In the Woods When First We Met

80. Closer

"What did he want?" Gilbert asked as they started to walk home after school.

Anne pulled her coat more tightly around herself. She could still feel Billy's grasp on her arm. "I don't know- he said something, but I...I couldn't pay attention." She made a frustrated noise and said, "What an abhorrent creature! I wish Marilla had let me come to school when I was sick. I could have sneezed on him or something...I want him to catch something awful and have to stay out of school for weeks and weeks..."

"I promise," Gilbert said solemnly, "If anyone at school gets sick, I'll do everything I can to get Billy to catch it from them."

"You're a good person, Gilbert."

Gilbert laughed.

Then Anne laughed too.

They came to the meadow.

"Well, here we are," Anne said awkwardly. "Another weekend..."

Gilbert nodded slowly. "Yeah...but hey, we still have church, right?"

Anne said, "Oh. You know, I was thinking. So you don't have to wait in the cold- if something happens, I mean- I was thinking I could close the shade. I'll leave the shade open in the morning and if I can't come to school, I'll close it." She pointed out which window was hers.

It was too far away for him to be able to see whether or not the shade was down, though. "I can come a little closer," he said.

She bit her lip. "No," she said, "On second thought, I don't think you should do this anymore. It's asking a lot of you. You've had to wake up earlier and walk over here, and it's cold now...I can't ask you to do that."

Gilbert smiled. "You didn't ask me to do it. I offered."

"But you can't keep doing this forever. And it's not fair to you." She protested.

"Well maybe I just like walking with you. Have you ever thought of that?" He smiled.

Anne looked away, trying not to smile. She felt awkward.

"Okay," she said.

Then she changed the subject. "So you'll be at church this Sunday, then? Unless your father is doing worse..."

"No, he's actually been having some really good days lately. Yeah, I'll be there, especially with it being a communion Sunday."

"It seems they have communion here a lot."

"Once a month," Gilbert said.

"Does the reverend bring it to your father?"

"No, someone from the diaconate board visits him."

"Seems like the reverend ought to do the visiting. Isn't that part of being a reverend, visiting the sick?"

Gilbert smiled, "Well, my fathers' never cared much for the reverend. Always talks about how the old one was better."

Anne said, "I have to admit I'm not too fond of him myself. He makes everything sound so dreary. I recognize that he's in the business of saving souls, and that's all well and good, but he reminds me of the old saying 'you'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar'. He doesn't have to make the world seem to be such a desolate place. All fire and brimstone and pillars of salt! God made the world spectacularly beautiful. It isn't a sin to enjoy it, is it? It can't be."

"I quite agree," Gilbert said. "I'd rather see the good in the world."

They smiled at each other.