Anne with an E The Next Chapter

Morning breaks

Somewhere around 4 AM Anne was having a nightmare that Matthew was hurt. They were in a large green forest and she could hear him asking for help. She could see him in the distance moving towards her and but the distance between stayed the same as they walked toward each other. She lost sight of him at one point and ran frantically calling out to him. Suddenly he was in front of her and she smiled seeing him finally so close, but then he slipped away between her fingers into the dark hole at her feet.  She cried out as she tried to grip Matthew's hand tightly and tried to pull him up but when she opened her eyes she was face down on the sofa looking down at Gilbert who was sleeping on the floor, his eyes now awake and confused.

He breathed out softly and said " you're OK, it was just a dream". Suddenly the events of the day before came reeling back to her with vivid reality and she squeezed her eyes shut hard hoping it would go away. Gilbert leapt up to the couch and squeezed in next to her, covering her to warm her chilled skin, pressing his warmth to her tired body. He kissed her head and smoothed her hair as she shook.

"I think Matthew may have died!" She managed to sputter out between sobs.

"No, I'm sure he's ok. He's in very good hands. Why do you think that?" Gilbert asked her. She told him about the dream. When she recounted it, she felt sick to her stomach. Gilbert urged her to have faith and not worry about something until it was in front of her.

Her face was nestled into his chest. His beating heart was the rhythm she used to stabilize her breathing.  "You're still here !" she said quietly after calming herself.

"I couldn't leave you and I knew that you would wake up here alone and your mind would start racing". She felt relieved to have him there and had forgotten all her fears about any awkwardness they might feel when they were finally reunited. She wondered if it was Gilbert the friend or Gilbert from last fall that was with her here today. Now was not the time to ask and she was too tired.

She looked at his  gentle eyes and stared into them as she had times before. He looked nothing but reliable and concerned at the moment but she was happy to have him close. She felt almost ready to sleep again and felt safe in his arms. He started to untangle himself from her but she held him. He whispered "try to sleep, I have to go back to the floor now". His head gestured toward Marilla's  room upstairs "I'm right here" he said. She looked at him a bit disappointed but understood and he slipped down to the floor and reached out for her hand. She rolled over onto her stomach and placed a hand on his chest. He squeezed her hand and they both tried to get back to sleep.

   🦋

As the sun started to make its way up on a bright Avonlea morning, Diana felt the warmth of it before she saw the light. Her face was pressed into a warm sleeping body and when she lifted her head she saw Jerry fast asleep, now facing her. His left arm was tucked securely under her neck, her face was turned into the crook of his arm,  his right arm was wrapped around her and her arm wrapped round his back. Their legs were intertwined and their closeness was alarming. Diana let out a small gasp and Jerry woke suddenly, he too surprised, by the intimacy of this moment. After a few confusing seconds of them staring at each other, they both jumped up and turned to their side of the bed, back to back. Diana straightened her dress and her hair and Jerry muttered something about the barn.  Somewhere down the hall Diana could hear Marilla getting ready. Heavens knew what could happen if she caught them in Jerry's room together.

A small knock came to the door and Diana and Jerry looked at each other in a frenzy. She begged him with her eyes to figure something out before they were found out. He pointed to the back of the door as he walked around the bed to where she stood and shoved her behind it. Jerry open the door slightly, with Diana hidden behind.

"Morning Miss Cuthbert...how did you sleep?"

"Oh not at all that much Jerry, how are you today. Were you up late last night?" Jerry's sadness returned as he looked at the floor the thought silently flooding back to him. "I'm OK Miss Cuthbert".

"Jerry, I'm afraid were we've overslept and we have to get out to the barn to do the chores...can you come out with me?"

"Yes, of course I'll be right down, I just need to get dressed OK, I'll meet you in the downstairs in five minutes" he said and then closed the door as he glanced at Diana.

Here they were again...Jerry and Diana... stuck in a small room with Jerry needing to change. Diana could not leave with Marilla right next-door and she stood staring at him in shock. He quickly pulled off his nightshirt and Diana was surprised by the impropriety of it and also the shape of his lean muscular build. She turned around quickly and a bit stunned. Jerry saw her look and smiled to himself. He changed into his work clothes, made the bed and prepared the tray of food from last night. He stopped to see her face, turning her slightly towards him.  He was now standing in front of her and she looked up at his face, noticing that he was now at least a foot taller than her.   "Merci" he whispered. Their gaze lingered a moment and then he was gone.

Diana looked around the room and thought about everything that happened the night before. She felt a sudden pang in her gut. It was over, whatever it was. A fleeting moment, a chance encounter that wouldn't, no, couldn't, happen again. It had all been time, place and circumstances that made it possible. Jerry was sad and vulnerable and she had been there off hand. She knew it meant nothing more than that, but something inside of her wished it was not over.