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He shuffled down the stairs, sleepily brushing the curls from his face, having woken up earlier than was usual for him. He had to catch up with the piling chores before the workmen came in to start the construction work inside their building. There were boxes to unpack and clothes to launder. But first on the list was the pile of dishes he had willfully ignored last night, tuckered out from the move.
Opening the small window above the sink, he took in a breath of fresh air and rolled up his sleeves. Standing at the kitchen sink and glancing outside, he stopped in his tracks at the view. Tea towel over one shoulder and soapy sponge held still on the plate, he peered over the ledge for a better view.
He was in the kitchen of his new apartment, which sat on top of the bar he owned with his brother. A young woman was walking along the pavement directly opposite him. Walking was a pretty tame word for what she was doing. The girl had parked her bike against the Baynard Butcher’s shop down the road, waved at a tall man who was hauling produce inside and continued on her cobblestoned path, down toward his residence building. As she did so she skipped, danced around lamp posts and sang to herself, probably in tune to the music in her headphones. Her thin flowery summer dress skimmed the top of her knees, the bell sleeves and skirt flounce ruffled in the wind and danced with her movements.
His bar and apartment were in two story building so he had a pretty decent view of the street below. The land across occupied just a park, and their only neighbor was a retail shop next door, so she probably had a very limited audience, if any.
At one point she stopped, smelled the air and waved laughingly at two birds sitting on a telephone wire along her path. The turn of her head away from him revealed a smattering of flowers on the back of her head, where she had haphazardly pinned daisies to her loose plait.
It was clear this dryad had no idea that she was being watched. He belatedly felt guilty for intruding on her privacy. Realizing that he was smiling to himself he quickly looked around the kitchen, to make sure no one was around the see his reaction. He couldn’t stop himself from looked at her gliding figure sideways through the opening, while going back reluctantly to his task of stacking up the dish rack.
That day a singing figure invaded his thoughts and daydreams. That night he dreamt of a fire headed fairy, flitting across a daisy strewn field. Her smiling, dimpled face was glowing in the orange pink light of the early morning sun. He sighed in his sleep, wondering contentedly what color her eyes were, hoping he would find out soon.
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By no engineering of his own (for the most part) he happened to be at the kitchen sink again when the lady re- appeared, walking down the path in front of his building.
Today she was rather more subdued, although her white trainers still tapped to a rhythm in her head as she walked, messenger bag hanging off her shoulder. The pale yellow wrap around dress with blue flower print gave her a light summery air that was rather too warm for the oncoming weather of fall. Perhaps she felt it or heard his thoughts because she rubbed her arms against the wind, causing him to consider throwing his varsity jacket out the window for her. That would be ridiculous.
It was all too well that he didn’t because she suddenly stopped in her tracks, groping at her waist. As if finding something missing she turned around and hurried back to her bike at the Butcher’s. He found himself almost poking his head through the window frame quickly to get a better view, banging his forehead in the process. As he soothed his head he saw the girl reach inside the bike basket and bring out a thick beige wool cardigan and hurriedly wrap it around her body. Once she had secured it around herself, the material engulfing her small frame, she glanced at her phone and seemed to gasp. In the next second he had to pull his head from the window to avoid discovery, because she was running as quick as she could down the street, and then again to the bike, as she had left her messenger bag. All he saw was a blur of red, yellow and beige flying back and forth across his field of vision.
Shaking his head he laughed to himself and dried his hands, leaning forward against the counter, his eyes burning with the running image. Funny creature.
To his dismay, he heard a shuffling behind him. Turning slowly he became aware that someone was perched on he opposite counter, arms crossed, lips in smirking smile. He would never live this down.
“Morning brother dear,” the now grinning face said to him, a knowing look on his face. “Spying?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?”
“Well when your wife unexpectedly dies in childbirth, you find that sleep evades you,” his brother says with false bravado. His brother’s fake smile faltered, making him wince in response. He walked over and gave the taller man a hug.
