┍━━━━ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ━━━━┑

chapter fourteen

|the boarders|

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millie, i'm very sorry that you didn't have a chance to come to us," diana barry said. her family is going to charlottetown and insisted to anne to be for their accompany.

"yes! i'm sure it'll be very adventurous with you around, my dear sister," anne said.

"it's quite alright, really. goodbye, anne, diana, and barrys have a safe trip!" millie said as raised her hands to wave goodbye.

the truth is, she doesn't want to come, she wants to go to charlottetown though, but not with missus and mister barry with her. she felt like they judging her silently. so, she politely declined the offer and insisted of staying home in the excuse of marilla and matthew needing an assistance. anne as an adventurous one, never turned down an offer, insisted to come to bond with her bosom friend, diana.

"good day, marilla, matthew, and mildred. we'll take good care of dear anne," missus barry reassured to the cuthberts.

"thank you. safe travels."

"bye, matthew! bye, marilla! bye, millie!" anne exclaimed.

"bye, anne!" millie said.

"goodbye."

"bye now. safe travels."

"why did you turned down the barry's offer?" matthew asked the girl.

the girl just shrugged, "well, in case marilla or you needs me, i'm here. besides, the carriage isn't enough for more people there."

matthew just nodded as they all watch the carriage disappear in their sights.

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millie and jerry were shocked to find nate in the barn. they didn't forget their last encounter which brings fear over their spines.

"hey, kid," he turned to jerry. "you still learning how to spell?" he said as he drinks something on his metal bottle.

"so, y-e-s, or n-o," he spelled out.

"oui," jerry simply said as millie didn't say anything, just froze in her position.

"hmm." nate hummed in response as he nods his head and drank, once again. both of them still watching him drink they don't know what. "what, never seen booze before?"

"aren't you a frenchy? a servant? thought they started you early on this stuff," nate said mockingly, pertaining to millie and jerry.

"we don't keep alcohol in the house. um, we're... we're catholic," jerry simply said, but he was nervous inside as millie are too.

the man stared at them mockingly, "c'mere, frenchy."

the french boy just stared at him as he spoke loudly than before, "come... sit with me. sit with me, little froggy!"

"no... you don't have to, jerry," millie said as she shook her head in disagreement.

"you, shut up there, orphan!" nate mocks.

jerry obeyed nate as he sat down beside him. "there we are. and there you go. hmm? drink up. it'll make the work go faster."

"no, thank you," jerry declined but nate keeps insisting the bottle to him.

"hmm? have a taste. what, you scared?"

"no."

"then drink. come on, it'll put hair on your chest, " nate keeps insisting as jerry has a terrified look in his face.

"stop it! stop!" millie suddenly yells as the two turned to her.

"yeah," nate said as he took away the bottle from jerry as he stood up. "yeah, you're too young to drink, and you're loving sister here are very concerned," nate said sarcastically as he offered his hand to jerry to help the boy stood up.

the french boy declines nate hand as he stand up by himself. nate scoffs as he slightly pull jerry's hat and exited to the barn, not without giving millie a slight glare.

"jerry! a-are you alright?" millie said as she gave a boy a hug. jerry felt like it's a sister hug so he hugged her back.

"oui, merci."

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millie and jerry are sitting in the hay. jerry was rather crying as millie comforting him. the french boy told him what happened in the charlottetown last year.

mister cuthbert heard a sniffling as he looked at the two, "millie. jerry."

"i'm sorry, mister cuthbert," jerry said.

"what are you... what are you sorry for?" matthew questioned.

"i know i made a hardship for you in charlottetown."

"back at christmastime?" matthew asked.

jerry sniffled, "when i lost... the money from the horse, if- if i'd been smarter, if i'd been more... more careful... may- maybe I could've run away from them," he said as millie rubbed his shoulder, comforting him.

"are you talking about the men who beat you up? why are you thinking about that now?" matthew asked as he closed the fence.

"i... i should've stoped them!"

"i'm sure it is alright, jerry."

matthew reached to them, "they were... they were grown men. they're bad men. not your fault."

"yes, it is. if i hadn't lost the money, you wouldn't have to take in the boarders," jerry said as he stood up to face matthew.

"you didn't do anything wrong, my son," matthew said as he pats jerry's shoulder as millie and jerry hugged him as they let out tears. "never mind now. never mind."

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matthew cuthbert opened the door as he saw marilla cutting some potatoes and looks shocked by his actions.

"oh! oh," marilla said.

"anything the matter?" he asked to his sister.

"i don't know. is anything the matter with you?" marilla answered.

"i dunno," he said as marilla continued to cut. "jerry, and millie, they're um, troubled about the boarders."

"they're not the only ones," marilla said as matthew walked out of the door.

their decision is final for the boarders to move away.