TWELVE

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

CHAPTER TWELVE ; A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

(also known as; I Protest Against Any Absolute Conclusion)








A week or so later, Olivia is at the theater helping some of the kids from school surprise Cole Mackenzie. She had heard from Diana about how Billy Andrews knocked him off of ladder while he was painting for their Christmas play and how he broke his wrist and couldn't finish the painting.

If there was one thing Olivia was familiar with, it was the cruelty of Billy and she wanted to help as much as she could so she showed up with Anne, Diana, Ruby, Jane, Tillie, and Moody to help out.

It took a few hours but with the helping hands they finished the painting. Cole looked so relieved and most of the time, Olivia was getting to know him.

She learned that he came from a medium sized family and loved painting and drawing. She made him promise to teach her how to one day and he agreed. After they were done, Anne walked Olivia back to the Abrim's shoe shop.

"So, Marilla wanted to remind you that supper is at five tomorrow but you can come earlier. She also wanted to extend the invitation to Isaac and Hattie if they don't already have plans." Anne tells her as they stand outside the store.

"Hattie and Isaac are planning on spending Christmas here with her family. I promised them I would stop by for a while so I'll be a little bit late for supper at your house but I promise I'll make it. Sleepover after?" She asks her friend who nods her head vigorously.

"Of course. Make sure to wear that blue dress of yours with the corset and we can play knight and princess after dinner." Anne says with a smile.

Olivia nods and she's about to walk into the shop before Anne stops her.

"I almost forgot, this, is from Jerry." She pulls a card out of her pocket and hands it to Olivia.

The girl opens the card and laughs.

Marry Christmas Olivia,

Love, Jerry

"Please tell him how much I love it since I won't be able to see him tomorrow." She tells Anne, giving her a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow."

-

The next day, Olivia spends hours in the kitchen preparing the two dishes for the two suppers she will be attending. For the Abrim's house, she makes cake from items she bought in town and for the Cuthbert's house she makes her mother's jelly recipe.

The meal at the Abrim's house was loud and small but she loved every minute of it and caught herself wishing she didn't have to leave but she made a promise to Anne that she couldn't back out of.

Before she left, Hattie and Isaac caught her at the door and gave her a present.

"You didn't have to get me anything, really." Olivia says, taking the box from Isaac's hands.

"We didn't spend any money on it, don't worry." He says, smiling as Olivia takes the top off of the box and freezes.

Inside of the box, there was another box. But not any ordinary box, it was a chest. Specifically, the chest Grace gave Olivia all those months ago.

"Where-where did you find it?" Olivia chokes out.

"Hattie found it stuffed into a closet near the cellar. Figured you shoved it in there after what happened and forgot about it." He tells her.

She looks up at him, tears falling freely from her eyes. She doesn't have the words to thank him. Instead, she sets the box on the counter and wraps him in a tight hug. Turning her head, she opens her arms for Hattie to join in which she does, her own eyes tearing up.

"I love you two more than anything in this world. I can't wait for the day that we are officially joined together as a family." She says, pulling the two closer.

"You've always been my sister, Ollie. I love you." Hattie says, kissing the top of her head.

"We both love you, so much. I know you used to wish that you had died instead of them, and it may be hard that this is our first Christmas without mother and father but I would take just you being here with us over them being here, and you being gone in a heartbeat." He whispers to his sister, not trying to hide the tears falling to his own cheeks.

For a while the three of them stay like that until Hattie reminds Olivia that she is already late for supper at the Cuthbert's house.

Olivia takes KJ from the stable and rides him over to the Cuthbert's house where she puts him in the barn. Picking up the blue dress Anne wanted her to wear from the ground, she walks over to the door and knocks. It takes a second before Anne opens it and when she see's Olivia, her face brightens.

"You look so beautiful, Ollie." Anne gushes and Olivia does a spin for her.

The dress is baby blue and matches Anne's except for the longer skirt and the white lace trimming at the top of it.

"You would not believe how long it took me to put this corset on but I felt so mature doing it." Olivia laughs, stepping into the house, placing her Jelly down and handing Anne her coat.

Anne hangs it on one of the hangers and Olivia notices two extra jackets.

"Do you have more company tonight?" She asks her and Anne looks at her as she picks up the dish.

"Yes, It was a surprise for me as well but Marilla invited them." She answers, leading Olivia into the dining room.

