The twins haven't even arrived with the Fords turning up without much notice with apologies for the lack of notice. They are a bit shocked and for a moment Rilla wonders if they do mean to take her to Toronto as she stays upstairs in all the commotion. However, the only one who can manage the question is her Father in a low tone. Leslie had decided she wanted to see Rilla and booked tickets for everyone without thinking about it.

"I would have opened the house if you told us you were coming." Mother says in shock. "Come in, Susan we're going to have three more for dinner, and put on the kettle for tea as well," Mother calls out.

"I didn't mean to send everyone into a tizzy," Leslie tells them. "I just…Christmas is about family and Rilla is family now and without Ken. I just couldn't fathom not seeing either of them,"

"Of course," Mother nods her head. "Makes sense and you are welcome here always."

"Where is Rilla though?" Leslie Ford asks. "She is all right isn't she?"

"Rilla was lying down, spent the morning at the Andersons helping Minnie do some mending and sewing for the Red Cross, some of the younger ladies are trying to start up their group and Rilla feels like she is behind on her knowledge and wants to practice a bit before she lets herself join something even for a few months," Mother explains.

"I'm afraid I will put the town into a frenzy showing up as we did," Leslie sighs sitting down, and Persis is looking at the photograph of Ken that Rilla had, she is particularly staring at the old wedding photos. Almost frowning how that happy fifteen-year-old girl in the photo before hugging her mother was suddenly then a bride a month later standing next to her brother, both solemn and withdrawn, who turns at the creaking stairs.

"Rilla!" She says brightly.

Rilla gives a small smile, pulling her wrap around her, her hair hanging down her back. She wearing a fairly large cream-coloured shirt that had been one of her brothers and a simple grey skirt that was tied at the waist with a drawstring. Something comfortable

"I smelt tea?" Rilla says quietly and slightly confused, and Mother laughs lightly. "When did you arrive? You never said anything," she says looking towards Uncle Owen, Aunt Leslie had written as well, but his letter was at the forefront of her mind at the moment.

"Leslie decided overnight that if she couldn't have Ken for Christmas she needed to see you," he says to her, walking softly towards her and bending to kiss her cheek in greeting.

"Oh let me look at you," Aunt Leslie says coming over, frowning slightly not being able to tell or decipher much of the changes in her figure in her comfortable clothing. "Well, either way, you have that glow about you," She settles with, pulling Rilla towards the tea and handing her a cup that Mother had just poured, milky and sweet.

"I'll make up the spare room for you, Persis you can rest in the twin's room they won't mind. Shirley will be in after school is done for the holidays, and the twins will be here tomorrow Kingsport, they wanted to help with a benefit and stayed an extra week after exams for it," Mother explains to them. "Though the twins, we haven't, we were waiting to tell them in person about Rilla's news."

"Of course," Leslie says with a nod of her head.

"I'll go get the house heated up tomorrow and some supplies and we'll be out of your hair," Owen says after a sip of tea.

"Yes, we don't wish to impose on you," Leslie says with a nod of her head.

"Nonsense, you have always been family to us, and to get the old house of dreams liveable for such a short time is nonsense." Mother waves her hand to dismiss the thought that they would be imposing.

It was late when someone knocked on her door, Rilla answered it, hair in a mess of curls to see her sister-in-law.

"Sorry…I was wondering if you have any spare…belts?" Persis asks, gaze dropping down to the swell of Rilla's stomach. "My goodness…"

"It's a lot larger at night, and well without anything altering it," Rilla says simply nodding her head.

She goes over to her chest of drawers and moves things around until she finds what Persis asks for. "Here, do you need anything else I have napkins still?"

"I have napkins, just the belt that was forgotten, I wasn't expecting it…" Persis says quietly. "It should be a crime to get it over Christmas."

Rilla can only make a noise, remembering her waking up in a pool of blood last Christmas season in her husband's bed, and having to explain to him about rubberized bloomers in the springtime when he visited.

