Hank’s voice dropped in pitch and came out rather tight. “I’m sure your student has other things to do, Carolyn. With his friends.”
Mitchell glanced quickly at Hank. He was able to ignore Hank’s little dig, but he wasn’t able to tamp down his triumphant smirk at Hank’s indignation to Carolyn’s invitation. However, after taking one look at Carolyn, he snapped his mouth shut and held back from commenting. Carolyn was holding her breath, her lips were clamped tight, and she stood as stiff as a board. She hadn’t been this tense when she’d caught him using the largest meat cleaver to chop the lettuce in cooking class.
He could only imagine what it would be like for her with the three of them together for the afternoon. From Hank’s demeanor, Mitchell anticipated more snide comments, which would make Hank look less than gracious but would put Carolyn in an uncomfortable position.
Mitchell pasted on a phony smile. “I think I’ll pass. Have a nice time. If you’ll excuse me, I think I should be going.”
It was the hardest thing he ever did, but Mitchell said a polite good-bye and went home.
Carolyn adjusted the display mirror above her head. “Can everyone see now?”
When the class members nodded, she continued with her demonstration. Carefully, she pinched the edges of the bite-sized pastry and twirled it to seal it and make the correct shape. She raised her head and smiled at everyone. “There. Now it’s your turn. Does anyone have any questions before we break into groups?” She surveyed the room then pointed to one of the ladies near the front whose arm was raised. “Evelyn?”
The young woman stood to be heard. “Yes, I was wondering if I could do the seal with a fork because I …” Evelyn’s face paled, her eyes widened, and her gaze lowered, staring at Carolyn’s feet. Her hands clenched into fists, and she pressed them to her mouth.
Carolyn lowered her head to see what Evelyn was looking at.
A blur of white streaked across her feet, and Evelyn screeched.
“A raaaaaaaat!”
The entire class erupted into a state of panic. Women screamed. Two ladies ran out the door. Most jumped onto chairs. Those that remained sitting lifted their feet up and scanned the area nervously, clutching their knees with their arms. Mitchell stiffly sat in his chair, his feet on the floor, his arms crossed tightly on his chest. She wondered what was going through his mind but didn’t have time to think about it.
“Class! Wait!” Carolyn waved her hands in the air. “Please! Everyone, calm down! They’re not rats! They’re white mice! They escaped from the biology lab this afternoon. They’re quite harmless. Most of them have been captured, but a few are still unaccounted for. Please, everyone sit down!”
Evelyn hunkered down on her chair, keeping her feet above the floor. “It was a rat,” she whimpered. “I saw it.”
Carolyn feared the poor woman was going to break into tears, but she had to think of the welfare of the class as a whole, not one single member. After a few minutes, order was restored, although no one had their feet on the floor except Mitchell, who was wearing cowboy boots that safely covered his feet and ankles.
Very slowly, he stood. “Is there something I can do?”
Carolyn nodded. “Yes. Would you please go find the custodian? And also we’ll need a cage from the biology lab.”
He glanced quickly at unit four, where the mouse had gone. “Sure.”
“Thank you, Mitchell.”
Everyone remained frozen to their seats while Mitchell walked out the door. All was quiet in the room, the only sound being the tap of Mitchell’s cowboy boots echoing in the empty hallway and fading in the distance. Knowing that Mitchell had attended high school at Central, she wondered if he felt strange walking down the halls now, years later, at night when the school was relatively empty; but she had never been so glad he was there. He was possibly the only class member who knew where to find both the custodian and the biology lab.
The thought nearly caused her to drop the pastry roller in her hand. Even though she hadn’t known him then, he’d been a high school student when she’d become a teacher.
Time stretched as no one moved or spoke. When Carolyn couldn’t stand it anymore, she tried to distract the class with a few suggestions on menu planning.
Finally, Mitchell returned, cage in hand. “I couldn’t find the custodian anywhere so I left him a note, but I thought I shouldn’t wait to bring the cage.”
Everyone in the class remained cowering in their chairs; although a few brave souls lowered their feet, they were still jumpy and kept anxiously searching the floor. Carolyn guessed that until the mouse was caught, no one would pay attention to anything else she had to say, much less actually walk across the room to the kitchen units.
She could no longer wait for the custodian to appear.
“Well, Mitchell, it looks like it’s up to us to catch the errant rodent.”
His face paled. “Us? Like, you and me?”
“We can’t let it escape, and I can’t continue class until it’s caught. I saw it go under the sink in unit four.”
His voice dropped to a whisper. “Are you sure it’s just a mouse? Evelyn said it was a rat.”
She walked toward the last known location of the missing mouse with Mitchell following close behind with the cage. “It’s a mouse.”
“Did you see it? Or are you just assuming it’s one of the missing mice.”
Both of them dropped to their hands and knees. She heard scurrying inside the closed cupboard under the sink. Mitchell laid the cage on the floor and jerked his hands away.
Carolyn narrowed her eyes. As much as he was trying to hide it, