In the Woods When First We Met

74. Sick Days

Saturday passed uneventfully, but Anne's sleep schedule was all mixed up due to being awake so long on Friday and sleeping past lunch time on Saturday, so Saturday night she couldn't sleep at all and Sunday she slept too much.

Marilla didn't make her go to church Sunday, thinking she was getting sick. Anne wanted to go, hating to not see Gilbert after they'd talked about seeing each other, but Marilla made her stay home and told her not to get out of bed while they were gone. When Matthew and Marilla came home, Anne wanted to ask if they'd seen Gilbert, but of course she couldn't.

On Monday morning she didn't wake up, and Marilla had to come up and get her. But when she woke Anne, she found her feverish, her voice raspy and her throat swollen.

"I'll keep you home," she decided. "If I send you out, you'll only get sicker. It's so cold out."

"Marilla, I have to go," Anne said, her throat scratchy.

"Why, so you can get worse? No, you stay right where you are. I'll bring up some tea and porridge, and then you must rest."

Anne helplessly watched her leave the room. What could she do? Gilbert would be standing at the edge of the woods, in the cold, waiting on her.

Maybe if she acted like she was fine, she could convince Marilla that she wasn't really that sick after all.

She washed her face, got dressed, and combed her hair.

She went downstairs quickly, where Marilla was making oatmeal. She looked up at Anne as she came down.

"What do you think you're doing?" Marilla asked sharply, when she saw her.

"I'm all right, Marilla. I can go to school!" Anne argued.

"Anne, I can barely hear you, your voice is terribly hoarse. Go back upstairs, get back in your nightgown and into bed!"

"But Marilla, I-"

"What did I just tell you?" Marilla asked, her eyebrows raised.

"But-"

"What did I just tell you?" Marilla repeated herself.

Anne gave up. "...to go to bed."

"Then where should you be?"

"...in bed." Anne sighed, exasperated.

"Then go. And not another word." Marilla sounded just as exasperated.

Anne stomped up the stairs, frustrated that she couldn't do anything. She undressed and got back into bed, feeling terrible that Gilbert was getting cold in the snow waiting on her.

She'd feel even worse on Tuesday morning, because Marilla would keep her home again, and that meant Gilbert would be standing in the snow waiting for her twice. She hoped he wouldn't get sick.