In the Woods When First We Met

160. Team Anne

The Andrews had stayed home from church on Sunday to avoid stares, but Monday morning they sent their children to school just like always.

Mr. and Mrs. Andrews had gone back and forth about it before deciding that keeping their children home would make them look guilty.

"After all, Billy didn't do a thing," Mrs. Andrews sniffed. "If we don't send the children to school, people will think he's in some kind of trouble. And he most certainly is not."

So Billy and Jane, along with Prissy, arrived at school on Monday, wondering what things would be like for them there.

Not one of them said a word as they made their way to school.

Prissy did not believe her brother had done a thing wrong- she fully believed the story going around that Anne and Gilbert were blaming their baby on Billy- but secretly Prissy was relieved that the attention and scandal would not be on her anymore.

Jane's stomach had been in knots all weekend, and Monday morning was no different. She had said to the others that Anne wasn't lying, but a lot of good that did her. Billy had been angry with Jane for saying that, but he got over it quickly, since no one seemed to pay attention to Jane's insistence that Anne was telling the truth.

Jane tried to ignore the whispering all around her on Monday morning. She'd even seen Gilbert and Diana whispering to each other. ...But she knew that Gilbert knew the truth, and maybe Diana did, too. She thought about joining them. Maybe there was something they could all figure out together. She got up to walk over to them, but before she could, Mr. Phillips called them to attention.

"All right, everyone, in your seats now. We'll begin with recitations. Turn to page ninety-three..."

The recitations made Gilbert sad. Anne would have loved the section they were reading today.

They began geography next, but not very many of the students paid much attention to their work that morning, and as soon as Mr. Phillips released them for lunch, the whispering continued. Although Billy was denying ever touching Anne, he seemed to be somewhat of a celebrity to most of the boys, and it made Gilbert sick.

Jane took a deep breath and went to join Gilbert and Diana, who were sitting by themselves on the boy's side, talking to each other as they ate their lunch.

They both looked up when she came over. Jane swallowed hard, nervous, gripping her lunch basket tightly.

"Hi," she said. "Um...can I sit with you?"

"Yeah," Gilbert said, moving over to make room for her.

Jane had known all along about her brother, and Gilbert now knew this, from what Jane had said as she cried outside the privy. But Diana had no idea.

Gilbert turned to Diana and said simply, "Jane knows, Diana."

Jane said nervously, "Um...I wish there was something I could do...for Anne."

Gilbert nodded. "Did you tell your parents?"

Jane shook her head slowly. "I want to, but..."

"What?" Gilbert said, less kindly than before. If Jane wasn't going to stand up for the truth, then why was she here?

"Jane, all the wishing in the world won't do a thing if you're not going to stand up for her." Gilbert was starting to look disgusted and wished he hadn't made room for Jane at all.

"Well, I..." Jane began. Finally she said quietly, "I want to. I'm going to. I am."

"When?" he said with a hard look.

"Today," Jane promised. "I will. Really."

"Jane, how did you know about this?" Diana asked. "Did Anne tell you?"

Jane shook her head. "Billy admitted it to me. Kind of by accident. But now I know."

"And you've never done anything about it." Gilbert said flatly. On Friday, he'd been more understanding of Jane's predicament, but today he felt less sympathetic.

"I wanted to, I did, really..." Jane insisted, tears coming into her eyes. "I didn't want to think my brother could do something so awful, and..."

"But he did do it, and you knew about it," Gilbert said.

Jane looked like she regretted coming over to sit with them at all.

Diana tried to be kinder to Jane than Gilbert was. "Jane, I understand, it's hard when someone you love does something bad. I'm sure Anne doesn't blame you for anything. But Gilbert is right, you've got to do the right thing and tell your parents the truth."

Jane nodded, wiping her eyes quickly. "I will," she said. "I promise."

"There has to be something we can do to help Anne," Diana said. "But I don't know what we could do."

"Is it true...what everyone's saying, about you and Anne getting married?" Jane asked.

"No," Gilbert said, "Of course not. The whole thing is ridiculous- Anne's too young to get married."

"She's too young to have a baby too," Diana said softly. "What in the world is going to happen to her? My mother wouldn't let me spend any time with her at all after what she said about Prissy. I only just got her to accept Anne again! And now this! Once my mother hears about this I don't know what she'll do. ...And if Anne has a baby I'll never be allowed to speak to her again!" Diana looked like she was going to cry.

"Let's not panic," Jane said, sounding stronger than she felt, "Let's be sensible. There's no point in worrying about something that may never happen. It's foolish. I'll tell my parents the truth about Billy, and Diana, you'll have to figure out some way of getting your mother to see that Anne is a good person, and Gilbert, you'll..." She looked at him, then finished, "You'll just do what you've done all along."