Tears
"Happy birthday, Anne!"
Anne beamed at her friends and roommates at Patty's Place. Stella, Priscilla, and Philippa, had put together a special tea of Anne's favorite foods, while Aunt Jamesina had baked Anne's favorite plum cake. They had all laughed, told stories, and had a grand time during the meal. Anne felt as if she would never forget the magical feelings of friendship, camaraderie, and happiness of the day.
"So," Stella asked, "does Roy have any special plans for the two of you tonight?"
Unexpectedly, Anne's stomach gave an uncomfortable lurch. What had, moments before, been a glorious day meant to be recorded in her diary for posterity, was now, quite suddenly, murky and cloudy and not at all what she had imagined would happen at the mention of her current beau. Her vibrant energy drained from her, leaving her skin pale and her expression dreary. "I, uh, I suppose so," she finally answered. Wanting to avoid further questioning, she collected several items from the table and hustled them into the kitchen.
Her friends shared looks of shock and surprise. Their silent questions flew around the table, but they could only shrug. No one could explain this most un-Anne-like behavior. They each took food and dishes from the table and followed Anne into the kitchen.
"Anne," Stella went first, feeling she must be somewhat at fault since her question brought on this sudden change in demeanor. When Anne didn't look up from the dishes she was washing, Stella leaned over the sink and peered up at her friend, repeating Anne's name in a sing-songy voice.
Anne rolled her eyes, but turned around to face her friends, drying her hands on a towel. "I'm sorry," she told them. She looked like she might say something else, but she changed her mind and instead hurried out of the kitchen back to the dining table.
Her friends followed.
"Anne, what is wrong?" Priscilla asked, her tone reflecting the growing concern the trio had for her.
"Nothing, really. I'm fine," Anne protested. Her melancholy tone did nothing to reassure her friends, but she ignored their questioning looks and continued to gather dishes from the table.
"Roy is coming over tonight, isn't he?" Stella asked.
"I suppose so," Anne confirmed quietly as she headed back into the kitchen.
"You suppose so?" Phil queried in disbelief.
"Yes. That's what I said."
"Anne, tell us what's wrong," Priscilla pleaded. "You're acting rather strange. It doesn't make sense."
Anne set the dishes on the counter and stared out of the window above the sink. "Nothing is wrong. Not really." She sighed, then turned to face her friends. "It's my birthday, and I want to enjoy it at home, relaxing in my favorite chair, talking with all of you, maybe playing a round or two of charades." She took a deep breath. "But Roy insisted it was too special an occasion to stay in and he insisted we go out. He's apparently planned something special." She leaned back against the counter and looked at the floor.
The other girls once more exchanged puzzled looks. They'd never known Anne to be so forlorn or reluctant to go somewhere with Roy.
"But you like going out with Roy, don't you?" Phil asked tentatively.
Anne shrugged. "I guess."
In unison, the girls repeated, "You guess?"
"But Roy always takes you to such wonderful places," Stella reminded Anne.
"Yes, he does," Anne agreed morosely, dropping into a chair at the kitchen table. The others joined her.
"Anne, something is definitely wrong," Phil told her. "What is it? Tell us so we can help."
"I honestly don't know," Anne confessed hopelessly. "I just know I don't want to go out tonight, but I have to because Roy made plans."
"Tell him that," Priscilla suggested.
Anne shook her head. "He doesn't like his plans to be upset." She sighed. "I'll be fine. Tonight will be fun."
No one in the kitchen believed her.
Aunt Jamesina entered the kitchen just then, bringing the last of the dishes from the dining room. "You'd best start getting ready, Anne dear. Roy will be here soon and you know he doesn't like to be kept waiting too long." She set her burden on the counter. "He sent his gifts along for you. They're on the table in the parlor."
"Gifts?" Stella asked.
"As in more than one?" Pris clarified.
Aunt Jimsy nodded. "Just looking at them, I'd say he holds you in very high esteem, my girl!"
The others rushed out to inspect the treasures Roy had sent. Anne followed at a much slower pace.
