Welcome to Avonlea

Chapter 2

When the buggy slowed, I looked again and got on my knees taking in the home. "Green Gables." He clicked his tongue at the horse. "Woah now." "I've pinched myself so many times today. Every little while, this horrible sickening feeling would come over me, and I'd be so afraid that this was all a dream. But I just had to one more time. This is real. Green Gables is real and we're home." "Mare." I smiled as I leaned forward and stared at everything the home and land had to offer. I almost felt like pinching myself when he had the horse bring the buggy to the house. "This is amazing." I caught Matthew's eye and smiled a little.

He helped both Anne and I from the buggy. Reaching into the back to get my bag and turning back to the house. Slowly walking towards the white and green house, I stopped hearing the door open and saw the look on what must be his sister's face, and she didn't look happy. "Mathew Cuthbert, who are they? Where are the boys?" I stared at the ground knowing it was too good to be true. They wanted boys, not girls. I looked to the side knowing Mathew didn't move far from the buggy. He knew and still brought us here. "There wasn't any boys. Only these two." "No boys? But there must of been boys. We sent word to Mrs. Spencer to bring back two boys." I took a deep breath to calm myself. "Well, she didn't. She brought them. I asked the station master, I had to bring them home." My eyes closed feeling nothing but disappointed. There was a mistake and now it came to us either being sent away to someone else or the asylum who would push us onto another family that would use us.

I chanced a look at Anne and saw the devastated look on her face. "They couldn't be left there, no matter where the mistake came in." The woman let out a breath showing she was frustrated with this development. "Well, this is a pretty piece of business." "They need to go back." "You don't want us?" "Anne. Don't." I whispered to her but I could barely hear myself. "I should've expected it. I might have known nobody would really want us." She dropped to the ground and I stood off to the side ready to turn back and walk the night back to the train station. "Oh, for heaven's sake child. What are you going to do on the ground?" The woman moved closer and leaned over. "Now you listen here and get up." I glanced at Anne refusing to move, not that I could either. There was nothing at the moment that could bring us comfort. "What do you make of this?" "I, um... Because they traveled a long way to be disappointed." "Well, they shouldn't be here. You should have never brought them home."

My feet walked over to and and leaned enough to place a hand on her shoulder, giving a small squeeze. "Enough of this foolishness. Come along inside. I'm speaking to you child." Putting my bag on the ground, I reached for her arm. "Anne, please stand up." "Little girl. Little girl!" "Little girl? I wish I was anything but." "There's no point in crying. There's been a mistake is all. We're not gonna turn either of you out the doors for the night. What are your names?" I glanced at the woman. "Lydia Shirley." "And you." She looked at me then to Anne. "What does it matter? Neither of us will be here long enough for you to remember." Normally I would stop her, but I did also feel disappointed that we were a mistake on someone else's part. "You will mind your manners and answer the question." "Please... call me Cordelia."

My eyes closed at her wanting to use a character she made up. But it was who she wanted to see herself as and be. "Call you Cordelia? Is that your name?" "Or Penelope. Penelope has a very tragical ring to it." "What is your name child?" I went over to my bag and picked it up and stayed silent. "Couldn't you call me either of those?" The woman looked completely fed up with how she was acting and she knew it. "My name is Anne. Plain Anne." "Anne is a fine name. Lydia as well. Sensible names." "Could you please spell it with an 'e' when you speak it? Anne with a 'e' looks much more distinguished." "Very well then. Lydia. Anne with an 'e'. It's time to come inside. Get yourself up now." I reached for her arm and helped her stand. I took deep breaths when the woman led the way into the house. I froze a little in the doorway realizing I didn't know her name.