Remains to be Seen

Chapter Twenty-One: Music to My Ears

SO HI!!

Thank y'all sm for being patient for an update!! Break was FREAKING CRAZY!!

And I *think* y'all will like this chapter!! At least I hope so!!

♡ much love

(pic from my holiday travels and song not exactly on purpose but it may kinda fit so ♡)

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"Oh! of course," Anne ducked her head brushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

Gilbert kept taking small steps towards Anne, who instinctively took two steps backwards but bumped into the wall. Having no where to go, she looked up. Gilbert was close enough now, she could see he had actually changed.

His dark curly hair untouched and as unruly as ever, he had changed into a fresh crisp shirt and a splotched brown and forest green sweater vest. She scanned him all the way down to his stockinged feet which were still slowly walking towards her. A small smile tucked up on Anne's face, causing her right eye to squint half shut and crinkle.

Noticing her lingering gaze Gilbert suddenly felt shy and stopped a few steps short of Anne, "I also searched in my closet for something."

Feeling a little bolder, Anne took a step away from the wall.

"Oh?" She stepped right up to the boy moving a piece of stray hair out of his eyes, "and did you find it?"

Gilbert caught her hand and pulled it down to his cheek, he spoke—voice soft and nearly about to break, "you said you would help me?"

She felt his pulse in his temple, his hand cradling hers on his face. Anne was surprised at his boldness, but looking into his eyes she saw sincerity as he asked for her help.

Anne stroked his temple with her fingers, "show me what you found."

With her reassurance Gilbert took her wrist in his hand and guided her to the door he had been leaning on when he saw her radiating like the sun as she stepped into the hall after changing.

He looked back at her once more, eyes unsettled, but saw Anne nodding for him to go ahead. He opened the door to his bedroom and let go of Anne's wrist. He slowly walked to his bed and started untying a large drawstring satchel.

Anne walked in and stood at the end of the bed, hands resting on the short wooden footboard post. Upon seeing the satchel, Anne's imagination reemerged for the first time in days. 

What could it be I wonder? What if it's a project Nan never finished—although I don't know what kind of project that would be. It could be a quilt I suppose. Oh! Or it could be this lovely gown! But what would she want Gilbert to do with a gown?

Anne's thoughts were interrupted as Gilbert pulled out a beautiful cherry stained guitar.

"Oh," Anne's whisper escaped her mouth as she stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed.

Gilbert strummed off a chord, grimacing at finding it wildly out of tune.

Gilbert held the guitar in his lap, picking at the tuning knobs, "Nan made me learn," Gilbert laughed lightly, "she said she loved hearing me play. Towards the end she would talk about how she could see the music; that the different notes resonated in different colors."

"That sounds simply beautiful," Anne glanced up to the boy, "I never knew you played," Anne could hardly explain how she felt, there was this whole secret side to Gilbert which it seemed no one knew—and he was gifting her with little pieces of it.