"It makes Marilla feel better to have you along but I really don't need you to come," Anne told Jerry sternly as the two covered the goods in the back of the sleigh with a tarp, "I've traveled alone without incident,"
Penny stood a bit off the way, tying the horse to the sleigh. Looking on with confused eyes as she watched the interaction. Anne rarely held so much animosity and Jerry had seemed the picture of politely kind when she had spoken with him.
"You've got lucky," Jerry stated seriously and Penny blinked once, a sharp opposition to the shy Jerry she had met.
"I've been smart," Anne claimed.
"So then both. Whatever," Jerry shrugged.
"I'd simply like you to acknowledge the fact that I don't actually need your help," Anne argued, and Penny looked to her friend admirably as she knew Anne had an independent soul.
"When's the last time you drove a sleigh? Auction a horse?" Jerry raised an eyebrow, and Penny nodded slowly as the boy made accurate points, "Let's go,"
Turning to Penny who had kept her distance, he gestured for her to climb in and passed her the wool blanket they would be draping across their legs. Just as Anne went to join her, a familiar voice called out.
"Anne!" Diana was jogging through the snow with a bag in her hands, "Anne!"
"Diana!" Anne smiled giddily, ignoring Jerry's words, "W-what are you doing here?"
"I'm so glad I caught you," Diana smiled in response, "I brought you something to sell,"
Anne peered into the bag and sighed, "Oh... Oh, Diana, are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure," Diana urged.
The two girls embraced as Marilla walked forward and Anne quickly took the bag from Diana and hid it among the other goods.
"Morning, Diana," Marilla gave a small nod.
"Good morning, Miss. Cuthbert," Diana responded kindly, "I just came to say good bye,"
Diana looked towards the carriage, Anne having climbed in beside Penny, and reached her hands out for the two girls.
Anne immediately grabbed on and gave a thankful squeeze. Penny hesitated as she looked from the hand to Diana's face. The two hadn't grown as close as Anne had with the brunette and she felt at odds with the contact. Her mind knew Diana was good, kind and supportive, but her body sensed that she was a stranger who may cause her harm. Fighting her gut instinct, Penny slowly reached forward and lightly grasped Diana's hand. The girl didn't squeeze like she had with Anne for which Penny was grateful and the two girls smiled lightly at each other. Diana released them both and took a step back as Marilla spoke.
"Be sure to get to Miss. Barry's before nightfall. Be safe," Marilla slid Anne an envelope.
"We will," Anne smiled at her mother figure, "Be sure to tell Matthew not to worry. Everything will be all right. You'll see."
With those words, they were off. Jerry clicked his tongue and the horse began to move.
Penny cozied up against Anne's side and placed her hands under the blanket.
"It's not so bad to ask for help sometimes, you know," Jerry looked over Penny and to Anne.
"If I needed help, I would say so," Anne stated.
"No, you wouldn't," Jerry snorted.
"Yes, I would,"
"Wouldn't,"
"Would!" Anne smirked, "Times infinity,"
"What?" Jerry seemed dumbfounded.
"I didn't," Penny whispered to herself, unknowingly drawing the attention of her two companions.
Anne sighed sorrowfully and pulled her friends hand into her lap. Unusually, she didn't say a word and simply let her presence sooth Penny.
Not realizing she had been heard, she looked to Anne before tightening the grip and leaning further into her dear friend.
Jerry decided as well to not ask about what the girl meant, and simply began singing loudly and boisterously a French song. Penny thought it was quite lovely and a nice break from her monotonous thoughts but Anne seemed to disagree as she groaned angrily.
"No singing..." Jerry's voice never even faltered as he continued on, "I mean it,"
Penny felt a small giggle well up in her chest as Jerry simply kept singing.
"I'm serious, Jerry. This is an important journey," Anne tried once more.
A small smirk had joined Jerry's face as he grew louder much to Anne's dismay.
Penny simply began nodding her head along to the tune, trying her utmost to ignore Anne's betrayed expression.
.❀。• *₊°。 ❀°。
The journey to Charlottetown was a long one and it was already mid-afternoon by their arrival.
Sliding from the sleigh, Anne immediately pulled the white box that held her precious dress from the wagon.
"You two wait here, I won't be but a moment," Anne gave a firm nod and moved to enter the dress shop, leaving Penny and Jerry to their own devices.
"Do you know French?" Jerry's accented voice asked gently, turning to Penny who had sat fiddling with her fingers.
"Hm?" Penny looked to him before shaking her head, "Oh, no. I simply enjoyed the tune. I wish I did though, it is such a beautiful language,"
"Oui," Jerry smiled at the complement.
