Long Distance Love Letters

A Moment Interrupted

Anne watched as the AWA, her family, packed up their supplies in her kitchen one last time as the sun finished its descent in the golden sky. The board meeting was tomorrow. Tomorrow, if everything went well, they would make waves in Avonlea history.

"How are you feeling about tomorrow?" Jerry asked, coming up beside the frazzled yet happy redhead.

Anne gave him a shaky smile. "Hesitantly optimistic. The men would have to be off their rockers to let this many voices fall on death ears...wouldn't they?"

"Oui," he confirmed. He set his hand on her shoulder. "We'll win."

Her smile steadied as she set a hand on her enlarged belly. She was a month away from her due date and she was beginning to feel a bit wobbly at the knees, often needing support from Gilbert.

Once everyone got done with their respective packing, they all turned to face each other, a heavy silence floating between them.

Finally, Anne stepped forward. "Well, dear Avonlea Women's Association, it's been a restless and unpredictable several months, but we did it. Tomorrow we make history!"

Exclaims of agreement and excitement sounded from the rest of the group before everyone bid their farewells.

Anne watched as everyone slowly disappeared into the night from the safety of her kitchen window. Once everyone was out of sight, she slowly began to organize the remaining supplies left in the candlelit room in a manor that would be easier for her tomorrow.

She suddenly had to grasp the back of a chair as a jarring clenching materialized in her stomach.

"Whoa," she exclaimed quietly. She held her stomach and waited for the pain to go away. When it did, she breathed a laugh.

"Hello there, baby Blythe," she chuckled, patting her stomach lovingly. "Are you alright? Did you just want to chat with your mama?"

She waddled over to the living room couch and sat down in front of the fire, keeping her hands on her belly.

"I suppose I have been neglecting you lately, haven't I?" she asked guiltily. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. That will probably be one of the first things you learn about me. I am quite stubborn and when I have a goal in mind, it can be hard for me to focus on anything else. Your father likes to say I acquire tunnel vision. I cannot be sure if he finds this annoying or endearing. Perhaps both. Oh darling, you are going to adore your father. He's...perfect. He is so perfect. He is a doctor, you see. But he is not stuffy and boring like one may expect doctors to be. He has the most contagious laugh and one of the biggest hearts I've ever known. I'm still occasionally surprised that it belongs to me. And you, of course. He is already so in love with you. As am I. I can only hope you inherited his beautiful brunette hair." She twirled a piece of her hair that had fallen down around her finger. "It would truly send me into the depths of despair to find out I had passed down this homely shade of red to you. Though I suppose you would be able to make it work. You will be perfect no matter what"

She slowly traced little hearts on her stomach with her finger. "So, my darling, how are you feeling? Are you excited to come out and me your father and I?"

In an unexpected response, her stomach clenched again. Only this time it was more painful.

She gasped and moved to hold her stomach.

"I'll take that as a yes," she said nervously, almost more as a question than a statement.

Almost on cue, the clenches kept coming, more and more painful still, making Anne whimper in pain as she slowly curled up on the couch.

She was horrified to realize that these pains were akin to the ones she had experienced in Summerside.

•••

After a long day, Gilbert finally dismounted his horse in the dark barn, removing his surprise for Anne from its ties and unsaddling Merit, his horse. He turned to the house to see flickering light coming from the living room, making him smile.

He escaped from the crisp autumn air as he entered his home, closing the door behind him.

"Anne-girl!" he called, taking off his coat and setting his package for Anne on the table. "Guess what? I went to the Bog today to see Constance and Jocelyn and they made you your favorite plum puffs! They justified this by claiming they wished to show the baby true baking."

To his surprise, he got no response.

"Anne?" he called again.

"In the living room," came Anne's shaky response.

Now concerned, he quickly set down the rest of his belongings and headed into the other room.

Anne's back was facing him as she appeared to the clutching the back of the couch and whimpering in pain.

"Anne?" Gilbert asked in fear. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

She took a shaky breath. "I really think we need to see Dr. Ward."

"What do you mean?" Gilbert asked, now immensely fearful. "What happened?"

Slowly, Anne turned to him.

"Our child really has timing."

Gilbert froze as the front of her dress revealed to be completely soaked.

———
AN: seems like baby blythe is a little too eager to meet his/her parents 😬