24Good things comes to those who wait
On this hot and humid morning of the first of May, at almost 5:30, the sun had just started to come out of its hidden place. Four people woke up with a start, for very different reasons. The first person to be awake at such an unlikely time was a men of almost 60 years old. His hair and his beard were all white. He was not really tall, but the way he hold himself and his posture, with his strong arms and legs of hard working years on his farm, always made him look like he was taller then he really was. Although he liked to eat all the good meals that his wife always prepared for him, he still had an almost flat stomach. After having put his sandals on his feet and his dressing gown on his shoulders, the only other thing he put with a little resignation, was his glasses, that he had to wear all the time now, because he couldn't see a thing without them. Not even look at the face of his wife that he love so dearly. Having taken one last deep breath, he got up from his bed and made his way to the room of his son, the old room of his son. He opened the door slowly and gently, trying to not disturb the much needed sleep of his wife, who for some reason, had decided she wanted to sleep in the old room of their loving son.
The second person to having awake at such an early hour, was a tall and slender women of 55 years old. Even though her hair was starting to become grey, with a little attention, you could still see that in her youth, she had had really beautiful brown long hair, that she used to always let down floating on her shoulders. But, as the years went by, she had started to wear them in a tight chignon, which she still wear to these days. She only wore the tight chignon during daylight, in public, even while doing her many chores around Green gables. The only time she let herself wear them down, was when she was alone in her room, at night, having put on her nightdress, preparing herself to go to sleep. And, in the mornings, before having to wake up and go face the world. She always wanted to look respectable and practical, also wearing practical yet elegant and simple long dresses, always in somber colours. The only thing left for her to do, without really knowing why she woke up this early, was to go dress herself. Having put on one of her favorite, personal, simple dresses, standing in front of her little mirror in her bathroom, before having to start putting her hair back, she looked at herself closely in the mirror, with her hair down, encircling her face and let loose on her shoulders. She was thinking that maybe today, just for today, she could let them down that way, just like she used to do in her youth. Just for a split minute, she was tempted in doing so. With one last look at herself that way, she shook her head, then slowly with the habit of having doing these gestures almost all her life, she started to put her hair, once more into the tight chignon everyone is used to see her wear. She was about to open the door of her bedroom and make her way down the hall to the stairs, when she remembered something. She made her way back to her night table, took the little object that she still wasn't used to wear, even after all these years, but had to resigned herself to wear them, for her to be able to see the world with all its beauty. Her glasses. These glasses also helped her see the faces of the people she loved the most. Rachel, the twins Davy and Dora and most of all, Anne Shirley, her daughter.
The third person to be awake at such an hour, was a tall and slender women of 22 years old. Although she wasn't as skinny as she used to be when she was younger, she was still really slim. Her hair was still as red as its used to be when she was younger, to her chagrin. Well auburn to be exact. Or ''Carrots'', as her dearly loving fiancé likes to call it. She was thinking of him, when she woke up that morning, with a funny feeling inside of her. She didn't know what it was, she just knew that something wasn't right. She had receive just four days ago, one of his letter, letting her know that he was about to take his final week of examinations, of his first year at medical school. He was hoping and wishing that she could send him all of her strength and all of her love that she had for him, to help him throughout this week. She had done just that, when she replied to him, in her letter. Telling him over and over again, that he could do this and that she loved him so very much. She had also reminded him that they would see each other in the middle of the month of May, for them to be able to have their first summer as an engaged couple. Knowing that this would help him get through anything that he had set his mind off to. Going into the bathroom to prepare herself for this new day, she remembered that today was the day for the mailman to bring in all the courrier to every houses in Avonlea. Knowing that he was also an early bird, and that she was always waiting impatiently to receive the new letter of her fiancé, he was always starting to bring the mail to the houses on the same street has her dear Green gables. Having put on one of her very favorite summer green dresses, she decided to let her hair down for today. Even though knowing of the funny feeling that she felt while waking up, she had made up her mind, having decided that nothing bad could happen today, because to her, every new day was always fresh, with no mistakes in them. This is why, before leaving the bathroom, she put on a big smile on the face facing her into the mirror, and made her way down the hall, through the stairs, entering the kitchen, normally empty at this early hour. She was always the first one to make the tea and breakfast for everyone in the house. To her surprise, she found Marilla already seating on a chair of the kitchen table, already drinking her morning tea. They exclaimed in unisson :
- Anne !
