For personal use and select distribution only; ©1999 by Michelle (Shelly) Taylor
(Takes place the day before Felix goes off to war)
Felix was walking along the long dirt road toward the lighthouse. The sun was beginning to set in the west on that clear evening in late July. Today would be the last time he would be able to watch the sunset for a while. The next day, he would be leaving to prepare to fight in a distant war, but little did he know that it would change things--not only for the village of Avonlea, but for himself--forever.
When he arrived at the lighthouse, he sat down in a patch of tall, green grass nearby and faced the clear, glistening waterfront. He came here lots of times to think about things, to be alone, and a lot of times to escape the newly-found hussle and bussle of every-day life in Avonlea, of all places.
As Felix began to get lost in his thoughts about everything going on in the crazy world around him, he heard someone ask him, "What'cha doing here, Felix?"
He almost jumped out of his skin. Then he decided to find out who was talking to him. It was definitely a female voice--no question about that. He turned around to see who it was; it was a young woman in her late teens with brown hair in a simple, yet elegant bun wearing a white, low-neck blouse and an ivory skirt stretching to the ankles standing behind him. It was very obvious that the young woman with the girlish face looking at him was. . .
"Izzy?! What are you doing here? I thought you went to see your aunt in Boston!"
"I came home two days ago. What are you doing?" she asked as she sat down next to him.
"How did you know I was here?"
"Cecily told me. She also said that you went with her and Felicity and Gus to visit your childhood haunts earlier today."
"Did she tell you anything else, Iz?"
"No, just that I should come here and talk to you. What's going on, Felix?"
"I'm leaving tomorrow, Izzy. I'm going to get ready to fight in the war. Sounds like England's getting ready for it, so us Canadians have to as well."
"What?" she asked, surprised.
"Don't worry; I'll be back in Avonlea before you know it," he reassured her.
"Are you scared?"
"Some. Hell, I'm practically terrified. I've called Avonlea home for almost twenty years--all my life--and I'm leaving it all behind tomorrow to 'do my duty as a Canadian and as a King,' as Aunt Hetty would say."
"How do you see it?"
"To me, I'm just going over there, risking my life so that others can come home. Nothing less, nothing more."
"Well said. Just promise me that you'll come home safe and sound, and in one piece. Will you do that for me, Felix King?"
"I promise, Izzy."
They stood up and gave each other a hug. Then they leaned closer to each other and exchanged a long, passionate kiss. Afterward, Izzy whispered, "I love you, Felix."
"I love you, too, Izzy," he replied.
With that, Felix took Izzy's hand, and they walked to King Farm, where his mother, Janet, Felicity, his Aunt Hetty, and Great Aunt Eliza were preparing a gigantic going-away meal. None of the King (or Ward) women were about to send Felix away to a distant war without a good home-cooked meal. Unfortunately, three of the women in the family were unable to be there. Aunt Abigail (or, as Felix called her, Aunt "Crab-igail"), her husband Malcolm and their son Lucky were busy with Malcolm's mining company out West, while his Aunt Olivia had her hands full in London and wouldn't be able to visit until Christmas. His favorite cousin, Sara, was still at school in Paris and had no chance of getting away anytime soon. Nevertheless, they all knew about Felix going to fight and sent their best.
When Felix and Izzy arrived, the entire family was there to greet them, along with Davey, Dora, Rachel Lynde, and the Dean children. All seventeen people present sat down to a meal of turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits, stuffing, and a choice of apple and cherry pie for dessert. It took the women an entire day and a half combined to make enough food to feed seventeen people--seven of which were growing at an accelerated pace!
When the meal was finished, Davey, Dora and Rachel went home, Daniel went upstairs to play with the Dean boys, all the other women cleaned up the kitchen (a very challenging task, especially after feeding seventeen people in there), and Alec, Gus, and Felix went to sit in the parlor to reminisce about the "good old days." A minute later, Alec picked up a photo album off the coffee table and began to thumb through it. When he got to Gus and Felicity's wedding photo (the one with the entire family in it), he froze. In the picture, Felix was wearing his Naval uniform. "I can't believe it," Alec told his eldest son. "You're actually leaving. Two years ago, war wasn't a possibility. Now it's a reality, and you're going to help end it, Felix."
