Anne Shirley Cuthbert's expectations

Chapter 8 - Parallel readings

In Toronto, Gilbert had spent a rather studious week lying on his bed reading an anatomy textbook, while his roommate was writing a letter.

The dark-haired boy got up from his bed and threw his book on the mattress, walked discreetly behind Jack, crossed his arms and asked him with a smile on his lips, "So who are you writing to?"

He didn't expect it and made a scratch on his paper, "Gilbert! Damn it! I'm going to have to take it all back! ", his roommate immediately apologized, "I'm really sorry, I didn't think you'd jump! I hope at least it wasn't a love letter... ", he said, wanting to lighten the mood a little.

But this did not at all relax poor Jack, "I wish it had been that, it's a much more complicated letter to write, I'm writing to my father." But with all the concentration the young man was putting into it, Gilbert didn't think it was to one of his parents he was writing to.

The redheaded boy looked up at his new friend, "You see, my father is the demanding type, I can't afford to make spelling mistakes, misspell things, and forget details about my first week here, it's a real check-up I have to do."

The young man with the brown curls sits down on his bed, "Well, I didn't think it was that bad, I actually got along with my father, we were on the same page, I guess it would have been easy to write to him. I can't understand how it's so hard to communicate with your father now."

Jack took out a new sheet of paper from his desk drawer, "I guess your father was a simple person, and it's not at all pejorative when I say that, I wish mine was. But he had to be a doctor, and on top of that with a great reputation... For as long as I can remember, I was destined for a career in medicine. I don't know if it was the same for you."

Gilbert scratched his head, "Hmm... no. For me, it was like a no-brainer, but it took me a lot of steps, a lot of hardship. If I hadn't lost my family and a friend, or if I hadn't gone to work at sea for a year, I probably wouldn't be here today, so I would say that it was my life and my choices that guided me to Toronto."

The clumsy student stood up from his chair and leaned against his desk, "I wish I had the same vocation as you, but it is obvious that I would not have liked to experience the trials you had to endure. I can only say that it was my father who guided me here, there's nothing very noble in that, nothing very personal, but it's in my genes according to my father, so... I find that belief very unscientific, if you ask me!"

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, Jack went to open, a man in a cap pulled a cart full of letters, apparently he was delivering the mail, "I have this letter for Mr. Jack Collins, and this one is for Mr. Gilbert Blythe." Gilbert went at once to get his letter from the young redhead's hands, "This... I mustn't miss it, thank you very much."

Gilbert rotated the envelope and read the sender's name, Anne Shirley-Cuthbert, and smiled so hard as he read the three words that his sidekick couldn't help but notice, "Well.... She must be quite a fascinating girl, I wish my teeth could be seen as much when I get a letter."

The dark-haired boy did not reply, he was too absorbed in his letter, and Jack immediately understood that, "All right, I'll go for a walk...", still without a reply, he left the room to leave his friend alone with his letter.

He was lying on his bed, his eyes going from left to right, trying not to read too fast so as not to finish his reading too soon. Even though he wasn't going to read the letter so quickly after all, he soon realized that Anne had really poured out, seeing the three pages double-sided.

It was clear that she had some catching up to do, especially to explain, because in the end, before she left Avonlea, Anne had hardly seen Gilbert. Quiproquo would probably be an understatement to describe the situation experienced by the two young people.