Remains To Be Seen

Unopened Words

**Six months later**

Anne
I was awake early repairing Matthew's jacket. Marilla in the kitchen cooking breakfast. I hummed lightly as I stitched the hole closed.  Diana had gone off to finishing school in Paris. Ruby was still around. As was Jerry still working in the fields with Matthew. Ruby visited often and helped me bake goods to sell for a few coppers in town.
Matthew sauntered down the steps as I tied the last little suture between the two fabrics. I stood making my way to Matthew. I passed him his coat. Taking it gingerly he left out the door. I turned to go help Marilla. We were both startled with a sudden burst of the door swinging open. I looked over my shoulder seeing Jerry. Much taller than he used to be when we first met.
Then again Jerry's and my relationship has soared these last four years. From despise to a familial love. He was a kindred spirit. He'd grown into a kind young man. A now literate, in reading and writing, man. Jerry was like my brother. His family an extension of my own here at Green Gables. I remember one night his family invited us to a celebration before graduation. Dancing and song through the small but joyous home. I'd always cherish my friendships with them and the memories we made.
I snapped back to what was happening when I saw Ruby barrel in as well. Jerry was looking at me like he was waiting for an answer.
       "Why are you causing a ruckus at such an early rise Jerry?" I asked.
       "Did you not just hear moi?" Jerry asked.
       "Hear what?"
Ruby grabbed what was in his hands. She looked at them carefully then looking to me.
         "They're for you," she handed the stack of papers tied with twine.
I shook my head. Nothing comes from me. It must be correspondence from Diana. I had just wrapped my hand around it. Ruby still holding it.
       "What? It must be Diana." I said trying to pull it to me.
        "They're letters," she paused letting go. "From Gilbert."
That was a name I hadn't heard or thought of for a long while. It'd been half a rotation around the sun. I looked at the stack counting 12 enclosed envelopes. 12 letters. I pulled the twine and went through each one. All 12 were from him. From Gilbert Blythe.
My hands went numb. Ruby grabbed the letters before I'd dropped them and let them scatter out of order. She secured the twine again grabbing my arm. She insisted to Marilla she got me. She took me upstairs to my room thanking Jerry.
I sat on my bed with Ruby beside me. She slid the stack of envelopes back in my hands. All I could do was hold onto them. I couldn't bear to open them. What was I going to find. Details of how his marriage was a success. Dates of their wed. An invitation to my deepest despair. I stood tossing them on my desk. I crossed my arms pacing the room.
       "Must you open them?" Ruby insisted.
       "No. I don't want to hear about how his life is a success and how Winifred is a wonderful wife. Like I'd never be."
I stopped when Ruby didn't reply. I looked over to her. She had this sadness on her face. It sunk deep into her eyes. She knew something. She had to. She was Ruby fricken Gillis. She was the princess of gossip. She had ears everywhere. I wouldn't doubt for a second that she had some in Paris as well.
       "You didn't hear," she said.
       "Hear what?"
       "Look at where they were sent from," Ruby urged.

Jerry
It was a brisk morning. The crisp air transitioning from Summer to Autumn. The leaves fell and was creating a nice mulch for some of the crops. I was tossing hay as normally. Summer is over and it had to be put back inside the barn to keep dry.
I tossed another brick of hay as I heard the Cuthbert's door close. I waved to Matthew who was pulling on his jacket eagerly. It was a chillier morning than it had been in the past. Autumn was coming much quicker this year. At least weather wise.
Matthew saw the postal coming towards us. He insisted on taking the hay inside the barn. I'd learned over the years Matthew wasn't a conversationalist. He didn't like many people. Those he did, he loved deeply, cared for strongly. Ruby Gillis was walking beside the postal man with a woven basket. She must be coming to bake with Anne after morning meal. She smiled waving enthusiastically to me. I waved back heading towards them. She thanked the postal for the walk and conversation. He dug through his bag finding a bigger stack of envelopes. Ruby was as shocked as I. He handed them off and tipped his hat continuing to the Blythe Orchard. Ruby squeezed beside me pulling the stack down. She looked at it closely.
          "Miss Anne Shirley Cuthbert from South Africa?"
         "Isn't that where the war is?" I asked her.
         "Who is it from?" She grabbed the letters.
Her eyes went wide when she saw the name. She looked to me. Her mouth slightly agape. She was beautiful. But even now that thought could wait.
        "These are from Gilbert," she said handing me the envelopes. "He must've been drafted. I knew he went somewhere I just didn't expect the war."
        "No wonder no one has heard from him," I said.
We both reminisced over the boy. I had come to like him over time. Gilbert was always kind to me. Always offered a hand and extra money if I'd help around the orchard when the fields at Green Gables were feeble. I'd always refuse his pay. But the boy always found a way to sneak it into my pocket. He was a good man.
       "You need to take these to Anne now Jerry!" Ruby urged.
       "Oui! Come on!" I said pulling Ruby's hand briefly before going full sprint towards the house.
Matthew called at me confused. He was in the barn. He had no idea the urgency of the news.
Swinging the door open we startled Anne and Marilla. Ruby a bit behind me. But we gave the letters to Anne. Ruby had to catch her and the envelopes. Ruby took care of Anne and Marilla grilled me on what they were.
        "The Blythe boy, Gilbert."
        "He sent correspondence?" She pulled boiled eggs out. "It has been awhile since anyone had heard anything from him since his proposal."
        "I doubt he went through with it," I mumbled.
        "Why do you say that?"
        "Those letters were sent from the battlefield."
        "Gilbert was-"
        "Drafted," I completed her thought.
Marilla seemed to be distraught as well. I stepped towards the kitchen and she held her hand. She asked me to get Matthew for breakfast. I did so by timing the porch bell. He seemed to already be on his way.

This breakfast wasn't going to be normal.

A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS MY KINDRED SPIRITS!! A little gift from me to you. Also I'm thinking of the book sequel. We will see how the prewrottwm chapters go :) you'll know when I know
-LM