Anne with an E The Next Chapter

Horizon

Anne and Gilbert's adventure had gone on seemingly unbeknownst to anyone in Avonlea. Gilbert had woken Anne up early because he had to catch the train to Toronto at 10:45 AM and wanted enough to give Anne enough time to talk about the impending wedding. He'd made a pot of coffee and prepared a muffin on a tray with a small bouquet of red, orange and yellow leaves.

He nudged her awake with his toe.
"Wakey wakey" he said with a smile and set the tray down in front of her on the sofa. She sat up with a start, remembering where she'd slept.

"I think we escaped a scandal, but you never know" he said handing her the hot cup of coffee. She sat for a little while with her coffee and muffin and tried to let the morning soak in. The room was brightly lit by the October morning sun and she saw the little cottage in a new refreshing light.

"I could never imagine living anywhere but Green Gables after I moved there for good but now I'm finding myself longing to be here all the time" she said.

"I know what you mean" Gilbert said "On Friday,  I felt sad to not be going to my house, until I got here and I realised this is my home. I'll be back here at Christmas...do you want to get married then so that the next time I'm home, we can do this again?"

"Christmas!!!" Anne said "that's too soon...and Muriel and Bash are getting married at Christmas, and that wouldn't be right, unless you were thinking about a double wedding...we're you thinking about a double wedding, because if you were, well I'd understand, I mean, but..."

"No no, calm yourself... I was teasing...we couldn't possibly pull off the amount of preparation you'll want to put in with only two short months" he teased and plopped down on the couch next to her "but Anne, really, I think it makes sense to maybe plan it for next summer. I don't want to keep coming back here and staying in the house alone. It feels empty without you and now I know I don't like to sleep alone".

"Did I snore....oh gosh, I don't even know how to behave like a lady alone, never mind around a man!" 

"Anne, I have no clue because I slept like a baby for the first time in years".

"Really? I did too, and this sofa is not even comfortable" she said with a grin.

"So, I was thinking" he said gently "if you want to, we could look at this summer, early June maybe?"

"Oh my goodness, that's exciting, but so soon..I don't know how Marilla and Matthew would do with me leaving Green Gables this soon" she said looking deeply into Gilbert's eyes.

"Well, I was thinking the same, but they do have Jerry there, at least for a little while and we're not that far of a walk to Green Gables anyway. The other options I was thinking about is that we could have the summer here together, and then, when I go back to U of T, you could go back to staying with Matthew and Marilla, this way there is less of big transition and you could still be around to help Marilla with the house while Matthew is still recovering".

Anne thought about it. "I do like the idea of being with them for the next two years and I don't think I could manage here alone all winter.

"It's an excellent compromise. This way I get you and they get you" he grinned.

"OK" Anne said, "but let me talk it over with them. I'd like to float the idea by them first. I'll write to you as soon as I've talked to them. I better get dressed" she said and jumped up, making a dash for the kitchen. She found her clothes neatly laid out by the stove, all toasty for her walk back to Green Gables.

She dressed quickly in the upstairs bedroom and looked herself over in the mirror again. The sun was wafting through the pale cream eyelet curtains that she and Marilla has installed there. She looked out the window and saw Gilbert walking around the front walkway with his red and black fall coat and a coffee in hand. By this time next year, they could be married.