𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 ᵍⁱˡᵇᵉʳᵗ ᵇˡʸᵗʰᵉ

30

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛ ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

"Mary's here."

- Anne Shirly-Cuthbert

---

Charlotte sat beside Anne, scabbling words onto a sheet of paper, stabling multiple together.

"What're you doing?" Anne asked, pressing another flower for the cookbook she was making.

"I'm making Mary a book of poems and short stories written by me," Charlotte looked up. "And Bash can read them to Delly every night."

The girls glanced up as the door to the house opened, Gilbert and two other women stepping inside. Constance and Jocelyn.

Anne stood up from her chair, embracing the two women she had never even met. "How extraordinary to be amused by such affably familiar faces."

Jocelyn raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean she's happy to see us?"

"It means she's overjoyed," Charlotte replied.

Constance looked between Anne, Charlotte and Marilla. "Mary wrote that you've been a big help to her."

"She's become a special friend," Charlotte replied. "Can we offer you ladies something after your long trip?"

"We'd just like to see our Mary."

"Down the hall, at the end on the left," Gilbert pointed the two.

Charlotte crossed her legs under the table, moving back to work on her poem. She needed to find the right words. For Mary.

—

"Don't fall."

Charlotte glanced down at Anne from the highest step on the ladder she was one, hanging up paper butterflies. "I'm not going to fall."

"If you fall we don't want to be dealing with broken arms," Ruby called up, shuddering at the thought of Charlotte's bones in places they shouldn't be.

"I'm not going to..." Charlotte grabbed onto the pole beside her as a gust of wind blew her to the side, almost knocking her off completely. "See, didn't fall."

"You almost did," Anne called up.

"But I didn't."

Anne shook her head as the girl climbed down, making a show of how she was still in one piece. "Mary's here."

The group of girls and people in the Barry's backyard walked towards the gates, where Bash was carrying Mary.

"Welcome to your easter Mary," Anne smiled.

Bash set his wife down on the seat Charlotte had built, making sure the pillows were comfortable and a blanket was wrapped around her shoulders.

Charlotte and Anne walked towards Mary, Anne going first and holding out her cookbook. "This is for Delphine."

"You're an angel Anne Shirly-Cuthbert."

Charlotte stepped forward. "I wrote you a book. It's a book of poems and short stories. And you're the first person except me to see them."

Mary smiled up at the girl, embracing her like a mother. "Thank you, Charlotte."

To Charlotte, a hug from Mary felt like home. "You're welcome."

She stepped away, watching as Mary smiled at her words, showing them to Bash, who passed it to Gilbert to read while Mary admired Anne's cookbook.

Charlotte turned away to face the opposite direction, speaking to Anne, Ruby and Diana, missing the smile Gilbert shot her from across the garden.

—

Delly was sat on Charlotte's lap as Constance and Jocelyn fussed over her, the three turning to watch as Minnie May stepped towards them, holding out painted eggs and flowers.

Jocelyn took of Delly's bonnet, allowing Anne to place a flower crown atop her head.

"That's fit for a princess," Jocelyn said.

Minnie May watched. "She looks like a chocolate candy."

Each person in the garden went silent, each of them waiting to see Jocelyn, Constance and Charlotte's reactions. The three exchanged looks, before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"You're right Minnie May," Constance nodded. "She is a pretty little chocolate princess."

The rest of the crowd laughed.

"Hello, sweet baby girl," Jocelyn cooed. "She is very sweet."

"Aren't you?" Charlotte looked down at the baby, her heart melting as Delphine beamed back and latched her tiny fingers around her thumb.

—

Charlotte sat beside Gilbert beside Mary's seat, bouncing Delphine on her lap as the community sang to Mary.

"I don't know how to thank you all." Tears brimmed Mary's eyes as her voice broke. "I'll just read you my favorite prayer if that's alright."

"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love."

Marilla stepped forward as those tears began to fall from Mary's eyes. Marilla continued the prayer.

"Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith."

Charlotte stood from her spot alongside Gilbert, the two moving to stand in front of Mary as the people of Avonlea recited Mary's prayer.

"Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O divine master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console. To be loved as to love. For in it is giving we receive. And it is in pardoning, that we are pardoned. And it is dying that we are born to eternal light."

---

3/03/2024

I'm loving publishing this book rn. Maybe will post an extra chapter later. (def will)