Thank you for your lovely comments! I hope you enjoy this chapter and that it answered some of your questions!
Friday afternoon in Anne's classroom was bathed in the warm, golden light of early October. The school day had ended hours ago, but she still lingered, carefully hanging paper pumpkins painted by her pupils. The classroom was a riot of autumnal hues. Garlands of dried maple leaves in shades of crimson and gold, danced in the soft breeze coming through the open window, casting playful shadows on the walls. Despite her busy hands, Anne's mind kept wandering back to that first day of school - specifically, the moment she'd laid eyes on Gilbert Blythe after all these years. A phone call with Diana later that evening, replayed in her head, as if dissecting it would make the whole situation any less surreal.
"So it was him?" Diana's voice practically buzzed with curiosity on the other end of the line.
"Yes! I didn't want to believe it either," Anne replied, still half in disbelief. "Can you believe he has a daughter?"
"I told you, I knew nothing about it, I haven't heard from him since graduation."
Anne let out a sigh, the memory of seeing Gilbert so unexpectedly still fresh. "At least I had some sort of warning. I don't know what would've happened if I hadn't seen the pupil list, I would've been completely blindsided."
"Did he know you would be teaching his daughter?"
"I don't think so. He looked just as shocked as I was when Phil showed me Mary Anne's file."
"Are we gonna talk about this name or…"
"Don't!" Anne groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Phil's already cooking up conspiracy theories. I'm trying very hard not to go down that rabbit hole, okay?"
"Fine, fine," Diana's voice softened. "But what's she like, Gilbert's daughter?"
Anne chuckled, instantly picturing the little girl she saw in her classroom. "Honestly? Picture Gilbert, but as a five-year-old girl, hair in braids, an infectious giggle, and a Bluey backpack. She's got his eyes too, with that little spark."
"Damn, those Blythe genes are strong. And what about him? What does he look like now?"
"Well…" Anne hesitated, the image of her old friend's familiar but matured face flashing in her mind. "Think high school Gilbert, curly hair, dark eyes, that smile with THAT dimple, all grown-up and way more handsome. And... let's just say he's definitely filled out in all the right places. I mean, he looked good, Diana. Like, really good."
Diana whistled on the other end.. "Damn."
"Yup," Anne felt a blush creeping up her cheeks.
"So what did you say to him?"
"Diana, what does one say to a guy they haven't seen in over ten years, mildly stalked online and still have unresolved feelings for? Of course I asked him to return some missing paperwork. It's a timeless opener," Anne said, cringing at the memory.
"Oh Anne! You didn't!" Diana exclaimed, exasperated but laughing. "After all this time, and that's what you went with?"
"Don't 'Oh Anne' me! I panicked! What was I supposed to do? Diana, for all I know, he's in a relationship. Gilbert Blythe might be a genius, but I'm pretty sure he hasn't figured out how to clone himself."
"Well, did you at least check for a ring?"
Anne hesitated, the memory of that moment stirring something in her she wasn't ready to examine.
"I, uh… I was a little too distracted by his stupidly handsome face, okay? But if it helps my case, I'm pretty sure he kept his hands in his pockets the whole time."
"Oh A-," Diana stopped herself, then hummed thoughtfully. "So who'll be doing the school run? Just him?"
"Well, he listed himself as the primary contact, but he also mentioned Mary's uncle. And since we know Gilbert doesn't have any siblings, I'm guessing it's his brother-in-law.
"Interesting," Diana mused, her tone suggesting she was already concocting wild scenarios.
Anne groaned again. "Please don't turn into Phil. I don't need more conspiracy theories in my life."
"Hey, someone's gotta keep the spice alive," Diana teased. "Besides, with you and Gilbert, the possibilities are endless."
A light knock on the door jolted Anne back to the present. Phil leaned against the frame, her lips curling into a knowing smile.
"What are you still doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question," Anne replied, turning to face her friend.
"I had to deal with the aftermath of the twins' glitter bomb. My classroom looked like a unicorn exploded in it. What's your excuse?"
"You know I can't go through October without some pumpkins," Anne laughed, shaking her head. "I'm just about to finish here, so how about I grab some food on the way home, and we have a nice movie night?"
Phil shifted on her feet. "Actually, I'm busy this evening. I have a date." Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.
Anne's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A date? Which one is it this time? Alec or Alonzo?"
"Neither," Phil's blush deepened. "I got a match on a dating app."
