In the Woods When First We Met

125. Cookie Baking

A few days before Christmas, Marilla told Anne they needed to make cookies.

"Oh, good," Anne said happily. "What kind can we make? Can we make snickerdoodles? And shortbread cookies? We could chop up pecans to put in the shortbread, I think that would really add something extra to it, don't you? Ooh, and can we make icing so we can have little sandwich cookies? Tillie brought some for lunch one day and she said they were called whoopie pies. Isn't that a funny name? And can we make the kind where you put your thumb in the middle and there's jam in it? Marilla, do you have any Confectioner's sugar?"

Marilla laughed. "I was thinking of sugar cookies, but I suppose I wasn't being creative enough. Let me see what we have that we can use."

Marilla liked to keep things neat and tidy, but Anne's idea of a good time involved being liberal with the sugar and singing as she worked.

Marilla began by telling her to be careful where she poured things and to stop spinning around before she knocked mixing bowls off the table, but quickly gave up, being unable to quell Anne's excitement over getting ready for Christmas.

Finally, Marilla made the decision to find it amusing instead of a bother. There was no need to criticize her, it was nothing that couldn't be cleaned up in the end. Besides, Anne was happy and full of energy, and that brought Marilla relief.

Finally Marilla decided that working together in the kitchen would be an ideal time for she and Anne to have a heart to heart talk about whatever had been troubling Anne.

"I thought you might want to talk to me while we work," Marilla said.

"We are talking," Anne said, laughing as the flour puffed back up into her face.

"I meant about what was troubling you. Remember the other day, you said you wanted to ask me about something, but you were too tired to talk, and you said you'd talk about it later."

"Oh," Anne said, stopping short.

"Wouldn't this be a good time for the two of us to talk? We're busy working together, and Matthew's out for the afternoon."

Anne didn't say anything.

Marilla noticed how quickly she had changed from carefree and talkative, to serious and quiet.

"Anne?" Marilla prompted.

Anne didn't move for a moment, and then she slowly said, "I don't think I want to talk about it anymore."

"Anne-"

"Well, see, Marilla, something was worrying me, but it all worked out now, so there's no problem anymore," Anne tried to say.

"But don't you think you ought to tell me what it was?"

I will, Anne thought. I will soon. Just give me a little time.

"It doesn't seem important anymore," Anne shrugged.

Then she turned to Marilla. "We're baking too many cookies just for us. Who are we going to share them with?"

"Don't change the subject, we're talking about you now," Marilla said.

"But there's nothing to talk about!" Anne said.

"The fact that you won't tell me makes me worry it was something serious," Marilla began.

Anne didn't look at her, preparing to tell a lie.

"It was about school. I was upset. Mr. Phillips is mean to us sometimes. He makes fun of some of us for how we look and he laughs at us when we get answers wrong."

Marilla looked upset. "Perhaps I'll go in and speak to him-"

"No!" Anne said. "Don't. See, it's all right now. He doesn't do it anymore. That's why I didn't want to mention it. Because I didn't want you to overreact since he's being so much nicer now, there's no need..."

Marilla looked unhappy, but placated. "All right. If you're sure. But you'll tell me if he's back to it, won't you? Being strict is one thing, but being cruel is another."

"Yes, yes, of course I will," Anne assured her. "Now who are we going to take cookies to?"

Marilla smiled. "Jerry, for starters. We'll send Jerry home with a great big basket of cookies. I'm sure his family will appreciate that."

"Marilla..." Anne began, remembering what Gilbert had suggested about Jerry's family helping her with her baby.

"Yes?"

"Do you know if Jerry has any sisters who need a job?"

"I don't know if they do or not," Marilla said. "What's got you thinking about jobs?"

"Nothing. I just...I know their family needs money, so I just wondered..."

"Did you hear about a position open somewhere?" Marilla asked, curious. "We can certainly let Jerry know. He can take the news home to his family and see what they think."

Anne shook her head. "No, I don't know of any. I just thought if one opened up, that's all."

Marilla gave her a strange look.

"If a job happened to come along..." Anne trailed off, then spoke up, "Marilla, do you know how much money somebody would want for watching a baby?"

"I haven't had much cause to think about something like that, not being in need of those services myself," she said with an amused look.

Anne didn't look amused.

Marilla said, "What's this all about? You look troubled."

Anne tried to look cheerful. She couldn't say that she was inquiring about it because she herself might need to find a girl who could do some babysitting.

So instead she said, "Oh, I thought about seeing if I could do some babysitting for someone."

"That surprises me," Marilla said. "I thought you were relieved your days of minding children were over."

Anne took a breath and peaked into the oven to check on the cookies. "Well, babies aren't so bad. It might even be fun."

It wouldn't be fun, she thought, looking in at the cookies through the oven door. But as I haven't got any choice in the matter, I may as well try to make the best of it and imagine that it could be fun.