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"I AM GOING TO PROPOSE TO YOUR MOTHER." William said casually with a mouth stuffed with cereal.
It was a cold Saturday morning in August. Spring and summer went entirely too fast and Wilma wondered if time was ever something she would be able to keep up with. It had been almost a full four months since the passing of Mary, and almost five since her return to Avonlea.
Her time in Avonlea was spent reciting the entire Star Wars sequel trilogy to him from memory, or changing baby diapers. Between this she had been helping her mother at the bridal shop relentlessly and spending almost too much time with William. She felt happier now, more settled than she had ever been both at home and at Avonlea.
Her time today was spent in a hoodie blanket on the couch with William while they ate several bowls of Golden Graham's. Wilhelmina stared with her mouth open and eyes widened. "You—you're what!" Wilma screamed.
William turned back to her casually as if he didn't just drop the biggest news bomb ever. "What?" He said with furrowed eyebrows.
"You're proposing to Mum?" Wilma repeated with only a little annoyance at the fact she was having to repeat herself at all.
"Oh, yes." He smiled and then turned back to the television.
Wilma stared at him dead in the eyes regardless if he was facing her or not. Two years ago her mom told her the story of a mystery man who she was named after. Two years ago Wilma had passed out outside of his law firm after demanding he come talk to her mother so she could have a happy ending. Yet now here he was—a real human sitting on her couch wanting to propose to her mother.
"Oh my god!" Wilma jumped out of her seat and began happily clapping her hands and initiating in what was her version of a celebration dance.
"Well once you're done doing...whatever you're doing, I was hoping you'd come with me to pick a ring." William eyed her curiously as he watched amused as she repeatedly pumped her fists in the air.
"You want me to help you find a ring?" Wilma paused her dance to ask in disbelief.
"Well you seem to be adept at the task, you did find me after all." He shot her a cheeky grin. "Plus I'll need a best man and it seems now is a better time than ever to start." He finished and stared at Wilma who looked like she was going to pass out either a sobbing or clammy mess.
"Best man?" She said teary eyed.
"You sure are repeating my words a lot this morning." William turned around in an attempt to hide teary eyes of his own. He knew she was honored to hear this. It was in her very nature to be so. But just as she was honored, he was ten fold. Not only did he find a daughter in Wilma, he had also found his best friend.
"We mustn't wait a second!" Wilma screeched and grabbed her purse so they could head out to go ring shopping.
"We are in our pajamas Wilma." He reminded her.
"Not. A. Second." She stared at him with very serious eyes and William didn't protest a second time. He only grabbed his keys and mentally noted to dedicate a wedding speech to this exact moment.
Wilma and William jumped in the car together and Wilma excitedly tapped her toes against the floor of the car. Her work as a dumb and naive kid paid off. Her mom got her happy ever after and in a weird way so did Wilma. They could live a comfortable life now.
Wilma turned to William from the passengers seat and smiled at him as he drove. "You know there was a time where you wouldn't let me sit up here?" She recalled.
A flash of events happened quickly after this. William laughed saying he only slightly regretted allowing her to sit up there with him. Then there was a series of loud noises, like fingernails on a chalkboard, and tires skidding. Wilma could feel glass in her hair and a strong arm over her chest, and within seconds after, a darkness quickly overtook her she was back in Avonlea.
There was a gentle warm breeze surrounding her, inviting her eyes to open as if the sun were urging them to stare into its beams. She laid on the forest floor with her face toward the sun for a while. Avonlea didn't get much sun lately. The clouds had seemed to perpetually hang over the town after the death of Mary. Today however the sun whispered a warm Welcome home.
Wilma had no recollection of how or when she fell asleep. To her it was as if she had just left here this morning. She had no recollection of tires spinning off the road and William desperately trying to protect her from any harm. She thought long and hard about it but blamed the brain fog on one simple feeling. Avonlea felt different today, and so did she.
"You are here early, it's six in the morning." Anne stumbled across Wilma while she laid still on her back.
"I know." Wilma whispered not bothering to move from her previous position. As if her body here and now hadn't caught up yet. "I'm in a bit of a state Anne." Wilma spoke.
"Yes I can certainly see that." She furrowed her brows at the girl.
"You are up early." Wilma stated.
"Yes I'm up looking for another fox. Billy Andrews has his heart set on killing it since it ate one of his fathers prized chickens but it's an animal! It's in its very nature to be hungry." Anne sighed exasperatedly and set her belongings down so she can gaze up at the sun with her Wilma.
"You seem absent today, like you aren't really here." Anne spoke.
Something in her words awoke Wilma from the dream like state she had previously been in. "I'm here my sweet Anne with an E." She turned to her and smiled.
