Your Darkest Fears // Anne and Gilbert

Ch. 12 Our Anne

Anne's Pov:

I know I must have walked home, but I couldn't remember it. My mind was in a haze, pulling my body from the comfort of tea back with Gilbert to the chilling reality of what was waiting for me on the other side of the door. I pulled his jacket closer to my body as I walked inside.

"Anne, is that you?" Matthew called from the kitchen.

"Yes. I'm here. I'm home." I answered following his voice till I found him pouring himself some tea.

"Good thing I caught you first. There's some lady here telling us you're going home with her. She's sitting with Marilla, now. Do you know anything about this?" he asked looking up from his freshly poured tea.

"Oh. Mrs. Hammond is here." I knew she would be, but deep down I was praying maybe she changed her mind and decided to go home. "Might as well get this over with," and with that, I headed towards the parlor where I saw the two women sitting and talking no doubt about me.

"Ah, Anne. Finally, you're here," Mrs. Hammond said with a charming smile I saw right through. "We were starting to get worried." I had to admit. She was a good actor. I knew she didn't care about me or my well-being.

"I'm sorry," I said directing my attention to Marilla, "Diana and I lost track of time. By the time we realized how late it was, it was already so dark. Thankfully, her father had an extra coat he let me borrow so I wouldn't get too cold." Mrs. Hammond wasn't the only good liar.

"Very well. Charolette here was just telling me about how are needed back at home with her," Marilla said skeptically. "We were all waiting for you to come home so that we could get this all sorted out."

"There is nothing to sort out," Mrs. Hammond said abruptly, "Anne is coming back home with me. I adopted her. Legally, she is mine to take home."

Matthew walked into the room and took a seat next to Marilla. I was still just standing in the middle of the room afraid to move. "Well, no. We also adopted Anne after you gave her back," he said quite harshly making Mrs. Hammond flinch a little. I'd be lying if I said I didn't take a little comfort in that.

"You two aren't fit to take care of her. Neither of you is married or working! I am recently engaged and expecting. Anne is better suited with me."

This woman was unbelievable. How could I be better suited with a woman who doesn't even care for her OWN children? Is that really where I belong?

"I won't hear any more of this. Anne is our child. You can't just ask for her back like an old toy you regret giving away." Marilla said, her hands folded in her lap, carefully keeping her composure.

At that Mrs. Hammond stood up and looked down at me like she was seeing me for the first time, "I'll be back tomorrow afternoon. I expect Anne to be packed and ready to come home with me," and with that, she walked out leaving a chill in the air.

"I'd like to go bathe and go to sleep if that's alright," I said not looking up from the floor.

"That's fine, but don't think we aren't going to talk about this tomorrow," Marilla answered before I went upstairs to clean the day off of myself.

That night was especially a hard one, but eventually, sleep took me. I woke up to the sun shining through my window. I don't remember falling asleep, but I must have at some point.

Gilbert's POV:

She didn't come. She said she would be here. I waited until the school day was over and immediately headed to her house. Something was going on with Anne, and I wasn't going to let it go this time.

Marilla opened the door and Matthew took Anne's schoolwork from me. Marilla thanked me and was about to close the door, but I Matthew stopped her. "He might be able to talk to her."

She looked at me for a second before saying, "Why don't you come inside, and we can talk" I nodded and stepped in closing the door behind me. Marilla walked me into the parlor and sat down motioning for me to take the seat across from her. I sat down and she began. "As I'm sure you know, Anne is a very special girl. She is so independent, and we worry that maybe she is a little too self-reliant."

"The thing about Anne is, she doesn't wanna be a burden to anyone. She thinks we don't see it, but we do. Last night, some lady came in here claiming she had every right to take Anne away, and somehow our Anne has it stuck in her head that it's her responsibility to take care of this woman's children." Matthew said.

I couldn't believe this. Some random woman was just claiming Anne. "Wait, I'm confused. Are you saying she wants to go back?"

"She doesn't want to. She thinks she has to," Marilla explained.

"Well, did you tell her she doesn't?" I demanded.

This time Matthew answered, "Of course we did, but she won't hear it. Why don't you go on up and try talking to her? I have a feeling more is going on with this than she's letting on."

"Yeah, I can try," I said getting up to try to talk to go upstairs.

I knocked twice before I walked in to see Anne sitting on the floor packing her bags.

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