- Marilla !
After the first moment of surprise vanished into the air, it was Anne who talked again :
- Marilla, why did you wake up so early ? Is everything alright ? Is anything hurting you ? You know very well that i am always the first one to get up and prepare the breakfast !
While talking, Anne made her way to the older woman, to give her her good morning kiss.
- Oh no child, do not worry about me, i am fine, everything is alright with me. It's just that it is so hot this morning, i just couldn't sleep anymore.
- Oh dear Marilla, i know exactly what you are talking about. You are right, it is hot this morning, and we are only the first of May. I wonder what it would be like in the middle of July ?
Marilla choose to not answer, only taking another sip in her cup of tea, watching as Anne, having taken a cup for herself, came to sit down in front of her at the kitchen table. The both of them decided to keep quiet of the true reason of why they were up so early this morning. They sat there, in peaceful silence, drinking their tea. Marilla knowing that soon, Anne will start to talk again, because she couldn't stay silent for long. But, Anne had her mind set on something else, she was waiting for that particular sound, she was sure was going to come through the open window, of the kitchen that was facing the road, at any moment now. She didn't had to wait long, after just a fiew second, the sound of a happy whistle started to come from down the road, just like she knew would happen. Putting her cup on the table, she look out through the window, just in time to see the mailman turning at the corner of their house, going in the direction of where their mailbox was situated. Anne didn't wait much longer, she made her way through the kitchen door, passed by the beautiful garden of Marilla and practically run to the mailbox where the mailman had just disposed their letters. He was already turning the other corner, in the direction of the house of their neighbour, not without turning to face Anne and shout out to her a ''Good morning Miss Shirley'' while waving is hand at her. Having heard him, Anne looked up to him, answering distractedly to his good morning, also waving distractedly her hand at him. Because already having Gilbert's letter in her hands, (it was only his letter that she had found into the mailbox). She was surprised to feel how thin the enveloppe was. Normally, even if Gilbert was really, really busy with all that he had to do at medical school, he was always answering her back with at least a three or four pages long letter. She started to open it while making her way back into Green gables. Maybe Gilbert wanted to surprise her, by telling her something really special and happy. Having made her way back into the kitchen, where Marilla didn't move from the kitchen table, she already had the letter open in her hands, which, to her surprise, only had a little paragraph in it. This is what the letter was saying : My dearest and sweetest Anne, the other day, when i received your letter, i also received a letter from my father. While i was glad and happy to read your letter, i wanted to answer you back right away, i dont know what it was, but something made me open my father's letter just after having ended reading yours. What my father had to say into his letter, prevented me of writing you back. Can you believe it, my love ? I was at a lost for words, and i wanted you right there, right now with me. My father wrote that my mother had just gotten hill. He had said that entering into the kitchen the other morning, he had found her unresponsive on the floor. He had called for the doctor right away. My sweetest Anne, the diagnostic of the doctor is not good, i am afraid. He said that it is her heart...Gosh Anne, i just need you right now. I need to be with you, i need to be with my father, i need to be with my mother. This is why i am going to take the next train that i can find, to bring me right away to Avonlea. I am hoping for the early train in the first of May. I hope that my professors and the principal will be able to understand what is going on ? All i want right now is to be in your arms, feel your touches and your kisses. I need you my Anne... Gilbert.
Marilla, who was paying every attention she could to her girl while she was reading the letter, had seen how her cheeks had started to become red at first and then slowly fading and becoming more and more white, as she continued to read. She noticed how her eyes had started to get watery, how her body started to tremble, slowly at first, but then, she saw how she couldn't take it anymore, she watch as she got down into the chair she was occupying earlier, seeing as her hand also started to shake, making the letter she was still holding, to fall down on the floor. Marilla, really afraid and nervous of what was going on with Anne, did the first thing she could think of doing. She quickly got up from the chair she was sitting on, went to Anne, and took her in her arms and try and comfort her.
- Anne, what is it ? What did Gilbert had to say to you that put you into such a state ?
Now, the water that started to form earlier into her eyes, had started to slowly fall out of them, into her cheek.
