Baker - G. BLYTHE

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-ˋˏ *.·:·. [THREE DAYS LATER] .·:·.* ˎˊ-

CHARLOTTE AND GILBERT WASTED NO TIME RETURNING TO A NORMAL ROUTINE. He met her early on the morning of his first day back to school (it was a few days before he was ready to go back and Charlotte had struggled to keep it a secret, with her friends asking why she was smiling so much more often than not) at the fence surrounding her property. The two walked to school together, quickly returning to the delightful chemistry they both had. The normality of it all made it feel like Gilbert had never left but he of course had and the both of them were better because of the break. Gilbert had a new sense of direction in his life, a new friend and a hope to do good in the future. Charlotte had a stronger bond with the girls and a great new friendship with Cole. Upon arrival at the schoolhouse, Gilbert was hastily dragged away from an interesting conversation with Charlotte by the group of boys. He went with them after shooting her an apologetic look she didn't mind it though, he needed to reconnect with his other friends and that was pretty important to her. Instead of confronting the many questions that the girls, mainly Ruby, had she sat down next to Cole on the boy's side of the room and watched him begin a sketch. 

"So Gilbert's back mhmh?" Cole asked quietly looking up at Charlotte with a glance that suggested something she knew all too well, it was the same look her mother gave her every time she went off to Gilbert's house. 

"Cole, he's just a friend. You know that," Charlotte tutted giving Cole a knowing look as she smoothed her dress underneath the desk. Cole stopped drawing, almost in outrage and looked up to Charlotte with a guilty look. 

"I didn't say anything!" he attempted to defend himself all the while letting out a small laugh that didn't exactly paint the picture of innocence. Charlotte continued to give him a knowing look, only emphasised by the wideness of her eyes hoping it would get her point across. 

"You didn't need to, your face spoke for you," she laughed twirling one of his pencils between her fingers, it was a distraction from the multiple questions that Gilbert was currently being asked. All those questions had to be overwhelming for him but she knew that he would just have to get it out of the way, her interference would do more harm than good. 

The entire schoolhouse fell completely silent, Charlotte and Cole both looked up simultaneously with faces of pure confusion. Only when they saw Anne Shirley-Cuthbert all confusion left immediately. Anne stood with a blue ribbon wrapped around her hair, her very short hair. Charlotte thought the new look suited her, that she was pretty brave to cut her hair so short since she didn't know the whole story. She greeted Gilbert with such a shocked expression then the school day passed like any other, only with a few insults thrown at Anne mixed into it. Charlotte tried her best to assure her that she looked great with short hair. 

School ended and Charlotte headed out of the schoolhouse, planning to meet Gilbert on the corner outside as he was mixed in a conversation with Moody. When the door opened she found her gaze to me set on a man. She looked to the man resting on the fence, his hair covered with a cap so her eyes fell on his face. The familiar face of someone she wrote the most letters to. "Rían?" she whispered quietly in pure disbelief as she stopped in the middle of the doorway, Anne turned her head and looked at the girl confused but she paid her no mind. "Rían!" Her basket clattered to the steps and she ran as fast as she could, holding her hat down to stop it from blowing away. She didn't care what anyone else thought, it was her brother after all. She leapt into his arms and wrapped him in a hug, one which he returned and span the girl round on the spot. 

"What are you doing here!" she exclaimed once her feet touched the floor again, a constant smile caused her cheeks to dimple. 

"Thought I'd surprise my favourite sister," he grinned, his accent heavy from remaining in Ireland. Charlotte loved it though, it reminded her of home and everyone she left behind. 

"I'm your only sister," Charlotte deadpanned still with a smile on her face, a long-forgotten ache in her heart was in the midst of being patched. Her brother was the missing piece to her happiness, the weeks of his return were going to be great and the excitement of them took over. Gilbert looked over at Charlotte and felt a smile aching his cheeks, seeing Charlotte so happy made his heart swell. He soon pieced together that it was her brother, not some random stranger and walked home alone so the two Rayhill siblings could have some time alone. 

"Still my favourite," he shrugged whilst draping an arm across her shoulders, he hugged her close with one arm. Pretty much every student in Avonlea was staring at the two but neither cared, they were too distracted with their own happiness to give it a single second thought. Anne came over with Charlotte's basket and quickly introduced herself before walking home with Diana, she knew that the two needed time alone and she respected that.  

"Any romantic interests then?" Charlotte asked as the two walked home, Rían still had his arm wrapped around his sisters shoulders and a permanent smile on his face. He hadn't seen his sister in over three years, far too long to go without seeing a sibling. 

"Someone from one of my classes, you'd like him," Rían replied after little hesitation, he didn't want his sister to react to something so small but of course she did.  Her brother favoured the same gender, something which didn't matter to any of the Rayhill family. As her father said when he heard the news 'Is é grá grá is cuma cén florim' (love is love no matter what form.) It was another saying that constantly rang in Charlotte's head, these sayings truly shaped her into the person she grew up to be. Her Father still had an affect on her life even though he was in the grave. 

"Would I now?" Charlotte asked glancing up at her brother wanting him to continue, which he did with much prompt. He told her all about the man, how they had been together for just over a year, about how he was a love for paintings, he had a passion for fancy linens and was from the south of England. They met in Rían's school and became friends first, the best of friends and eventually, a relationship bloomed between the two of them. "So you're happy?" she asked hoping that he was, she couldn't bare the thought of her brother not being happy. It would make her unhappy and he sole focus would be to create the happiest atmosphere possible for him, after all he had done so much for her over the years. 

"Perfectly," he smiled knowing that that would bring his sister much relief. The two smiled at each other for a second then went to looking at various areas in the forest, Rían stared at the barren trees on his right and Charlotte stared at the story clubhouse peaking between the skeleton trees. "Though I do miss you all the time," he added as they reached the edge of the Rayhill property. The house looked as if icing sugar had been shook upon it that morning, the fields the exact same but had flowers which survived the winter sticking out from the papered earth, another reason Charlotte loved the snow.

"I miss you too Rían, you have to come here more," Charlotte replied as she held open the gate for him to walk through. Rían took off his hat and over dramatically dipped it in thanks as he went through the gate, making Charlotte laugh as she closed the gate back up. 

"I know, at least I'm here for Christmas this year though," Rían shrugged once she caught up to the man who had just continued walking up the path, seeking the warmth of home. 

She gasped, he watched as her eyes lit up."I almost forgot about that! Oh! It's going to be the best Christmas!" Charlotte exclaimed walking through the front door of the house happily, Rían following behind  chuckling at his sister. He had missed her enthusiasm.  

"Rían! You didn't scare the girl half to death did you?" Mother exclaimed as they stepped into the house, luckily there were no customers in the bakery at this moment so they were free to do as they wished. Mother dusted her hands on her apron and walked towards the two as her two children took off their coats and hats, still pink in the face from the icy air outside. 

"Of course not Mother, there wasn't the opportunity," Rían responded with a hint of disappointment in his voice, his plan had been to scare his little sister on the walk home but he had decided against it. Deciding that it was a horrid thing to do even though it would have been very funny. He wanted their reunion to be something sweet yet surprising, not something that would earn him a rather hard punch on the arm. The Rayhill family joined together in a very long overdue hug, all three of them never wanting to rid themselves of the embrace. The Rayhill's were back together and nothing would plummet Charlotte's happiness.