“Sorry, that was a bit too much,” his brother said clearing his throat. He sniffled a bit, trying to hide his unshed tears.
“I’m here if you want to talk about it, Bash,” it hadn’t been too long since his brother’s wife passed. The two of them had found the memories in their home in Alberta too painful after the tragic events, Bash loosing his wife, Gilbert his dad. They choose to come back to Gilbert’s childhood hometown of Avonlea where they could start again in the place where his father had started his own married life.
“Thanks Gilbert,” his brother responded, pointing to the window and grinning. “Me too.”
-------------------
“Diana! I got it. I got the job,” Gilbert heard the redheaded girl screeching through the open window again the next day. He was unpacking the last of the boxes with Bash, having woken up early out of habit. They heard her continue, “Oooh I’m so sorry did I wake you? Look out your window, it’s a beautiful day! Okay, okay I know you have been up all night and you don’t need to see the view I’m sorry, but I had to tell you the news.”
Bash noted Gilbert attempting to avoid looking toward the source of the voice, running to the ledge he smirked before yelling, “Ah-ha, it’s your girl!”
“Ssh!” Gilbert responded angrily, rushing to his side. Thankfully the girl was still on the phone, seated on the bench just below their window sill and sporting a more weather friendly get up today, a pair of rust colored cropped pants with a long sleeved polo and dark combat boots.
“Oh! she’s cute Gilby!” Bash said loudly winking and grinning from ear to ear with barely contained glee. The girl looked around her as if she had heard something.
Both Gilbert and Bash ducked down quickly, attempting to avoid discovery.
“At least I can stick around now,” the girl continued outside. “I just need to tell Roy.”
“Who is Roy?” Bash asked, knowing his brother would have no idea. The were crouched down behind the counter top, their ears perked for any sounds. The two looked at each other, raising eyebrows and laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.
“Ok I’ll call you later say hi to the twins,” the girl could be heard. It sounded as though she had gotten up from her perch and started making her way off. “Di I know they can’t- You know what I mean. But they are the cutest with their little feet and little toes. And the cooing You are so lucky….meanwhile my ovaries are shriveling up and dying. I know, I know. I’m only twenty seven. Blah blah…”
“Go on Gilbert, help the girl out,” Bash whispered, snickering.
“Shut up!” Gilbert shoved him, trying to catch more of her conversation.
Gilbert smiled inwardly at the thought of her playing with those babies, imaginary to him. He peeked over the ledge to see her doing a little dance shuffle, and subsequently turning to his building as she backed out. She looked at the large doors with curiosity, as if noticing it for the first time. He dove to the floor again, “Hey….did they finally sell the old Blythe restaurant? I guess I should ask Ruby…”
Her voice was too far gone now to hear the conversation, fading out into the streets, and Gilbert’s focus was going with her. He thought of not much else all day, except for trying to remember all the nuances of red and orange that colored the strands of a certain head of hair.
-------------------
The next morning the girl did not show up. She could have. Maybe she did, but Gilbert had missed her.
His walk down to the grocery store not an hour later revealed to him that her bike was not parked at the Butcher's. The fact that he knew her comings and goings was obviously wierd, and he was probably sick in the head but he just wanted to know if she was ok.
He was browsing the detergent aisle because it was about time that he got round to the pile of clothes in his laundry basket.
“Gilbert?”
He turned around to see a middle aged lady looking at him with a curious expression on her face, “Um…Hello. It’s…It’s Ms. Cuthbert right?”
“Yes! My what a blast from the past,” Mrs Cuthbert responded. “You…you’re the spitting image of your father at your age.”
“I used to get that a lot. You- you’re in some of his old photos. Yearbook,” Gilbert smiled tightly. He knew coming back to his fathers home meant revisiting painful memories. But he wanted to embrace it, to know more about his fathers life before. Or anything, really.
“I am so glad you took over that old building. The previous renter’s didn’t take the best care of it. I know you don’t remember, but you used to live in the farm next door to ours when you were a baby.”
