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Gilbert Blythe was exhausted by the time he arrived home at 3:37 PM on a windy autumn afternoon. He had spent the last week tending to patients in a neighbouring town while Timothy Mills, the local doctor and Gilbert's colleague, visited family in the United States. Since Gilbert was currently working alongside researchers at Redmond, he was able to take a few days away from work to help out his friend.
Despite his exhaustion, Gilbert felt excitement build up in his chest as he approached the entrance to the small cottage he and Anne had moved into after their wedding. The couple hadn't spent more than two days apart since getting married - until now. He was eager to see her; he wanted to tell her all about the determined 10 year-old girl with a twisted ankle who proclaimed that one day, she would become a doctor too, or the grumpy mayor who insisted on a check-up everyday, despite being in perfect health. He wanted to hear her laugh as she pretended to complain about the trouble her students had gotten into, or memorize the cadence of her voice as she told him about the book she read last night. He wanted to kiss her hello, and hold her hand, and fall asleep in her arms.
Unfortunately, his wife had other plans. Anne had once explained to Marilla that she was quite adept at making up her mind firmly. That perhaps explained her reaction to Gilbert's arrival, which started out normal enough.
"Gilbert!" Anne exclaimed, an elated smile growing on her face as she dropped the red pen she used to mark papers. She ran over to him, jumping in his arms and peppering kisses across his cheeks, his nose, his “splendid” chin. They were both laughing by the time she planted one final peck on his lips before pulling away.
"You're early," she observed happily. However, her smile quickly disappeared, replaced by a far more somber - and irritated - expression.
"You're early," she repeated, but this time it was an accusation.
"Uh... yes? Timothy got the train schedule mixed up - you know how he is - so he returned from the United States a day early. Meaning I could come home to you -"
"A day early," Anne finished, frowning.
"Is that a problem?"
Gilbert was confused. His early return was meant to be a surprise - a happy surprise! In fact, Gilbert had been giddy when he realized they would reunite a day sooner than expected. But for some reason, Anne seemed to view his arrival as an inconvenience at best, and a let down at worst.
"... Anne?" Gone were the days when Gilbert doubted he could ever be enough for Anne; he was certain now that she loved him as deeply as he loved her. Still, he couldn't help but be nervous - had he angered her in some way? Or worse, disappointed her?
"Yes! I mean - no. I mean - it's not a problem! It's just - ugh!" Though Anne was usually skilled with words, conversations with Gilbert Blythe always seemed to make her lose her stream of thought. Even now that they were married.
"I am ecstatic that you're here, Gilbert! Really. However, I didn’t prepare for you to return home this soon, so you will have to prepare dinner while I work on something in the bedroom. And you are not to disturb me. In fact, you're forbidden from entering the bedroom for any reason whatsoever."
"But - " Gilbert didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as Anne immediately marched towards the bedroom and shut the door, the essays she was marking abandoned on the kitchen table. Gilbert was left standing at the entrance, eyebrows furrowed and wool coat still unbuttoned.
Gilbert was confused - and, admittedly, disappointed. After all, this was not the welcome he had spent an entire train ride daydreaming about. However, Gilbert had grown accustomed to Anne's dramatics after years of friendship, courting, and eventually marriage - funnily enough, this was normal. So he shrugged, removed his cap, coat, and gloves, and trudged over to the kitchen to prepare stew.
Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Anne was frantic. This was important, and she had spent the last week planning it all out! Of course Timothy Mills would mix up the train schedule - he was sweet, and one of the smartest people Anne had ever met, but he was incredibly absent-minded when it came to anything other than his career. He reminded her a bit of Moody - or, though she'd never admit it, herself. After all, hadn't she practically ignored her husband's return home because she was so focused on perfecting her surprise?
Now, Anne was left completing something that required precision and hours of focus a day earlier than planned. So Anne squared her shoulders and determinedly got to work, deciding that she and Gilbert could eat a late dinner and the man that she adored could wait a few more hours for her to express that adoration.
...
By 8:00 PM, dinner was prepared and Gilbert was waiting at the table, perusing Anne's copy of Emma. The sound of the door finally creaking open caused him to whip his head up in interest.
"Anne?" He questioned, a teasing tone in his voice. "May I ask what was so urgent that you ignored me for hours after a week apart? Or locked me out of our bedroom before I could unpack? I'm bursting with curiousity, you see."
