OCEANS | shirbert

XI. The Flowers

A/N - Hi! I'm so so so stressed with finals and I thought of updating bc your comments always cheer me up, so here it is! CHAPTER 11 ALREADY! Anyway, enjoy and don't forget to leave your vote and DON'T BE A SILENT READER!

CHAPTER XI

The Flowers

in which Anne Shirley-Cuthbert receives an unexpected present

It was the seventh day that Anne had skipped school. Marilla and Jerry had tried to get her out of her room, but it was impossible. She had not let anyone visit her. This was the first death the girl had ever experienced, considering that she did not remember a thing about her real parents. This was the first time that she was actually grieving for someone. And it felt terrible.

Everytime she closed her eyes at night, she saw the image of Matthew in a coffin. She felt guilty and mostly selfish. She was grieving for him and she could not even imagine was Marilla was going through, considering this is the second brother she had lost. The fact of knowing that Marilla was suffering too, made her feel even worse, if possible. She did not know what to do to make the pain go away; nothing felt appealing anymore.

However, she did know that there was one person in this world that could understand how she felt. But it had been a whole week since the funeral and that person had not even tried to visit her.

Ruby Gillis tried to visit on Thursday, but it was no use. She left a Sheperd's pie in the kitchen, though. Charlie Sloane and Moody Spurgeon came the following day after school. Cole had made all the way from Charlottetown to see her, since he was not able to attend the funeral. Diana Barry had hopelessly tried to get to her every single day since Matthew's death. She had stood before her bosoms friend's bedroom door each and every day, but she got no response.

That day was no different. It was Tuesday, and Diana was on her way to Green Gables, when she spotted the blurry figure of Gilbert Blythe in the distance. His heavy steps on the snow were breaking the calm silence of that cold winter afternoon.

"Gilbert" she said as she approached him, making the boy turn around quietly. He was wearing a thick coat and the scarf he always wore. Gilbert Blythe's particular playful and teasing smile had been replaced by a mournful expression. Snow was resting gently in his dark curls and his hazel eyes were worried. His nose was red from the cold and he was holding a tiny bouquet of flowers; yellow, red, blue flowers — a colour splash that made the whitish horizon of Avonlea less monotonous.

Flowers? This time of the year?  Diana wondered, studying them carefully. Seeing the silky paper that surrounded the flowers and the decorative pink ribbon, she figured he must have bought them from that expensive florist in Charlottetown, the one his father went to whenever Mrs. Barry was mad at him, which was, unfortunately, quite frequently.

"Diana, hello"

"Are those for Anne?" the girl pointed at the flowers with a small smile on her face.

"Yes" he said, griping the flower bouquet tightly. "I don't even know if we're on speaking terms but... yes"

His mind went back to the day of the funeral. He had given her the comfort he figured she needed, but they had not exchanged a single word. He had held her in his arms until Marilla was done with receiving people and came, telling Anne that they needed to go back home. The redhead did not say a thing, so Marilla thanked Gilbert for being there for the girl. "I appreciate it, Gilbert" the woman had said, looking exhausted. "You truly are an admirable young man"