"Oh, Anne, you are surely the luckiest girl in town!" Stella told her. "Three gifts! A box of Swiss chocolates, two dozen long-stemmed roses in a crystal vase,-
"-and, oh,my goodness," exclaimed Phil, "a diamond bracelet!"
All three girls squealed at such exquisite luxury.
"Here's the card," Pris announced, reading it aloud for them all,
"Sweets for the sweetest girl in Kingston.
Roses pale in comparison to your beauty.
Your sparkling wit and charm outshine every diamond under the sun.
Please accept these small gifts as tokens of my affection for you on this most special of days. I'm looking forward to spending time with you tonight.
Yours affectionately,
Roy"
Anne stood frozen across the room, staring at the gifts as the girls explored them in more detail.
Phil beckoned Anne to come and look at her gifts. When Anne didn't move, Phil looked at her and gasped. "Anne, are you well?"
Anne's skin had lost its color and she seemed to be struggling to breathe. Her eyes were wide and dilated with panic.
"Anne," Phil rushed to her friend's side. When she didn't respond, Phil gave her shoulders a little shake. "Anne, look at me."
Anne's attention snapped to Phil's face. She took in a shuddering breath, then clasped her hand over her mouth. "Excuse me," she said tremulously, "I think I'm going to–" She broke off and ran back into the kitchen, where she could be heard retching into the sink.
Pris, Stella, and Phil looked after her with concern.
"Whatever could be the matter?" wondered Stella.
"I have no idea," Pris responded. "I've never seen her like this."
"You might ask the young man who's been pacing in front of the gate for the past half hour," suggested Aunt Jimsy with a twinkle in her eyes as she settled herself in her favorite chair and pulled out her knitting.
"Who?" muttered Pris as she went to look. When she saw who was there, she immediately relaxed and couldn't help chuckling. She looked at the others. "Gilbert Blythe," was all she needed to say to have them running to the window to see for themselves.
"Yes," Phil whispered loudly in triumph. "It's about time!"
"What are you talking about?" asked Stella. "Did you invite him here?"
Phil shook her head. "No, I had nothing to do with him hovering outside our door, but I'll have everything to do with keeping him here."
"I thought you liked Roy," queried Pris.
"There's nothing wrong with Roy," Phil assured her friends. "He's just not the right guy for our Anne."
The others nodded in agreement.
"Better work quickly," Pris said, pointing out the window.
Roy's carriage had just turned onto the street, but it did not look as if Gilbert had seen it yet.
Phil, the queen of indecision, thought quickly. She snapped her fingers as an idea came to her; it was sketchy, at best, but it was better than nothing. "Stella, you get Gilbert in here, come through the back so he doesn't see Roy." Stella hurried to do her part before Gilbert turned around. "Pris, go out and meet Roy, tell him Anne's ill and can't go out tonight."
"What about Anne?" Pris asked in a low whisper, pointing to let Phil know that Anne had come out of the kitchen.
"I'll take care of Anne." She looked out the window. Gilbert was just disappearing around the side of the house. Roy's carriage was almost at the gate. "Go," she urged Pris.
As Pris headed out the door, Phil turned to Anne. "Are you feeling better, dear?"
Anne nodded. "Somewhat. I'm sorry to put such a damper on the festivities."
Phil put her arm around Anne's shoulders and guided her to the stairs. "There's nothing to worry about. You're just overcome with excitement. We understand perfectly. Now, why don't you go up and get ready for Roy. He'll be here soon."
Anne nodded and trudged up the stairs.
Phil kept watch until Anne had disappeared into her room. She peeked inside the kitchen and saw Gilbert sitting at the table, a plate of food in front of him.
"I really don't need this," he was telling Stella, who was cutting him a slice of cake.
"Nonsense," Stella assured him, "I've yet to meet a man who didn't appreciate a good meal, especially when it's followed by delicious plum cake." She set a plate with a large slice of cake in front of him.
"Plum cake. That's Anne's favorite."
"Yes, it is. Aunt Jimsy made it especially for her birthday. We were just celebrating it together before you arrived."
