The Three of Us

158. Rachel Being Rachel

Short chapter, all I had time for tonight. But next time I'm writing about Anne hanging out with other moms, and then Gilbert encourages Anne to become an author : )

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If you are wondering why Gilbert is at the "wrong" school, when I started this story, season 3 hadn't aired yet. ...In the books, Gilbert goes first to Queens and then to Redmond, so that is what I went by.

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"I don't want to mention this to Anne this without knowing how she feels about it...but Jane's been asking me about Anne a lot. Is Anne anywhere close to forgiveness, do you think?" Gilbert asked Marilla before he left to start a new school week.

Marilla shook her head. "She's avoiding Jane because she doesn't want to have to deal with any of what happened regarding that photograph. She's trying not to think about it at all."

Gilbert nodded.

"Please don't let Jane feel Anne is angry with her. She isn't. It's just...hard for her." Then Marilla thought: Just like everything else is.

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Even though Anne wasn't speaking to Jane, she was still getting news from all of the other girls.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to leave home and branch out on your own," Marilla told her regretfully when Anne mentioned newsy bits from the girls' letters.

Anne looked up in surprise. "Staying here with you is the only good part about not getting to go to Queens! I know I would have loved it, but...oh, Marilla, sometimes I'm glad nothing has to change!" Anne finished passionately. "Sometimes all I want is for nothing to change. That I can be with you and Matthew all the time. I can help you in the house and I can feed the chickens and in the evening we could sit around the fireplace and talk and talk and talk..."

Marilla ducked her head, hiding the pleased flush that filled her face. When she straightened up, all she said was, "Really? I'm surprised to hear that, with all your impatience over marrying and moving far away from us."

"I can wait," Anne said, content "I like being here with you."

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A letter from Josie Pye was delivered while Anne was out.

Marilla expressed her worry over what the letter might contain, and how perhaps Anne would not do well with further conflict from anyone at the present moment.

Rachel flattened dough with her rolling pin as she said, "Then don't let her read it-"

"Oh, really, now, Rachel," Marilla interrupted, exasperated. "I'm not going to withhold her mail from her!"

"You didn't let me finish," Rachel said, her voice lowered. "I was going to say, 'Then don't let her read it until after you do'."

Marilla shook her head. "When I found out," she said, "That Eliza Barry opens her daughter's mail, I said I would do no such thing. It's foolish- ridiculous, even- and there's no calling for it."

"But she doesn't need to know you read it," Rachel explained.

"And just how-"

"Steam."

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Rachel had the pot of water boiling on the stove before Marilla could even form a reaction.

"Now this is how you do it," Rachel said with the wisdom of one who has done something many, many times. "You let the steam rise up and warm the adhesive, and you watch for it to appear just the slightest bit sticky. You'll be able to gently separate the envelope- I think using a toothpick is ideal, a fork is too big and can damage the flap- and then you'll be able to slide the letter out."

Marilla just watched her. "Rachel, what on earth! Why in the world do you know how to do such a thing?"

Rachel moved the envelope up and down, letting it wave gently through the steam. "You would be amazed," she explained, "How you can have so many children yet not know what's going on in any of their lives. The things young people don't tell their mothers! But when they write letters to their friends and get letters back, you learn a great deal."

Marilla very nearly rolled her eyes.

Rachel continued- with satisfaction- "I have been the first person to know about six different engagements, I'll have you know."

"Why does that not surprise me," Marilla said dryly.

Rachel waited until at last she felt the envelope was sufficiently sticky and then applied the toothpick. In a moment she had the letter free.

"Really, now," Marilla said. "I've let this go far enough. Put it back."

Rachel began reading. "Oh," she commented.

"What?" Marilla asked, worried.

"Oh," Rachel said again.

"Rachel, what is it?" Marilla demanded.

"Why, Marilla, I thought you didn't believe in reading your daughter's mail!" Rachel couldn't help teasing.

"I'm not reading it," Marilla defended. "You are. So go ahead and tell me what it says, for goodness sakes."

"She says that she's very sorry for how she treated Anne," Rachel read. "She said that she wishes she'd never defended Billy. She can see now how wrong he was. Now that she's been away at Queens, she's developed more maturity and regrets her actions."

Marilla let a breath out. "...I suppose I am relieved to know."

Rachel smiled, "Aren't you glad you have a friend like me?"

Marilla had to laugh. "I am. You know too many tricks to be on your bad side!"