Baker - G. BLYTHE

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-ˋˏ *.·:·. [THREE DAYS LATER] .·:·.* ˎˊ-

CHRISTMAS CAME WITH THICK SNOW WHICH THICKLY COVERED EVERY SURFACE, CHARLOTTE ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. Traditions, long-forgotten traditions that hadn't been kept to since Rían left were now religiously followed. On Christmas Eve, the family went outside and built snowmen of various sizes, giving each a name and personality. Everyone sat in the main room with warm drinks and cookies, talking and admiring the tree which stood in the corner. They lit a candle in one of the front windows, a tradition carried over from Ireland and everyone slept in the same room.

On Christmas morning they woke early and headed down to the main room to exchange gifts. Charlotte received a new dress, a pair of boots from her Mother and a very old novel from her Brother that she had wanted for years. The Rayhill family then ate breakfast, cinnamon buns, and spent the day lounging around the house until it was time for them to prep Christmas dinner.

Charlotte went upstairs to change into her new dress and for once when she looked into the glass she saw the smallest amount of beauty reflected back. The new dress made her feel somewhat beautiful. After hearing the door close and two extra voices mixing into the chatter, Charlotte put down her paints, wiped her hands on her apron (which she took off afterwards) and headed downstairs to greet Gilbert and Sebastian.

Beautiful. That was the first thought that ran through Gilbert's head as he saw her walking down the staircase in their main room. She held her head high, unlike when she usually tried to hide behind her hair. He liked this version of Charlotte, self-confidence overcoming her usual aura. She smiled upon seeing Gilbert, not noting how his eyes were transfixed on her as she greeted Sebastian. Rían however did notice and grew a scowl on his face, one that most people were completely oblivious to.

Everyone took a seat in the main room, Charlotte sat next to Gilbert and Sebastian on the main seat and a discussion began. Mainly it focused on Sebastian and how he and Gilbert met, it was a rather interesting story in most people's opinion. Charlotte loved their relationship, they were brothers over everything, it was sweet and she felt comfort knowing that Gilbert was happy and supported by him. Eventually, dinner was served and everyone filed into the dining room, Charlotte stayed behind to blow the candles out on the tree and he took this as the perfect opportunity to give her the gift he had been saving.

Gilbert cleared his throat, stopping her from blowing out the first candle as she turned to face him. He took out the gift, that he had hidden behind one of the chairs upon arrival and handed it to the bewildered girl. "Merry Christmas Charlotte," he smiled, she only broke eye contact to gently tear open the paper. Underneath was a box of the most beautiful handcrafted paintbrushes and a few very vibrant paint colours. Each paintbrush had an intricate design, she ran her finger across the bristles and engravings lost for words. It was the perfect gift.

"Gil," she gasped, still looking at the brushes. "Are you sure? These must have been expensive," she asked looking and meeting his searching gaze, accepting a gift of this expense wasn't something she would do without making sure. He chuckled, just because she couldn't have said something more like her at that moment and confirmed it with a nod of the head. Charlotte let out an almost squeal of excitement before wrapping Gilbert in a one-armed hug, a very appreciative one-armed hug which took a while to break. "Thank you for these, truly," she smiled once they parted, gazing down at the brushes of pure beauty she held in her hand. " I don't know how to tell you how much these mean to me."

"You're welcome Lottie," he smiled and the look on her face told him everything he needed to know. It was as if he had handed over pure gold, that's how much she appreciated them. She set the gift down on a nearby end table and then began blowing out the candles per her mother's instruction. Gilbert helped, starting with the taller ones that she wouldn't quite be able to reach. They stopped at the same one, faces so close together they could feel the sharp breath of the others fanning against their cheek. Neither moved a muscle, just looked at the other with such an adoring gaze. A loud noise from the kitchen broke their trance, Charlotte quickly blew out the candle and rushed to see what had happened, desperately trying to ignore the butterflies making her stomach loop over and over.

