your roommate, maybe next time. Anyway... I'm sorry about that, I'm not good luck, as I've shown you so well in the past, that couldn't change today." She says with a worried look on her face.

The young man with the brown curls smiles, "But why are you apologizing? I think that just like you, I could say that I am unlucky too, But... ", his hand slipped on the table to meet the redhead's hand that was holding her cup firmly, "...But if I really was, would I have seen you today?", he tenderly caressed the girl's fingers, which made her shudder, she didn't expect it.

Anne was not yet familiar with Gilbert's tender gestures, even though she had only been thinking about this moment for days and weeks, she did not yet know how to behave with him. Did she have to demonstrate at any time? And how could she know, when was the right time? Was he allowed to do it in public? What could she afford to do as a gesture? So many questions that Gilbert didn't even ask himself at the time.

He smiled at her, "So... what do we do now?", he still had his hand on hers. The redhead obviously had no definite answer to give, she looked at the young man's suitcase at his feet, "Well... how long were you planning to stay in Charlottetown?"

"I thought I could have stayed until Monday morning, but now... We're both in Montreal, I-I don't know." He replied, scratching his head.

He frowned, "Do you think we should... turn back?", he questioned her confusedly, the redhead jumped up at once, "N-no! I mean, now that we're here, we might as well enjoy it. We've had our tickets refunded, do you think... we could spend the weekend here...?", the girl seemed embarrassed to suggest that.

Which did not go unnoticed by Gilbert, so he decided to tease her, "You mean... you want to spend more time with me?" he asked with a mischievous smile.

Anne decided to have some fun as well, she replied in a very serious tone, "It's just that... I don't have the strength to take the train and ferry again today. And then, there's also an incredibly tiring boy..." she couldn't help but laughing at the end of her sentence, the young boy had fun too. For a brief moment, when they stopped laughing, the two young people couldn't help but have their eyes glued to each other's lips. It was when they heard laughter erupt in the establishment that they came back to earth.

Gilbert cleared his throat, "Hum...! Maybe we should get going... The afternoon is about to start, maybe it's time to take a ride into town to see where to stay this weekend?" The young woman nodded, "I...Yes! You're right. ยป

The two young lovers were on the streets of Montreal, each with their suitcase in hand, Anne was getting tired of carrying her luggage and her bouquet of flowers, the young boy had seen it, he had even offered to help her. But the young redhead didn't want to burden him anymore, she also always had a hard time letting others help her, especially Gilbert.

They had walked past many buildings, they didn't know the city very well, but they were forced to realize that Montreal was growing, there were many cultures, judging by the different neighbourhoods, Jewish, Italian, Chinese and African-American. It was a city that had a lot in common with the city of Toronto, it was also inclined towards modernity.

Gilbert couldn't stop observing Anne's sparkling eyes, marvelling at the many things that surrounded her, "Isn't this avenue splendid! This park gives all its charm to this avenue!"

Not far from this famous avenue, the young medical student called out to the red-headed girl as they drove past an establishment, "Anne, don't you think we should stop here?"

The building was a modest looking hotel, but with their meager savings they could not afford to be too demanding, so the girl immediately agreed, "Yes, that will be fine, I think we've walked enough for today."

They then entered the establishment, a middle-aged woman took her place at the reception desk. Gilbert walked towards her first while Anne waited in the back with her suitcases at her feet, "Hello Madam, would it be possible to reserve two rooms? Or, if it is not possible, a room with two beds?"

The receptionist smiled back and glanced at the redhead waiting behind, "Both are possible, so make up your mind my pretty one..."

He turned to Anne, "Anne, would you rather have your own room or is your own bed enough for you?"

She had never shared a room with a boy before, not to mention this time at Aunt Josephine's, where Jerry had come to join her in bed. But they were still only children, and Jerry was like a brother to her.

She then followed what her desire dictated to her, rather than conforming to custom, "My own bed will suffice, and we will save money that way."

The dark-haired boy was somewhat troubled, and then finally replied to the receptionist, "We will take one room, with two beds please.", the older woman nodded with a little teasing smile.

The room wasn't the most luxurious, but it would be more than enough for tonight, Anne collapsed on her bed once she crossed the threshold of the door. Gilbert looked at her with an amused look, "I guess you've made your choice!"

The redhead straightened up at once, "Oh... Sorry, that was terribly rude! Which bed do you prefer? I doubt you'll choose this one now..."

The young man chuckled, "Have you ever had any good manners towards me? Anyway, I was going to ask you to choose." he put his suitcase next to his bed by the window.

Anne got up from bed, she slightly arranged her clothes, and for once she couldn't find a suitable repartee. She was going to the window to admire the view they were entitled to, when she felt a hand brushing against hers, it made her shudder.

Gilbert was standing behind her, he had taken her hand hostage once again, his gaze wandered over the young redhead's neck, he had an irresistible urge to kiss her, which he did immediately. The latter shuddered, she felt as if she was floating on a cloud, at the moment she didn't dare to move, because it was the first time someone had kissed her in such a place. She stopped wondering whether this kind of kiss was inappropriate or not, after all they were out of sight, so she slipped her hand into the young man's brown hair.

On the Charlottetown side, at tea time, the girls would gather in the parlour, have a conversation that was most passionate, and as always Josie was the instigator, "None of the boys in Queens have found favor in my eyes."

Jane replied curtly, "Apparently you too have not found favor in their eyes." which made the other girls giggle.

As for Diana, she ends up saying in a very serious tone, "Anyway, we are here to study, not to find a husband."

This made Josie giggle, "How naive you are, Diana, if you don't choose a husband here, where do you think you'll find one? Avonlea maybe?"

The young brunette looked up to heaven, "Do you realize that you are insulting all the people who live in Avonlea by saying this? Including your family...?" The tall blonde didn't have a problem with it.

Ruby was very quiet from the beginning of the conversation, and for good reason, she felt like a weight on her stomach.

Tillie, who had noticed this, hastened to say, "Well, that's amazing, Moody didn't try to visit Ruby today, he would have definitely given up."

Diana didn't like it when the poor little blonde girl was teased, "Tillie! Can't you see that Ruby isn't at all interested in talking about Moody."

It was then that knocking was heard coming from the front door, the five girls looked at each other, "But isn't it past visiting time?" Josie wondered.

Ruby got up from her chair immediately, she walked to the hall, "Oh Moody! I'm so happy..." she stopped dead in her tracks, Lily had gone to open the door, and the person standing there on the porch was none other than Marilla.

"M-Mrs. Cuthbert...," pronounced the young blonde painfully, obviously not expecting her to arrive.

When Diana heard Ruby say out loud the name of the person who was coming to visit, she stood up, "Oh my God!"

Tillie, Josie and Jane stared at her, they obviously didn't understand what was going on.