Gilbert didn't say anything, but he did reach for the cake.
From behind Gilbert, Stella made shooing motions to Phil, urging her to get out of the kitchen and see to Anne. Phil nodded and quietly shut the door. Pris was just coming in.
"Well, I thought that would be harder," she told Aunt Jimsy and Phil. "I told him that Anne was overwrought with excitement about her gifts on top of several difficult assignments, and she just was not up to going out tonight. He protested, but when I indicated that she had been physically ill, he turned a little bit green and said he'd be happy to come by tomorrow to see how she was doing."
Phil sighed, "I would hope he'd be more concerned than that, too, but it just works in our favor tonight. I'm going to check on Anne."
"Phil, what's the rest of the plan?" Stella asked.
Phil shrugged. "I have absolutely no idea, but with both Anne and Gilbert under the same roof for the first time in almost a year, something is sure to come to me!"
They laughed and she slipped up the stairs.
"Anne," Phil called, rapping lightly on Anne's door. "Anne, are you well?" She poked her head in the door and saw Anne sobbing into her pillow. "Anne!" she cried in alarm. "Anne, whatever is the matter?" She sat on the bed next to her friend and rubbed her back.
Anne lifted her swollen, tear-stained face. "Oh, Phil! Everything is all wrong! It's all my fault and there's no way for me to fix it."
"Hmmm," Phil responded, struggling to hide her smile.
Anne once more buried her face in her pillow.
"Anne, dear, why don't you give me a few details. Maybe I can help."
Anne rolled her head to the side and stared at the wall. "It's all wrong."
"Yes, you said that already. Now tell me one thing that's wrong."
"He sent me roses." The mention of the flowers started Anne's tears flowing once more.
"The roses?" Phil couldn't see why that was an issue, but obviously they had upset Anne. "Well, they are lovely."
Anne just shook her head.
"Give me something else, Anne. I can't help you if I don't have a better idea of what's wrong."
"Everything's wrong," Anne told the wall through shaky breaths and hiccups. "Roy is perfect – he's attractive, charming, wealthy, poetic, very romantic. But if I tell him I don't want to see him anymore, I'll break his heart. Gilbert is perfect for me, but I've already broken his heart and he isn't talking to me anymore. Oh, Phil! That's all I'm good for, breaking men's hearts!" Her sobs began anew at this realization and she buried her face once more.
Phil smiled, certain she understood the situation now. She hadn't missed how Roy was "perfect," but Gilbert was "perfect for me." She stroked Anne's hair for a moment, assuring her friend that she did so much more than break hearts. As she said that, she got an idea of how Anne could mend one of them. "I'll be right back, dear." She trotted downstairs with a light heart and a smile on her face.
Stella and Pris met her at the bottom of the stairs. "What's wrong?" they inquired. "Is Anne going to be OK?"
"She's fine," Phil assured them quietly, noting an interested Gilbert watching them from beside Aunt Jimsy. "She just got a good dose of childhood fantasy," she waved her hand at the table bearing Roy's gifts, "versus grown-up reality," she indicated Gilbert.
Their faces cleared up almost immediately. Like Phil, they had nothing against Roy except that he wasn't the right guy for their friend.
"What are we going to do?" Stella whispered.
"I'm going to take her some water. She's crying almost uncontrollably, and I don't want her to get dehydrated. When I go back up, I'll leave the door open. Give me a few minutes, then send Gilbert up so he can listen in on whatever it is I can get Anne to say."
"Oh, that's good," Pris said gleefully.
As Phil crossed the parlor, Gilbert stood and stopped her. "How is Anne?" he asked, a touch of worry in his voice. "Stella said she isn't feeling well."
"She'll be fine," Phil assured him, patting his arm. "She's just had a bad day."
Gilbert looked up in the direction of Anne's room, then back at Phil. "That doesn't sound like her. She always looks forward to spending time with her friends on her birthday." He was genuinely puzzled and concerned.
"Maybe she's coming down with a cold," Phil suggested. "I'll go and check on her and come back to let you know."
