Anne with an e- a new version of the story

Chapter 82 - Storm

ANNE

"You've lost the baby," Mary's voice seemed to repeat the same phrase over and over inside her head, and Anne didn't want it to be true, she closed her eyes tightly, wishing it was all a bad dream, and that she would wake up and be in her room in Green Gables listening to Marilla scold Matthew for leaving his boots at the front door.

But when she opened her eyes again, Anne saw Mary with her compassionate gaze, holding hands as pale as her face, while her gaze was lost in the white of the hospital wall. A baby? How was that possible? She and Gilbert had taken such good care of each other. When had it happened? Then she thought of Paris, and the days of intense love they had enjoyed together. Perhaps on one of the nights they had made love, they had let themselves go and it had happened. But why should that fact matter since there was no more baby? She had lost her baby and Gilbert's, and that was a terrible fact.

Anne lowered her gaze to her belly and placed her hands on it, thinking that a few hours ago there had been a little seed in there, the fruit of her love for Gilbert, which would grow and be the extension of everything they represented to each other, but she had let it die, she hadn't looked after it enough and now it was no longer there, and Anne felt strangely empty. She heard her heart breaking as if it were made of the most delicate crystal, and the sound that reached her ears were her cries of despair.

Mary tried to calm her down, hugging her like Marilla would, but she couldn't stop her crying. There was so much pain on that pale face that Mary was moved. It was awful to lose a child, she could well understand Anne's grief, she was so young to be going through it, and Gilbert wasn't there to console her. There wasn't much she could do to help her except give her the comfort of words, which didn't seem to be enough, but that was all she had to offer.

Little by little, Anne calmed down, until she stopped sobbing and only silent tears streamed down her face. Mary remained silent, waiting for that moment to pass and for Anne to be able to say what she was feeling.

It was so sad to see such a beautiful love being shaken by that unfortunate event. Gilbert would have loved to hear about the baby, because as much as he loved children, he would have been thrilled with the news. It wasn't going to be easy for Anne to tell him, she didn't want to be in his shoes, but the way they loved each other, they would comfort each other and in the end they would be fine.

Mary watched Anne stare into the void. She wasn't saying anything, and she was beginning to worry. Perhaps she should call the nurse to give her some sedation, maybe if she slept a little she would feel better.

- Anne, darling. Say something. Don't keep quiet like that. Tell me what you're feeling." Mary said, trying to get the girl to let off steam and let out all her pain, but Anne remained silent, her sadness was clear on her face, and Mary wished she could do something to erase that terrible pain, but she didn't know how. - Shall I call Marilla? - Hearing Mary speak of the good lady, Anne looked at her with tortured eyes and said in a hoarse voice:

- Please, Mary. Don't tell Marilla what happened. She won't understand, and I don't want her or Matthew to suffer for me.

- But perhaps she could help you with her experience. - Mary said, pushing Anne's tangled hair away.

- Noone can help me, Mary. There is no consolation for what I feel, there are no words for this pain of mine. My heart has been ripped out, and what's left is a huge crater." Her eyes were lost in the emptiness again, as she maintained a rigid, heartbreaking posture.

- "Anne, I can imagine how hard this is for you, but you know you have to tell Gilbert. You can't hide something serious like this from him," Mary said again.