BASH SAT AT THE DESK OF HIS
living room, his hands cradling a giggling Delphine. A small doll made of cloth sat on the desk, and Delphine laughed joyfully as he gave it a silly voice with his accent.

"Good day Ma'am I hear someone has been stealing all the bannocks in Avonlea. Could it be this tiny bandit here?" He tickled the girl with the doll into her face and she laughed even more.

"Eh, little girl. You must not steal the baked good unless you promise to share one with your Papa Bash, yeah?" Delphine squealed and hid her face in his chest. Bash bend down to give her a kiss on her curls.

A chuckle comes from the hallway. Muriel leaned against the door frame, smiling at the two of them. Her skirt was a soft red with a white blouse. Sebastian looked up into her face, grinning.

"Look who's here, maybe she's our bandit." He said and Delli climbed off his lap, running towards Muriel.

"Miss Stacy. She is a very smart lady. Maybe she knows how to make the bannocks disappear without crumbs, eh?" He asked and Miss giggled as she lifted the little girl up.
She brought the child into her room and then came back.

"She grows so fast." She said and let out a sigh.

"And she's a curious little soul she wants to see everything I'm doing." She said shaking her head as she sat down next to the man.

"Yeah she wants to know everything. Always watchin', always listenin'. Just like her mama was. Never let a thing pass her by."
Miss Stacy meets his eyes, the weight of memory between them. But it's gentle now, slowed down in time as they didn't rush anything. They were worried on how much people would approve them as a couple. For now Rachel and Marilla were just glad that Delphine was cared for.

"She's lucky to have you." Miss Stacy said and bash shook his head.

"I am the lucky one."
Then Gilbert entered the house through the back door. His face was tensed and his brows drawn together. He pulled his cap off his head and his eyes looked to the ground in thought.

"Ah!" Sebastian said raising his arms and had a big smile on his face.

"The man of the hour! Tell us everything!" He said and stood up. Miss Stacy looked between them.

"Tell us what?" She asked not knowing what was going on and Gilbert sighed. He stepped inside and closed the door, not knowing how to tell them.

"I.. proposed to Amy." He said, holding his hat in his hands. Miss Stacy gasped and held her hands before her mouth. She looked at bash and then back at Gilbert.

"Blythe has finally come to accept his feelings and be a man of his word!" Bash said, a big smile plastered on his face. Gilbert could see that he was proud, which made it even harder for him.

"What did she say?" Miss Stacy asked, looking at Gilbert hopefully but the boy's jaw was tensed. Bash gave Miss Stacy a confused look.

"Yes of course! She said yes!" Bash stood up, his fists raised in the air as he started dancing around.

"Finally! Gilbert is all moving out and getting his bride-.." he danced on his feet, wiggling with his eyebrows and already wanted to pull Miss Stacy off her feet but Gilbert interrupted him.

"No." He said, shaking his head. Bash stopped dancing and looked at the man in disbelief.

"She refused." Gilbert said, looking to his hands in which he held his head. Then he shook his head.

"What?!" Bash said, his face completely shocked. Miss Stacy raised her hand before her mouth in shock.

"Oh what did you do this time?!" Bash said accusingly, his eyebrows drawn together.
He put his hands into his hips and leaned forward slightly.

"She-.." Gilbert said and pulled a chair to sit down.

"I don't know. I don't get it." He said, holding the spot between his eyes with his two fingers to give his brain a rest. He looked physically tired.

"What did she say?" Bash asked while Miss Stacy seemed to be in thought.

"She said.. she thinks she's not a good wife. She started talking about her parents. I think she's scared." Gilbert explained, shaking his head.
Mrs Stacy gasped.

"Oh" was all she was able to say.

"Why would she be scared?" Bash asked, walking across the room. He threw his arms into the air dramatically.

"What did you do boy?! I can't with this man!" Bash said accusingly, pointing at Gilbert.

"I didn't do anything." Gilbert exclaimed a bit more upset now, raising his hands defensively. He stood up. 

"But she kept on saying that she wouldn't be a good wife." He shrugged his shoulders and then ran a hand through his curls.

"And what did you say to that?" Bash asked.

"I said that isn't true.. and that I think she is a.. good wife." He shrugged.
He thought about the look Amy had in her eyes. The way she leaned into the bridge and let her hands glide over her skirt, down her upper legs. She had looked so worried.

