Part 2 of "The Three of Us"

214. It's Time

"I didn't think I'd be nervous," Anne said to Emily.

"Are you? About the wedding, or...afterward?"

Anne couldn't help smiling. "Not really. Not exactly. Um, afterward, Gilbert said...he said not to worry about that...that there's no rush. He's all right with waiting."

"Well, that's good," Emily said. "You and I have talked a little bit about things, but maybe we should have talked more? It didn't occur to me until right now that you might think intimate relations is all there is to do."

"What do you mean, isn't it? I mean, I know about kissing," Anne said uncomfortably.

Emily smiled mysteriously. "But there are other things you can try, if you're not ready for the real thing. ...Intimate relations can be kind of like a holiday party- even if you don't partake of the main course, there are plenty of side dishes to consider enjoying."

"Emily," Anne said with a blush, pulling away from her.

She had no clue what Emily was talking about, but she did not really want Emily to explain, either. Anne wanted to be with Gilbert, that was a given, but anything that happened between them was going to have to unfold naturally, in its own time, because Anne did not feel ready to be told what things she might try doing.

"Well, you two will figure it all out," Emily said with a laugh, moving on. "All right, so what has you nervous?"

Anne swallowed. "I know I'll be happy. I just worry about Gilbert being happy. He says he will be, but...what if he's not? Oh, maybe I should hear what you have to say about other things we could do together, but I just...I just can't, not yet. Maybe not ever. I don't know! And Gilbert says it's all right, but...maybe I never should have agreed to get married to someone when I know I can't..."

Emily leaned in and hugged her friend. "If Gilbert says he wants to marry you even though you don't want to do certain things then why doubt him? He's a grown man, he can think for himself. You're not roping him into marriage; he chose this."

Anne laughed. "I know. I just worry he's too selfless. He always puts me first and I can't very often put him first."

"Well, Anne, maybe after being married a while you'll see there's nothing to be afraid of. ...You can always come talk to me, you know that, right?"

Anne hugged her back. "Yes. I'm glad to have you, Emily. None of my other friends are married."

Almost as if on cue, the door burst open and Anne was suddenly surrounded by Diana, Ruby, Jane, and Tillie. Emily laughed as the girls practically screamed. "I'll go on out and look after the children, Anne. See you in a bit."

When the exclamations had died down, Diana spoke up: "We better not stay. But we had to see you before you walked down the aisle!"

Ruby gushed, "Anne, you're breathtaking, you really are. I can't wait for Gilbert to see you!"

Anne asked worriedly, "Ruby, how's your cough been? I was afraid the travel in cold weather wouldn't be good for you..."

"Oh, I'm all right," Ruby waved her off. "It was nothing. I haven't coughed since I left last night."

"Speaking of Gilbert," Tillie said mysteriously, "He saw me when I came in and he asked if I could give you a message." She held out a note.

Anne took the note, her hands shaking.

"What's it say?" Ruby asked impatiently.

"Ruby," Jane said. "I'm sure it's private."

Anne pressed the note to her lips. "We've only been apart for a few hours this morning and it already feels too long." She opened the note and read:

Anne,

You are my one true love, my only love, and yours is the face I want to wake up to every morning for the rest of my life. I sometimes cannot believe my good fortune to have won your heart. I only hope I am deserving of you. It will be my lifelong quest to bring you joy, darling. Happy wedding day.

All my love,

Gilbert

Anne put the note down. "I have to see him. Right now."

Ruby frowned. "Anne, you can't. It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding!"

"You sound like Mrs. Lynde," Tillie giggled.

"Well, if he can't see me, then we'll just have to make sure I'm not seen!" Anne decided. "Help me, girls, will you?"

The others walked ahead of Anne to hide her as she made her way to the pastor's study, where Gilbert had gotten ready for the wedding.

Diana knocked on the door, but grabbed the handle before Gilbert could pull it open. "Gilbert, you can't open the door. Anne's out here. She wants to tell you something."

"I heard all about it from Mrs. Lynde," Gilbert called out. "I've got my eyes shut."

The girls giggled again and pulled Anne closer to the door.

Anne slipped her hand through the gap and found his. The moment she found his hand, she felt better- he was hers, and she was his, and nothing else mattered when they were together. She smiled and felt peace once again, her worry dissipating.

"That's all," she told him through the door, finally letting go of his hand. "I just wanted to be near you for a moment. All right, I'm ready to go back."

"Wait, Anne," Gilbert asked quickly. "I just thought of something. Could we pray together?"

"Aww," Ruby gushed. "That sounds so sweet. All right, hold hands, you two. Don't look at each other."

Anne felt dizzy with happiness having her old school girl friends with her again- it felt just like old times. But even better than that was Gilbert's calming presence.

The girls walked away to rejoin the congregation and left the two lovebirds alone, each on one side of the door, hidden from each other's eyes, linked only by their joined hands.

---

Marilla panicked a moment when she found Anne missing from the room she'd left her in.

"Oh, thank goodness," she breathed when Anne returned. "I thought perhaps you'd gotten cold feet! Everyone's ready now, dear. The music's about to start and Emily has Walter and Clara ready to go. Matthew's coming now to walk you down the aisle."

"All right," Anne said shakily. She reached out for Marilla's hand for comfort. "Thank you for...everything, Marilla- it hardly seems enough to say it! You've given me what I always wanted."

"Puffed sleeves?" Marilla asked with amusement.

"No. A mother."

Marilla did not respond for a moment, blindsided by emotion, but spent time adjusting the sleeves she had made for her daughter's wedding gown. "There," she said after giving them a slight pull upward and outward. "They couldn't possibly stand out any more! No other Avonlea bride has ever had such enormous puffs- no one but my own dear daughter. And here is Matthew, just in time."

Matthew, still smiling, held his arm out to her to take. "Ready?" he whispered.

Anne leaned into him and closed her eyes, remembering the first time she'd ever taken a walk with him. She opened her eyes. "I'm ready."

"Matthew?" she asked suddenly, as the music started and Marilla quickly made her way back to her seat.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Thank you for being a father to me. I couldn't have asked for a better one."

Matthew's eyes and his smile were the only answer she needed.