An Unlikely Match

of Jayce touching her in any way caused her stomachto tense even more. She wasn’t sure she wanted to push away any advances he might make. It wasn’t just his athletic buildthat drew her to him. His alluring brown eyes shone with intensity, like he had a lot on his mind and was just waiting toshare his thoughts with someone. She wanted to know him better.
After another fifteen minutes of pondering the situation, she heard her mother shuffling around downstairs in the kitchen.It would be easiest to break the news to her.
Evelyn went downstairs and moseyed her way into the kitchen. “Mudder—why are you sitting on the floor? What are you doing?” She had pulled pots and pans from the bottom cabinet and stacked themall around her.
“I can’t find mei double boiler. I’ve stored it in this cabinet for decades.” Her mother looked like she might cry, which was odd, but notcompletely out of character. Evelyn had read about menopause, and her mother seemed to be in the throes of it lately.
Evelyn wasn’t sure if she should say where the double boiler was. Her mother continued pulling pots from the cabinet, and Evelyn cleared her throat.
“Daed has your double boiler in the barn.” Her mother stopped moving and glared up at Evelyn.
“Why does your father have mei double boiler in the barn?” The words were clipped. She pressed her lips together and lifted herself off the floor. She brushedthe dust from her black apron and blew a strand of loose hair out of her face before tucking it beneath her prayer covering.
“He’s melting wax with a propane camp stove.” Evelyn flinched, knowing her mother was about to blow up. Mae Schrock only allowedEvelyn to touch her kitchen pots and utensils, and even that had been hard for her. Her mother loved to cook, and the kitchenand everything in it were her territory. Evelyn didn’t think there was a pot or gadget her mother didn’t own, unless it wasn’tavailable in a battery-operated or propane version.
Her mother’s face was red, fists balled at her sides. “Why is your father melting wax?”
Evelyn cleared her throat again and shrugged. “He said he was going to make candles.”
Her mother threw her hands in the air. “Ach! What in the world for?”
Evelyn shifted her weight as she crinkled her nose. “I think to sell.”
“To sell?” She groaned, throwing her head back. “What is wrong with that man? Last month he tried to make wine. We don’t even drink wine!” Her mother took a deep breath. “And the month before that, he was whittling and carving little animals out of wood.”
When she covered her face with her hands and started to cry, Evelyn walked over to her mother and wrapped her arms aroundher.
“He’s ruining mei double boiler,” she said through her tears. Evelyn thought she’d gotten used to these random meltdowns. The books she’d readsaid this phase should pass. But when?
Now was not the best time to tell her that an English man was coming to pick her up this evening, but the window of opportunitywould be closing soon. Her brothers would return from work, their father would come into the house, or her mother would takeoff to the barn to reclaim her double boiler.
Her mother eased out of the embrace and took a deep breath.
And just like that she was back to herself.
“Mamm, I need to tell you something.” Evelyn chewed her bottom lip. “Please be open-minded.”
Her mother locked eyes with her. “Evelyn, I’m not having the best day.” She raised an eyebrow. “Please don’t make it any worse.”
“I just wanted to let you know that I have a date tonight.” She paused, twirling the string on her prayer covering. “And it’swith an Englisch man, someone staying at Esther and Lizzie’s inn.” She held her breath and waited for her mother to explode and explain allthe reasons this was a bad idea—reasons Evelyn already knew.
“What time is he coming?” She folded her arms across her chest, an action that seemed defiant, but her voice was level andcalm.
“Six o’clock. And . . . I’m worried what Daed will think.” She hugged herself and waited.
“You should be.” She opened the door that led to the front porch, then looked over her shoulder at Evelyn. “I will try to handle your father, but no promises. You do know that dating an Englisch man is a bad idea, ya?”
“Ya, I do. But I don’t think it’s really a date.” She was pretty sure it was, but putting some doubt in her mother’s mind mightnot be a bad idea, until she knew where things were going—if anywhere. Evelyn wasn’t even sure why she agreed to go. Not true. She’d agreed because Jayce was irresistibly handsome. She could still feel the way her insides swirled when he told her shewas beautiful while staring at her with those enchanting eyes.
“I’ll let your daed know.” She growled. “Right after I get mei double boiler back!” And with that, she stormed off to the barn.
Evelyn stood speechless. Her news had been trumped by her mother’s need to reclaim her double boiler. Perhaps this wouldn’tgo as badly as she’d feared. Her father would be in the doghouse by this evening.
*  *  *
Esther sipped tea in her rocking chair on the front porch, watching Lizzie teach Jayce how to drive the horse and buggy. Poppy was a gentle animal, but Esther worried if this quick lesson would be enough for Jayce to get himself and Evelyn to their destination and back home safely. Normally they would take the topless spring buggy this time of year, but Lizzie had insisted Jayce take her enclosed buggy, even though she wouldn’t give a reason and there wasn’t any rain in the forecast. Esther had argued that the young people were going to be hot, but Lizzie ignored her and did what she wanted. Sometimes it just wasn’t worth the energy to argue with her.
Mr. Clarkson and the others had returned about an hour ago. Esther and Lizzie prepared extra supper, but only the six guestsstaying in