Gilbert nodded uncertainly, but when he sat back down, his knee bouncing nervously as he focused his worried gaze in the direction of Anne's bedroom.
Phil hurried into the kitchen, filled a pitcher with water, grabbed a couple of glasses, and headed back upstairs, very aware of Gilbert's gaze following her every footstep.
A minute or two after Phil disappeared, Gilbert jumped up, unable to sit still any longer. He ambled over to the table of gifts. "These from Gardner?" he asked the room.
Stella joined him at the table. "Yes," she confirmed.
"He isn't much of a beau, is he?"
"What do you mean?"
"He's just showing off his wealth. Anne doesn't like any of these things, especially the diamonds." He picked up the box and snapped it shut with a snap. He looked back up the stairs for a long moment.
Stella didn't miss the look of longing in his eyes.
He placed the bracelet box back on the table. "I guess I'll be going now. Do me a favor and don't mention to Anne that I was here?" He moved toward the front door.
"Wait!" Stella said a little too forcefully.
Gilbert turned.
"Before you go, could you, um, help us with something?"
"Sure. What?"
Stella looked at Pris, needing inspiration.
Pris joined them. "It's, um, upstairs."
"Yes, it's upstairs," Stella confirmed.
"What's upstairs?" Gilbert asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"The, ah, thing we need help with," Pris told him.
"What is it?"
"Just go on up," Stella told him, taking his arm and guiding him to the stairs. "We'll get the other thing we need and meet you up there." She and Pris pushed him up a couple of stairs.
He turned and looked at them, not understanding what was going on. He couldn't leave because they were blocking the bottom of the stairs, so he turned and looked up. Maybe, if he went up, he'd be able to find Anne's room and make sure she was OK before he left. His feet took him to the landing before he realized what he was doing. He looked back and found that Pris and Stella were gone; he could leave. His feet kept carrying him forward, though, not back down the stairs. He followed the sound of voices from the half-open door just up ahead. His heart leapt when he recognized Anne's voice; he pushed open the door in alarm when he realized that she was crying.
Phil caught his eye and indicated that he should stay there and be quiet.
He nodded, his attention completely focused on Anne's weeping form, his heart breaking at her distress.
"I guess I should get up and try to look presentable," Anne was saying. "I suppose Roy will be here any minute."
"He's already come by," Phil told her. "We told him you were ill and couldn't go out tonight."
"Oh, that's a relief! Thank you so much!"
Gilbert's curiosity was piqued. Anne was relieved not to be going out with Gardner tonight?
"Are you sure?" Phil queried. "I'm sure we could talk him into a quiet evening at home, like you wanted."
"No!" Anne shook her head adamantly. "I'll just explain things to him tomorrow…or the next day…or sometime after that…" Her tears picked up again.
"What's wrong, now?" Phil asked patiently, rubbing her friend's back comfortingly.
"I'm imagining my life with Roy...day after day after day…"
"It could be fun."
"It could," Anne allowed, "if you like going to all the right places to be seen by all the right people. Sometimes I feel like his pet dog."
Phil struggled to keep back her laughter. "Whatever do you mean?"
"Sometimes, he'll suggest that I wear a certain dress, arrange my hair a certain way, tell me who I should and shouldn't speak to at an event, and sometimes he encourages me not to talk at all, like I'm not supposed to have an opinion!"
"That ludicrous!" Phil was offended, both in general, and specifically on Anne's behalf.
"He doesn't do it often, but I've seen his father do it, too. It's no wonder Roy's mother and sister are so bitter and cruel. They've had their personalities drummed out of them. There's absolutely no scope for imagination in a life like that. I don't know how I'll survive." Her voice grew heavy with tears at the thought.
"You don't have to choose that life," Phil reminded her.
"What else is there?"
"Well, you have a teaching license, you're getting a B.A., and you have an incredible knack for writing, for which you have been paid several times already."
Anne's only response was more tears.
"All right. If those won't do, then I guess you can find another beau."