"Oui," Penny replied with a small smile in return.
"You and Anne are very different," Jerry remarked, blowing on his chilled hands.
"I suppose," Penny nodded, "But that is probably why we're friends,"
"Mm," Jerry hummed before adding on, "She is more annoying than you,"
"I've never found her to be annoying," Penny disagreed fondly, "Anne has many traits I'd like to learn from,"
"Perhaps just not that one," Jerry teased gently and Penny couldn't help the small laugh that left her mouth.
"I appreciate the input,"
Anne was suddenly upon them again, but this time red-faced and teary eyed. Moving to sit again with Jerry and Penny, she didn't speak at all.
"Are you alright?" Penny whispered as they began moving again.
"I will be," Anne smiled gently, placing a white envelope into her pocket.
They rode a bit further down the road before Anne called for a stop.
"That's it! Right here,"
Pulling off to the side of the street, Jerry moved to untie the horse he would be auctioning while Anne and Penny moved to unload the back of the wagon.
Anne was quick to intercept just as Jerry went to pull the horse away.
"I'll miss you," The red head spoke kindly and Penny felt her heart pull gently, "I hate to say good bye,"
"I won't be too long," Jerry quipped.
"To the horse, Jerry," Anne closed her eyes as though in agony, "Why are you so annoying?"
Penny felt her heart lift as she watched the two. She'd never had siblings. They teased and picked, but Penny could see the underlying fondness between the two.
With a final farewell to the horse, Anne handed the horse off and pulled one last box from the sleigh before looking to Penny.
"Shall we?" Anne asked and Penny nodded, opening the front door for her friend.
Entering the shop, Penny couldn't help the widening of her eyes at the amount of goods the man had. From varying time periods and varying genres, Penny felt nostalgia for things she was never a part of.
Anne rolled her shoulders back confidently and strode up to the man at the front table and Penny trailed along, still looking interestedly at the knick knacks around her.
Handing the man the letter she had been given by Marilla, Anne stood maturely as he read the contents.
"So, you've been entrusted, eh?" He asked looking to the two young girls, "How old are you?"
"Old enough," Anne spoke for the both of them. The man glanced at Penny as though with a look of familiarity.
"Alrighty, old enough," The man hefted the bag of goods over the counter, "Ain't much I ain't got so... I can't say as I'll be too interested,"
"That's understandable," Anne grinned convincingly, "If these were ordinary items. But they're not,"
"Never heard that before," The man huffed in amusement as he pulled a bird figurine from the bag and appraising it, "Nope. A dime a dozen,"
"I doubt it. My parents were given that as a gift when in service of the Queen," Anne's ability to regale tales was outstanding and Penny raised her eyebrows at this particular one.
"Oh sure, sure," The man chuckled.
"It was made by the royal potter. Don't you recognize the stamp?" Anne tried to convince, "The Queen was indebted to them for the intelligence they brought during the Boer war,"
The man raised an eyebrow, falling into Anne's false sincerity. Penny had wandered away from the two and a small sparkling caught her eye.
Just on the side of the glass cabinetry, sat a glistening ornament. Penny had so very few memories of her mother, but this decorative piece reminded her so affectionately of a piece of jewelry her mother wore devotedly around her neck.
Delicate hands reached out slowly, and she began to lightly skim the tips of her finger along the porcelain. The material was smooth and desirably against her skin, and a light smile spread across her voice.
But then the yelling came.
"Hey! Kid! Don't go touching fragile things!" The man hollered and thundered towards the girl, pulling her by the wrist away from the ornament.
Penny's body froze. Terror filling her every pore by pure instinct. Her teeth clenched and she felt herself frantically pulling against the man.
"Let go, let go, let go," Penny uttered over and over again until the man dropped her wrist in shock.
Anne rushed to her side and tried to look into her friends eyes.
"Penelope? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Penny nodded but she could feel her chest tightening, "I just need some air. You do what you must, I'll be just outside,"
"If you're sure," Anne agreed slowly.
Penny gave a final nod of her head before rushing from the shop. She could feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as her deep breathing began to turn into uncontrollable gasps. Her fingers and toes began to numb as she slid down the wall and onto the floor, ignoring the odd looks from passerby's. Her wrist stung from the rapidness she had pulled from the man's grasp.
Breathe, you weakling
I can't, I can't
Penny had begun shaking at this point. Her thin body shivering harshly although not from the cold. Her mind was struck, not able to process anything as she focused desperately on sucking in increasingly shorter breaths.
I can't