"I don't get it. She was so sure when we came together a-and it was always clear to both of us that we would marry!" Gilbert said, staring at the floor in thought. He shook his head.

"She wouldn't lead me on, would she?" Gilbert said and Bash and Miss Stacy's faces both shot up towards him.

"Are you mad Blythe?!" Bash had stopped pacing around and raised his palm to point at Gilbert. His stance was leaned on his left leg so that his upper body leaned closer to Gilbert.

"This is Bella we're talking about." He said in a much harsher tone as he defended the girl. Miss Stacy gave him a warning glare and the man sat down. The woman's eyes found Gilbert's again and she leaned forward.

"I'm sure there is another reason for it." She nodded.

"What is it? I didn't wait too long did I? We both are young a-and her whole family situation is fragile, she could barely reach the daughter of a cousin of hers and she was heading for college-.."
He rambled on about the reasons for his waiting about the proposal. Miss Stacy interrupted him by laying a hand into his.

"Your timing was fine Gilbert." She assured him, then leaned back and seemed in thought again, biting her lip.

"Amybella has.. a complicated past. Her whole family situation and childhood was fragile like you said. And I think.." she told him, slowly while she seemed to think and tried to find the right words.

"What?" Bash said as he followed the conversation, invested.

"I think she hasn't.. really processed a lot of it." She said finally, nodding.

"I think a lot is catching up with her now that everything has settled down, which leaves her to be scared of... commitment." She then said and Gilbert stared at the ground. His mouth was pressed into his palm, to hold his head.
Everything Miss Stacy said made absolute sense. She truly opened a window for him and even Bash was astonished and looked at the woman with an open mouth.

"Does that sound plausible?" Miss Stacy asked, reacting to the lack of response.

"Yeah, yeah.." Gilbert murmured, nodding.

"But what do I do about it?" He then asked, looking up. Miss Stacy sighed and  ash also seemed to be in thought. Gilbert didn't know anything. He just felt tired from everything that has happened.

•

On Sunday, Diana held a little gathering at her house to celebrate her engagement with Fred together with her friends. Although Ruby wouldn't come because she was awfully sick these last days.

Amy actually didn't want to go to the gathering after what had happened. She wanted to avoid her friends snickering, laughing and jumping onto her. She didn't want them asking her about the proposal, she didn't want to talk about it.
A big part of her was ashamed about her decision and made her repeat Gilbert's words over and over again.

"Just because your parents had the relationship they did, doesn't mean we will too."

His words had drilled through her and left her stunned. It had shocked her deeply how well Gilbert was able to read her. He was the only man to ever know the depths of her heart and the thoughts she never spoke on the outside of her head. And the fact that she had hurt him with her refusal, hurt herself when her conscience finally caught up with the decision she had made.

"Bella!" Diana expressed happily as she saw through the door, the maid had just opened.

"Come in!" She said and Bella returned the smile.

"I brought biscuits." She said, holding up the little baked goods. Working at the bakery in Charlottetown when she was 18 had truly given her a lot of skills.

"Anne's friend Philippa will also come, you'll love her!" Diana smiled wholeheartedly and right behind her, Bella could see red hair walking towards them.

"Oh Bella!" Anne said, smiling and embraced the blonde girl. Diana also took her into her arms before she gave the biscuits in Bella's hands to the maid.

"Let's go upstairs, I have the perfect dresses for you." She said and hurried them to go upstairs.
When they reached Diana's room, they tried on the dresses she had made especially for them.
Then Diana showed them the wedding dress of her mother and the veil she will be wearing.

„Oh Diana, you will be the most astonishing bride on the whole wide world." anne said, with big eyes.

"It is beautiful Diana!" Bella complimented. Diana smiled as she swayed the skirt of the dress she was holding to her chest.

"I can't wait to try it on!" she exclaimed and laughed as she hung it back on the door where it would be safe.
Anne, still playful as always, took the veil in her hands and put it onto her head.

"Oh this is you! Nervously sweeping up the aisle on your father's arm your black curls framing your delicate face!" She pulled Diana up from her bed and Bella laughed.

"The perfect bride, looking into Fred's face. He's all red, whispering 'I do'!" Diana gasped and suppressed a laughter.