"Yup. Wish I could go with ya," Gus added. His vision was continuing to return. He was able to read and write again. Objects and people still seemed like shapes and were still in black and white. He also had to wear sunglasses outside during the day. "Just remember to come home, Felix," he said with his heavy Irish accent.
"I'll remember," Felix reassured his brother-in-law.
After that, Felicity came out of the kitchen and told Gus she was ready to leave. A few minutes later, they went back to the Foundling Home, along with the Deans. Hetty returned to Rose Cottage soon after. Instead of going home herself, Izzy decided to stay at King Farm for the night, so Cecily fixed up the remaining bed in her room for her. About an hour after everyone else was gone, Felix went to sleep in his room for the last time for six months.
The next day, the King family, plus Izzy, gathered at the train station to see Felix off. Janet and Izzy were in tears during the drive there. When all were present, they lined up to say their various goodbyes. Daniel was first. "See ya soon, Felix," he told his big brother.
"Bye Daniel. Be good to Mother and Father, okay?" They gave each other a hug, and Daniel stepped back.
The next to say goodbye was Great Aunt Eliza. "Good luck, Felix," was all she said.
"Thanks," he replied. Eliza gave him a kiss on the cheek, and she went to stand with Daniel.
After Eliza came Hetty. "Remember, Felix: Head high, shoulders back, with purpose firm, and never slack. This is your duty to the Empire. Don't forget that."
"Yes, Aunt Hetty." They hugged briefly, and Hetty stepped aside to let Cecily through.
"I'll miss you, big brother. Don't you get killed or go missing, 'cause I don't want to get a message from the War Office about you."
"Cecily, I'm going to be fine." She gave him a big bear hug and went to join Hetty. Felicity and Gus were next in line.
"Don't you go and get yourself killed, you hear me?" Felicity told her big brother, almost in tears. Felix gave her a hug, and she walked over to Hetty and Cecily.
"I'll miss ya, Felix," Gus told his brother-in-law. They hugged each other, and Gus went to console his wife.
After that, Alec and Janet came to bid their eldest son farewell. "You be sure to come home safe," Alec told him on the verge of tears. They exchanged a brief hug, and, after Alec was out of the way, Felix took his mother's hands.
"Oh, Felix dear," she said frantically, "I'm going to miss you so much. Remember to eat well and write to us, and please don't-"
"Mother!" Felix interrupted. "I'm going to come home, I swear. Don't worry about me." He gave her a hug, and she joined her aunt and her younger son.
Last, but definitely not least, was Izzy, who wiped her eyes with a lace handkerchief. "Remember what you promised me, Felix King. You better make sure you don't go back on it."
"Iz, I'm going to come home, I promise." Felix was very close to tears himself.
Then he did something very surprising. He took Izzy in his arms and swung her around a couple of times. She was extremely shocked. "Felix, what are you doing?!"
"What do you think I'm doing? I'm hugging the woman I love."
When Felix stopped swinging Izzy around, they exchanged an extremely long, passionate kiss in front of everyone! They didn't care, though. They loved each other, and everyone would find out anyway, so it was better everyone else knew now than later.
After all was said and done, Felix boarded the train, took his seat, and waved goodbye to everyone. "Come home safe!" Janet exclaimed. "I love you!"
Everyone else began to wave goodbye. Felix walked out to the back of the passenger car and yelled out, "Goodbye everyone! I love you all and will write often! Be good!"
The train left the station, Felix along with it. He and everyone who wished him well kept waving at each other until he was out of sight. Afterward, everyone went on with their day, not knowing how their lives would be impacted, or what would happen in Europe. However, everyone knew things would change.
(Now, go ahead in time six months and refresh your memories by watching Happy Christmas, Miss King for the millionth time. Now get yourself psyched for the first chapter.)
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