Anne with an E The Next Chapter

The Good with the Bad

"Ok, Jerry, sit down a moment, let's try to figure this out" said Anne calmly while looking over the writing.

"What do you mean she doesn't live there anymore, do you think she's been kidnapped, that they forced her to marry that... that... that JERK?"

"Jerry calm down" Anne said gesturing towards Matthew's room.

By now Jerry was pacing the floor and his hands kept flying up to his head. His face was red with anxiety and his heart appeared to be racing from what Anne could see, as he kept bracing himself.

"Jerry... Bash and Muriel's wedding is only DAYS away and Diana has confirmed her attendance, with no other guest attending with her. She most certainly wouldn't show up here married".

"I need to go to Carmody this week, I need to know what is going on now..." Jerry said putting his hands on the table.

"Jerry....listen to me" Anne said as she pulled him down to a sitting position. "Not so long ago, you were also not writing to Diana because you too were trying to work things out in your own head. She didn't come blazing in with panic. She trusted you and your process and you must do the same for her. Now if Diana had been married, don't you think she would have had the decency to let you know. Don't you think I would have been invited?" she said looking down her nose at Jerry. "Come on Jerry think about it".

Anne placed her hand on Jerry's and professed with her most assured tone "I have seen Mr. and Mrs. Barry every Sunday and Minnie Mae at school everyday. I think if Diana had been married they could not have helped themselves but to say so".

Jerry exhaled finally and looked up at Anne.

"Ok, you're probably right"

"Jerry we need you here this week to help with some last minute wedding prep and errands. You can't take off now. We have to be ready for this glorious wedding next Saturday and you will see Diana then. "

"You're right.... its just so painful not hearing from her. I need to talk to her. She was so so sad when she left and now this silence is like a dark hole in my heart. I can't explain it, but I feel a physical pain when I think of her".

"That's because you care deeply for her and you miss her...and she misses you. You're worried. You're an empathetic person Jerry and exactly perfect for our Diana" she said with a smile and a comforting hug. "Now go get some rest. You need to be your best this Saturday" she said with a wink. Jerry took his cup of tea and padded up to bed quietly. Anne sat looking out the kitchen window, wondering why suddenly she felt this same physical ache that Jerry spoke of.

The following week was a buzz with Christmas planning and wedding bliss. Bash and Muriel had decided to marry on Dec 26th and everything was moving along as planned. A few short days before the wedding, Marilla put the final touches on Muriel's dress, pressed and hung it up. Bash had been given a beautiful dress for Delphine,that had belonged to Minnie May, and dropped it off to Anne for her to add her touches. The beautiful white baby doll dress was adorned with multiple ruffled layers. A powder blue ribbon was purchased by Anne at the Avonlea general store which had started to carry fabrics. Anne tied it around the dress's middle and she added the sweet knitted baby blue sweater that Bash had made for Delphine.
Anne prepared a simple blue and white chiffon hair accessory for Delphine that would be lovely with her complexion.

She went over her own bridesmaid outfit, a white Edwardian blouse with lace overlay and a floor length deep blue linen skirt. She was all set and only needed to finish the centrepieces and bouquets which were made up of pine and cedar branches, tied up with burlap ribbons and powder blue chiffon. Matthew entered the kitchen with his pipe and looked at Anne fussing with the last minute details.