“Yes, my father sold it to help the medical bills,” Gilbert said sadly. “I hope I can at least keep up his restaurant for his legacy.”
“Yes Matthew and our hand Jerry used to take care of the land until it was sold off. I’m sure whatever you choose to do you’ve made him proud already. As long as it’s what you truly want to do in your heart,” she smiled pleasantly. Her eyes glazed over as if going back to the old days.
Gilbert’s eyebrows furrowed, something pulled at his chest, as if there was a truth he had not yet realized about what she had said. He responded slowly, “Yes, of course.”
A phone rang from inside Ms. Cuthbert’s bag, making both of them jump. She took it out of her bad and looked at the screen.
“Oh! It’s my daughter. I better take this, she was making a cake. My house may be on fire because she was off in dreamland,” Mrs. Cuthbert huffed but smiled. “When you’re settled in please come for dinner one night.”
Gilbert nodded and grinned, “Sure. As long as your daughter didn’t burn down your kitchen.”
She laughed answering her phone. He sighed and continued on his way people in this town were so polite.
Later that afternoon he was watering some potted plants in the downstairs window when he saw her walking her usual direction. Rather than parking her bike in it’s usual spot she walked it toward the entrance of the park on the far end, she looked rather grey as the weather. Her mood was paradoxical to the bright yellow rain coat she wore lazily, as if she threw it on last minute, but she smiled sadly at the sight of something in the air next to her.
A butterfly or a bird, no doubt.
-------------------
The days wore on in a similar fashion, Gilbert making excuses to stay in the kitchen a the same time every morning. (He could strangely never seem to catch her on her walk back to the bike) The girl walking down the street, alternating between dancing to her music, singing out loud or chatting laughingly on her phone to a myriad of friends.
GIlbert and Bash made progress on renovating the old Blythe restaurant into a rustic bar, each putting into it a flair of their own to form a fusion that was unique. They both agreed they didn’t want trendy or fancy, they wanted the ambience to be rustic but still be able to serve some interesting cocktails and old time-y malts in a cozy atmosphere. They had yet to decide if they would incorporate a games room and a nice fire place, the overhead cost was a lot to think about.
Bash was in charge of the food menu and spent most of his days testing his mothers and his wife’s recipes, in order for them to figure out what they would serve. Some days resulted in destruction; pots and bowls strewn all over the place, tea towels on fire, gloopy indistinguishable messes in the bin. Hence Gilbert’s washing up in wee hours of the morning while Bash took care of his daughter Dellie, who was six months old and decided it was time for her to start waking up at four thirty in the morning to keep their lives interesting.
Gilbert was apparently busy painting the walls a deep blue to warm up the room, meanwhile actually reminiscing on how the fire headed girl had looked sullen yesterday, wondering what could have made her unhappy. He would like to know, to get to know her. He had missed her again today but maybe he could “accidentally” bump into her on her way at some point? Hmm…he didn’t want to seem lame. He needed to have a reason for standing on the pavement like some loser. Or he could walk out the doors just as she -
The boarded up door swung open, making him jump out of his thoughts. It was a woman, small and petite with blonde hair. She was all pink, sweet smile and big eyes, pleasantly looking at him. In her hand she held up a covered dish.
“Hi! I’m Ruby,” the girl said. She continued, “I own the dress shop next door. I thought I’d welcome you to the neighbourhood! I made you some chocolate cake.”
“Hi, thanks so much. That’s so nice of you. I’m Gilbert,” he said taking the dish from her and shaking her hand.
“I knocked several times but there was no answer, I thought maybe you couldn’t hear me through the boarding so I checked the door,” the girl was eyeing the interior of the bar.
“Oh yeah, that’s no problem,” Gilbert said smiling.
The door swung open again and a man about his own built walked in, soccer ball under his arm.
“Oh here you are Josie said you were here,” the man said. Seeing Gilbert he quickly walked over and held out his hand. “Hey man, I’m Moody.”
“Gilbert,” he responded, taking his hand. “Wait - Moody?!”