"Wait. You? Using a dating app? You've been keeping that a secret!"
"Don't tease. I needed to shake things up. I can't keep dating the same guys and expect different results. So I'm trying something new."
Anne's smile softened. "Good for you. Who's the lucky guy then?"
Phil looked down at her phone, scrolling through her app before handing it to Anne. "His name is Jo... I know he's not my usual type, but he seems nice."
Anne studied the profile picture - a friendly-looking blonde guy with kind green eyes and a wide, geniune smile. "Phil, if you feel this may be somebody for you, go for it. Where are you meeting him?"
"Prospect Point Cafe. I won't be staying late, just wanted to let you know where I'm going. Oh, and I found this in my classroom," Phil reached into her bag and pulled out a Bluey lunchbox.
Anne recognized it immediately. "That's Mary Anne's. How did it end up in your room?"
"I have no clue, but I'm guessing the twins had something to do with it. I can drop it off on my way to the café if you want. Miss Dew in the office will have his address," Phil offered.
Anne hesitated. "No, it's okay. I can do it, I've got it in the file."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, it's on my way home anyway, it'll take five minutes," Anne insisted, trying to sound casual despite the flutter in her stomach. "Good luck, Phil. I hope it goes well."
Phil set the lunchbox on Anne's desk, eyeing her carefully. "Alright, but text me when you get home. And good luck to you" she said, and with a wink, left the classroom.
Soon enough, Anne finished tidying up, packed her bag, and headed out, the lunchbox clutched in her hands. Gilbert's apartment wasn't far, just a short walk from the school in a cozy two-story brick building tucked away on a quiet side street. As she approached the front door, her heart thumped a little harder, caught between anticipation and nerves.
Anne took a deep breath and pressed the buzzer, fully expecting a pause, maybe even a quick check of who it was. But the door clicked open almost immediately, as if Gilbert had been waiting.
Before she could knock on the door to his apartment, it swung open. Startled, Anne jumped back a little, her heart doing a weird little flip.
Behind the door stood Gilbert, dressed in gray joggers and a blue t-shirt, damp ringlets of dark hair curling around his forehead. He looked slightly disheveled, like he'd just stepped out of the shower. Anne felt her mouth go dry. Seriously, who looks this good in sweatpants?
"Anne!" His surprise was evident, but there was something else flickering across his face—something warmer, something that made her stomach do another flip. "What are you doing here?"
For a second, Anne couldn't get her words out. She just stared at him, mentally scolding herself. Get it together, Shirley! You're behaving like a hormonal teenager!
"Box!" She blurted. "I mean, lunchbox!" Smooth, Anne. Real smooth."Uh, we found this in another classroom, and I thought I could drop it off. Hi."
She held up the Bluey lunchbox awkwardly, praying the ground would swallow her whole. Gilbert's eyes widened for a moment before he broke into a smile, and there it was—that dimple. Anne's knees almost buckled.
"You've saved us from what would've been a Monday morning meltdown," Gilbert said, taking the lunchbox from her. "I hadn't even noticed it was missing yet. Thank you."
"I'm glad I could help…" she replied, shuffling her feet. "Well you were obviously waiting for someone, and I'm just, you know, on my way home."
"Wh— No, no," Gilbert laughed, waving off her comment. "I thought you were the delivery guy. I ordered some food."
As if on cue, the buzzer rang, and Gilbert disappeared back into the apartment to answer it. Anne stood there uncomfortably, looking around the hallway, trying to seem casual while internally screaming. She watched him exchange some words with the delivery guy, taking the bag of food and giving Anne a smile that made her heart race.
"Did you say you've just finished work? Have you eaten yet?"
Before Anne could even answer, her stomach betrayed her, growling loudly. The delicious aroma wafting from the bag wasn't helping matters either.
"I'll take that as a no. Listen, would you like to come in? There's more than enough food here, and I'd hate for you to go home hungry."
"Oh no, I really shouldn't—"
"Nonsense. I always order too much." He paused, noting her hesitation. "And Mary's having a sleepover at her uncle's place, if you're worried about that."
Anne's mind spun. Damn, can he read minds now too? She'd been concerned about how it would look—a teacher having dinner at a pupil's house on a random Friday. But the thought of being completely alone with Gilbert wasn't making this any easier.
"Come on, Anne. It'll be just like the old Avonlea days. Remember when we'd grab fish and chips after school and eat all the fries before we even made it home?"
