The Three of Us

188. Panic

When Gilbert saw that Avonlea needed a new teacher, he knew his time so far away, in Kingsport, had come to an end. He worked out his plan of teaching school while doing courses by correspondence, and hoped the school board would hire him.

It hadn't been hard to get the job.

There had only been a handful of applicants, and while they were equally suited to the position, the school board liked the idea of having one of their own townsfolk do it, especially liking that their chosen applicant would not even need to relocate for the job. Gilbert was also an easy choice because they had firsthand knowledge of his work ethic and integrity. They warned him, though, that a first teaching position was always hard, especially when it involved having students who used to be your younger schoolmates.

The next part of the plan, once the contract was signed, was to bring it to Matthew and Marilla...he'd have to "propose" to them first, before he could get to Anne.

But they had said yes to his proposal. They saw how he was figuring everything out for Anne- setting up a good situation for her- and most importantly, that he wouldn't be dragging her away to Kingsport where she'd be all alone.

At long last they'd agreed now could be the time.

The last part of the plan was to talk to Anne herself. That part, he thought with a smile, was the easiest part.

He decided to have a picnic for her and set to work making food for it, but when he realized he could only make simple food, he changed his mind and went into town looking for something nicer.

He came home with a cake. He didn't mind making sandwiches and cutting up fruit for a fruit salad now, and bringing crackers and cheese, because he had the cake to go with it, and the cake helped to dress up the picnic.

He packed everything into baskets- except the cake, which he found a pan for. He covered the pan with the top of a biscuit warmer. He remembered when Anne brought her cake to the fair and, looking at his contraption, realized this wasn't at all how a cake was meant to be packed. He was a bit amused, thinking of how little he knew about managing a home, and was glad Anne knew better; she'd bring some much-needed civilization into his house.

He hoped they'd all come.

----

"You ought to dress up," Marilla said, looking at the clock.

"Why?" Anne asked, catching Walter up in a hug.

"Well..." Marilla didn't want to spoil anything. She put on an exasperated face. "Anne, you forgot about the church event today, didn't you? My goodness, I told you about it a week ago. Do I have to stick notes on your forehead for you to remember?"

Anne made a face. "What's the even-"

"Go on up and get changed. Right now, or we'll be late! Take Walter with you, he ought to look nice, too."

"But what about the picnic?" Anne asked, already moving toward the stairs.

"We'll still have time for the picnic. Now scoot."

---

Marilla was glad she had made Anne dress up.

Anne looked so grown up and stylish in her royal blue dress that it made Marilla's heart catch in her throat to see her- ordinarily she still viewed her Anne as that same scrawny child who had arrived at her door four years ago- her large eyes and mouth took up her whole face but for the freckles, and those gangly arms and legs! But when Anne put on this dress, Marilla's image disappeared and all she could see was a lovely young woman, no longer a little girl. How beautiful she's grown up to be, she thought.