“Gilbert!” Moody said laughing, bringing him in for a hug. “It’s been too frickin' long man.”
“Are you telling me you know each other?” Ruby asked dubiously.
“Rubes, this is GIL. He was my best friend in first grade before he left. This is my legendary co-conspirator. We painted all of Mr Phillip’s floor with water colours on art day, ate all the chalk and filled his shoes with - well I’d rather not say.”
“Hahah, I can’t believe you remember that,” Gilbert laughed. Mr Phillips was known for being pranked every time he left he class unattended. He did this in order to talk to the senior girls during their gym class. He wasn’t able to take them to the principal either or inform the parents because he was not supposed to leave them alone at any time of the day. The result was anarchy.
Ruby shook her head in disbelief, laughing gleefully at Moody’s words. Moody in turn kept glancing to her as if waiting for her reaction, unknowingly smiling in return when she laughed. They must be together.
“Well it’s good to see you,” Moody said. He turned to Ruby. “This is gonna be a great place for the bunch to do our weekly catch ups.”
“Oh my gosh, yes!” Ruby squealed, clutching her hands together.
“Ok we have to go but we’ll introduce you to the gang sometime soon. I came to collect you, the guys are outside,” Moody tugged onRuby’s elbow to lead her away. He gestured at the walls, “I can come by for a few hours to help you with this tomorrow if you want.”
“Hey, thanks man. I’ll take you up on that,” Gilbert replied gratefully. “Thanks again Ruby”
“See you tomorrow,” Moody said, wrapping his arm around Ruby’s shoulders. People of Avonlea seemed very nice in general.
Gilbert ran up the stairs and into his apartment to peer over the window once again, nearly shoving Bash and his smoking pan out of the way.
“Hey watch it! You almost burned my mustache.”
“It would look better that way anyway,” Gilbert grinned. He was sure he heard his brother retort “At least I can grow one” but he was lost to the remark, eyes on the street.
There was a group of young adults, possibly around his age, milling around the park’s fence almost opposite. They were clearly waiting for Moody and Ruby to join them. They were a sea of pastels jumpers and dark grey jackets. No red hair in sight.
And then there she was. Walking toward the group in a teal color sweater dress, knee high suede boots disappearing under the hem, a thick belt shaped her waist and her vibrant hair flying in loose tendrils in the wind as she strutted toward them. She carried her long coat in her one hand. Her mind was clearly somewhere else as she twirled a lily of the valley in between her thumb and index finger in the other hand.
He was sure he heard the tall lanky man wolf whistle at her, which caught her attention. She looked up and grinned, and walked faster toward them. She almost tripped against the cobblestone with excitement but caught herself just in time, she laughed going a most beautiful shade of pink in embarrassment.
Gilbert gulped and stepped away from the sink.
Blue. Her eyes were blue.
-------------------
Gilbert awkwardly stood at the potted plants. The glass on the bar doors had been put in and the windows cleaned to perfection the afternoon before. He had replanted the growing green plants into larger ceramic white pots and had hauled them outside. He was now watering them gracelessly with an old watering can he found in the shed.
Bash stuck his his head out the door, he deadpanned “What are you doing?”
“I- just watering these plants,” Gilbert shrugged..
Bash stepped outside now, Dellie on his hip. “Those are indoor plants.”
“What? No they aren’t”
“Yes….yes they are,” Bash looked like he was trying to hold in a grin.
Gilbert sighed frustratedly and put down the watering can, “Well I don’t know. I don’t exactly have the greenest thumbs here.”
“Or you’re making up excuses to be outside at this time.”
Gilbert looked pained, “Can you please just help me put these inside quick. I don’t want her to think I’m an idiot.”
“Oh no, you built that boat on your own. You can sink in it,” he responded gleefully. “Oh…here she comes. Bye!”
“Bash!” Gilbert said though his teeth.
“Hi!”
Gilbert looked around, facing the girl he was precisely waiting for but dreading at the same time.