Anne felt herself get lost in his golden eyes, pulled back into the memory of those easy Friday evenings - hours spent watching Friends reruns and bickering over who got the last crispy fry. With a small smile, she nodded. "Sure, I'd love to."
As she stepped inside, the hallway felt warm and inviting, lined with family photos and what she assumed were Mary Anne's drawings, proudly framed and displayed. Gilbert led her into the living room, where a big, comfortable couch dominated the space and relaxing music played quietly in the background. Anne's gaze flicked to the bookshelves, bathed in a soft light, full of books she wanted to reach out and touch. She realized she didn't know this version of Gilbert at all - what books he read now, what music he listened to, what shows he watched on lazy Friday nights.
Before she could get too lost in all the questions that flooded her head, a blur of dark fur shot towards her, tail wagging like a helicopter. The dog enthusiastically jumped up, licking her hand.
"Mate!" Gilbert chuckled, looking down at the dog. "Come on buddy, let's give our guest some space."
Anne knelt down, laughing as she ruffled the dog's fur. "Oh, I know you! Mary Anne talks about you all the time. You just wanted to say hi, didn't you, Mate? You're such a good boy."
"Well then, I'll leave you two to play while I get the food on plates."
Mate threw himself onto the ground, tongue hanging out, clearly in heaven from all the attention. Anne giggled, giving him a belly rub.
"Can I get you something to drink?" Gilbert called from the kitchen. "Tea? Coffee?"
"Tea would be lovely," Anne replied as she continued to pet Mate.
A few moments later, Gilbert poked his head around the corner. "All ready! Let's eat."
Anne moved to the dining table, with Mate trailing behind her. She couldn't help but notice how warm and inviting the space felt. This wasn't just a house—it was a home, filled with love and happiness.
Gilbert pulled out a chair for her, and as Anne sat down, Mate settled by her feet, his warm presence grounding her. Gilbert took the seat next to her, picking up a plate piled high with pad thai. The familiar atmosphere made her feel like she'd slipped back in time, yet everything around them was unmistakably new.
"Tell me when," he said, filling her plate with chicken and noodles.
The ease with which they fell back into old rhythms, made Anne feel like they were back in those carefree days, sharing fries and bickering over TV shows.
"It's really good to see you again, Anne."
Anne met his eyes, her heart skipping a beat. "It's good to see you too, Gilbert."
The tension of the week started to melt away, and for a moment, they ate in a comfortable silence, exchanging glances and little smiles.
"So how did you end up teaching in Mary's school?"
Anne hesitated, then decided to be honest.
"I needed a change after the divorce."
Gilbert, who had been sipping his drink, almost choked. "I—uh, I didn't know. I'm sorry."
"It's alright," Anne replied quietly, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. "It was for the best."
She took a steadying breath, feeling a pull to share something she had kept buried for a long time.
"We got married right after university. At first, things were good, but over time, I didn't fit into his life anymore. And then—" she paused, her voice faltering, "Matthew died."
Gilbert reached across the table, gently covering her hand with his.
"I really needed him then," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. "But my grief was another thing for him to avoid, another burden he just didn't want to deal with. Phil drove over, helped me pack, and put my life and my cat in her car and let me move into her place."
"I'm sorry, Anne. I had no idea."
She shrugged, a bittersweet smile on her lips. "It's in the past. But it's part of who I am now."
For a moment, they sat in silence again, the weight of things left unsaid hanging between them. Then, Gilbert cleared his throat. "I, uh... I saw your engagement announcement."
Anne blinked in surprise. So she wasn't the only one who had been doing a little online sleuthing. "You did?"
He nodded, looking almost embarrassed. "Yeah... you looked great in that picture."
"Oh, Roy always made sure we looked the part."
His hand still rested on hers, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. Suddenly the warmth of his touch, the intensity of his gaze - it was all too much. Anne snatched her hand away and stood abruptly, her chair screeching across the wooden floor. The spell of the evening was broken for her.
"I must go… I really shouldn't have stayed so long."
Gilbert stood up, unsure what had just happened. Even Mate lifted his head, confused by the unexpected shift in mood.
"Anne—"
But she was already grabbing her jacket, her mind a tangled mess of feelings she wasn't ready to face and questions she didn't want to know the answers to just yet.
"Thank you for a lovely evening. Goodnight," And with that, she hurried out the door, clicking it shut behind her, leaving the apartment behind fell into a stunned silence.