"But he doesn't want me," Anne wailed, turning into her pillow once more, the better to muffle the intensity of her heartbreak.
"Who doesn't want you?" Phil asked, watching their enraptured eavesdropper.
"Gilbert."
Gilbert felt the air leave his lungs as if he'd just been punched in the gut. He sank to his knees. Anne still wanted him? But she'd said, "never"?
Phil signaled him to stay quiet.
He nodded, desperate to hear what Anne would say next.
"Gilbert? But you turned him down last year."
Anne nodded in confirmation, then slowly shook her head. "But I shouldn't have," she moaned.
"What do you mean?"
Anne faced the wall again. "When he asked me last year, I wasn't expecting it, so it caught me by surprise. I was having so much fun as a college student, and I wasn't ready to give that up. So I told him 'no' and that I couldn't ever love him that way. He was my childhood chum. My friend. I hadn't thought about love like that with him. So I meant it when I said it. Mostly."
"Mostly?"
"He stopped coming around after that."
"That makes sense."
"But that's when I realized that the main reason I was having so much fun at school was because he was there. We went to events together, we ate meals together, studied together, explored the city together; all of that disappeared in an instant and I didn't know what to do. Nothing was fun anymore.
"Then I met Roy and he was everything I'd dreamed of when I was a girl. He was handsome, charming, wealthy. But now I don't want that." Tears rolled down her face once more. "I didn't want what I had when I was a girl. Now I have what that little girl wanted and I don't want it. Phil, what's wrong with me?"
"Anne, dearest, there's nothing at all wrong with you. As my mother once told me – and not too long ago, if you want the absolute truth – is that each of us must make the voyage into adulthood, but we all do so at our own pace. When you got to Redmond with your friends, life was in many ways very similar to your life at home. You had no reason to view it differently, so you didn't. Gilbert, however, must have already made the transition, and his question forced you to begin a journey that you didn't know you had to make. In your confusion, you looked for a safe harbor and happened upon Roy, the epitome of what you dreamed of when you were a little girl.
"Sweetest Anne, you aren't that little girl any longer. Please don't let her go, for she is the one who sees rainbows when the rest of us only see storm clouds, but you cannot allow her to rule your life. Roy is her dream, but you have outgrown her dreams. You've crossed over into the land of adulthood, so you must alter your dreams accordingly."
"I dream of Gilbert."
Gilbert forgot how to breathe.
"Do you now?" Phil asked Anne, hiding a smile at Gilbert's reaction.
Anne nodded. There was a long moment of silence before she continued. "I think that I have always loved Gilbert."
"Really?"
Tears were streaming down Gilbert's face.
"I used to go to events I didn't want to go to just so I could ignore him."
"Wouldn't it have been easier to just stay home?"
"Probably. But then he wouldn't have tried to get me to talk to him and I wouldn't have been able to pretend to ignore him." Anne chuckled wetly. "I always felt so alive when he was nearby. Even if he didn't talk to me, I knew where he was. Somehow, we were always connected, but until last year, I thought it was just because we were friends. I didn't know it was more than that, and now it's ruined!" Her heart broke all over again and she sought solace in her pillow.
Gilbert was slowly inching his way closer to the bed, longing and desperation to be near Anne evident in his face.
Phil stood. "I'll be back in a moment," she told Anne. Then she left the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Downstairs, she announced to an anxious audience that Gilbert had heard Anne confess to loving him, so it was all in his hands now. Everyone was pleased and eagerly anticipated a happy couple coming down the stairs before the evening was through.
Gilbert was only vaguely aware that Phil had left, but the suddenly empty spot next to Anne had his heart pounding double-time. She had said she never could love him, but she did! Could it be true?
He eased onto the bed, the heart-wrenching sound of Anne's sobs almost drowned out by the ferocious beating of his heart. Could he really have heard correctly? His sweet, beautiful Anne loved him? Him!
He had no idea what to do next, so he just sat there, quietly drinking in the sight of the girl he loved more than anyone. He hated to see her so upset and he would do anything in his power to make her happy. He wasn't sure what that would be, so he just waited to see how he could help her.