She walked up to him smiling pleasently, “I hope you don’t mind…I-I just I just thought I should tell you, this plant would to so much better inside. I hope you don’t mind me saying. I just love all things botantical. This tree is just so beautiful. And I just would hate the thought that it didn’t survive just because I didn’t say anything.”
She blinked. Gilbert could respond. She was so much…more in front of him. Just more everything.
Her hair, her freckles, her lips, her blue blue eyes.
She took his breath away, talking passionately about the plants she went on about other things he could plant indoors to liven the place up. He didn’t take his eyes off her face, looking into it as if the map of freckles would tell him all he needed to know about the universe.
She stopped talking and stared at him, as if seeing him herself for the first time. Her breath caught, leaving her lips slightly open in a gasp. They looked at each other for a few minutes, each feeling a recognition of sorts.
“Babe!” a large man called out to her from across the street. He was in a navy blue suit and brogues. He pointed to his watch, clearly Rolex, indicating the time.
She looked around at the man as if startled, “I’m coming, Roy”
Roy. The bastard.
She turned to Gilbert, “I - I’m so glad you took over the restaurant. We need a new hang out.”
“I hope I’ll see you here soon.”
“Yeah, for sure”
After she walked away, he realized she had been dressed different to her usual casual self that day. White cashmere coat, stiletto heels, hair straightened, Chanel bag. She looked unlike herself but gorgeous as ever.
“Hey Romeo,” Bash called out. “While you’re at it with the gardening, do you think you could set up the backyard for us.”
-------------------
They looked around and finally hired a lady called Tillie to help in the restaurant. She was an up and coming Chef who was a whiz in the kitchen. She gave Bash a run for his money, kicking him out when his experiments went overboard. Her loud and fun character was just what they needed.
“My own kitchen,” Bash muttered, walking out of the kitchen behind the bar where Tille was making breakfast. Gilbert laughed to himself and walked out to meet the furniture delivery truck.
They were unloading some chairs and tables that were ordered, they were a mix of plush chairs and low coffee tables, with some dining seats. He went with a mix and match grey and light brown theme, having picked them out for good value from old antique shops and vintage boutiques. Some of the seats needed re-upholstering but the had great character. They would use off-white and shell coloured cushions and heavy metal accents to modernize the look.
He heard her familiar voice. She was pacing around the bench, “I said yes, but I don’t know if can marry him, Diana. He wants me to move to Toronto. He says this to me now. I’ve just got my dream job. I lived in Toronto already, I’m over it. I’m over the heels and the pavements. And, okay maybe I’ll keep the Chanel bag but I really don’t want to go back to the rat race.”
Looking up, he caught The Fairy’s eyes. She looked surprised to see him standing in front of his own bar. He glanced at her hand and saw a large diamond on her ring finger, gulping he turned back to his task. His heart sank. He had no idea why. He hardly knew her.
“I have to go, Di.” She kept the phone. Looking at Gilbert she asked, “Are these antiques? They are so beautiful.”
“Thanks,” he gasped out, grabbing a chair to move.
“It’s gonna look stunning. I love antiques. Can you imagine, each of these pieces have a story? I wonder who sat in that one there, or who put down their coffee on that marble table. It’s amazing the stories this furniture has seen. Besides the fact that this building is one hundred and forty three years old, it’s also inundated with historical furniture, steeped in many many stories of their own.”
She was inspecting all the pieces around, peering below the chair here, and checking a scrape on a tale there. Gilbert looked at her in awe. She was so interesting and opinionated.
“How do you know how old this building is?”
“I walk by here every morning to go to that old age home down there.”
“Oh really?” Gilbert said guiltily as if he didn’t know that she walked by everyday already.
“My father has Alzheimer’s, and it got too difficult to look after him for my mother. So we had him placed there while I was in college. Not that I wanted to. It’s just her eyesight isn’t great and I didn’t know until I came back for the summer. But he is doing so well there that we decided to let him stay. Now that I have work here I’m planning to bring him back home come fall term,” the woman continued as if they were old time friends and not strangers. “Anyway, I’m rambling….I’ve been told I do that, Roy hates it sorry….One of the residents used to work for Mr Blythe who built it.”