Anne blushed, realizing how abrupt her greeting had been. Now that her project was completed, she couldn't help but admit that she may have overreacted a little bit. But only a little bit.
"Sorry," she replied sheepishly. "I'll explain everything - after dinner?"
"Of course," Gilbert's voice was soft with affection. Years of pining after the woman in front of him was proof that patience paid off. As much as Gilbert wanted to know what had caused such an outburst, he was more than happy to sit down and eat dinner with his wife. In fact, he couldn't help but be more excited by her company than the prospect of uncovering whatever secret she was hiding. Anne certainly knew how to make even the simplest things exciting.
Dinner passed by quickly. Gilbert's description of his 10-year old patient with dreams of becoming a doctor had caused Anne to go on a long rant about how wonderful it was that young girls everywhere were realizing that they could be anything - doctors, firefighters, journalists! Then, Anne's story of a troublemaker student’s failed attempt to adjust the school clock with hopes of leaving an hour early had Gilbert snorting. That had led to a lengthy discussion about clocks; both Anne and Gilbert were fascinated by how something so simple had been used for centuries to tell time.
By the time dinner was over, both Blythes had chatted for hours, cheeks almost hurting from how often they exchanged smiles. They cleaned up after dinner - Anne washing, Gilbert drying - until all the dishes were put away and Gilbert cleared his throat, an expectant look upon his face.
Anne felt herself grow nervous, each thought more unpleasant than the last: Was this even the right time? He must be exhausted from his trip. Had she made a mistake forcing him to wait? Worst of all, what if Gilbert didn't like the surprise?
As Anne panicked internally, Gilbert began to worry himself. He had assumed the surprise - whatever it was - would be a happy one, but Anne's anxious expression planted seeds of doubt in his mind.
Gilbert was about to ask if anything was wrong when Anne drew in a deep breath, turned around, and left him standing alone for the second time that day. Mercifully, he only had to wait a few moments for her return this time.
She walked over to him with her hands behind her back, a small, round item nestled in her palms. Her smile was small but genuine as she gazed into his eyes.
"Here," she whispered as she handed him the object. What he saw took his breath away.
There, stitched onto an embroidery hoop, was an image of him. The dark hair, red coat, and grey cap were unmistakable. But what caught Gilbert's eye was the small bundle he was carrying in his arms.
"Congratulations," Anne whispered, her bright blue eyes filled with love. "We're going to have a baby."
For a moment, Gilbert just stared back at her. He was overwhelmed, his heart stopping for a moment before resuming at a breakneck speed.
"I'm - We're - You're pregnant? We're having a baby?"
"Yes," Anne laughed, placing the embroidery on the table so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. "Soon, there will be a tiny new member of our family.”
Once Gilbert finally processed her words, it was all he could do to contain himself. He whooped with happiness, lifting his wife up and spinning her around before placing her gently on the ground again, completing the gesture with a long, sound kiss.
Rather than pull away from one another, Anne and Gilbert rested their foreheads together and stared into each other's eyes. Neither bothered to curb the wide grins on their faces, or the tears rolling down their cheeks.
"I love you," Anne breathed, her gaze open and honest.
"I love you too," was Gilbert's emotional reply, “Both of you.”
Their quiet introspection eventually morphed into enthusiastic chatter as they planned for the arrival of the first of many children. They argued and they laughed and they cried, both overjoyed with the knowledge that the family they dreamed of was on its way to becoming reality.
…
A year and a half later, Anne was sitting in a cozy bedroom with pale yellow walls and oak furniture when she heard the door swing open.
"Anne?" Her husband called from the parlour.
"Over here!"
Anne didn't tear her eyes away from the small winter hat she was knitting until a pair of worn out shoes appeared on the floor below her. The sight that met her when she finally looked up had her heart practically bursting with love.
Gilbert was smiling down at her, dressed in the same red coat and grey cap he had owned back when he was pulling her braid in the old Avonlea schoolhouse. Their daughter, Joy, was nestled safely in his arms, fingers wrapped around her father's thumb and hazel eyes wide with wonder.
As Anne rose to greet her family, her gaze strayed towards Joy's bassinet. Hanging on the wall above it was the embroidery hoop, portraying Gilbert in his coat and cap with an infant bundled in his arms. Anne grinned; it was almost a mirror image of the sight before her.
"What?" Gilbert asked, amused.
"Our dream came true," Anne whispered, chuckling. She hugged her husband and daughter to her, glowing with happiness that this wonderful, loving family was hers.