before you left

02. Complications

After the previous day's events, Anne found herself inexplicably upset with the world in general. The only things that made sense to her were the things found in her textbooks, like physics or mathematics. She wished only that everything was so thought out. Anne mulled over all of this as she did her daily chores, in addition to her chores for Saturdays. She brushed Matthew's horse's mane fiercely, eventually earning her a loud grunt of disapproval.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I'm just afraid I'm in a bit of a predicament." She paused and smiled as she realized she was talking to the horse. She used to do this often when she first came to Avonlea, and it almost felt comforting to know that she was still more or less the same Anne as she was when she arrived. "How are you supposed to know if someone likes you, or if you like someone else? Truthfully, I never imagined myself in either situation, but now it seems that I'm in this situation anyway. There are these two boys in my class, you see, one of whom I never thought would ever like me, and another whom I don't think even considers me a friend based on the way I've treated him. It's quite sad, actually. I've never thought that I, Anne Shirley Cuthbert, would ever spend so much time contemplating something as trivial as members of the opposite gender. It's absurd, absolutely absurd!" She was yelling at that point.

"Anne...are you alright?" Matthew timidly stuck his head in the entrance to the barn. Anne glanced at him sheepishly before flashing him a reassuring smile. He simply nodded and continued his work.

As he left, Anne muttered to the horse, "I'm obviously too loud if even Matthew questions me,"

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"Bash, may I ask you something?" Gilbert wondered as he cradled baby Delphine in his arms.

"I suppose, but I can't guarantee you an answer," Bash answered with a grin.

Gilbert shook his head playfully before continuing. "Well, I'm trying to understand this girl and-"

"Woah, woah, woah, Gilbert. You should've started with that and I'd be a lot more attentive. Are you saying that the Gilbert Blythe is coming to me with assistance on matters involving a girl?"

"Oh, be quiet. That's quite alright, I guess I'll find someone else to talk to..."

"Not so fast, Blythe! Now sit down and tell me everything."

Gilbert placed Delphine gently in the crib and then took a seat at the kitchen table. He didn't know where to begin with Anne. There were too many things to say...too many words to describe her...

"My, my...she must've had more effect on you than I assumed. I've never seen you this quiet." Bash mused with a sly smirk. Gilbert groaned and glared back at him. "But seriously, just say what comes to your mind and I'll listen."

"It's just...I've never met anyone like her before. And...and I don't know how I feel, or how I'm supposed to feel. And then there's this other boy, Charlie, who thinks he can just walk in after barely showing his feelings days ago and sweep her off of her feet. But, she's too smart for that, of course, Anne-"

"Gilbert, do you like Anne?" Bash asked as soon as he heard the name.

"I...I don't know. And even if I did..."

"You don't think you're better than this Charlie boy. I know for a fact that you are. So what's stopping you, Blythe? Why don't you tell her how you feel?"

"I never said I felt anything like that-"

"We both know that's a lie." Bash said with a chuckle as he began to prepare supper. "You know, while we're on the subject of Anne, I might as well tell you. You, Mary, Delphine and I are having dinner with the Cuthberts tomorrow evening. I expect you'll be on your best behavior, and maybe if you're feeling adventurous you'll ask Anne to forgive you for acting like a jealous and lovesick ninny." By the end of his statement, Bash was laughing to himself. Gilbert held his head in his hands as he groaned in frustration. After a few moments of silence, the curly haired boy got up and stomped off to his room.

"Teenagers," Bash lamented.

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"We're doing what?!" Anne exclaimed, nearly dropping the pitcher of water in the process.

Honestly, I don't understand why Marilla always tells me such life changing things while I'm handling fragile items, Anne reasoned.

She received a stern look from Marilla, while Matthew only raised his eyebrows at the drama unfolding before him. He simply held his newspaper in front of his face and continued reading.

"If you have an issue with that, Anne Shirley Cuthbert, then I would love to hear it." Marilla dared, her voice dripping with furious sarcasm as she laid out the stew for supper. She threw Anne another warning look, one which assured Anne that she most definitely did not want to hear her petty reasons for turning away their dinner guests the following evening.

"Of course not, Marilla...I just..." She paused and sat down before thoughtfully continuing, "Will Gilbert be coming for dinner as well?"

Matthew set aside his paper at the hearing of this comment. Marilla seemed startled as well.

"He is, seeing as he is veritably Bash's family. I thought that you were friends in school with Gilbert Blythe, Anne, so whatever is the problem?" Marilla demanded in the nicest tone she could muster.

"Well, see, we've had some...complications...recently that I wouldn't care to mention." Anne replied as she stirred the stew relentlessly with her spoon.

"Well I should hope that you care to mention them so long as you live under my roof, Anne Shirley," Marilla said. "And what sort of complications? Did you two get in another disagreement? Because that can certainly be fixed. In fact, I will send you over to their house tomorrow morning to make amends."

Matthew began choking on a piece of chicken in the stew.

"To make it even easier for you Anne," Marilla continued, "I'll even bake a pie for you to bring over as well. It'll be like a piece offering. Now, if I hear one more word about it you'll be sent straight to bed." She set down her spoon in the bowl with an air of finality.

Anne knew there was nothing she could do or say that wouldn't make the situation worse, so she kept her mouth shut and mentally prepared herself for what she knew would be an interesting encounter.