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“Sometimes I can’t believe how quickly you’ve grown up, Delie.” The little girl who sat on her lap just laughed and clapped her hands together as Anne tried to feed her another spoon of mashed carrots and potatoes.
Putting down the bowl and spoon, Anne grabbed a cloth to wipe Delie’s face. “Oh, sweet girl, I’ve missed you so much.”
Anne stood up, kissing Delie’s nose much to the girl’s delight. “Anny Anne,” Delie’s girlish squeals were enough to make Anne laugh. She’d begun to learn a few small words whilst both Anne and Gilbert had been away to study and Anne was in awe of her.
She’d offered to keep an eye on Delie whilst Bash, Elijah and Gilbert did some work around the orchard and Hazel went into town to grab some things for dinner. Anne was more than happy to spend time with the little girl. Delie and she were kindred spirits in a way that Anne wished they weren’t. But she had promised Mary that she would keep an eye on her daughter and Anne fully intended on keeping that promise.
A dozy Delie rested her head on Anne’s shoulder. The two of them had had an adventure over the past couple of hours. It’d begun on the floor with Delie playing with a few of her toys before she decided that she didn’t want to sit down anymore. Her attempts to try and stand up had left Anne in fits of laughter as she kept falling back on her bottom. Eventually, Anne helped the curly-haired one-year-old stand up and kept a close eye on her as she toddled around. Her eyes were wide as she took in the things around her. After that, Anne had fed her and now, it seemed as though Delie had tuckered herself out.
Humming quietly, Anne gently swayed as she walked over to the window that looked out at the orchard. A grin spread on her face when she saw Bash holding Gilbert in a headlock. Gilbert managed to escape, pushing his brother away, the both of them laughing. Her beau had written in length about how much he had missed Avonlea and in particular his brother and niece. Anne had never truly realised how close the two of them had been until she’d read Gilbert’s letters.
“Your papa and Uncle Gilbert are so silly, Delie!” She looked down to see her niece fast asleep, curls in disarray across her face. Anne carefully swept them away and rested her cheek on the top of Delie’s head as she looked back out at the orchard.
At the same time, Gilbert had turned around and spotted Anne in the window. He gave her one of his heart-stopping smiles and waved before Bash elbowed him, no doubt teasing him for being head-over-heels for Anne. She bit her lip, unable to tear her eyes away from her love.
It had been a few months since Gilbert had found her outside of her boarding house, the two of them sharing a kiss before promising to write to each other. And write to each other they did. Anne had lost count of how many letters they had sent to each other throughout the academic year.
When Christmas had rolled around, both of them had been a bundle of nerves as they waited to see each other again. Neither of them had fully believed what had happened in front of the boarding house had indeed happened. When they had both set eyes on each other those nerves were quickly washed away and a feeling of euphoria took its place. Christmas was shorter than either of them would have liked though but Gilbert needed to head back to Toronto though. Regardless, the young couple made sure to enjoy every minute they could together.
Easter hadn’t been easy for either of them. Anne had only planned to go back to Avonlea for Easter weekend, there was far too much work to do before her exams and she knew she would be distracted if she went back to Green Gables. Attempting to finish her teaching certificate in a year instead of the usual two had left her with twice the workload of her friends. Gilbert had opted to stay in Toronto, between his own impending exams and knowing that Anne wouldn’t be home, he decided to stay in the city with his roommate for company.
Summer was theirs though. For months their letters were filled with everything they planned to do whilst they were back in Avonlea together. The walks they wanted to take, the books they’d read, the time they’d spend under a sunny, blue sky. Time with their family and friends. It had been two weeks since they had been reunited and it had been utter bliss.
Anne had felt pure joy when Marilla and Matthew had decided to let her stay with them at Green Gables all those years ago. And for a long time, she hadn’t thought that there was anything that could rival that moment because that was the moment that she had finally found a place to call home. Over the last two weeks, Anne had found that same feeling all over again as she found a home in Gilbert Blythe.
His warmth. The calming lull in his voice. The way he had the ability to make her feel so safe and secure. Anne couldn’t get enough of that feeling. Her stomach dropped at the thought of them being separated again after Summer was over. She knew that she should just enjoy the present but it was difficult when there was a niggling feeling at the back of her mind that this was only temporary.
It had been difficult at Queens when the girls would get suitors on the weekend. She would spend that hour in her room, writing a letter to Gilbert or working on an assignment. But every time she heard the door open, her heart tugged at the thought of Gilbert being so far.
Anne had mentioned all of this to Gilbert but he’d reminded her that it wasn’t them being together this Summer that was temporary. Their separation was temporary. Eventually, he promised, he would propose and once they were married it would take a crowbar to have him part from her side.
The thought of marriage made butterflies erupt in Anne’s stomach. There was a time when marriage was the last thing she would have wanted. She would be the bride of adventure. Gilbert made her realise that she could still be the bride of adventure whilst being his wife. She hadn’t thought it was even a possibility but Gilbert encouraged Anne to soar to heights that not even she had thought of. He continued to push and encourage her. It was down to him that she had decided to apply to Redmond. She had toyed with the thought for months but Gilbert was the one that gave her the final push to do it. He had an unwavering faith in her that felt so alien at times but she was so thankful for it.
Her gaze caught Gilbert’s silhouette again and she shook her head, quietly laughing as she watched him and Bash get into yet another play fight. Holding Delie closer to her, she kissed the little girl’s curls.
“You know what, Delie, I hope you uncle Gilbert doesn’t take too long to propose because I don’t think I can wait much longer.”