Carrots.//Gilbert&Anne

15

Somewhere deep inside, Anne knew Gilbert wasn't coming back, though she wouldn't admit it to anyone, let alone to herself.

When she woke up the next morning after Gilbert Blythe had left Avonlea, she knew she wouldn't see him in the small, loving town that he once resided in. She tried to move on, she tried so hard.

But she couldn't.

In the small schoolhouse, whenever the door would creak and a new student would arrive, Anne's heart always skipped a beat, for she wanted it to be Gilbert. It was never him, and it never would be him. By the time her her high school graduation came, she could barely remember the boys voice. Though she cherished his words, his almond brown eyes, and his brown locks that were to die for, little details of the boy began to disintegrate in her mind.

Years passed, summers and springs greeted and bid farewell to Green Gables, and Anne grew along with the seasons. College went by, and yet another graduation was celebrated. Matthew passed on, Marilla grew old and weary...And Anne never forgot about Gilbert.

She was 23 when it happened.

It had only been a couple months since Matthews passing, and Anne's heart ached terribly. She went to town to pick up some vegetables for Marilla's stew, when someone caught her eye. She believed she was dreaming, of course, until she heard his voice.

"How many tomatoes?" He asked the woman beside him.

"I think 3 should be good." The tall blonde replied, and Anne's heart immediately became green with envy. The girl was pretty, and tall, the perfect match for Gilbert. After all, it had been 10 years.

She walked up behind him slowly, almost afraid that if she spoke he would disappear.

"Gilbert Blythe?" Anne whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.

He turned around, his eyes widening. "Anne Shirley Cuthbert...my god it's you!" He exclaimed, wrapping his arms around the girl and twirling her around. Anne smiled shyly as she returned the embrace.

"How've you been?" Gilbert questioned, a huge grin planted on his face.

"I've been alright, Green Gables is well, except that Matthew unfortunately passed a couple months ago." She announced.

Gilbert's face fell and he shook his head. "He was so lovely, I'm upset I didn't know, I would've come to the service...Anne I'm so sorry, really."

"Yeah...so what are you doing out here? On the skirts of Avonlea?" Anne asked, her eyes traveling to the blonde behind Gilbert, who was deeply focused on her tomato picking. The redhead felt her heart sink when she saw a sparkling ring on the woman's ring finger.

"Business brought me." He replied simply, not explaining in anymore depth. Anne simply nodded and pointed to the figure behind him. "Who's that?"

"Oh! That's Cara."

Anne swallowed thickly and nodded. "She's beautiful."

Gilbert shrugged. "I guess, I've known her for about 9 years now, she's amazing. Was with the family when I moved up north, and we've been inseparable ever since."

"I bet, she seems lovely."

"Yeah, the best cousin anyone could ever ask for."

Anne choked at that, almost screaming like a child when she contemplated what he had said. "C-cousin?"

"Of course, what'd you think?" Gilbert smirked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing...I thought absolutely nothing." She lied.

Gilbert chuckled and took Anne's hand into his, guiding her over to Cara so that they could meet. The three talked for a while, about Gilbert's treatments, for he was cancer free now. They spoke of what had happened in Avonlea while he was gone. Cara told Anne all about her engagement. Gilbert spoke of the times he and Anne had in Avonlea, leaving out some of the most intimate details, of course. Soon they realized time had slipped away, and dusk was upon them.

"I should be getting home." Anne announced, giving Gilbert one last hug.

Gilbert gave Cara a look, indicating that he wanted some time alone. She nodded and made up the dumb excuse of needing to go check if her tomatoes were still red.

"Anne?"

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry."

Anne's eyes flicked down to the ground and she smiled a bit. "It's fine, everyone gets busy."

"But I promised you, Anne, I promised I'd come back and I—"

"Gilbert! Really, it's fine! I must be getting back to Marilla however, I have been gone for way too long." Anne rambled. Her heart began to hurt as she thought of what was happening. This was it, this was the last time she would see the boy that she had dreamed of for a decade, this would be the last time she saw the first boy she ever truly loved.

After giving Gilbert a soft kiss on the cheek, Anne began to walk away, moving slower than usual. She wanted him to follow her, she wanted him to call her back, to pull her into his arms and tell her he loved her. But he didn't.

He let her walk away, and he left, just like the day he had called her Carrots for the 2nd time.

History repeats.

*

Epilogue is coming, and then that's all folks :')