Amazing Grace // Gilbert Blythe

Chapter 5

The very next morning that was exactly what Grace did. She waited at his gate for him to leave his house and join her on the walk. Meanwhile she planned exactly what she would say to him, only she didn't get very far as she kept ridiculing herself and starting over. After ten minutes Grace thought that she had been waiting far too long and Gilbert was hardly ever late causing the realisation that he may not be coming into school that day. She couldn't help but feel rather embarrassed for standing beside his gate for so long.
But Grace was hardly about to give up and opened the gate to his garden.

The Blythe house was quaint with a slate roof and small windows with closed red curtains.
After a few knocks on the door and a solid wait of thirty seconds the door finally opened. Grace prepared to throw herself into her apology only to be met with an old man holding himself up on the doorframe looking very weak.

"Sir!" Grace reached forward for him as he looked as if he were about to collapse. "Are you quite alright?"

The man started to speak only to be interrupted by the further opening of the door and the face of Gilbert.

"Dad, you shouldn't be out of bed. Grace?" he looked at her questioningly as he slipped his arm under his fathers. The cold anger in the undertones of his voice sent Grace's heart sinking to her feet.

"Oh this is the Grace you go on about Gilbert. You're right, she is pretty." Mr. Blythe chuckled, much to the embarrassment of Grace who's face flamed up but chose not to comment.

"I-" Grace started but was told to wait by Gilbert who went to put his father back in bed as he attested that there was no need for his help.

When he finally returned the anger looked gone and instead he looked tired.
"Gilbert I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any of it, only Ruby has a crush on you and Josie Pye said that if I talked to you they would all hate me but it was ever so wrong of me to be so rude to you and I really would like to be your friend." Grace rushed out before he could get a word in edge ways.

"I guess that makes sense, I wish you hadn't done it but I guess I can understand that." He finally replied after what seemed an hour but was likely only a few seconds.

"So are we good?" She asked hopefully.
"We're good." He smiled back. "Do you want to come in?" He asked, surprised he could have forgotten his manners so long. She nodded her reply and the two entered the house, Grace pulling her winter wear off as she went.
"You're missing school." Gilbert said finally when they were sat opposite each other at the table. It was a productive looking kitchen with cooking utensils lying about but not a messy looking one. Grace thought it looked well lived in, not like her spotless home kitchen.

"So are you," said Grace. "If you don't mind me asking is your father okay?" At her question the heavy weight upon Gilbert's shoulder seemed to sag as he rubbed the tiredness from his eyes.
"He's very sick. The doctor thinks he doesn't have much tome left and I want to be here with him. It's why I went to the mountains before you came, he wanted to see them one last time." He admitted.

"Oh Gilbert. I'm so sorry. I was so horrible to you and all this time-"
"It's okay Grace. You didn't know." Gilbert sighed, a small smile on his lips.

"No it isn't. Even though I didn't know I shouldn't have said such horrible things. I want to make it up to you. Everyday after school I'll come help you, it's not fair that you do it all on your own." Grace said determinedly. At this the small smile on Gilbert's face pulled into a real one.

"You really don't have to Grace."

"I want to. And then we can walk together, if you still want to?" She asked a sudden feeling of insecurity washing over her only to be flushed away by Gilbert's smile and a short laugh.

"I'd love to walk with you."