206. Continuation

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"That's the last of the invitations," Anne exhaled, pleased. She gave the stack of envelopes a happy pat.

Gilbert was going to ride them to the post office.

"You sure you don't want to come with me?" He asked her.

"I can't," she reminded him. "The Andrews have a visitor this weekend and they said he won't go into town while he's here but if he does anyway I don't want to risk it."

Gilbert nodded. He leaned in to kiss her before starting for the door.

"I wanna go wiiiith youuuuu," Walter demanded, chasing Gilbert out.

Anne followed. "Walter, no, you have to stay here."

"Whyyy?" Walter whined.

"Because I said so," was Anne's reply.

"I'll bring you something from town," Gilbert told him. "A surprise."

Walter did not want a surprise.

"I wanna go with youuu," he continued to whine.

He tried to climb up into the buggy to follow Gilbert anyway.

"You're not going," Anne said firmly, grasping his arm tightly and pulling him from the buggy.

Walter tried to squirm out of her grasp and threw himself at Gilbert.

Anne pulled him off of Gilbert. "You are four years old now. You are too old to be throwing temper tantrums. If you can't go, then you can't go, and you're not going to have a fit about it!"

"Gilber..." Walter began slowly. He thought if he could get Gilber to be on his side, then mama would change her mind.

But Anne was completely aware of where Walter's thoughts were, and said sternly, "Gilbert is not here to rescue you from your mama telling you no!"

Walter stomped away.

Anne and Gilbert shared an exasperated laugh.

"I think he's bored," Anne said.

"Is the visit only for the weekend?" Gilbert questioned.

"That's what they told me," Anne nodded. "I'll take Walter to play with Clara later today, though. That should help."

"Anything you need from town?" Gilbert asked before he headed off.

"No," she said, leaning in to kiss him again.

When Anne turned back toward the house, Walter was sitting on the porch steps with his head resting on his chin.

"You're mean," he told her. "Mean, mean, mean," he repeated, stamping his feet on the steps.

She walked right past him and went through the door.

He got up and followed her.

Anne went to the kitchen table to retrieve her good stationary and ink.

Marilla came up from the basement with a jar of preserves. When she saw Anne cleaning up her work, she looked torn. "I still think we ought to have ordered embossed invitations."

Anne shook her head. "There's no need," she said cheerfully. "Handwritten are best. They're more personal that way. ...Besides, with this new fancy stationary Matthew bought me, they look scrumptious. I've never seen such buttery smooth cards! I could just sit and pet them!"

Marilla laughed at Anne petting her stationary. "I must say I'm glad you wrote them yourself then, instead of me doing it! Writing such an important message, I'm certain my hands would shake!"

Part 2 of "The Three of Us"Where stories live. Discover now