WHEN WE WERE YOUNG (Anne with an E Short Stories)

Anne & Gilbert - More Than A Country Doctor

ANNE sat happily in her chair by the stove, there was a stew boiling happily and she had just finished her second cup of mint tea with honey as she marked her student's assignments. She had tasked them with writing stories around the idea of living in harmony with nature. Fortunately, there were a good handful of stories full of imaginative language and ideas. One student had written one about a magical tree house, where she would live within the canopy of the tree to keep a nest of sea eagles company as they hatched and grew up into strong birds that roamed the skies. Another personal favourite of hers was a student's story of setting up a forest feast of nuts, berries, fruits and vegetables to dine with the forest creatures before they went into hibernation. She could tell that these were dreams and thoughts they must have spent a good deal of time thinking about - and was glad for it.

As a child, her imagination had been everything. Her secret weapon on the darkest of nights and the longest of days. It was only now, that she realised that even her wildest of dreams could come true. But even so, she loved to continue running away with her imagination. Little red-hair-hating Anne would never have believed that one day she would love her freckle-filled face, maybe because of the countless night's Gilbert had spent connecting the constellations and kissing at the stars. She would have never imagined loving her long thin body, which after having two children had grown more curvaceous than she would have ever thought. She even loved her hair, the bane of her childhood existence. She would never now imagine trying to dye it a different colour, especially now that her son had the brightest red hair and warmest brown eyes. He reminded her of a warmly baked cinnamon cookie, with his kind nature and bubbly giggled whenever she ticked his stomach. Even her imagination had limits, but she was glad that this was not a dream, it was too good to be gone.

Anne Blyth had four more assignments to mark before the door flung open of her little home.

"Anne! Anne! Anne!" Gilbert exclaimed, he raced into the room, his muddy boots trekking mud into their house. She looked up and put her pen down quickly to stand up.

"What's wrong?" she asked quickly, monitoring her breathless husband. He took a moment to catch his breath. He held a piece of paper in his hand, which looked a lot like a letter.

"You wont belive it," he breathed handing her the letter. She took it quickly and stepped closer to the light. His breaths echoed against the walls.

"You have been invited to attend a seminar at the Sorbonne!" she breathed looking up at him with bright eyes. "But Gil, that's fantastic. Congratulations" she giggled wrapping her arms around him to hug him. "You have wanted this for so long!" she smiled looking up at him.

"But what about you, the kids?" he asked quickly. Anne's soft smile made him feel calm. He had mixed feelings about the news the whole time, but her soft smile and bright eyes made him feel as if they could fly to the moon and back—as if the impossible were possible.

"I am not letting you give up Paris again Blyth. You are going, we can come with you?" she smiled pressing a quick kiss on his lips. "I will not let you be a country doctor, this is what you were meant to do" she whispered.

Gilbert couldn't say a word; he didn't know how to explain his relief at what she said. After spending so much time away from his family, he despised the thought of being so far away for so long. "You will come to Europe with me, Anne?" he smiled happily. His arms were comfortably around her waist.

"Well, what question is that? I would love to see the world with you" she smiled with a giggle. She didn't know that she could be this excited about so many things before. She was excited that her husband could finally achieve his dream of going to the Sorbonne and that she could go to France. It sounded like a beautiful place from what Jerry's family had explained to her. "I knew you would do it," she told him honestly.

"I can't believe it, honestly. It arrived this afternoon. I don't even know how they know about me" he added.

"They said they had read your published book. Your colleagues said it was inspired, perhaps they forwarded it on? But who cares? Should I pinch you?" she asked, her hands resting on her hips. It was the look she gave their kids when they were on the precipice of doing something naughty.

"I will let you know love. Besides, you are burning dinner" he shrugged with a laugh before sitting down to untie his shoes. Their little moment was soon to be interrupted by their kids whose pattering feet announced their entrance into the room. Just like that, all went back to normal, with the table being set. With children refusing to eat their vegetables and with a bedtime story and quick good night.

As Gilbert lay in bed, staring at the wooden ceiling he whispered into the dark. "I think you'll need to pinch me, Anne". He thought she was asleep. The quick moment and soft giggle confirmed that she was not. Anne placed a kiss on his chest.

"There, see. Not a dream" she whispered before closing her eyes and welcoming sleep.