At long last, Anne took a deep shuddering breath. "This is the first year since I was twelve that Gilbert didn't give me a birthday present. I don't know if he knew it was my birthday that year – I was still so new to Avonlea – but he gave me two apples and a plum at school that day. Of course, I pretended to ignore them, but when he was outside, I snuck them into my lunch pail and ate them on the way home.
"But I broke his heart last year, so it makes sense that he wouldn't give me a gift this year. Is it wrong to be sad about that?" she asked hopelessly.
"No," Gilbert whispered. He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew a small box. He lifted the delicate gold chain from inside and dangled it in front of Anne's face. When she didn't respond, he leaned in slightly and saw that her eyes were closed. He tickled her cheek with the pendant.
Anne rubbed her cheek. She went still when her hand clasped around something. Dangling from her fingers was a gold chain with a pink enamel heart pendant. She sucked in a breath – it was just like the little candy Gilbert had offered as a peace offering so many years ago! "Oh!," she cried through happier tears, "he came by after all?"
"Yes," Gilbert whispered again.
"Oh, Phil! Do you think this means he doesn't hate me after all?" Anne sat up and turned to her friend only to see someone completely unexpected in her place. Her mouth fell open, her eyes widened in confusion. Her mind was having a difficult time making sense of what she was seeing. She clasped her hands together to keep them from shaking.
"Yes," Gilbert answered once more. "I have never hated you."
"Gil?"
He nodded. "It's me. I'm here."
She blushed. "What, um, exactly…did you hear?"
He leaned forward, touching his forehead to hers. "You make me feel alive, too," he confessed in a low voice, husky with emotion.
She collapsed into his arms, burying her face in the curve of his neck, sobbing out the heartbreak of the past year.
Gilbert held her tightly, loving the feel of her in his embrace. She was meant to be there; he was meant for her. He said nothing, just tucked her head under his chin and rocked her, as his mother once had done with him when he was a lad.
When at last her tears ebbed to shaky breaths and hiccups, he pulled out a handkerchief to mop her face.
Anne gave a little laugh as she recognized it. "You still have this?" she asked in disbelief. She took it from him and spread it out, inspecting the embroidery. She'd been invited to his birthday party, but she was still mad at him for calling her "Carrots," so she hadn't planned on giving him a gift. Marilla was adamant with her ultimatum: go to the party with a gift or don't go. Anne had never been to a birthday party before and her little 11-year-old soul simply longed for what would certainly be an otherworldly experience, so she gave in. If she had to take a gift, then she would. But she didn't have to like it. She settled on a handkerchief, a large blue-and-green plaid one, that she monogrammed. It was very well done for a young girl of eleven, but no one had told her the large initial in the middle was for the last name, so she'd stitched "GJB" instead of "GBJ," as would have been proper. He'd never said a word.
"I do," he confirmed. "It's my favorite one. Speaking of birthday gifts, how do you like yours?"
She admired the necklace. "I love it," she told him, her eyes sparkling with the pleasure of the gift and the meaning behind it. "You always give the best gifts." She handed the necklace to him, lifted her hair, and turned so he could clasp it around her neck.
"Better than roses, chocolates, and diamonds?"
"Definitely," she assured him, fondling the pendant. "This is my favorite gift this year."
"I'm glad," he said softly. "You know," he began hesitantly, "it stands for more than just that little piece of candy I gave you so long ago."
"It does?"
He nodded. "Yes. I gave you my heart back then; it's been yours ever since."
Tears seeped from her eyes, but this time they were for the joy of his declaration. "I love you, too," she whispered.
He smiled, relief flooding his body. "I'm glad," he whispered back. Then, gently framing her face with his hands, he leaned in and kissed her.
Neither was prepared for the jolt that sparked when their lips met. They jumped back in surprise.
Anne's hand flew to her lips in wonder. Her gaze darted between his eyes and his mouth, silently asking if that was normal.
He shrugged, his lips curving slightly upward at the corners, his eyebrows raised suggestively in invitation.
