My Lucky Penny

Struggling Against the Perception of Facts

Word of Mr. Phillips' engagement to Prissy Andrews spread across Avonlea like wildfire...or a bad disease (which seemed more fitting). Though Penny had seen it coming, the news still made her sick to her stomach.

Despite that, she managed to down her breakfast while Gilbert had his nose in a book (as always) across from her. Beside her, Bash was tying a string around his aching tooth while ranting.

"When you two go to school and leave me here the whole day with no one to talk to, I keep myself busy. If Penny cooks and the food ain't have no taste, I chew and swallow. I've carried this pain, quiet, into the cold Canadian spring. You know me, Blythes, I don't like to complain. So when I saw lesser men would've cracked by now..."

"Then?" Gilbert asked impatiently, never looking up from his book. Penny, on the other hand, turned to see Bash tying the other end of the string around the door handle.

"Exactly. I'm ready, close the door."

"Uh, no," Gilbert denied.

"You're right. Give it a good slam, I only wanna do this once."

"This is a bad idea, Bash," Penny agreed, gentler than her brother. "You should go see a doctor, this could get it infected."

"Doctor?" Bash asked incredulously. "For a toothache? Just be my friends. The onliest ones I have in this vast, lonely country."

Before Penny could object, Gilbert got to his feet and slammed the door, ripping Bash's tooth out.

"Nothing like a little peace and quiet!" he called as he walked off to his room.

"Oh my gosh," Penny exclaimed, her motherly instincts kicking in. "Open your mouth. Let me see."

"No matter," he whimpered, clearly trying to be brave. "I'll be feeling better by supper."

Penny eventually relented and went to gather her school supplies from her room.

"Thank your brother for me!" Bash called defiantly.

She rolled her eyes, wondering what on Earth was going on between the two men.

•••

The girls all gathered around Prissy's desk as Diana presented the sixpence she would be giving to the upcoming bride. They had all immediately swarmed to her like moths to a candle to fawn over her engagement. Penny managed a smile, but she couldn't help exchanging a disapproving glance with Anne.

"Diana, you're such a dear," Prissy gushed. "Thank you. Now I have everything I'll need for the perfect wedding. Penny, you'll still be my bridesmaid, won't you?"

Seeing her hopeful glance made Penny smile. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world." The two girls hugged.

"Prissy, do you have a bridal veil?" Anne asked.

Prissy nodded. "I'm going to be wearing my mother's. It's a tradition in our family."

Anne stared at Diana's gift. "You should keep this sixpence and hand it down to your daughters."

Josie walked over and took it away from her. "What are we buying?"

Ruby explained. "Diana got a genuine sixpence for Prissy, all the way from London."

Diana smiled. "I wrote to my cousin two months ago, as soon as I heard about the engagement. I'm just glad it got here in time."

"Something old, something new," Tillie recited.

"Something borrowed, something blue," Jane continued.

Penny put her hand on Prissy's shoulder. "And a silver sixpence in her shoe," she finished.