I sighed as Gilbert and I took our seats at church.
"I like the article. I'm sure Miss Stacy will be happy with it too," Gil said, handing me the newspaper. I'd gone through and written about the food at the county fair. I was glad to be of some use.
I turned the page, furrowing my eyebrows.
"Gil?" I asked.
He looked over, furrowing his eyebrows.
"Oh dear..." he muttered, and we read through Anne's article, discussing women and women's rights. Anne had always been a firm believer in equality, but publishing this after last weeks events had nothing to do with women's rights, it had to do with Josie Pye and Billy Andrews.
She could say it was about women's rights, but everyone knew what had gone on at the barn dance, and this was not a coincidence.
As more people showed up, murmurs began. "Dear god," I muttered, sighing and putting my hand in Gil's.
Small arguments evolved, and it was the loudest the church had ever been.
The door opened, and I looked back, seeing Miss Stacy in a yellow plaid dress.
She sat down besides Gil and I.
"What is going on?" She asked.
I handed her the paper.
"Oh dear," she muttered, reading through it.
Josie ran out, crying.
"Why didn't you talk some sense into our flame headed robespierre?" She said through gritted teeth.
"We didn't know," I said softly, sighing.
"She went rogue," Gilbert finished, shaking his head and looking forward.
"This is a newspaper, not a bully pulpit," Harmon Andrews directed it at Miss Stacy.
"Miss Stacy was unaware of these actions, in fact, the whole newspaper team was. None of us were informed by Miss Cuthbert of this article, so don't blame Miss Stacy," I defended. She gently touched my arm.
"Nevertheless, a conversation will be had," she assured him. He sighed, turning away.
She gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, as if thanking me for defending her. I was sure she was in a tough position as our teacher currently, so it was the least I could do.
"Would you all turn your attention to today's required reading?" The minister commanded.
I sighed. Oh Anne Shirley Cuthbert. The good intentioned girl who could never seem to do things right.
It was a lesson. As wrong as it was, it was nobody else's business. Anne could not single handedly fix things, and she would learn that the hard way with this.
—————
"She shouldn't have written about it!"
"It's not like she actually did anything against the rules!"
The whole class was yelling, and Anne sat there in silence.
Miss Stacy tried to get everyone's attention. To no avail.
I stuck my fingers in my mouth, whistling.
Everyone went quiet.
"Thank you. Now, I believe we've yelled enough about the incident. How would you like to proceed? My first recommendation is to talk at a level that won't cause deafness," Miss Stacy said, her hands on her hips.
"We're arguing about the wrong thing," I said, sighing. Gilbert nodded.
"It's not about what Anne wrote, it's about what's fair," he continued.
"My piece is literally called, What Is Fair," she said, using her hands to animate.
"Anne, it's time to listen. Gilbert, please elaborate," Miss Stacy said, leaning back and sitting on her desk.
"Fairness to us, the team. If you'd come to us and pitched your idea we could've worked together on it. I'm sure there's a way we can talk about equality without.. ruining a girls life," he said, talking with his hands like he was known to do.
"Ohhh, so now you have an opinion on equality," Anne challenged. I mentally sighed. It's not like Gilbert was the one who lived with his sister and a black man, right?
"Probably the same opinion I would've had yesterday, had you asked," he said, rolling his eyes.
"Really? Because I could've sworn at the fair I saw you negotiating for an attractive new parcel of land... I mean wife," she sassed. I snapped.
"Oh Anne don't you dare! Gilbert is a perfectly well mannered man, and I should know, as his sister, that he has never discriminated against a woman in his life. So I warn you, do not sass my brother about his relationship with a woman of whom you do not even know," I said, clenching my fists.
She looked taken aback, and I didn't drop my glare until Gil rubbed my back gently.
I turned away, sighing and rolling my eyes.
"Alright then! Why don't I tell you my plan before this room spontaneously combusts!" Miss Stacy said, clapping her hands together.
"From now on we will be executing a rigid guideline I'd assumed was clear from the beginning. I am the editor in chief, as such, all articles must go through my seal of approval before they go to print, or they do not go to print, understood? Wonderful, onto the next discussion, please break into groups and discuss what you would like to see in the newspapers pages. Anne," She instructed.