“Please don’t apologize for talking, I - I love to hear you,” Gilbert sputtered, “love - love to hear you talk about this building.”
“Thank you,” she replied. “I’ve heard you are his great grandson.”
“I am, I guess I should know more about him and about my own family history.”
“The library might be able to help. I generally live there."
“Ha. Great idea…thanks”
She walked away backwards, smiling at him.
“I’m Gilbert by the way,” he said smiling back.
“I know,” she grinned and turned around, skipping towards the home.
Gilbert grinned to himself like the fool he was.
-------------------
The news that The Fairy was engaged brought his entire mood down for the next few weeks but he admonished himself. He had just met her and she was in love with someone else. But there are a few moments in life when you meet people you know are meant to be in your life. A feeling of familiarity, of knowing them in another lifetime. He just could not get over that so easily.
He kept himself as busy as he could and avoided the kitchen window. The Fairy was a human being who deserved her private space, be it a walk from the Butcher’s to the Avonlea Senior home.
He visited the library to find out more about life here in the old days. He discovered his father was a hockey star in school. His great grandfather helped lead the movement to allow women to vote and join colleges. His grandad was one of the best apple farmers in the region, and featured in several articles. He learnt a lot about his own history.
The bar had taken nearly a month to set up and they were still waiting for the license to be approved (Mrs Lynde was taking her sweet time) they decided to have a soft opening to test out some recipes. They couldn’t charge for the drinks or the food, so they called in Moody to help them out, who was sure that his friends would not mind at all coming for free booze and chicken wings.
Gilbert had met some of them already and got on well with Charlie and the Pauls. They got together once in a while to play sports.
Tillie agreed to invite a couple of her girl friends, and Ruby ,who came by regularly with some baked good or the other of her own, agreed to bring two of hers. She insisted Gilbert needed to meet someone, or her roommate Josie would eat him alive.
Bash invited their street neighbor he had gotten close to, Jerry, whose family owned the butcher shop down the street.
The bar lounge was quickly full up with their newly acquainted friends, some at the bar stools, some around a lounge set up. Moody had wheeled in a humongous size bottle of tequila that was half his size.
Tillie introduced Josie and Jane to him, Josie touching his arm flirtatiously while Jane rolled her eyes at her. Jane said, “Thanks for having us Gilbert. Here we got you a few bottles of champagne to congratulate you.”
“Oh thanks,” Gilbert shrugged out of their clutches.
She came with the group. The Fairy walked in with Ruby and another dark haired woman, who looked like she needed a night off. His Fairy looked stunning in an off-shoulder cream sweater dress and tall boots, the lightest touch of makeup on her face and her hair back in its loose waves.
Jerry was behind them, the tall man looking over their heads. He yelled out, “Hey Gilbert! I brought you guys some steaks. Best meat suppliers around. Don’t go anywhere else, eh”
“Stop it darling, no shop talk,” the dark haired girl admonished.
“This is my wife Diana,” Jerry smiled, hugging her from behind and kissing the top of her head. “Please get her drunk she deserves a night off.”
He smiled in response, so this is the famous Diana. He glancing nervously at his red haired dryad. Her one exposed shoulder looked incredibly smooth and his fingers itches to touch it. He couldn’t believe she didn’t know her name yet.
He approached her but was cut across by Diana who walked in between them and declared it was time for drinks. “Speech!”
Gilbert was not one to chat too much but he agreed some words were needed. While Bash poured out drinks he climbed the bar counter. “Alright everyone, welcome to the bar. I know I don’t know all of you very well, but I hope I do soon enough. I came back to Avonlea to find my father’s legacy. My brother and I feel like we are finding ourselves in the process.”
Bash joined in the speech clapping Gilbert on the back and laughing,”Okay okay no need to get in the feels, brother. We promised I will reveal the name of the bar. I’m happy to reveal the name of the bar will be….”