"Don't be mean!" She said but continued to giggle. Anne lifted the veil over her face so that they could see her face.

"Promise me one thing. If he faints.." she said and tilted Diana back.

"Make sure to catch him!" She said and Diana laughed, they fell onto the bed right next to Bella and the bed cracked dangerously, making a loud noise. All of them gasped and lifted themselves on their elbows.

"Anne the veil! You're gonna rip it!" Bella said and Anne lifted the veil off her head and laid it back on the chair, before returning king to lay on the bed between Diana and Bella.

"Diana Barry what in heavens name is going on?!" They heard the voice of Mrs Barry from downstairs.
The girl exchanged looks before Diana lifted her head and called back.

"Nothing mother!" She responded and they started giggling again.
All three of them gasped for air.

"Oh, oh I'm so nervous." Diana said, running her hand over her cheek.

"You'll be alright and it's still a long time till the wedding, don't loose your head over it." Bella said, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Everyone survives the ceremony. It's afterwards-.." Anne said and Diana interrupted her.

"Oh you're so smug! Just wait till your turn comes, Miss Anne." The brunette girl said and Anne sighed.

"No. I've definitely decided a career over marriage." Anne said and Bella raised her brows.

"What about Charlie?" She asked but Anne shook her head. Her lips formed to a thin line. Her face turned sad but she tried to hide it.

"I doubt there is anyone suitable for me. Maybe I'll become a nun." She said, leaning her face into her hand.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful to be the bride of heaven! But I'm not catholic." Anne said and Bella laughed,

"You? A nun?" She asked and Diana giggled.

"You should be a nurse. It's a romantic profession! Smoothing fevered brows and have some handsome millionaire patients falling madly in love with you!" Diana suggested and they laughed again.
And then it finally dropped in the girls mind. Diana gasped and leaned her body on her elbows as she gasped and looked at Bella.

"Bella! You didn't tell us how yesterday went with Gilbert!" She asked and both of the girls seemed to drill through Bella with their eyes.

"I don't wanna talk about it." She shook her head. She was too tired to talk about it and even more to have Anne and Diana judge her for her decision.

"What happened? Did he propose?" Anne ask, taking Bella's hand into hers.
The girl sighed deeply.

"Yes. He proposed." She said, but it wasn't a joyful announcement which seemed to confuse Bella and Anne even more.

"I knew it! It was time for that! I told you he'd do it!" Diana gasped happily.

"I'm so happy for you Bella! What veil are you gonna wear?" Diana stood up from her bed, her palms in her mouth as she smiled excitedly. Anne however saw the look on Bella's face and grew concerned.

"What is it Bella? What happened?" She asked as she saw Bella's face.
The girl shook her head.

"I refused." She said.

"What?"
"What?"
Anne and Diana said at the same time.

"Y-yes?" Bella said, looking onto the sheets.

"Bella are you out of your mind?" Diana asked.

"Please don't scold me, I don't wanna hear it." Amybella said and buried her head in the sheets of Diana's bed. After laughing with the girls, she now wanted to be any place else than here.

"I can't believe it! You actually said no?" Anne asked, with a disappointed tone in her voice.

"After two years of flirting, this is scandalous, Bella." Diana said, her voice dead serious.

"Take that back Diana!" Bella stood up from the bed and looked down on them.

"How could you, Bella?" Diana said, her voice softer now. Bella sighed and leaned into the railing of the bed.
Bella started at her fingers, not being able to answer.

She just wouldn't be a good wife

•

"I know what you should do!" Bash grunted, as they were carrying wood for the fire from the Forrest towards the house. The whole time neither of them had talked much but now Bash seemed to have an idea and leaning forward to Gilbert.

"The girls life is fragile, Muri said she's scared." Bash summed up their talk with Miss Stacy from earlier.

"So as a man you gotta do what a man does. Now it's your job.." he pointed at Gilbert.

"To make her feel safe." He concluded raising his arms. Gil's brows drew together as he tried to make sense out of Bash's words.

"Make her feel safe?" He asked, repeating Bash's words.

"Yeah!" Bash exclaimed.

"Give her a stance, a backbone. Let her process and don't push." He said and his language sounded much more casual and unmeasured, compared to Miss Stacy.
Gilbert looked in between them and saw her giving Bash a proud smile.
Then he thought about Bash's words.

Make her feel safe.