At the table, as they were eating a rather delicious meal cooked by Mother, Rían began pestering Gilbert with questions. Questions that weren't meant to strike up an interesting conversation nor were they so he could get to know him, no these questions were the type of questions that had Charlotte getting more and more vexed by the second. She could practically feel how awkward Gilbert was feeling, she could pretty much see it in his eyes and yet he remained polite. Charlotte had enough around the fifteenth question and couldn't keep quiet any longer, the dull ache in her side certainly didn't help with her temper.

"Rían! Fág leis féin é!" (Leave him alone!) she exclaimed causing the table to come to a complete stop, Mother looked disappointed by her Daughters sudden outburst but also sort of proud that she was standing up to her brother (who was being very inappropriate in both the Rayhill women's opinion.)  Gilbert and Bash looked at each other confused, neither had heard Charlotte speak Irish before and it shocked them both. Gilbert was shocked but also mesmerized by the girl, a feeling decided to show in his stomach but he of course ignored it.

"Nach féidir leis an mbuachaill cúpla ceist a fhreagairt?" (Can't the lad answer a few questions?) Rían replied leaning back in his chair, a smug smile forming on his face. That greatly vexed Charlotte, she had never been this angry at her brother. Making Gilbert uncomfortable was not something that she would have expected him to do and she hated that he did, even if it was with good intentions.

"Cúpla? Rían stop, le do thoil," (A few? Just stop, please) Charlotte sighed, her brother's smile dropped when he realised how much this truly bothered her from the tone in her voice. The rest of the people around the table just watched the two interact, Mother knowing what they were saying and the other two having no idea whatsoever.

"Nílim ach ag seiceáil go bhfuil sé maith go leor duit," (I'm just making sure he's good enough for you.)  Rían shrugged before taking a sip from his glass, not realising that he had vexed his sister to the point of no return. Her neck and ears grew hot with anger, she wasn't sure why it vexed her so but the idea of Gilbert not being a good enough friend pushed her over the edge.

"Maith go leor? Ar ndóigh tá sé maith go leor, is cara forirfe é," (Good enough? Of course, he's good enough, he's the perfect friend.) she responded angrily, feeling her cheeks flush pink. Gilbert began to wonder what the topic of conversation was but didn't dare to interrupt them, as he knew the look on Charlotte's face well enough to know she was angry - even though they were speaking a different language.

"Cara? Ceart go leor, stadfaidh mé," (A friend? Okay I'll stop.) he chuckled, knowing that the questioning tone would lead to a heated discussion later. Charlotte could lie to herself all that she wanted, he knew his sister well enough to know her true feelings for Gilbert. He saw the way they both looked at each other, he saw the chemistry they both had (in fact the majority of people saw it, they just couldn't see it themselves.)

"You better Rían, or I'll cut your hair whilst you're asleep," Charlotte threatened, giving her brother a death glare. One that was mostly a joke, mostly.

He gasped and automatically touched the perfect curls on top of his head. "You wouldn't!" he exclaimed with narrowed eyes, Charlotte upturned the corner of her lip and raised a brow before going back to eating as if nothing had happened. The table still remained in silence, a shocked silence that no one knew how to break.

"What was Trinidad like?" Mother asked Bash and Gilbert bringing the conversation out of its halt, Charlotte had heard the story a few times over and yet she found herself listening to every single detail as if it was the greatest story of adventure in the world. What she would give to travel to exotic countries and see the world. It wasn't a big dream of hers but she found herself more drawn to books of exotic port of calls nowadays.

Christmas dinner had been eaten, many a tale had been told and it had begun to get dark. Gilbert and Bash were getting ready to leave, just as Charlotte remembered her gift for Gilbert. She ran up to her room, grabbed the parcel and managed to catch him just as he walked out of the door. She gave him the gift, instructing him not to open it until he got home and said goodbye. Charlotte retired to her room, too full from a meal and just wanting to sleep the night away.  

Gilbert did not listen to her instruction, no he decided that he would open the gift in the forest as his curiosity got the better of him. Underneath the twine and brown paper lay a brand new medical book, something he had actually wanted to look into. On the inside page, Charlotte had written a note in her loopy, perfect handwriting. 'So you can get started on your dream Doctor Blythe.' He had such a giddy grin on his face the entire way home after that, something which Bash made fun of him for.