"Can I feel it?" Persis asks after the silence.

Rilla can only nod her head, "I think she's over here?" She says taking Persis's hand and pressing it into the left side of her bump. "She's moving around a bunch, but I doubt you'll feel it."

"It's so surreal," Persis says in amazement and Rilla shifts on her feet. "I'm sorry you must be tired."

"I was going to go downstairs and raid the cookie jar," Rilla tells her honestly. "I still don't sleep much, you can join, I know it's only ten back in Toronto?" she explains.

"Thank you, but I am a little tired from all the travel," Persis says shaking her head. "Thank you for this, and for letting me feel the baby."

Rilla nods her head before donning her robe and going down to her spot by the window to watch the falling snow.

December 22nd

I accidentally overheard Father and Uncle Owen talking about Ken and I don't think they realized I was lying in the window when they came in and sat down with me behind them. Father was out on a call and didn't realize Uncle Owen was up still either.

"Everything is all right with Rilla, she is so small, tall yes, but petite structurally,"

"She's smaller than Anne was when we married but she should come out fine Owen," Father said to him.

"I want to throttle Kenneth Gilbert, he should have known better, my god I read his letter and I was almost seething. They may be married but she is sixteen and I wanted to beat his ass thoroughly if he was here. Of all the things I didn't think I needed to explain to him was one I probably should have? I mean we talked about things last summer, and again when we found them in his room over Christmas about the future. Trying to explain to him what it may be like one day and how to be considerate in the moment, I think Leslie tried to as well…I didn't think at twenty-two I would have to remind him to not let yourself go in a woman unless you want the chance of babies. I did that at sixteen when he started riding about with young ladies and then eighteen when he went to college"

"Owen I wouldn't go too hard on him, Rilla can be persuasive when she wants to be, she is very much her mother in that way. Ken wrote me as well, apologizing to no end for everything, that he should have known better, that he should have talked Rilla out of it. He also admitted that he didn't know what he was doing."

"What is that supposed to mean Gil?" Uncle Owen says sharply.

"I am saying that your son didn't have enough practice, or ability to manage 'coitus interuptus' because he has never had to before." Father's voice was low.

"That surprises me, but also not at the same time." Uncle Owen said quietly.

"He's a good man Owen, and Rilla's instincts knew that as well, we just have to trust them, as young as they are," Father says with a sigh. "When I assumed one day I would bring forth my grandchild into the world, I didn't think it would be this soon."

"Leslie would more than welcome Rilla in Toronto Gil, we both would, we have a women's hospital, you wouldn't have to…"

"Thank you but no, what she needs is her mother and family," Father said voice on edge. "We will make do."

"The offer is always open," Uncle Owen says sighing and I could hear him stand up, for a moment I thought he noticed me there, but said nothing but it felt like his eyes upon me.

"I think I will retire for the evening," Father says standing up as well. "There is scotch in the office you want a nightcap."

"I am good, but thank you for the offer," Uncle Owen tells him and Father says goodnight before leaving the room.

"You can come out, I know you didn't mean to eavesdrop," He says to me.

"I was…!" I started.

"I know, you were here first," Uncle Owen chuckled at my embarrassment

"Also truly, it wasn't Ken's idea, it was mine," I tell him quietly. "Whatever he says, he just trying to protect me and he doesn't need to for this."

"I know, my son is honourable to a fault at times, but still he should have considered all the risks and possibilities before leaving you alone to deal with this."

"I'm not alone though," I counter back. "I have everyone around me. Hades will not win this battle, Hades will not steal another soul to bring into that underworld of his."

The twins come home with a flurry of bags, wraps and woollen jackets when Leslie and Persis had gone out to town to pick up a few forgotten things They were all about the gossip of Kingsport and Redmond. How Edith Gardiner was sweet but backstabbing and worse this Irene Howard at times.

"Gardiner?" Mother's ears pick up an old familiar name and Father looks towards them as well.

