"In the quiet embrace of shared dreams, the bonds of the family grow ever stronger." - Jayla Kings
Chapter 4 - Stars in the Night Sky
-+-
The next morning dawned upon the Barry household, casting a soft glow over the breakfast table where the family gathered to start their day. However, amidst the clinking of utensils and the gentle murmur of conversation, Lydia sat in silence, her appetite forgotten as worry gnawed at her heart.
Diana, ever observant, noticed Lydia's lack of appetite and furrowed her brow in concern. Leaning closer to her adopted sister, she couldn't help but inquire, "Are you okay? Why aren't you eating?"
Lydia's gaze flickered nervously to Diana's concerned expression, the weight of her worry threatening to spill forth. Before she could respond, the attention of the entire family turned to her, magnifying her discomfort.
"Is there something wrong with the food, Lydia?" Mrs. Barry's voice was laced with worry as she addressed her newest family member.
Feeling the weight of their collective concern, Lydia sighed, her resolve crumbling under the weight of her fears. "I'm just worried about Anne," she confessed, the words tumbling out in a rush.
The mention of Anne's name drew Mr. Barry's attention, his interest was piqued as he joined the conversation. "Is that the girl who was adopted by the Cuthberts?" he inquired, curiosity etched in his features.
"Yes, it is," Lydia responded, her voice tinged with concern.
Mr. Barry nodded, satisfied with her answer. As the meal came to an end, the girls were given free rein to occupy themselves. Diana wasted no time in taking Lydia by the hand and leading her to her bedroom. Once inside, Diana gently urged Lydia to sit on the bed, joining her with a reassuring presence. Their hands found each other, offering silent support.
"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" Diana's voice was soft, laced with genuine concern as she searched Lydia's eyes for answers.
Lydia sighed heavily, the weight of her worries pressing down on her. "Anne had a hard life. Before she came here she wasn't treated kindly by the kids at the orphanage. They used to bully her terribly," she confessed, her voice heavy with emotion. "They treated me badly too, but she was mostly the victim of their cruelty."
"But now, I feel like something's wrong with her," Lydia continued, her voice tinged with sadness as she voiced her concerns. "And I don't know why?"
Diana nodded, her brow furrowing with worry. It was rare to see Lydia so troubled, and Diana couldn't help but feel a pang of concern deep within her chest. Diana sprang to her feet, animated by a sudden inspiration. She clasped Lydia's hands in hers, her eyes sparkling with determination.
"How about we go and visit Anne?" she suggested, her smile broad and encouraging.
Lydia's expression transformed from one of worry to one of hopeful anticipation. "That's a great idea," she agreed, her smile mirroring Diana's enthusiasm.
However, her excitement quickly gave way to a more practical concern, her brows knitting together in thought. "How are we going to get there? Our mother and father won't let us leave alone," Lydia pointed out, the obstacle seemingly insurmountable in her mind.
Diana's response came with a mischievous smirk, her eyes alight with the thrill of a challenge. "We sneak out," she proposed, the very idea imbued with a sense of adventure and rebellion.
With a shared sense of purpose, the two girls hastily prepared for their clandestine journey. They moved with quiet determination, ensuring their actions went unnoticed. With one last cautious glance back at the house, they slipped out of the front door, their departure unseen by their parents.
Diana took the lead, her familiarity with the paths and shortcuts through Avonlea guiding them confidently towards Green Gables, the home of the Cuthberts. The journey was filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension, each step bringing them closer to Anne and the unknown situation they were determined to understand.
Once they arrived at the Cuthberts' home, the girls paused, catching their breath and steadying their nerves for the encounter ahead. The house stood quiet and seemingly peaceful, but Lydia and Diana exchanged a look that communicated their shared anxiety. What would they find inside? How would Anne and the Cuthberts react to their unexpected visit?
Gathering their courage, they approached the door, ready to face whatever awaited them on the other side, driven by their concern for their friend and the hope that they could offer her some comfort.
Without hesitation, Lydia raised her hand and knocked on the door, a series of deliberate taps breaking the silence around the Cuthberts' home. Both girls stood in anticipation, their hearts racing with a mix of excitement and nervousness. Moments later, the door swung open to reveal Mrs. Cuthbert. Her expression registered surprise upon seeing Diana, the Barrys' eldest daughter, and Lydia, the girl they had taken under their wing, standing on her doorstep.
"May I help you, ladies?" Marilla Cuthbert asked, her tone polite yet guarded, as she assessed the unexpected visitors.
"Good Afternoon, Miss Cuthbert," Diana responded with a courteous nod, her manners impeccable as always. "We are here to see Anne," she added, her voice carrying a hopeful note. The request was simple, but behind it lay a world of concern and friendship that had propelled the girls to undertake their secret journey. Diana and Lydia waited anxiously for Marilla's response, hoping for a chance to see their friend and to ensure that she was truly alright in her new home.
The revelation from Marilla struck like a cold wind, leaving Lydia momentarily breathless. "Anne left this morning... back to Charlotte Town," Marilla's words echoed uncomfortably in the air, heavy with an unspoken regret.
