Always and Forever: Anne with an E

Season 4 Episode 1: Written in our hearts

Dear Gilbert,

I look like my mother.

Today has been the best day of my life, and there must be more encompassing words to describe it but at the moment I am just too ecstatic to care. I fear my mind has yet to catch up to my reality. Diana has explained to me about the conversation on the train, and I am so sorry I did not get the contents of your letter.

In all truthfulness, my temper got the best of me as I tore up your letter without reading it, and quickly regretted it. But today I guess that doesn't really matter. As, as soon as you left Marilla and Mathew arrived with the missing piece of the puzzle, a book gifted from my father to my mother and the best of all, at the back he drew a picture of her and she has red hair like mine. It was the first moment in my life that I realised how beautiful the colour is. I have read through the pages already millions of times and still get surprised by the little written notes she has, she has the same handwriting like me.

I hope this letter finds you well my dear Gilbert, and I long for the day that I can say that in person. Study hard and please tell me all about your adventures in Toronto.

Sincerely Yours  and Affectionately,

Anne

Dear Anne,

Your letter arrived today and I cannot be happier, it has already been two weeks since I left but it feels like a lifetime. I am happy that Diana has explained it all to you, and I am also so sorry for not getting your letter.

I keep dreaming of your flowing hair as you said goodbye to me, and your letter today has made it even more real. Your mother sounds like a wonderful person and I cannot wait to see the book if you will share it with me of course.

Toronto is nothing like I imagined, and is a very fast-moving place, which makes me miss you and Avonlea all the more. But I think you will like it here, and the classes are very challenging, so I am glad you kept me on my toes while back at school. I live in a dorm with too many boys, which is also a drastic change from what I am used to and takes me back to my steamship days. But I feel like I am finally settling in here, despite missing you so.

I cannot believe that finally, the moment I have you is the moment I have to leave. I will return to Avonlea a week before Christmas and am counting down the days to see you my Anne.

Yours always,

Gilbert

Dear Gilbert,

It sounds so exciting, and I am so happy to have received your letter today as it was a rough day. The teachers here are much stricter than those of Avonlea and expect so much from us. I fear that my days of coming on top may be coming to an end now that we must take French classes. Diana, of course, is excelling at those.

Since I sent you the last letter, I have visited Avonlea and am proud to share that baby Deli has spoken her first words 'dada' much to Sebastian's happiness, and is turning into quite the chatterbox. Sebastian tells her about you all the time which has helped to fill that gap – only just. As of our peers, Ruby has become infatuated with one of our new classmates at Queens and Billy is now newly engaged to a girl from Charlettown.

Christmas seems like years away Gilbert and visiting Avonlea and home reminds me so of you. Even when I open the front door of the dorm house, I almost half-expect to see you standing there. So at least we have letters!

Toronto sounds like an exciting place, and I am happy you have found some friends. Well, I hope they are your friends. And don't dream of me too much, you need to focus on your studies doctor Blyth.

Yours lovingly

Anne.

Anne put down her fountain pen and stared at her letter, expressing her emotions on paper did not seem like enough, how could she really put to words how much she missed him. For some reason a mental wall had formed itself in her head, disabling her from expressing her true feelings. December seemed like years away but at least she had something to look forward to. Anne had been so excited to see Gilbert that she had already bought him a Christmas present, and was half-about to disclose the surprise in the letter. She tucked the new letter into a tin box containing the other letters Gilbert had sent and the pocket dictionary he had gifted her many Christmas's ago. I wonder if he already had feelings for me then, Anne thought before writing the address on the envelope. Ruby had told her to spray her scent on the letter – as one of Ruby's friends in Charlottown had explained. So Anne picked up her lavender scent and spayed the letter before closing it up.

"Oh Anne there you are, we were just about to play a round of cards in the common room, come" Diana pleaded from the door of their room.

"Alright, just let me put this in the post basket then Ill join you" Anne picked up her letter and followed Diana out, it was so lucky that all the Avonlea girls had stayed in the same place, as despite gaining many new friends, they had become each other's family away from home. The common room was filled with giggles as the girls sat around the small wooden table in the corner. This room was where they received guests and suitors. Some of the girls had met prospective suitors here, but as Gilbert was away Anne often had to sit to the side and watch.

"Oh, Anne you made it!" Ruby exclaimed standing up to get her another seat. Anne sat between Ruby and Diana and poured herself a cup of tea "where you studying Anne?" she asked waiting for the cards to be drawn out.

"No, I was replying to a letter" Anne replied, a blush forming on her face, Ruby clapped her hands excitedly and inquired to whom Anne had been writing "Alright, alright, I was replying to Gilbert if you must know" Anne hushed the girl and laughed taking her cards. Conversations in this room usually revolved around boys and beaus so Anne knew she would not be able to get out of this one. But sitting here surrounded by chatter and giggles was much better than wondering about what her beau – if they were even that – was up to. Lately, her mind has been a maze of confusion, so she tried avoiding it at all costs.