CHAPTER FOUR ; THE TRUTH ABOUT FAMILY AND THE PAIN IT CAUSES

☽ ☼☾

"BASH." A GRIME COVERED Gilbert Blythe calls out to the man in the hammock diagonal to his own. "Bash do you want to talk about it?"

Bash, the beautifully dark skinned man ignored Gilbert and just stares at the wooden ceiling above him.

"Bash, I know you're not a sleep. Your eyes are open." Gilbert chuckles but gets no response. "Sebastian."

This perks the interest of another man in the hammock to the left of Gilbert. "Your born name is Sebastian?" Bash rolls his eyes. "Sounds like you should own this boat. Here I thought Bash meant you liked to rough a fellar up." He let's out a teasing laugh. "Good to know."

Bash looks unimpressed as he stares Gilbert down. "You have ruined my reputation, I could hit you two top myself."

Gilbert ignores his threat and rests his arm on his knee. "There was this girl back in Avonlea...Ollie. One time I called her a brown headed ditz and she slapped me right in the face."

"Well I give her right on 'dat." Bash says sarcastically.

"She hated it when I called her Ollie. Her full name was Olivia but she would get mad if her friends called her anything but Ollie. She had a fiery temper for a French girl." Gilbert shakes his head with a smile playing on his lips.

"She shoulda done more than slap you." Sebastian continues but Gilbert pays no mind to him.

Gilbert stares ahead but his eyes are clouded with the image of the girl above him jumping into the lake. "I wonder if I'll ever see her again." He shakes his head. "I hope I do but, if I go home I may never be able to leave again."

"Boy," The other man calls out to Gilbert. "you call that a problem? Some of us ain't have no home, or no girl to be waitin for us when we get back."

Gilbert hesitates with his response. His eyes shift downwards and he sighs. "I'm not sure if I have that girl waiting. Not anymore."

☽ ☼☾

Rain was plummeting to the Earth in the town of Avonlea while Olivia made her way to the Abrim's shoe store. The air was cool but the harsh wind made it colder than it really was. Icy droplets hit her clothes and soon enough she was drenched. When she reached the shop, her shaking fingers pushed open the door and a bell sounded. Hattie walked out, ready to greet a customer but her mouth lighted up in a smile when she saw Olivia.

"Good afternoon Olivia." She said happily but her eyes widen when she saw the girl dripping with water. "Oh my, here, let me fetch you a towel. She walked into the back and Olivia took off her coat and hat, laying them to dry on a nearby chair. Hattie came back with a dark towel and Olivia took it, wringing out her hair. "I believe my father has you on sewing today. There probably won't be many customers so we're all going to be working in the back."

Olivia nods and follows the older girl through a curtain where she sees James Abrim and his wife Marlize.

"Hello, Olivia." Marlize grins at Olivia and the girl just gives her a curt nod. Hattie told her parents that after the incident Olivia just shut down so she wasn't phased by the emotionless greeting, James was the same. He has been mute for a few years after something traumatic happened to him and Marlize was a sign language expert which helped them bond.

James walks over to Olivia's desk with a handful of supplies for her. He places the items down carefully and pats her shoulder, walking off. That was his version of a hello. Olivia takes the thread and unrolls it. She pushes it through a needle and ties it. She grabs a pair of shoes to the left of her and flips them over to reveal the unattached leather bottoms. She pokes the needle through the material and begins her work.

Five hours and countless pairs of shoes later, she finishes her day by stacking the shoes on the shelves. She hears the bell jingle so she walks through the curtain and sees Isaac drenched standing where she was earlier.

"It's still raining?" Olivia asks.

"Sure is, I hate it." He chuckles, slinging off his coat. Droplets of the rainwater land on the dry ground and Olivia stares at them, not wanting to look at her brother.

"Isaac!" Hattie exclaims as she walks out. She throws herself into his arms and places a long kiss on his lips. Isaac smiles and leans into it, pulling her closer. Olivia's eyes start to water but she turns away before they see her. "We'll be closing up the shop in ten minutes and then we're going to have dinner." She says as she pulls away from him.

"Ollie are you going to stay for dinner?" He asks her. She can feel her skin grow hotter as she whips around.

"I told you. Stop calling me Ollie." Isaac looks hurt by her angry tone. "I don't think I will. I'm tired and I just want to go home." She crosses her arms and tears her gaze from his.

"Olivia, please don't do this. The walk home is long and it's pouring rain." Isaac pleads with her, taking a step forward. "You'll catch pneumonia or the cold."

Olivia's eyes widen and she steps back. She didn't want to be sick. Not again. Not after what happened last time. She sighs. "Okay. I'll stay." Isaac and Hattie both look happy with her statement. "But only until the rain stops. Then I'm going home."

Hattie smiles. "Mother, add another place setting for Olivia." She calls out to Marlize. The older woman peeks her head through the curtain and looks to Olivia.

"Already done." She winks before disappearing back behind the maroon fabric.

Hattie turns back to Olivia and Isaac. "Shall we go upstairs then?"

Isaac nods and the two of them follow Hattie up the wooden staircase into the house that resides above the shop. When they walk in, Olivia's eyes roam the kitchen. The first thing she notices is the pictures of the Abrim's hanging up on the wall. There wasn't very many since but in every single one they looked so happy. She could feel the lump forming in her throat but she forced herself to swallow it back. She moves towards Hattie and Isaac.

"I'm going to go wash up." She tells them and Hattie nods.

"We have another sink in the washroom. Down the hallway to the left." Hattie says and Olivia just nods. She walks down the hallway, following Hattie's instructions. Before she reaches the washroom, a room catches her eyes. The door was opened by a crack and inside was a bed that was covered in Isaac's clothes. She pushes the door farther open and walks in. Isaac's belongings are scattered around on different tables and nightstands. They were all mixed with Hattie's. She rolls her eyes at the fact that his clothes were strewn everywhere. With a sigh, Olivia starts picking his things up and folding them over a chair. She walks over to the vanity and takes one of his hats in her hand. Before she can walk away, she notices a shiny ring sitting on the wood. She trades the hat for the ring and upon further inspection she realizes it's an engagement ring. Her mother's engagement ring. Her eyes water, fueled by the anger inside of her.

She throws the door open, storming down the hallway. "How could you?" She yells. Isaac and Hattie's laughter stop as they turn towards her. Isaac's eyebrows knot together in confusion before he notices the ring grasped between her pointer finger and thumb. Even though she's angry, he can tell she's being careful with it. "You proposed to Hattie and didn't tell me?" The lump from earlier creeps back up into her throat. "And with moms ring?" Her cracked voice whimpers out the last part.

"Olivia, I'm sorry." He says with true sorrow laced in his voice. "I knew you were still upset about mom and dad and I-"

She cuts him off. "Of course I'm still upset about mom and dad. They died." She screams, tears falling rapidly down her cheeks. "And i almost did too."

Isaac walks desperately towards her and takes her hand in his but she yanks away. "If you don't want to tell me the most important things in your life then I guess we're not really family at all." She runs out of the apartment, out of the shop, into the pouring rain, and to the only place she could think of to go.

☽ ☼☾

Poor Olivia :(