Coffee and Tea - Moody Spurgeon

-Three-

You may be wondering what happened to Aurora after the breakdown with Gilbert in the woods, I'll tell you, Gilbert had offered for her to stay over at his house, so that she didn't have to go home that night, Aurora kindly took the offer.

She took the small spare room they had in the back, and Mary quite enjoyed the company of the younger girl.

The next morning the girl shot awake, bolting to put on her dress, gloves, and hat before heading out to the kitchen.

"Where are you on a hurry to?" Gilbert raised a brow while Sebastian sat at the kitchen table.

"It's Anne's sixteenth birthday, I'm supposed to head over to the Barry's with the other girls for her surprise party." Aurora spoke quickly as she slipped on her boots and tired her hair with her bow as always.

"Ah, well you wouldn't wanna be late for that now would you?" Mary chuckled as she entered the kitchen.

"Josie will catch my death if I am." Aurora laughed. "So will Ruby if I'm not careful."

Mary smiled as Aurora said her goodbyes before heading out the door. It was much too cold to go out without a coat, but unfortunately, she had forgotten hers back home so it would have to do.

She ran at feel speed in direction of the Barry's house, not stopping until she reached the front door where it swung open, Josie being the one who opened the door with Ruby who stood beside her with red puffy eyes.

Josie grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside. "Where were you! We were worried sick, did something happen? Are you alright?" The taller girl held her face with two hands, carefully inspecting her.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, I just woke up a bit late." Aurora sighed as Ruby wrapped her arms around the girl tightly.

"There's no need to cry Ruby, I'm alright I promise." Aurora rubbed the girls back.

"They're coming!" Tillie exclaimed as the girls hurried to the middle of the room with muffled giggles as Minnie May stood in front of all of them.

Diana rushed in first to join the girls before Anne hurried in.

"Surprise!" The girl yelled while throwing their arms in the air with giggles.

"I hope you were worried sick about me." Minnie May sassed as the girls laughed.

The girls lead Anne over to the table filled with treats. "You did all this?" Anne's eyes began to water.

"All for you." Aurora rubbed her shoulder as they all sat down and gathered plates of sweets and pastries.

The room was filled with giggles and genuine laughs as Anne told the story of how Diana fetched her.

"And then Jerry yells, her parents are dead!" Everyone laughed in disbelief.

"He almost ruined the whole thing!" Diana giggled.

"Why are boys so maddening?" Rubby giggled.

"Why don't they know anything?" Anne smiled.

"What is the matter with boys?" Tillie laughed.

"That's what I'm saying!" Aurora threw her arms in the air.

"Well some of us, prefer men." Josie squinted as she waved a strawberry in the air as the girls murmured in agreement with a few giggles.

"Some of you, and by you I mean Tillie, have a two-boy problem." Jane smirked at the girl sitting at the end of the table as the girls squealed.

"It's not a problem." Tillie smirked back as she crossed her arms as the girls laughed.

"As a brave girl who seeks with my eyes and heart open, I'm letting you all know here and now I plan only to be the bride of adventure." Anne nodded in firm agreement with her decision.

"I think that's a splendid idea Anne." Aurora giggled.

"I never know what you're talking about Anne." Ruby laughed along with the other girls as Minnie May stood from her chair.

"I'm a conscientious objector of the status quo." Anne grinned.

"See! It happened again!" Ruby exclaimed as the girls continued to laugh and giggle.

Minnie May began jumping and spinning in the middle of the room. "Birthday! Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday!" The small girl exclaimed before 'fainting' onto the floor.

"Ah! Princess Minnie May has weakened!" Anne stood. "More cake good women, before she doth perish!"

"Let us attend to our fair maiden!" Diana laughed.

The girls each grabbed a pastry from the table and kneeled down next to Minnie May as she put a finger on her chin to decide which one she wanted.

All the girls begged for Minnie May to accept their pastries.

First she pointed to Josie's. "No." Then to Tillie. "No." To Ruby. "Mmm.. No." Then towards Diana's. "No.." Then to Auroras. "Hm, no." To Jane. "No." She spoke with a disgusted look.

Then finally to Anne's. "Yes." She smiled and took the pastry as the girls smiled and laughed.

By the time the party was over, the girls were worn out and full from all the pastries and tea. Tillie and Jane left first, then Josie and Ruby, then Anne and Aurora, leaving the two to walk alongside each other.

"Aurora, are you alright, you seemed sort of off today. Not that I'm trying to snoop or anything because I know you hate when people do that but I just wanted to know if something sorrowful had happened." Anne's voice softened as she finished her sentence.

"Um, my brother's not doing so well, and there's nothing the doctor can do, and Moody stormed off on me and Charlie yesterday, and everything's going wrong these past couple days." Aurora spoke quickly as Anne stopped walking, as did the shorter girl.

The red haired girl simply hugged her for a second or two before linking arms as they continued walking. "I am so sorry Aurora, your brother might be the sweetest little boy I know, I can't even imagine what tragedy you must be going through."

Aurora smiled and nodded, seeing they had reached her house. Anne gave her one last hug goodbye before heading off while Aurora headed into her house.

When she opened the front door she was met face to face with her sobbing mother who quickly pulled her into a hug.

Aurora stood in shock, she couldn't seem to bring herself to produce anymore tears, instead she just stared while her mother sobbed into her shoulder.

A/n: No, her brother didn't die, I'm not actually sure if he's going to yet I'm still deciding.