OSTRACIZE | GILBERT BLYTHE

7

"Ellis!" Carter shouted as he stood beside Gilbert. Gilbert couldn't help but look at his eye but yet he couldn't be hypocritical his eye too was reddened and bruised.

"Yes?"

Ellis ran into the kitchen,stopping in her tracks once she saw Gilbert.

"What happened to your face?" She questioned to Gilbert now he matched her brother and she couldn't help but feel a deep sadness for both of them.

She wanted to rush up to him, to check if he was okay - but she just couldn't.

He left her.

"Don't worry about me Ellis." Gilbert smiled, showing her that he was in fact, fine.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'll leave you two alone." Carter said, he turned to Gilbert and whispered "Good luck Bud." And with that he left.

"I brought you your reader." Gilbert stepped closer to the girl, trying to pass her the book.

"Why?" Ellis questioned, shifting all her weight onto her left leg.

"So that you can catch up for when you come back." Gilbert smiled, Ellis wore her hair up, in a long pony tail, she had trousers on too, which was unusual. Gilbert assumed she had been working on the farm.

"I'm not going back. So I am afraid you wasted your time coming up here, Blythe." Ellis took the book from his grip and threw it on to the table.

"Ellis. What happened?" Gilbert questioned taking a seat at the table. He motioned for her to take a seat too, Ellis sighed and sat down.

"Nothing."

"Ellis. Billy told me what Anne said to you." Gilbert admitted and the girl turned bright red. "What she said. That wasn't right.-"

"Gilbert-"

"Ellis!" William shouted from his room. "Fetch me some tea!" Ellis tried her hardest not to jump at her Pops raised voice.

"Yes pops." Ellis shouted back. "Gilbert, would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you." Gilbert replied politely.

He watched as Ellis rushed to put the kettle over the stove until it boiled. She darted around the kitchen, fetching the cups and sources, along with milk and sugar to place them on a tray.

"The kettle." Gilbert reminded the frantic girl.

"Thank you." She smiled and poured the boiling water into the cup. "Two minutes."

Ellis knocked on her Pops door before entering, it was a slow movement that she did to make sure that she didn't stir him if he was asleep but he wasn't so she announced,

"Here you go Pops." She placed the tea tray down on his table.

"Why are you wearing trousers?" William questioned pouring his milk into the tea.

"I was helping Carter on the farm-"

"Ah yes that co-"

"Pops, did you know that Gilbert Blythe was here?" Ellis questioned before he could raised his voice at her. The statement almost shocked him out of his anger.

"No. Bring the boy in." He instructed and Ellis nodded and ran to the kitchen to fetch the curly haired boy.

"G-Gilbert." Gilbert turned to look at Ellis as she stuttered.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She nodded, a bit too quick for his liking.

"Pops wants to see you."

Gilbert stood up from his seat and walked over to Ellis, he placed his hand on the small of her back as she guided him to William's room.

"Sir." Gilbert nodded, shaking the mans hand.

"How are you doing Blythe?" William questioned calmly.

Ellis enjoyed having company round, her Pops never shouted then.

"I'm fine thank you sir, what about yourself?" Gilbert asked standing next to Ellis who sat on the chair next to William's bed, her leg bouncing up and down.

"Okay, be better if my tea wasn't cold." He chuckled, sending a sharpe glare to Ellis. In Gilbert's eyes it was only playful because he smiled at him afterwards, but Ellis knew better. "And your father boy, how is he?"

"He could be better." Gilbert admitted, his eyes looking around the room. That was until they fell on some army medals. William was in charge of Johns rank. "I don't think I can repay you for saving my fathers life Mr Bennett." Gilbert paused with a genuine smile. "You're a hero."

"No, no." William shook his head. He enjoyed talking about his days in the army. They were some of the best days of his life.

"Yes sir." Gilbert turned to Ellis. "Has your Grandfather ever told you the story about how he saved my father?"

"A couple of hundred times." Ellis responded sarcastically.

"If it wasn't for you, Sir, I wouldn't be here. My father wouldn't be here."

"I did what any good solider woul - should have done." William grinned, the corners of his eyes creasing up.

"But it was not just any solider. It was you." Gilbert ran his hand through his hair as he glanced at the medals again, gratefully.