wind walkers ➸ gilbert blythe

𝑳𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝑩𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆

꧁3. Left Behind House꧂

T I M E went by quick. Anne came by together with Marilla and Matthew, to personally wish them a good welcoming. Annabeth and Anne were practically soulmates, being able to talk about one subject for hours. Well, till Marilla told Anne they were going back home. Even now Richard and Beth barely talked. Mostly because he was gone all the time trying to find a job in Charlottetown, but up to now he hadn't had any luck. Richard had looked up all the carpenter-workshops and asked for employment, always receiving the same answer: "Sorry, Sir, we can't afford paying another worker. Good luck."

Bullshit, Annabeth's father thought, when he heard that at ever shop he went to. Back in Ireland everyone was in need of a carpenter. They searched men for pretty much everything, really. In Ireland new machines came up in every single branch of industry, so they looked for people who could handle those. In each corner your eyes fell, had been a 'help wanted' sign. Some people meant it was great, that there were so many new jobs, but thinking further, Annabeth's prior teacher said a lot of people would lose their work after a while.

Annabeth was desperate to go to school, though. But with her dad having no luck in finding a job, she probably would be sent somewhere for a while to bring in some money. When her mother fell sick and her father quit his job because he wanted to be there for Beatrice, she was sent to Milford Grange to help in the household of an older couple, scrubbing their floors and polishing their silver, washing out their undergarments and all of that. The money Annabeth got from that work wasn't halfway enough to provide for her family and the animals they still owned a while ago. Now that her mother was critically in need of medication it seemed as both, Richard and Annabeth had to go hunting for work. Which meant they also needed someone to take care of Beatrice while they were gone.

Sitting in the little clubhouse Anne had discovered, Annabeth was whining on and on about her situation as Anne just sat their listening.

"I really want to go to school, Anne," Beth huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"It really is a deplorable situation you're in at the moment," said Anne. The redhead looked up slightly in thought. "Oh!" She suddenly made, "I know someone who is a great caretaker! The father of a friend was sick too. She looked after him so his son could attend school."

"Would you talk to her for me? I would be so grateful! I could work after school, and my father whenever he wants to. Father said if he doesn't find a job till the end of the month, he might have to work at the docks, they always need men there."

"Will you try and get work in Charlottetown too?"

Annabeth frowned. "It would take too long to get to Charlottetown and back every time after school. Is there any town near where more farms are?"

"Hmm," Anne bit her lip in concentration, "Kensington might just be the right choice. There are a lot of farms and families with loads of kids."

"I will have to ask my parents, but I'm sure they will be fond of the idea. How didn't I come to this conclusion myself?"