As he watched, the smile he loved so much lit up her face and she eagerly leaned into him. Their lips met and their arms wrapped around each other, holding on as tightly as they could, wanting to be as close as it was possible to be, and never wanting it to end.
When at last they broke apart to catch their breaths, Gilbert settled more firmly on the bed, leaning against the headboard, arranging Anne across his lap, tucking her into his chest. She willingly snuggled against him, loving his warmth and the sound of his heartbeat beneath her ear. They sat that way for a long time, just loving the sheer joy of being together after so long apart.
After a while, he admitted, "I knew."
"What?"
"It was your birthday. When you turned twelve. It's why I gave you a plum. I knew they were your favorite."
"Why am I not surprised?" She chuckled. She got quiet, then took a deep breath. "I am sorry, though."
"For what?"
"For saying 'no' last year."
"Stop."
"But–"
"No." He wouldn't let her continue. "Phil was right. Last year, you weren't ready, so 'no' was the right answer for you. Was I heartbroken, crushed, devastated?"
She lightly punched his arm.
He chuckled and squeezed her. "Yes. I was. But I survived." He sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, if you had said 'yes' last year, it would have been wrong."
"But we could have been together all this time–"
"It wouldn't have been the same," he broke in. "If you said 'yes' when you were unsure, you would always have been asking yourself why. Maybe you gave up something when you didn't get to know Roy better. Maybe you chose me because you didn't think anyone better would come along."
"But–" Anne began, sitting up so she could argue in earnest. She looked in his eyes and saw the truth of his words, and sank back down into his embrace. "You're right."
"Wo-ho, what a lucky guy I am today!" he chortled. "It's the lovely Anne's birthday, but she's the one giving me gifts!"
"What gifts?" she asked in mock petulance.
"First she kisses me, then she tells me I'm right!"
"Oh, you!" She pushed out of his arms, but he followed, tackling her to the bed.
She didn't protest, so he propped his head on one hand and used his other to smooth her hair off her face. "But the best gift of all, is that she changed her 'no' into a 'yes'."
Anne's eyes widened with fear.
Gilbert cupped her cheek and slowly shook his head. "Shhh. Not that kind of 'yes'," he assured her. "It's too soon."
She visibly relaxed.
"It's a 'yes,' my Anne-girl does love me and the world is aligned on its axis once more."
She giggled. "I have a 'yes,' too."
"You do?"
She nodded. "My best chum from childhood has become my best friend and the man I love with all my heart. Best of all, he still loves me." Her voice held awe and wonder that he could still hold her in his affections.
"That I do," he admitted, leaning in to kiss her.
Later, as they simply sat snuggling once more, Anne stated, "I suppose we need to tell Christine and Roy."
"Hmmm," Gilbert considered her question as he played with her hair. It had come undone in some places, but not in others, so he had finally removed all the pins and it was flowing freely to her waist. He thought it one of the most glorious things he'd ever seen. "It would be the right thing to do."
Anne sighed. "It won't be easy."
"Will Gardner get violent?" Gilbert wondered, already preparing to come to her rescue.
"No. He will just refuse to believe me."
"What?"
"He's a really nice guy, don't misunderstand, but when he gets his mind set on something, that's how it will be, and he will not be swayed."
"Ah, well, that explains the gifts downstairs."
"Yes," Anne agreed with a frustrated sigh. "He has it in his head that candy, flowers, and jewels are the most romantic gifts."
"Does he know you don't care for them?"
"Yes, but they're what he thinks is romantic, so that's what he gives. I've got a drawer full of jewelry I've never worn that I'll be only too happy to return."
"Really?"
She looked up at him with adoring eyes. "Not this, of course," she covered her new heart pendant protectively, "and not the faux-amethyst brooch you gave me for Christmas a few years ago, and not my locket with Matthew's and Marilla's pictures in it."
He smiled. "How'd Gardner like those pieces?"
Anne giggled. "He hated them. If I was a different person, I'd wear the faux-amethyst brooch more often."
"Why is that?"