"Who is them-" Olivia asks until she sees Gilbert and Sebastian sitting at the dinner table. "Gilbert, Sebastian, hello." She smiles, suddenly feeling ridiculous in her dress.

"Olivia, you look-" Gilbert pauses, looking her up and down. "Beautiful."

Olivia blushes and trains her eyes on the ground so he doesn't see it.

"Thank you, Gilbert." She says, walking over to the empty chair across from him.

"Gilbert is right, you look so mature. What a beautiful dress." Marilla says to her, examining the dress.

"Thank you Ms. Cuthbert, I got it when I traveled to Paris last time." She says, adjusting her seat as she tries to avoid eye contact with the boy across the table from her. Anne sets the Jelly down and takes her seat.

"I've never had jelly before, I'm so excited to try it." Anne says happily, eyeing the desert.

"You will wait until after you've finished the food on your plate." Marilla says sternly. Olivia smiles. Anne is so lucky that she has parents like the Cuthbert's.

Anne continues the conversation she was having with Sebastian before Olivia arrived and Olivia takes the time to pile food on her plate, digging in. She already had food at the Abrim's but she was still starving so she eats while listening to the conversations being had at the table.

Bash starts telling Anne about all of the ports he's been to while working on the steam boat.

"Do you have a favorite?" She asks him, in awe at all the places he's been.

Bash nods. "My island of course."

"I can understand that," she smiles. "In fact, the Christmas Panto is about our magical island."

"Panto?" He asks.

"Pantomime." Gilbert explains. "The play I've been helping with."

"It's going to be wonderful. And the costumes are fantastical, thanks to Marilla." Anne says to the woman.

She shakes her head. "Oh, hush now,"

The teenagers laugh at her reaction and Bash turns to Olivia.

"Will you be in the play as well, Olivia?" He asks her.

She shrugs. "I helped some of the kids with painting the sets but I don't really have a role. I'm mostly just helping everyone practice their lines and helping with the dress fittings."

"And your help is wonderful," Anne says, smiling at Olivia from the end of the table. "I thought all hope for Diana was lost until you somehow managed to get her to remember her lines." She laughs.

"Thank you, Anne." Olivia says to her friend.

Bash takes a bite from his food. "Well it sounds like Carnival." He turns to Gilbert. "Why didn't you tell me more about this?" He asks him.

Gilbert rolls his eyes. "Because you said you wanted to stay in the house until spring." Everyone laughs. "But, now that you mention it, I could really use your help with the rigging. What do you say?"

Bash smiles. "Why not? I'd like to know more about this magical island."

Bash picks up his glass, turning to Olivia. The girl grabs her own and clinks it against his. "To the island."

Bash repeats it and this time, Gilbert picks up his glass. "Merry Christmas." He says, staring at Olivia.

She reaches forward, as does everyone else. "Merry Christmas."

After everyone has finished their food and the jelly Olivia brought for desert, Gilbert and Sebastian gather their things to leave.

Everyone says goodbye to them in the parlor but Olivia follows them to the door. Sebastian walks out and Gilbert puts on his jacket and scarf.

While he does so, she leans against the door frame, watching him.

"Are you just going to stare at me the entire time?" Gilbert teases her, turning around so he can face her fully.

"Well I have such a wonderful view, why wouldn't I?" She teases right back and they both laugh. "But on a more serious note, I saw that Sebastian is wearing John's sweater."

Gilbert clears his throat. "Yeah, he didn't have any proper clothes and the only thing that would fit him was my fathers sweater."

"I'm sorry if that was forward. How are you doing?" She asks, reaching forward to take his hand in hers.

Gilbert looks down at their hands before answering. "It's still hard but the more I avoid talking about him the harder it will be for me to move on." He says, watching Olivia's reaction.

She thinks about her own parents. "Gilbert, there's something I have to tell you." She says to him.

Gilbert smiles. "No need to, when you're ready to talk to me you can come to me on your own accord. For now, just enjoy your sleepover with Anne." He tells her. His hand moves closer to Olivia's face and her breathing stops as he wipes away an eyelash that has landed on her cheek with his thumb. "I meant what I said, you look beautiful."

Olivia blushes but this time she doesn't try to hide it. "Merry Christmas, Gilbert Blythe." She whispers, moving forward to plant a kiss on his cheek.

He smiles, letting her hand go as he opens the door to leave.

"Merry Christmas, Ollie."





Hey y'all! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think in the comments.


You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net