COME HOME SOMEDAY

Getting on Jerry's nerves

Jerry Baynard was sick and tired of Anne complaining. Her new favourite person to vent to seemed to be him rather than any of her friends for school. Probably because she was afraid she'd scare them away.

If it weren't for the money, he would have left the country by now. He was seriously worrying about his mental health.

"I can't believe Charlie couldn't spell 'wedding' properly. What is the point of studying if I can beat everyone anyway?! It's pointless. I really don't know why I spend so much time doing my work! And then there's Josie who-"

Jerry stopped listening and randomly nodded along as he thought about all the jobs that had yet to be done.

"Jerry Baynard! Are you listening?!"

It was going to be another very long day for the hired boy. He just wished he could find a way to stop Anne complaining.

This solution, however, did not come to him until the next day when she mentioned a name he had almost forgotten "Gilbert Blythe". He remembered that Gilbert had been the only ever known to beat Anne Shirley at school.

It was perfect. All he had to do was find a way to contact Gilbert Blythe and get him to return to Avonlea school. That way Anne would have competition again and she would stop complaining all the time!

Now all he had to do was find the boy and convince him. Every second that passed it seemed more and more unlikely. How was he meant to find someone who had been gone for months to who-knows-where?

"Ah, Jerry. Would you go to town to get us some paint for our new fence?" Marilla asked walking into the room with a friendly smile.

"Bien sûr! Of course!" Jerry replied with a small smile. He'd try and think of something later. Something more feasible than finding someone who's probably lost at sea or something.

♡♡♡

The shops were busier than usual and poor Jerry found it quite difficult to get to the counter with a small bucket of paint.

Finally he pushed though the crowd of browsers and reached the small counter. He slammed the paint on it forcefully before anyone else could move him away and he sighed. Finally.

"Jerry?" He heard is name and looked around in confusion. Who was calling him? He heard a warm laugh and realised it was coming from behind the counter.

Jerry stared at the man behind it and searched through his mind for a name. His dark curly hair and smiling face seemed vaguely familiar.

"How's Anne?" He asked and Jerry instantly put a name to his face. It was a rather matured Gilbert Blythe. What were the odds?

"Gilbert! What are you doing here?"

"Making a bit of money before I return home. How's Anne?" He repeated anxiously.

"Oh! Uh. Bien, I mean good." Jerry wasn't sure quite how to bring up the fact that he needed Gilbert to abandon all his plans and return to school before Anne drove him crazy.

"How's she doing at school?" Gilbert asked while counting the money Jerry had handed him for the paint.

Was some mystical creature looking out for him. Maybe some kind of magical unicorn that Anne had once talked about?

"She says it's boring. I'm sure she misses you."

"She misses me?"

"She talks about you all the time." More or less true. She spent all her time talking about needing a worthy opponent and that oppenent was going to be Gilbert.

"I miss her too."

Fate really was on his side.

"Maybe you could come back to Avonlea and surprise her at school?"

Gilbert grinned and shrugged. He took off his name tag and leapt over the counter, handing it to the closest customer.

"Congratulations. You now work here." He informed the woman before marching out of the shop leaving a room full of shocked people.

♡♡♡

Jerry had driven Gilbert home and he happily finished his chores and gone home to sleep. He would soon be free from Anne's complaints.

The next day he watched Anne go to school and he got to work like usual. At the time school ended he stopped working and waited for Anne to return. He simply couldn't wait to see her smile and leave him alone.

As expected she returned with a small smile and she ate quickly like usual. The she made her way to the barn where Jerry was busy congratulating himself.

"Hello Anne!" The boy said, but Anne hardly listened. Instead she started speaking in a rush. The poor boy could barely make out what she was saying.

"I can't believe Blythe beat me in geometry. I was so much happier when he was away. He's simply the most annoying boy. Does he think he can just walk into school, beat me and then talk to me?! I really don't-"

Jerry sighed and silently prayed for someone, anyone, to save him.

Written by @theunicornthequeen

Not proofread.