"Kitty is sweet though, nothing like her sister," Di goes on as Rilla waters the Christmas cactus that is located in front of the living room window. "She's a fresher this year, completely shy and quiet." She looks at Rilla who is standing in the window, dark purple and white, but still fairly light and sheer despite the winter months.

At twenty weeks…there was little hiding it without maternity clothing that had yet to come in, which meant her altered dresses only seemed to highlight it by the way of less full skirts. Even with her corset tied snuggly to supper her growing breasts, yet loose enough on the side that she didn't feel like she was squishing the baby.

Even This morning when Aunt Leslie saw her stared in awe and Rilla asked her if she wanted to feel the baby. It was a moment, where she realized that Kenneth was the only son the Fords, had and he was gone off to fight. This baby was truly all that could be left of him if Hades decided to claim him, but even then there was a far-out look in the older woman's eye that made her also think this was something else entirely.

"Rilla," Nan says catching her twin's gaze. "What's going on?"

Mother looks at Rilla expectantly who blushes.

"Well, um," Rilla starts. "Ken got stuck in Kingsport in August unexpectedly. He asked if he could come see me before leaving for England?"

"Must have been one heck of a goodbye," Di says with a smirk and Mother shoots a look at her.

"Diana," Mother exclaims. "Have some decorum will you."

"I didn't know….how to tell you," Rilla tells him blushing. "But don't be angry at Ken, it was my idea, Ken was just doing what I asked of him. He's excited, we both are, after everything, it's nice to feel or have something normal for us?"

"I understand," Nan tells her, and Mother shoots her a look. "Not like that, but I understand what it's like to be in love." She corrects herself.

"Did the Fords know?" Di asks curiously and Rilla nods her head.

"Only, because of Ken, he wrote them the news, so it's still rather new to them as well," Rilla explains to them. "They are here actually," she adds for her sister.

"I can't believe…" Nan says shaking her head.

Rilla blushes, hand running down over her stomach, it's flattened slightly still by the cording of her corset, but it's pronounced enough that she had to loosen the ties on the side, and let out the waists of her skirts. "It's even rounder when I'm not wearing a corset," She tells them not knowing what else to say.

"What do you mean they are here?" Di says picking up on her sister's admission

"They showed up yesterday out of the blue, I guess with the news and Ken being away. Aunt Leslie decided she wanted to see me?" Rilla finds herself saying quietly as Father and Uncle come into the room wearing woollen sweaters and slippers.

"Girls, I thought you were catching the afternoon train!" Father exclaims looking at his watch.

"We caught the last train and ferry last night, not wanting to wait and caught the early train this morning," Nan explains and hugs him in greeting. "Wanting to surprise everyone, though apparently, we got a surprise as well. Hello Uncle Owen, it's nice to see you again"

Owen Ford smiles and nods his head to her. "The ladies should be back, they took my wallet and went to get a few things." He jokes. "I hope your travel went smoothly?"

"They did," Di says for her sister.

And that was the beginning of the holiday season. Shirley comes home, unbothered by the guests, and settles into the room he shared with Walter for many years. The week of Christmas is quiet with both Jem and Walter missing, still, it is a happy time despite the missing men.

The gossip is rampant like a burning fire.

The Fords never come during the winter, at least not in a decade or so!

Then they look at Rilla more closely, through her half-buttoned coat, and straining skirt.
Everyone is too polite to ask of course, but it's whispered about, that Ken's impromptu leave was more eventful than anyone considered at the time.

Someone is in the family way, now we know what the Blythe's have been hiding.

I mean it speaks volumes about her, if that happened to me I would have never let another man touch me…clearly something else happened that night, they were trying to cover up

You know that isn't true, that child was brutalized, that was no silly escapade of an unknowing girl.

Yes a child, married or not she is still a child and had no business frolicking about as she did with him and look where it got her.

I do wonder if the Fords are here to take her back to Toronto.

