The Three of Us

180. Respite

"Anne," Gilbert asked. "Why don't you let me take Walter for a couple days to give you a break?"

Anne just stared at him. "He's too little to go away."

"But he wouldn't really be going away- it's just to my house. And I'm practically family, aren't I?"

"Yes, but...I don't think he can be gone overnight. It'll be too long a time for him."

"What about if I came in the morning to take him- as soon as he's up- and then I bring him back just to go to bed? And the next day I'll do the same thing. He'll be away, but he'll still spend his nights at home."

Anne bit her lip. Her voice was quiet. "That would be good."'

"Do I need to ask Marilla, too, or is it your decision?"

"...I don't know," Anne said slowly. She remembered once Marilla had asked Mrs. Andrews 'why is it that you feel our baby should be the recipient of your family heirlooms?' Our baby, Marilla had said. Well, Anne had been young and unable to care for him on her own. They were all raising him- together, as a family. Did that mean she had to ask her parents when it came to decisions about him, or were the decisions hers to make? She wasn't sure. Finally she said, "I'll tell her what I want, and see if she thinks it's all right."

"Why don't you. I'll get some of his things- toys and his blanket and books, and he'll be all ready."

Anne went downstairs and said flatly, "I want Gilbert to take Walter away. Is that all right?"

Marilla and Matthew looked like Anne had grown three heads. "Take him away?" Marilla asked. "What do you mean?"

"To his house. Just for a couple days."

Marilla looked like she didn't know where this had come from.

Anne- no patience from what had happened earlier- answered Marilla's expression with a hard, angry tone: "If we're going to get married, Marilla, then why can't he take him? Gilbert will have to be dragged into my mess sooner or later!"

Marilla was surprised.

Gilbert stayed till it was time to get Walter up from his nap.

"Please don't tell Matthew and Marilla I hate him," Anne said before she woke him.

Gilbert shook his head, without a word. He busied himself getting a bag ready for the little boy.

Before leaving with the little boy, Gilbert leaned in to kiss Anne's cheek- more out of duty than any sense of romantic feeling. He wasn't angry with her, exactly. He did not blame her for her feelings, but he was divided between Anne and Walter at the moment, and he could already tell there would be times in their marriage when he would have to align himself with Walter- to be Walter's advocate- even if that meant he and Anne would have some hard edges between them.

Downstairs, he said goodbye to Marilla and Matthew.

"I go to Gil-ber's house to play," Walter said happily, bouncing up and down and pulling at Gilbert's hand.

But no one really looked happy about this except Walter.

"You don't mind taking him?" Marilla asked, eyebrows raised. "I think she can get over this."

"It just seemed like...a lot. For her. Right now. ...I just thought I could help."

Gilbert had Walter's bag in one hand, and he hoisted Walter up in his other arm. The little boy clung to him. Marilla followed them out so she could open the door for Gilbert. "Thanks," Gilbert said to her.

But he turned back. "Marilla..." he began.

"Yes?"

Gilbert looked at her for a moment. "How long do we have to wait?"

Marilla was startled by the question, but she knew exactly what he was talking about.

She looked at Gilbert- standing in the doorway, holding her grandchild in his arms.

"Anne is still very young. She's just seventeen. ...And you're only nineteen."

"I'll be twenty soon," Gilbert tried to offer.

"Yes- and years away from your career."

Gilbert wished he had a career right now.

Marilla continued, "I know that in the eyes of the law, you are old enough to make that decision, but I still think she's very young to embark on such a commitment. ...Were you planning to ask her, Gilbert?"

"I asked her years ago."

He took a breath. "I mean, not officially- not with a ring. Not yet."

Marilla's eyes were kind. She did love him, as much as if he were her own son. "We'll talk about it," she promised him. "You're a fine young man and I wouldn't want her with any other. It's the timing, is all. ...There's still Redmond."

---

The first day Walter was gone, Anne did not miss him.

She slept late, read a book in bed, and wandered about outdoors with no cares. She did not think about him, and she did not feel guilty for not thinking about him.

Gilbert brought him back that night, just in time for him to go to bed.

When her son was brought to her, Anne greeted the child with little warmth, and she did not ask Gilbert anything about what he had done that day.

Gilbert said goodbye to her, kissing her again on the cheek with a silent prayer for her.

Anne gave Walter a bath, dressed him in his nightclothes, and put him to bed. She did not bother to tell him a story as she normally did, and turned off the lamp, saying only "good night," with a disinterested voice that was not at all what he needed.

This of course caused him to fuss, and so Anne- with a sigh- turned the lamp back on and went through The Three Little Pigs in a dry, monotonous voice while patting him on the back. She didn't seem to be able to stir up any interest in him.

When Walter finally fell asleep, Anne went to bed herself, thinking only of Gilbert returning to take him away again.

---

The next morning Gilbert was there before breakfast.

Anne was in her nightgown and robe, with Walter on her hip. Gilbert took him from her immediately, causing Walter to begin to cry as he was pulled away from his mother.

Anne, Gilbert was dismayed to see, did not react to his upset.

Gilbert promised him a big lovely pancake breakfast at his own house, and that was enough to calm him.

That was another day Anne did not miss him.

When he was brought back to her that night, she accepted him only as her duty.

---

Walter was supposed to be with Gilbert only for a couple of days, but at the end of two days, Anne seemed depressed that her time free of him was coming to an end.

Gilbert offered to take him away yet again, and Anne accepted at once.