Butterflies~~ Shirbert

Chapter twenty: Treacherous red hair

Mathew cuthbert awoke the next morning and began his daily routine. As he stood up from his bed the old floorboards creaked under his weight. He bent over the down filler mattress and spread the blanket out as neatly as he could then fluffed the pillow and propped it up against the wall. Ever since his mother died when he was thirteen and his sister Marilla took him under her wing. He had learned to be very tidy, when he was a youngster since him and Marilla bickered constantly, mostly over Mathew taking over the farm work and cleaning up behind himself. He was forced to grow up too young, both of them were.

He tried to shake these thoughts from his mind as he walked to his wooden chair and sat down. In front of him a mirror was displayed, it had one clean crack through the center of it, a imperfection caused by a ball he had thrown at it on accident when he was fourteen. He remembered the lengthy  lecture he received from a sixteen year old Marilla.
The man combed his hair, washed his face with the cold water that filled his wash basin, then changed into his work clothes. When he looked in the mirror after lacing up his boots he noticed a piece of parchment peaking out from behind the edge of the glass. He walked over with his eyes furrowed in confusion. He opened the folded paper quickly to discover that is was a drawing of Anne. His beloved child Anne. In the picture her hair was loose and streamed down her shoulders, her face showed pure bliss. With the wide smile on dimpled cheeks, and the wildflowers scattered throughout her lead portrayed hair, she looked the most Anne.
The father smiled warmly, after examining the photo his eyes fell on a note written in neat curly handwriting that undoubtedly belonged to Anne.
I love you my dearest Mathew, you are and will always remain my father whom I am forevermore grateful for.
~Anne Shirley-Cuthbert
P.s. My beloved friend Cole drew this, isn't he the most spectacular artist.
Mathews smile grew wider as he put the paper down and walked down the stairs to find the one and the only Anne dancing with a broom in the dinning room. He stood there for a moment taking in the performance in front of him.

Just as he was about to go downstairs the sound of a knock filled the house causing him to stop short in his tracks, being the shy person he was. He watched with a knowing grin as Anne dropped the broom startled by the noise and began tidying her hair and dress before partaking in a heated argument with Marilla on why she could not get the door.
"But Marilla I simply can not face him, I-I, you don't understand."
"Anne I will not make that young man wait outside the door any longer, I don't understand what so terrible had happened that is preventing you from having decent manners."
"But Marilla we are in a figh-
"I won't hear it, off you go."
Anne turned around as Marilla pushed her forward.
"Marilla I can't."

But before she knew it she was at the door and had to hold her tongue for the worry that he mightn't hear her even more. As he surely overheard her protests, considering she was rather vocal. She took a deep breath rubbing her temples in an attempt to get ahold of herself. After saying a silent prayer asking god to not make it tense between them since she unfairly snapped at him, finally she swung the door open.

Her breath quite literally caught as she took in Gilbert's appearance. His dark curly hair was damp from the pouring rain outside and clung to his forehead. He wore his usual jacket over his work clothes, he looked like he did everyday except a slight change in apparel but
oh did he have an effect on Anne.
Ever since what happened when they walked home Anne found herself looking at Gilbert in a certain way quite often, it was different, some thoughts came the the girls brain that would surely not have when she was a child.

She tried to muster up words to say but as she gazed into his melted chocolate eyes and observed the kind smile he wore all possible greetings left her. As did Gilbert, the two would have stood there in silence mesmerized by each other had Marilla not walked over and insisted on taking Gilbert's coat, her voice knocked them back into reality as Gilbert cleared his throat and said.
"Good morning Anne."
Anne was overtaken by nervousness in that moment. So instead of saying a simple hello she began laughing uncontrollably. Gilbert looked at her quizzically as she covered her mouth in an attempt to stop the noice escaping her lips. After about five seconds Gilbert gave into the contagiousness of Anne's laughter and joined into the joyous noise. Once Gilbert laughed to Anne's chuckles displayed not nervousness but joy as laughter should. Marilla shook her head walking back into the kitchen, the two teens had no idea how to act around each other. It was quite entertaining to watch actually.