Moody interrupted, “Drumroll please!”
Everyone clapped on the surfaces of the tables, laughing as they clapped faster.
“Kindred Spirits!”
“WOOOH!” they cheered and clapped as the brothers got off the bar. The group laughed and broke into groups chatting animatedly.
Gilbert jumped down, landing in front of his fairy woman who looked at him with a strange look on her face.
“Cheesy right? I know,” Gilbert said, rubbing the hair on the back of his neck.
“It’s perfect,” she smiled knowingly. “Well maybe not for a fancy, trendy bar in a city. But for right here in Avonlea…it’s perfect.”
“Thank you,” he nodded.
“I got you a plant,” she grinned. “An outdoor one, so you can put it at the door"
He chuckled. She was suddenly close enough to count her eyelashes, and the thought made him sweat.
“Hey Blythe, Shirley!” Moody yelled. “Come join the game.”
Was her name Shirley?
They shared the bottles of champagne and they brought out cocktails and nibbles to try. Each of them were given score cards, fashioned by Ruby, to help vote in the favourites. The smokey apple cider cocktail was a hit, an ode to his father’s apple orchard.
“I love that you made it in honor of your father,” his dryad said to him as they put away the score cards they had tallied.
“This building is something I want to keep in his name,” he explained. “Hopefully I can buy back part of his orchard someday. I think he’d want that.” Gilbert was never usually so chatty but the booze was making his lips looser, and this was his fairy. He wanted to tell her all his secrets.
“I think he’d want you to be happy, regardless of what you do,” she smiled in return. And he looked at her intriguingly, as if he already knew what was on his mind.
“I have been wondering if there is something else out there for me. I wanted to be a doctor after my dad died but I couldn’t make it work. The school fees were abundant."
“If it is meant to be, then all the universe will conspire to make it happen,” she smiled as if she had a secret of her own.
Gilbert smiled at her. If only it would hurry up and get there.
"You will be a wonderful doctor."
"For all you know I could be a serial killer."
"I don't think so, Bundy," she laughed heartily, making his chest ache.
“C’mon Blythe! Stop flirting and get your ass here!”
There was darts where Jerry ruled, Moody’s brought beer pong which was his forte, Josie was incredible at charades and scrabble where Anne and Gilbert sparred to be winner.
They debated the whole night about the origins of words, books, politics and whether pink apples were better than red ones and which version of Over the Rainbow was better. He called her Carrots and she huffed for a good ten minutes until he explained that her hair was a beautiful orange. She explained he could go to hell.
But he could tell she didn’t mean it, there was a smiled playing at the corner of her mouth. He would love to kiss it.
The group started dancing somewhere around midnight when Diana started singing “Oooh I wanna dance with somebody!” while getting up on her chair and grabbing at Ruby. They put on the music on Bash’s stereo and sang at the top of their lungs.
Gilbert switched partners so he could dance with The Fairy for “Shut up and Dance”, reveling in her beautiful smile and shining eyes as she moved rather clumsily to the music. God she was perfect. Smart, beautiful, kind and witty. He just wanted to pull her close to him and never let go. He extricated himself from her in case he did something stupid.
At “Levitating” Gilbert spun Ruby around when she suddenly stopped and yelled. “OH MY GOD BASH!”
She ran to Tillie who nodded n agreement and ran over to Bash who was currently pouring out shots, “Oh my God we have to set you up with Ms Stacey!”
The music died down and the girls started fawning over this new idea, “Yes! she’s the best”
“What is happening?” Bash looked stunned. Gilbert could tell his brother had one too many. Thankfully Mrs Kincannon had Dellie safely tucked in, white noise blaring in her room.
The fairy was busy handing out bottles of water to everyone in the room. She handed him one, their hands brushing and catching sparks.
“I think we all need a walk in the cold air!” Jerry said, holding up his tipsy wife, who was near them.
“I miss my babies!” Diana said with a sad face.