- Oh Marilla, Gilbert...his father wrote...his mother is...
She tried to say it, but she couldn't get anything more out. Only two other words had silently came out :
- The letter...
Marilla understood right away what she was saying. But she had to admit, she was a little surprise, for Anne having to let her read the letter she had just receive from Gilbert, was really not like her at all. Usually she only tells her little things here and there, after having finish reading what Gilbert had to say to her, keeping all the important things for her. Something really bad must be happening to him. Without living the side of Anne, she bent down, took the letter in her hand, replace her arm around Anne's shoulders and started to read what was inside of Gilbert's letter. After having ended her lecture, just like Anne before her, the letter she was holding, fell to the floor. The wife of John Blythe, the men she had once loved, was in a critical state. Their son, Gilbert, Anne's fiancé, was coming back today to Avonlea to be with them. The only thing left for Marilla to do at this precise moment, was to encircle once again Anne's shoulders with her loving arms, to try and console the best she could, her darling daughter, because she knew that even if she wanted to, Anne couldn't console her back. Because only Anne had a reason to cry at this moment, she is Gilbert Blythe's fiancée after all. Marilla knows that she is just an old acquaintance of the Blythe family, and only that. But still, she couldn't help the water from coming out of her eyes and down onto her cheeks as she kept holding onto Anne, tighter and tighter, without even really noticing that she was doing so, because Anne had started to hold onto Marilla just as tight as she was doing.
The fourth person to having wake up at such an early hour in the morning, was a young men of 25 years old. Tall and well belt, he had gotten all of his strength back after having been so sick with typhoid fever last summer. With is dark and curly brown, almost black hair, with is hazel eyes normally really cheerful, playful and mischievous all the time, was now at this early time in the morning, really tired, red from all the crying he had done, not really cheerful, playful and mischievous right now. He almost didn't want to get out of bed, even though he had already taken out the sheet that was covering him, into the floor, because he was to hot. He was only staying there, lying on his back, with his arms behind his head, his eyes wide open, because he couldn't just sleep anymore. He had to much on his head. When he will get in Avonlea, will Anne already be at the train station, waiting for him ? He really did hope so, because the only thing he wanted, after getting out of the train, was to be in her arms first thing. Then feel her lips on his, kissing him tenderly, passionately, softly, gently, just like she knows how to do it and she knows that he loves when she does that to him. But, what will happen after ? After, when reality comes back with a force ? When he will have to go into his parent's house and see for himself, really how bad the condition of his mother his ? And what about his father, how is he really taking all that is going on with his wife ? The mother of his child ? The love of his life ? My father, who i have always seen so strong all of my life ? If he breaks down, i dont know if i will be able to not break down myself ? His alarm clock went off. Seeing as he was already awake, he just had to let it ring once, only to ear the sound that he usually didn't like to ear in the morning, by letting it ring over and over again, but today, after the first sound, he shut it off, staying in is initial position for a little moment, to try and make his mind clear and be able to face the day that was awaiting him, with one last thought of is sweetest Anne, he slowly made his way out of his bed, got into the bathroom, to put some really cold water onto his face, hoping that this would wake him up completely.
A.N : Hello everyone, this is my first story ever on the fan fiction site. Thanks to Lilies of Avonlea who once encourage me to write one of my own story, to which i had replied that i would never do. Well, there you go... And to Bathsheba Blythe who had also encourage me to write one story. I was always replying to her that i couldn't, because english is not my first language ( French is ) and that i was to afraid to make to many grammar mistakes. But, just like she says, i shouldn't let that discourage me, and just write. And here i am today, writing my very own story. I had told her that i wanted to make this a one shot, but seeing that i have to many things to write in that story, this is just the only chapter. And i will have three or four more chapters, before having to write ''The end''.
This is really a Anne, Gilbert, Marilla and John story. With all of their seven children later on, as the story will progress. I had always wanted to read, or write a story where Gilbert's mother will die at his first year of medical school and see what can happen between Marilla and John.
I am hoping to be able to write a new chapter every week, or maybe sooner, depending on time and inspiration. Also, depending on you, the readers, with the review that you will be writing after you read this first chapter. Or i can just keep on writing it just for my own pleasure, hoping that people will be keeping on reading it...
Until then, Kim Blythe.