OCEANS | shirbert

IX. The Dream

CHAPTER IX

The Dream

in which Christmas is an excuse to think about future dreams

Charlottetown, two months after the storm

A couple of days before Christmas, Marilla took Anne to Charlottetown to buy some presents. Anne was obviously rather enthusiastic at the prospect of the holidays. The snow-covered streets were crowded with bustling people getting ready for the upcoming holidays and there was an atmosphere of joy and happiness filling the air that made Anne feel more thankful for being alive than ever. Christmas was her second favourite time of the year — the first was spring, it was way more romantic — because it reminded her of how immensely grateful she was for having a family of her own.

After a never-ending route visiting different shops, Anne was pleased with the presents Marilla and her had bought: a new pipe for Matthew and baby clothes for Bash and Mary. When Marilla Cuthbert had ran, much unfortunately, into an eager for gossip Rachel Lynde, Anne took the chance to sneak away to buy a present for Marilla and another one for Gilbert. The boy took her off-guard last year when he appeared out of the blue with a present for her after more than eight months without seeing each other. This year, Anne would not allow to leave Gilbert Blythe without a present. So, when she stood in front of Charlottetown's antique store, she knew she had found the perfect present for her dearest friend.

Christmas Day had finally arrived, and when a certain redhead, who had been pacing agitatedly around her room, heard a loud knock on the door, she almost tripped over her own feet. Anne Shirley-Cuthbert had been waiting for this moment to arrive for weeks! It's finally Christmas! As she was making her way downstairs, Marilla had already opened the door, revealing their guests: a happily married couple and a very good-looking hazel-eyed boy. His hair was not as messy as usual, he had tried to comb it for the special occasion, but his rebellious, dark curls were still there, resting quietly on top of his head, some of them falling over his forehead.

"Why, good evening, Cuthberts!" Sebastian said with a teethy grin, taking his hat off as he walked into the humble house. Anne thought about how they had met just a year ago, when they were complete strangers. She did not even know Mary yet. And in that moment there was such an ambience of familiarness that made her smile warmly as she walked down the last steps of the staircase. Matthew greeted their guests with a polite nod. He was definetely not a man of words and he was thankful that her sister did all the major social work.

Gilbert had been watching Anne ever since he spotted her walking down the stairs. She was wearing not two, but a single braid — her long, burning auburn hair rested neatly over her back. She was wearing a light grey, silky dress that he figured she had borrowed from Diana Barry. He had never seen her like this, looking so... grown-up, he thought to himself. He smiled at the sight of the girl approaching him graciously. The dress made her almost float down the room, making her look as something straight out of a dream.

"Gilbert" she said politely, yet unable to contain her happiness. She had missed him. They did not see each other as much as they did before; the boy was somehow distant and Anne could tell something was off with him. The times when they did meet, Gilbert always seemed to be in a hurry or talking nervously as if something was bugging his mind. The girl tried to convince herself that it might had to do with the upcoming exams. But she still missed her friend. 

"Anne" he said in a breathy voice. He wanted to tell her how ravishing she looked, and he almost did, but he chose to keep his thoughts to himself, and just gave her the kind of warm smile and tender look he had only reserved for her.