Anne sighed, and they went into the closet, no doubt to discuss the content she'd published without consent.
Gil and I sat down, sighing.
"I don't know what to publish, how do you just come up with ideas?" I asked.
"Look at the world around you. In fact, you could probably interview me about our bees," he said with a smug grin, I smiled, pushing his shoulder and shaking my head. Although, he was right, it would make a good article.
"You know, I might take you up on that," I said with a smile. He grinned.
As we talked I couldn't help but wonder what was being said in the closet. I knew it was professional, but my thoughts got the better of me. I imagined Miss Stacy touching her hand, giving her sympathy and pulling her into a hug.
I felt jealousy consume me.
Thankfully, Miss Stacy exited the closet without a hint of emotion on her face.
She sat down with us.
"Ideas?" She questioned.
"I'm going to interview Gilby over here on his fantastic honey," I teased, and he rolled his eyes, making me laugh.
"Mm, sounds fascinating, and delicious. If you ever have the chance, Gilbert, I'd certainly like some of that honey," she said, smiling and getting up. I made a mental note. Bring Miss Stacy some honey.
The session wrapped up, and I sighed as Gilbert and I walked home.
"Do you think you're going to marry Winifred?" I asked.
"Gosh, I don't know. I guess ever since her father told me he had connections everything has been a bit more on the line," he said. I nodded.
"I wish I was like you. I wish I could marry for love," I grumbled. He grabbed my hand.
"You're going to find happiness someday, (Y/N). Whether it's in Muriel Stacy or in someone else," he said. I nodded, hugging his arm as we walked.
"I wonder what the consequences of all this are going to be," I said.
"Anne sort of got demoted in a sense. That's that, isn't it?" He said. I paused.
"I don't know. I've just got a strange feeling that something else is coming."
—————
I rode up to Miss Stacy's house, tying up the horse before going up to the door.
I went to knock, but Miss Stacy beat me to it.
"(Y/N)? What are you doing here?" She asked, and my eyes went wide.
"Oh! Well I- here!" I said, grabbing the jar of honey from my bag.
"We have extra, so I've been giving it to some people," I said, coughing. She looked at me for a moment.
"Get inside."
She ushered me inside, and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"Is everything alright? You seem-"
"Nothing is alright!" She exclaimed, sitting down.
"What? How do you mean?" I asked.
"Look! Look at this! The list of acceptable topics for the newspaper! And on top of that I was about to head to let Anne know she has to be fired!" She said, getting up and pacing the room.
I read through the list, seeing the most boring grouping of topics in the history of ever.
"And they've requested Anne to be fired?" I questioned, looking up.
"Precisely! It's an outrage! I am so sick of this town's small mindedness!" She exclaimed, pacing even more furiously now.
"Miss Stacy-"
"I mean, what's next? An Ode to Cigars? It's ridiculous! And Rachel has no say in the matter because she's the only woman on the board! Why don't they just take away the whole printing press at this rate!" She said before yelling out.
"Muriel."
I got up, pushing her against the wall.
She breathed heavily, and I scanned her face.
"Calm down, it's going to be alright," I said, stepping back.
"I know, but god! I'm so- infuriated!" She groaned.
I reached for her hand, cupping her cheek.
She returned the gesture, and for a moment we both gazed at each other's lips.
Her head moved in, but she stepped away, sighing and sitting down on the couch.
I sat down beside her, letting my hands meet her shoulders, gently massaging.
"Thank you. I just wish I could escape all this," she said softly. I nodded.
"Adversity can be a blessing," I quoted. She smiled, sighing and laughing.
"I suppose I should get to Green Gables, before it gets late," she said. I nodded.
"I'll... see you at the next newspaper meeting?" I said. She nodded.
"(Y/N)?" She said softly.
"Yes?"
"You truly are my favorite person in this town, I want you to know that," she said.
I kissed her hand.
On the ride home I contemplated. I wondered what we would do. There had to be something, but what?