Play the Love Away

Doctor Ward

"And a word or phrase that makes specific the meaning of another word or phrase?"

The room was still. "Perhaps the good doctor can tell us the answer."

The handsome boy lifted his head from the biology book. "The answer is modifier, sir. And I managed to learn that with no extra time from you."

Mr. Phillips shuffled in annoyance, "Correct."

And that's why Elise loved him.

~~~

The kitchen smelled like eggs while Elise finished up the bacon. Her skillful hands had prepped breakfast again this morning with soup, toast, eggs, and bacon. She planned to make a casserole with the leftovers and some pancakes for the next morning.

She had been woken up by Gilbert lightly tapping her and a whispering, "Ellie, Ellie." She had slept over after doing homework with Gilbert and cooking dinner for the two boys, who both forcefully persuaded her to not go out into the dark woods.

Even while gushing over her food, Gilbert's nose was stuck in a book, taking in any piece of information he could find.

Bash had entered the kitchen this morning with a string and a couple of complaints. He quickly ate some soup, whining about his toothache while also commenting on how Gilbert had left all the work for him to do as Gilbert was spending a lot of time at school.

"When you go to school and leave me here whole day with no one to talk to, I keep myself busy." Bash wrapped a piece of string around his tooth and started unknotting the rest. Elise sat down next to Gilbert, who instinctively turned to face her, nose still buried within his book. Elise placed her hand on Gilbert's knee discretely, a sign. They had created a secret system, she tapped his knee twice, which meant, come back to me. It was sort of a way for Elise to pull Gilbert back to reality and focus on what was happening, whether he was daydreaming or reading. Three taps were a silent, 'Are You okay?' which Gilbert usually responded with grabbing her hand under the table and squeezing, as if he needed to reassure himself that she was still there.

"I've carried this pain, quiet, into the cold Canadian spring. You know me Blythe, I don't like to complain. So when I say, lesser men would've cracked by now..."

"Then?" Gilbert asked, only for Elise's sake before looking back down at his book.

"Exactly," Bash responded and tied the string to the door. He stood up straight, "I'm ready, close the door."

Elise spoke for the two of them, "Bash, we're not going to pull your tooth out so hard u crack of pain." "Go see a doctor," Gilbert finished before looking up and placing his pencil down.

"For a toothache? Just be my friend. The only two I have in this vast, lonely country."

Gilbert stood up and took Elise's tea cup and his own, placing it into the sink and while Bash spoke again, he slammed the door abruptly.

"Gilbert!" Elise scolded but Gilbert shrugged and patted the groaning Bash. "Nothing like a little peace and quiet."

Elise rolled her eyes and went back to cooking the breakfast.

~~~

Elise and Gilbert were late to school that day. Gilbert had been so caught up in his studies that he missed over the time as Elise was trying to ice Bash's face while he moaned and groaned.

Gilbert was still hooking up his jacket when Elise gave him a squeeze on the shoulder and walked swiftly over to the other girls.

"Something old, something new," Tilly started. "Something borrowed, something blue," Jane added. Anne finished, "and a silver sixpence in her shoe."