Remains To Be Seen

Home For A Moments Time

Gilbert
It had only been a weeks time since I had dropped Anne off at the Queens Academy, I had already recieved a letter and I wasn't even fully moved into the U of T dormitories. But I was happy to see she was already thinking of me. I was thinking about her nonstop. I quickly threw my belongings on my bed and started writing. As I was mid letter the door freaked open.
"You look as if you moved in comfortably," a boy around my age said stepping inside with one milk carton of belongings.
"Umm yes I presume it looks that way," I said standing from the desk.
"You must be Gilbert Blythe. I'm your dorm mate, my name is Aaron Marks," he introduced setting his things on the other side of the dorm.
"Pleasure," I spoke shaking his extended hand.
"What are you writing?"
"A letter," I said as vaguely as possible.
"To whom? Family back home already?"
"Yes and no," I said sitting back down.
"A girl?" He teased putting his things away specifically.
I could tell he liked things to be neat. Nice and clean. As I had grown up that was the expectation. The letter today just throw myself off. I was too excited to write back to my Anne.
"Well, yes. My uhh..my fiancée technically," I stated slowly.
"Already found the girl of your dreams. Good for you Blythe. I can't wait to meet her."
"She is actually advancing her studies at the academy. She's to become a teacher."
He tsked his lips multiple times. Almost like in disappointment. I was confused and decided to let the comment slide. That was until he continued to say the next thing. Saying that Anne was not wife material.
"You know nothing of my partner and you are not to speak of her in that way Mr.Marks," I stated harshly.
"Feel free to get yourself settled in silence along with your thoughts."
"So she is the one. I'm headed to chow, it's open for another hour if you are hungry."
I watched Aaron walk out the door. I hadn't realized how defensive I had been. I must be missing Anne more than I thought. I hadn't gotten used to the idea that I wouldn't have to protect her from people like Billy. I wouldn't be seeing her each day.
When classes begun I found I had gotten lost in my studies. The occasional letter form Anne would arrive and I would do my best to respond quickly. I had addressed to her myself in the letter that the workload had been advancing. Getting a bit difficult. I had begun to have doubts that I would make it as a doctor. Though the next letter was encouragement and understanding. She spoke that it was okay if I wasn't to mail back. She would still do so weekly.
I don't know how I came to deserve a sound mind as kind as Anne's. She was truly the epitome of selflessness. Not a single selfish bone in her body. Not a drop of bad blood in her system. She was good. The truest form of it. And I adored her tremendously for it.
It took awhile for me to warm up to Aaron. But we began to become somewhat of friends. He would ask me if Anne when I would write to her. That's what we bonded over mostly. Though he was not in a courted relationship or anything of the sort with a girl. But he was a good listener. And he pestered me into returning Anne's letter. That was when he would find them in the mail when I would get deep in my works.
"Next week is break Gilbert. Are you to visit Anne in Queens?" he asked eagerly.
"I was planning on it. Where are you going?"
"I was wondering if I could go with you?"
"Mustn't you have family?"
"You see any letters around here? My family has since disowned me, so no I have no family."
"Why did they if you don't mind my asking?"
"Well, as my dorm mate you might as well know I don't like girls."
"Well, I think I have someone you should meet in Charlottetown," I said smiling.
"What do you mean?"
"Someone with the same views as you. He's an artist," I stated.
"I'd love to meet him. Thank you Gilbert."
"I must mail Anne then. Make plans for a day in Charlottetown."
Aaron was excited. I was as well. Anne would be proud of my gesture towards Aaron. I wrote that I was not a fan of him at first. But I believe Cole and he would get along. Anne had told me of Cole's sexuality in curiosity of my thoughts as an inquiring doctor. I was lucky to be blessed with Anne's forward views that influenced and inspired my own. Anne was one whom constantly inspired me. I am constantly astonished by her vast mind and ability to feel for others. If it had been anyone else, or if I hadn't met Anne, I don't think I'd be as accepting.
I wrote to Anne quickly. Barely finishing in time to send it with the post.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anne,
I know you just got a letter from me, but I have more news. I am planning on visiting you. We have a small vacation between studies. I'm actually bringing my dorm mate Aaron with me. I'm hoping to introduce him to Cole, as they are alike. If you please send word to Josephine that would be greatly obliged. My letter will take too much time itself to get to Charlottetown.
On other thoughts, I was thinking of you today in my Literacy class. My professor had just given us a new assignment. To write about the person we love most. It is quite a challenge to pick a single person as there are many capacities of love. For I love Delphine like she is my own, Bash as he is like my father. My own father or mother as they are my blood. Or you whom I love with my whole being. I was thinking of writing one for each of them. My professor may get annoyed again with my extra work.
Anyways, I must finish up my work and I will see you soon Carrots.
Love,
Gilbert
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anne
I smiled reading Gilbert's letters one after the other. He was visiting me. I was about to write to him that I had time to visit him in Toronto. I was just about to pack my bag. But I was glad he was coming home. I missed him tremendously. Whenever I did I'd write him or stare at the ring on my finger. Though, the Queens Academy Headmistress had tried to set up meetings with suitors for myself, I had met them in curiosity of their many lives. I wrote to Gilbert about the Headmistress' attempts. And I told the suitors that I was engaged. All were very kind and true kindred spirits. Though I'd never seen any of them again after that meeting in the Parlor. The other girls used the parlor all the time. They argued whose turn it was all the time.
Diana was even engulfed in the atrocities of the parlor. At least that's what I'd call them. The girls trying to be a woman, they are not. Trying to be the perfect wife for any acceptable and wealthy man. Diana has had a tough time figuring out what she was looking for in a man. Ruby had no problem. She pretty much already had her eye on Moody. After she'd gotten over Gilbert, Moody was who caught her attention next. She had his handkerchief still. It hid under her pillow. I knew this because I had the time to investigate the girls. Sure it's not proper, in fact very invasive, but a girls bed space tells mountains about her. Like mine tells plenty about me.
Gilbert's letters lay carefully tied together and organized by date. Dried flowers hung dry among the walls above my mothers book of flowers. A stack of finished and unfinished books scattered and stacked against the wall geometrically balanced in some capacity. A small jewelry dish with only three items if you wake early enough. Marilla's brooch, the half heart necklace I share with Diana, and the encrusted Blythe family heirloom. My engagement ring. My most beloved belongings.
Diana's space reeked of propriety. Everything carefully placed. Her brush set exactly centered in her pillow. One of my books right below it on her folded blankets. Her shoes lined up right underneath her bed frame. It was all perfect and proper. Just how she had been raised. But one thing was different. Her book, if you peeled cover open it's scribbled with notes and annotations. A quirk of hers I loved. Especially when I got my books back. Reading her thoughts written between the text in light pencil markings. She had no idea how much her little markings meant to me. The circling of passages or messages saying it reminded her of me. It's why I reread the books after she's finished.
I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of our break from our studies. Diana and I had put a request to the Headmistress about letting us spend a few nights with Diana's Aunt Josephine. I sat writing the ending of my essay when Diana burst into the room. It had stopped startling me after I had to rewrite my assignments a few dozen times. I set my quill down and turned around seeing her holding a piece of paper.
       "Do you know what this means?!" Diana smiled.
       "Headmistress accepted our request?" I stood.
Diana could only nod before she ran to embrace me. We got to leave for a moment's time outside the academy unattended. Diana and I truly rejoiced after we finished our essays for the morning. Blowing out our candles by midnight after dating our writings. Joy filled my body.
Finally, I get to see Gilbert and it's not in the dumb parlor for suitors.

He was not even a possible suitor.

He was already mine.