Anne Shirley Cuthbert's expectations

Chapter 25 - Memories of a Past Christmas (Special Chapter)

A pot of water was simmering on the fire, Mary rushed to the stove to plunge the vegetables into it, she was at the end of her pregnancy but that didn't stop her from spending time in the kitchen. She was very keen to prepare dinner for Christmas Eve.

She was humming in the kitchen, probably thinking she was alone, when someone came through the front door and made himself heard.

"Well, I'll never get used to that wonderful smell!"

This startled the pregnant woman who stopped humming, "Gilbert! You scared me so much! Make more noise when you come in or announce yourself!", she exclaimed, laughing.

He smiled, "I thought I'd made enough noise, you were singing a little loudly apparently."

Mary rolled her eyes, "Yeah, mock me... By the way, did you see Bash on your way in?" She asked, suddenly anxious.

"No, I don't know where he went to cut down his tree, I hope he didn't get lost!" laughed the dark-haired boy gently.

That didn't make the young woman laugh at the moment, "Oh, you know I like to make fun of Bash as much as you do, but it's getting late! The Cuthberts should be here in two hours!"

"I would have gone to look for him, but...", the hesitant young man began to say.

The mother-to-be sighed and said, "I'm doing just fine on my own! Don't worry, the baby and I will be fine!"

Gilbert, true to himself, did not give up, he could not help worrying about the expectant mother, "Bash would also resent me for going to fetch him instead of being with you."

Mary was getting to know Gilbert well, and the young man's worried eyes did not deceive her, so she firmly affirmed to reassure him, "Anne must come early, she wanted to help me at all costs, she should not be long now, does that reassure you?", she asked him with a small smile.

The young man's eyebrows raised, "I guess so... I'll wait for Anne to come then."

"Well...well... You can be stubborn sometimes, young man.", She teased him.

At Green Gables, Anne was getting ready in her room, she was at the height of despair, "My beautiful dress ! Why do we have to grow up?!"

Marilla, who had heard the latter lamenting, arrived hurriedly, "Anne?! My goodness gracious! What's going on?! We can hear you moaning all over the house!"

The young redhead was in a state of shock, her dress was half put on, "Oh Marilla! I'm at the height of despair! My dress! My sublime dress! I can't close it anymore! It's as if it just appeared overnight !", she said, taking a look at her chest.

This made the woman in the bun smile, "Come on, Anne... you must have guessed, why do you think I made you new dresses?"

"No offense, Marilla, but those dresses you made aren't suitable for Christmas Eve. I already miss this dress, I've experienced such beautiful things wearing it...", she said melancholy.

Marilla approached the girl, "Come on, come on... You'll have others, and you'll probably have even more wonderful times with these."

Anne stood in front of the mirror of her dresser, then touched the lace of the collar on her dress, "But she will forever be my very first sublime, magnificent, puffy-sleeved dress."

The elderly woman stood behind the redhead, watched her declare her words filled with sadness, and then she pulled herself together, "Well, come with me, in my old clothes I must have some blouses and skirts that will do for tonight. Of course I've never worn the kind of dress you like so much, it will be rather sober."