HIS EYES (Gilbert Blyth - Anne with an E)

Ch 13: Episode 8 Season 2

It was on days as such that Gilbert Blythe realised how much he had actually missed out on in Avonlea. In his absence, Anne Shirley seemed to be getting particularly well with Cole Mackenzi. He had known the boy their whole lives, but somehow their paths never crossed ways. Cole had always been so reserved and individual - it seemed as if he was a whole other person in the presence of Anne. On second thought, the girl seemed more certain of herself as well. 

In retrospect, it seemed that there was a lot about many people Gilberth Blyth could sware not to know much about. Take Prissy, whom to the sound of violins and harps walked into their tiny Avonlea church dressed in white. Her slow steps were met with everyone standing up. The townsfolk of Avonlea had never looked so put together as they did on occasions. It seemed that beneath the dirt under their fingernails, sot covered aprons and flyaway hair, they were an attractive group of people. It felt strange to see Prissy in white, here Gilbert had been worried about medicine and doctors that the thought of actually marrying someone had never crossed his mind.

How was it that he had unknowingly crossed the threshold of childhood to adulthood. He could have sworne that he had been forced into it. With his father sick, he had stepped up to look out for things, but he had always thought that any child would do that for their parent. He hadn't realised that in doing so, he had grown up. Mr Phillips stood at the end of the isel, and Gilbert tried to imagine if, in his best suit and tie, he would be standing there in that very spot. Where his parents had also married. Suddenly the doors would fling open and in walks his bride. Behind the veil he could not see who it was. At this point he did not know. He knew the world to have been a beautiful and wide place, thus statistically speaking it was unlikely that he would find his future partner in their small corner of the world.

Deeply caught in thought he watched the bride approach her groom. No one needed to be an expert to have seen that panic and doubt clouded her deep brown eyes. She did not want to marry Mr Phillips. And like that her bouquet of bright flowers slipped from her fingers and fell onto the ground. Twice as quickly as she had entered, she stormed out. Gasps and clinking of her shoes met the stunned church as the doors flung open and she escaped. Gilbert looked around as his classmates followed her out quickly.

Before long he could swear he heard giggled and shouts from outside. Out the mirky glass window, he could see the sight of brightly coloured dressed spinning. It looked like a scene out of a painting. It seemed almost criminal not to have captured that moment and framed it in a guilded frame. In his heart sat the conformation of a thought that lifted a weight off his shoulders. Marriage could wait another day.

If Prissy's tale of radical romance was anything to go by, it was that he needn't rush into matters of the heart. When the time was right and the snow had melted he would be able to see his path clearly. "Bash you missed quite the show" Gilbert announced on returning to their house. His noise was bright red from cold and his Dark hair lightly dusted with freshly fallen snow. He was careful to remove his boots and slip into a new pair as to avoid trekking snow all over the house. The warm house felt delightful after the long walk from the eventful wedding.

Sebastian peaked over from his stood position. He was cooking up some sort of stew that smelt strongly of spices. The mundane potatoes, chicken, tomatoes and root vegitables took on a vivid yellow colour of curry. It was beautiful that Bash had manged to turn the usually dull dish into a flavourful delight.

"Oh? Weddings are always dramatic where I come from. If not the mother of the bride usually gets into a fight" he jokes.

"Well not here. Weddings are usually a sombre afair, sometimes it is arranged by the parents or otherwise it ends as quickly as it had begun. Usually only the close friends and family attend the wedding breakfast" Gilbert explained. Slipping off his formal blazer he snuggled into his heavy knitted cardigan.

"You make it sound' like a funeral" Bash added before settling into his new favourite spot infront of the fire.

"Well describe a wedding for you then" Gilbert asked interested.

"Where would I start? It is not as simple as you might have thought it would be" GIlbert hung onto over every word he said. The discription of the loud music and the dancing till dawn. It seemed beautiful to celebrate a union with such festivities. It was the start if something new after all.

As Gilbert cut the bread that they had recived from the Cuthberts and Sebastian dished out stew, Gilberts hrsin got to thinking. "In all honesty Mr Phillips had always been prefrencial towards Prissy, however we never imagined that she would have agreed to the idea of marrying him in the first place" he added. What had suddenly changed her mind to not go through with it.

It seemed reassuring that others seemed as equally confused as he did when it came to thinking about their futures. Avonlea had a way of suckling you into its routines and diminishing any thought of doing something for yourself. Stepping out of the mould of a farmer had always seemed like it would be impossible. There were simply too many things to do in the day to spend time thinking of other things or improving other skills. Today it felt like that was not the case, especially with Bash here with him - posibilities seemed closer and more obtainable for him.

Thanks for reading. I haven't proofed this chaperone yet. Please excuse typos and mistakes for now.