(Untitled)

[island_anne]

While Anne felt that she could stay indoors in the Hamlet and not take a single visitor for days on end, perhaps even weeks, hiding from everyone and everything, she was not responsible for only herself now and there were other things to consider. She could care for Matthew's immediate needs well enough if she had to, for he could be fed and washed

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[sommer_tobi]

Tobi was not the most observant of boys, but there were things in this place that were difficult to miss. Disappearances happened somewhat frequently, he knew that and when Joe had made vague rumblings, it hadn't taken Tobi very long to discern the truth behind things.

So, when he saw the young woman with the little Matthew, he knew almost instinctively and approached her cautiously.

"Hello," he said, one hand in his pocket. "Do you... can I do anything for you?"

[island_anne]

There were so many things Anne wished could be done, but so few that she believed were possible, and even fewer that could be done by someone else for her. Matthew let out another feeble wail - he had a healthy set of lungs on him, but had long since worn himself out - and Anne sighed softly, pressing a kiss to his fine hair.

"I would like a glass of water," she said softly, for it seemed a sensible thing to ask for.

[sommer_tobi]

It was a small request and Tobi nodded, trying to give her a small, but warm smile before he ducked away into the kitchen. He was back only moments later, the glass cooled by ice and water both and he held it out to her. He wasn't used to ice in his water himself, but it was hot out and he hoped he hadn't guessed wrong that she might like some.

He didn't want to hover over her, so he pulled up a chair. "You are Anne, yes?" knowing full well he was right. "My name is Tobi."

[island_anne]

"You were in the play," said Anne, trying to smile back as she took the water from him. She wasn't hungry, but she knew her body needed food and drink to be able to carry on. "I used to be in the plays, before Matthew came."

[sommer_tobi]

"Yes," he replied, a quick smile spreading across his face, pleased that she'd recognized him.

He nodded down at Matthew again, who still seemed upset. "He is not even a year old, is he?" Tobi's knowledge of babies wasn't that extensive, but he remembered vaguely taking care of Merle when she'd been young. Tobi wasn't about to presume that it was the same thing, but it was the nearest he had.

[island_anne]

"Seven months," said Anne, and she thought she should be grateful that she and Ariel had had as much time together as they had, more than they had any right to expect and long enough to produce a beautiful child, but she found it difficult to feel anything other than her loss. "But he's nearly large enough to be a year old."

[sommer_tobi]

Nodding again, Tobi reached a tentative hand forward to touch Matthew's small arm. "I met him before," he told Anne, glancing up to look at her briefly. "Joe was taking care of him."

[island_anne]

"Joe's good like that," said Anne with a soft smile, as Matthew chewed on her fingertip. "You wouldn't think so to look at him, but he adores children."

[sommer_tobi]

"Yes," Tobi agreed, his smile still warm. Joe was definitely an interesting person, Tobi'd found. One of the few so far that he could call a close friend. "He said that Matthew is like a grandson. Joe is not like any grandfather I have known before."

[island_anne]

"He makes this face, when you call him grandfather," said Anne, managing to keep her smile from wavering, faint as it was. "Like he's not sure whether he should be indignant or proud."

[sommer_tobi]

"I think he is proud," Tobi decided, though that had more to do with the fact that he wasn't entirely sure what the other word meant. He thought he had a fairly good idea, though. His own smile was warm, trying to be reassuring as he snuck a look at Anne. "I think you should be careful that Matthew does not get a mohawk, though."

[island_anne]

"I think if Matthew should choose to wear a mohawk, there's little I could do about it," said Anne with a sigh, and truly it was a relief to think about such things instead of everything else. "I believe he has inherited a double helping of stubbornness."

[sommer_tobi]

Still smiling fondly, Tobi nodded and then reached forward, one finger lightly grazing over the back of Matthew's tiny hand.

"He is a good baby," Tobi said, looking up at Anne again briefly. "My sister never stopped crying. She was very loud. My mother would say she should be in the opera."

[island_anne]

"He is sometimes good," agreed Anne, "and he is sometimes very naughty, as much as babies can be naughty, of course, but he does have a little temper on him. I blame myself for that."

[sommer_tobi]

Tobi gave Matthew's hand another light nudge and, when Matthew didn't smile at him, pulled his hand back, though he still leaned forward. "Why? Do you get angry?"

[island_anne]

"I like to think I get angry much more seldom than I used to, but there's not a soul who took me in who didn't have a thing to say about my temper," Anne confessed to him. "It's the hair, you see."