"He detested it! The first time I wore it, he gave me a real amethyst brooch the next day. Every time after that, whenever I wore it, he never said anything, but I got a new piece of sparkly jewelry the next day."
"I never saw you wearing them."
"Because I didn't. The jewelry I had was mine, and it suited me and my tastes. The more he tried to get me to wear diamonds, the less inclined I was to do so."
Gilbert laughed heartily at that. "My sweet, stubborn girl. I bet he didn't know what to do with you."
Anne smiled. "I don't think he did. But he was trying, if, by 'trying' you mean giving inappropriate gifts and writing terrible poetry."
Gilbert hugged her. "If I ever give you a gift you don't like, will you tell me?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you don't give me gifts I don't like. You know me, almost better than I know myself, Gilbert, and the gifts you give are meaningful, loving, and ever so thoughtful."
He blushed a little. "Well, I do try."
She kissed his cheek. "You do very well." She settled back against him and sighed again. "I guess I'll just ask Roy to come around tomorrow. If he comes here, at least the girls will be here to keep him from behaving too romantically."
"Romantically?"
"Yes, he prides himself on his romanticism. Once I tell him I don't want to break things off, I can see him doing something like sweeping me into his arms while declaring his undying love for me." She rolled her eyes. "It was so wonderfully melodramatic at first, but after several weeks of such theatrics, my patience began to wear thin."
"I can understand why."
"At least with witnesses there, he won't be inclined to do anything quite so dramatic."
"That's good," Gilbert said. "I hate to think of anyone's arms around you anymore, except mine."
She hugged him. "This is so perfect."
He kissed her ear. "With Christine, it'll be fairly easy."
Anne pulled back and peered at him curiously.
He shrugged. "She's engaged to someone back home. I'll just tell her what's happened and introduce her to some of my other friends and have them escort her to functions because I'll have my Anne by my side." He grinned triumphantly.
"That's cheating."
"What?"
"I thought you were really seeing her and I was so jealous."
He chuckled. "I was downright green, seeing you everywhere with Gardner."
"Really?"
"Truly."
"Oh, well, then." She settled back into his arms. "I guess we have that settled."
"Indeed."
They enjoyed each other's company for a little while longer until Phil quietly knocked on the door. "Is everything all right in there?"
Anne giggled. "We're fine, Phil. We'll be down in a few minutes."
They stood and Gilbert pulled her into his arms. "This is so nice," he told her.
"Mmm-hmm," she agreed. They just fit together, her head nestled under his chin at just the right spot. His arms wrapped around her in just the right places. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She snuggled into his chest. "I could get used to this very quickly," she admitted with a little purr of delight.
"I hope you do," he told her, giving her a squeeze. Then he let her go as he reached for her brush, helping her tame her hair into a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck. Before they left the room, he pulled her close one more time and said, "Happy birthday, Anne."
She sniffled and blinked back fresh tears of happiness as she kissed his chin. "It's one I'll never forget."
He hugged her. "I won't, either."
They made their way downstairs, where everyone admired her necklace and were overjoyed that they had finally seen reason and gotten together.
"I ought to fuss at you, Phil," Anne said, "for being so sneaky. But I'll settle for thanking you since it brought about a desired result much faster than we'd ever have done on our own."
"Amen to that," chimed Aunt Jamesina. Everyone laughed.
"Yes, my thanks to you all for bringing us together at last. I'll be forever grateful." He tucked Anne into his side and looked down at her. "The sweetest, smartest, most beautiful girl in the world loves me. Life can't get much sweeter than that, can it?"
They all looked over Anne, with her mussed hair, wrinkled dress, and swollen, tear-stained face. It would take a special someone to believe that she was the 'most beautiful' anything. But, despite her appearance, Anne was glowing radiantly. Gilbert looked as though the only thing pinning him to the earth was Anne.
Phil, Pris, and Stella shared satisfied looks of a job well done. They'd suspected all along that Anne and Gilbert belonged together; it appeared that they were right.
As Anne and Gilbert kissed, Phil sighed happily. It really was true love!