The doctor will never allow it,

They look happy though, they all do doesn't that mean something?

Hush Betty, you have no idea what you are going about

"What did you send for Christmas?" Nan asked curiously as she knitted, and Di was wrapping last-minute gifts for others to put under the tree.

"He likes socks, so I knitted a few pairs of warm wool, colourful for a change. I can knit a pair in a day or two now. I saved some sugar and made him some fudge and sent some peppermints as well," Rilla rattles off thinking about the parcel.

"I made Jerry a knitted waistcoat and sent him some candy as well and a new book to read in when he's away from the front, in the reserves."

"Also you're growing him a baby," Di says with a small snicker.

"Ken will be a wonderful Father," Persis says stepping into the living room. "But I cannot wait to spoil this little one. An Aunty…already!"

Dinner was a grand affair, maybe not as grand as years before, but Jem's old goblet and Walter's favourite tea cup were put out at their places as if they were there with them at the table.

Prayers were said, and food was passed around, less than before because there were fewer people, but also their way to show their sacrifices.

The mail comes as well the day after boxing day, letters from the front Nan and Rilla look at each other before going to their spots to read them

Rilla Ford
Ingleside, Morgan Rd
Glen St Mary
PEI
Canada

December 2nd 1915

Merry Christmas My Love

If I timed this correctly, if it makes it across without issue, this should arrive for Christmas.

I can only imagine you curled up reading it in your window seat that you talk about. I wish I was I was there, I wish last Christmas wasn't our first Christmas that had been shadowed by everything around us at the time. Still, I remember you crawling into my bed that first night and I knew it just felt like all was right in the world. You were everything I wanted and didn't know it, until that moment.

Even when scared me almost to death that one night, blood everywhere, I still can't believe you ladies endure that on the regular, truly I can't. Even after being here in the war, that still feels entirely unfair to the female sex. But I knew in those moments when I thought something was wrong, that you're impossibly dying on me or something. I know such an overreaction, but it wasn't something I had encountered before so just go with it for me. Still, I knew when everything was calmed down, or I had calmed down, that I knew I never wanted to lose you in any way, and I would wait forever for you to grant me permission to love you how I thought you should be loved.

Then May came along, and we wandered the woods, and I dealt with Mr. Fred Arnold for you, we danced and kissed. It was like courting without the pressure of being on our best behaviour, we already knew what we knew. How your hair gets tangled and how you rush to brush your teeth in the morning thinking you have bad breath while I am still asleep.

Then I left again, and I had come to terms that…this was it possibly for us, and I went into training, and I wanted to quit, I wanted to run to your arms when I failed at something.

Then there was a stray chance of luck…can it be called luck?

August is burned into my memory, it is everything. You are everything, and my everything and this baby will be just as much as well. If I didn't need a reason to fight, beyond the fight for you, it would be our child. I can only imagine red hair and freckles, please let it be a ginger, but in reality, it could be any colour, red, brown, even blonde, given Mother's hair.

I wish I had more time to find you something as a gift, but I bought this little thing from a peddler who came by the reserves last time I was there. There were two of them, and please know that I have the other. I hope it gets back to its mate safely. The rumour is that they mate for life, and they will need to be together again once again.

The tin though, is filled with seeds of some flower that is common about here that I see often enough on the sides of the roads and in villages I pass through.

Rilla sighed putting down the letter and opening too little tin, that indeed is flowers, but nestled inside it, as if it was protecting it was a small carved elephant. Its trunk raised as if in a greeting to her.

She smiles, wiping away a stray tear. She moves from her bed, goes towards her vanity and puts it beside her perfume bottle.

"Merry Christmas Kenneth," she says wistfully sitting down on the vanity stool to look at her little ivory elephant and herself in the mirror, hand running over their child.

The good days overweighed the bad these days, maybe it would slowly be put in the past for good?

As always if you have a moment to tell me what you think I do greatly appreciate any feedback given!

Hope everyone is well and happy!

Tina