“They are asleep at home with my mother, fast asleep,” Jerry kissed her forehead. “Let’s go home.”
They headed out the door, Gilbert and The Fairy walked with them to make sure Diana was ok.
“I love you Jerry!” Diana slurred as she walked, “I’m so glad I married you even without my family’s approval.”
“Ok dear. I love you,” Jerry said laughing, “Yes, I’m glad too.”
Diana turned and pointed at her friend, “I’m so glad you decided not to marry that Roy! I’m so glad A- whoop!”
She didn’t speak anymore because she was lifted by her husband, carried in his arms newlywed style as he towards the Butcher shop.
“You’re so strong Jerry!” Diana gasped fawning as Jerry chuckled.
"I got this guys!" he said as he retreated with his wife.
Gilbert was not seeing anything in front of him anymore, he was in his own world. She wasn’t going to marry him. She was here instead. He glanced down to see her left hand was bare. His world spun around him.
“So…you’re not engaged?” he said quietly and nodded, “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
“I… didn’t love him,” she whispered back. On the inside he was dancing his own little jig and he felt he could skip down this pavement himself.
They stood awkwardly looking at each other on the cobblestoned road, the wind whistled through the streets.
From inside the muffled sounds of Gavin Mikhail’s “How Long Will I Love You” started to play, breaking their silence. Through the window they saw Moody and Ruby dancing slowly to the rhythm.
Gilbert looked around and up at the clear, starry sky, he pointed up “You could never see this in Toronto.”
“No”
“Do you want take a walk?” he asked. “Might help us sober up.”
“I don’t really feel tipsy anymore, but sure. I love to walk.”
They walked up the pavement silently, hands in their pockets for a few steps until she reached over and put an arm through his.
He stopped in his tracks, looking at her, “Are you cold?”
“No,” she whispered, a longing look in her eye. She was looking at his jaw, he realised.
He turned to her fully and cupped her cheek, brushing it with the back of his thumb, she was so soft.
"This may sound wierd but I watch you walk every almost every morning."
"I know," she responded. He raised her eyebrows.
"You do?"
"You're not at subtle as you think. I saw you hit your head a couple of times."
He laughed "Well, shit. I just lost major points."
She grinned and took both his hand into hers, and looked at him teasingly, "I suppose you think you know me now just by stalking me each morning."
He chuckled, looked down and played at the cobblestoned floor with the tip of his shoe.
"I know you love to walk. I know...you love all things with leaves or petals. I know you love birds and butterflies. You love to dance. You love history, antiques and all things sentimental. You don't like the city, or big fancy things. You love babies. Your friends are your second family. You love your father immensely and volunteer each morning with the seniors. You're clumsy in the most adorable way. You talk a guys ear off about practically anything that you are passionate about but when you truly feel something you don't have a lot to say. And you're the most beautiful creature I have ever beheld although I have a feeling you don't even know it."
She just stared at him, eyes growing rounder and finally gasped out, "Yeah that's...about right."
She leaned in towards him subconsciously, then quickly added "Except I'm not beautiful."
He scoffed lightly, reaching for her face again. Then he leaned in and kissed her.
It was the softest of kisses that they first exchanged, light and tender, both pouring out what they had felt, what they felt the universe was finally telling them was right. He caressed her lips with his own and trailed his hand down her neck, sending goosebumps all over her body and a thrill at her spine. Her hand in his hair was the best feeling he had ever had, his scalp tingling at her touch.
She pulled away from him slightly. “It’s Anne by the way,” Anne grinned against his lips. He kissed her again, wanting to taste her lips again. She was beautifully warm and sweet against the chilly air. He then pulled apart, kissing her knuckles. He tucked one of her hands into his and started down the familiar road again.
“I like that, Anne,” he looked up at the stars again, that seemed much brighter than a few minutes ago.
“Anne with an E,” she said firmly.
“My Anne with an E?” he raised his eyebrows to her questioningly.
Her face lit up with her sweetest grin, dimples on her face and eyes twinkling, “I’ve never liked this walk more.”