Anne with an E The Next Chapter

Preparations

"Are we going to be here all day Anne? I have things to finish at the house and then I need to go and help my dad with something at my brothers".

"Awww Jerry, you promised you'd be here to help me today and you've gone and planned all these other things. We really need your help here" Anne said in a huff.

"I didn't plan other things, things got planned for me".

"That's because you always say yes".

"Yes?"

"See! Ok, we have to sweep out this barn and hang the string lights up and bring in the tables for starters, can you stay for that?"

"Of course he'll stay, right Jerry". Diana was looking at him with her head slightly angled to one side with her chin jutting out just a little. She smiled mischievously and turned to walk away. He watched her do this and forgot all about Anne, tearing off behind her to do whatever she needed. The summer had been long and hot and the two of them were just mad for each other. It seemed that with no wedding date in sight, they were taking every opportunity to toy with each other.

Anne watched them walk away and put her hands in the air, exasperated. "They are of no help!" she said to Gilbert as he swept the barn floor with Bash.

"What you gonna do Anne, the heart wants what it wants... and it don't want work right now" Bash said laughing to himself.

"You're incorrigible" Gilbert said to him and came over looking Anne in the eye, his face closer to hers than normal without the watchful eye of Avonlea's elders.

"Come on, let's just get this done so we can take the rest of the day to relax". He pulled her chin up and kissed the top of her nose. She looked up into those eyes that made her melt and felt herself oozing with delight at him being so close to her. "Besides, by this time tomorrow we'll be married and this place will be magical!"  Suddenly her stress levels went back up thinking about everything she needed to do before morning.

"Ok, put me to work" Muriel said, waddling in with an arm load of supplies. It was August now and she was 7 months pregnant, the same amount of months as Ruby and Anne felt a little jolt of excitement thinking about Ruby looking the same as Muriel about now. Anne came over to help relieve Muriel and the two women embraced. She always had a calming effect on Anne and she was grateful to see her.

"There is so much to do and I'm losing my marbles" she told her.

"Ah yes, I recall the feeling. Everything will get done. I have the flowers and the greenery and the doilies". 

Anne had collected doilies from all over Avonlea to create the perfect accent to the very woody and rustic barn. The centerpieces for all the tables included an array of white and cream colored doilies, all interlaid to create a warm circular pattern. There would be a spray of greenery and flowers and a candelabra or pillar candle holder to lightup the center. She had identified each borrowed item with a small colored thread and had kept a log of which ones belonged to who.

She had also assembled more ornate table runners and archway hangers to create a nature inspired décor accented by lace and burlap.

"Anne, this place looks like a fairy garden" Muriel said looking at all the intricate greenery hanging everywhere. "But wait, let's be methodical about this. Bash and Gilbert, put the brooms down, we should do that at the very end when we're done fiddling with all this greenery. Jerry and Diana, come over here, we have something for you to do. Matthew, Elijah and Mr. and Mrs. Lynde are on their way to help, so in the meantime, let's start with placing the tables.

With her expert leadership, the work got done. The 8 tables were brought in as well as one small round table at the front of the room for the bride and groom. Mr. Lynde and Matthew took care of placing the mismatched colored wooden chairs in different places to create a picturesque kaleidoscope of shades. Jerry, Elijah and Gilbert hung the string lights from one end of the room the other while Mrs. Lynde, Diana and Anne took care of creating the beautiful centerpieces. At the end, they swept up the mess and made sure everything was in its place.