Lydia's world seemed to pause, her light blue eyes reflecting a turmoil of emotions. The promise she had shared with Anne, a vow of enduring friendship and support, felt as though it were slipping through her fingers like grains of sand. Diana, sensing the depth of Lydia's distress, exchanged a glance full of concern with Miss Cuthbert, whose expression had softened into a frown of sympathy.
"I'm very sorry..." Marilla's voice carried a tinge of guilt, a rare admission from the stoic woman.
"It's fine..." Lydia managed to whisper, her voice barely above a breath. The urgency to return before their absence was discovered now overshadowed their initial quest. With a heavy heart, Lydia took Diana's hand, her grip conveying a desperation to hold onto something solid, something real.
The journey back home was marked by silence, but it was a silence filled with Lydia's quiet sobs. Diana, ever the supportive friend, stopped and wrapped her arms around Lydia in a comforting embrace. "It's okay, you could let it all out," she whispered, her words a gentle permission to grieve.
Lydia's response was immediate and raw; her tears flowed freely, each one carrying the weight of her sorrow. The sound of her crying, so full of loss and heartbreak, moved Diana deeply. Never before had she heard such a sound, one that seemed to resonate with the pain of a young heart experiencing profound loss. All Diana could do was hold Lydia close, offering her presence as a silent beacon of comfort amid Lydia's storm of grief.
-+-
Lydia lost in her contemplation of the twinkling stars, was a silhouette of solitude by the window. The stars, with their distant, cold sparkle, seemed to mock her with memories of times shared with Anne. Together, they had marveled at the vast night sky, weaving dreams and stories around each constellation, making promises that felt as infinite as the universe itself. Now, those shared moments were nothing but echo in Lydia's heart, echoes that seemed to fade with Anne's absence.
Lydia lost in her thoughts and memories, barely noticed the soft creak of the door until a small, curious figure stepped into the moonlit room. Minnie May, with her inquisitive eyes and hesitant step, peered into the room, her presence like a gentle reminder of the world outside Lydia's sorrow.
"Minnie May," Lydia greeted, her voice soft, tinged with the residue of earlier emotions. She tried to muster a smile for the younger girl, an attempt to shield her from the sadness that had enveloped her.
"What are you doing up so late?" Lydia asked, her tone gentle, as she patted the space beside her, inviting Minnie May closer. The little girl, sensing the quiet sadness in Lydia's voice, approached slowly, clutching a small stuffed animal to her chest.
"I couldn't sleep," Minnie May admitted, her voice a whisper, as if sharing a secret. "I saw the light under your door."
Lydia nodded, understanding the unspoken loneliness that night often brings to those who find sleep elusive. She scooted over, making room for Minnie May by the window. Together, they looked out at the night sky, the stars twinkling like distant lanterns, guiding the lost and the lonely.
"Anne and I used to watch the stars at the orphanage," Lydia shared, her voice laced with a mix of fondness and pain. "We would make up stories about the constellations and imagine what it would be like to visit them."
Minnie May listened intently, her eyes wide with wonder. "Can we make up a story now?" she asked, her voice hopeful, a spark of curiosity igniting within her.
Lydia paused, considering the request. The thought of engaging in an activity she closely associated with Anne brought both comfort and a sharp pang of longing. Yet, looking into Minnie May's eager eyes, Lydia found herself nodding.
"Of course, we can," Lydia said, a small smile breaking through her melancholy. "Let's pick a star and imagine a world around it."
As they began to weave a tale together, Lydia felt a gentle easing of the ache in her heart. In the simplicity of the moment, sharing stories with Minnie May, Lydia found a sliver of solace. The night, with its blanket of stars, seemed to hold them in a tender embrace, reminding Lydia that even in the depths of loss, there are flickers of light and moments of connection that pierce the darkness.
Margaret, with a furrowed brow and a touch of worry lingering in her eyes, began her morning routine of checking on each of the Barry family members. As she went from room to room, a growing sense of concern gnawed at her, fueled by the absence of the usual morning sounds.
The upstairs echoed with silence, and each empty room intensified Margaret's worry. It was when she approached Minnie May's door that a subtle sigh of relief escaped her lips. Perhaps the quiet morning was merely a result of a child's sound slumber.
However, when she opened the door to Minnie May's room and found it unoccupied, the worry returned with a vengeance. Margaret's heart quickened its pace, and she briskly searched the other rooms, a rising panic threatening to overtake her.
With a steadying breath, Margaret entered Lydia's room. The soft morning light cast a warm glow on the scene before her. Minnie May and Lydia lay peacefully side by side, the gentle rise and fall of their chests a testament to the deep sleep that had embraced them.
A smile of relief played on Margaret's lips as she observed the two girls. It was a sight that spoke of the comforting camaraderie growing within the walls of the Barry home. Gently closing the door, Margaret left them undisturbed, knowing that the connection forged in moments of shared dreams and whispered stories was a precious thing.
As Margaret descended the stairs, the house began to stir with the sounds of a new day, and the worries that had briefly gripped her heart faded away. In the quiet embrace of Lydia and Minnie May's shared slumber, Margaret found reassurance that, even amid life's uncertainties, the bonds between family members could be a source of solace and warmth.
-+-
[A/n: Hey Guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please comment and vote for this chapter. Okay, bye! - Celia.]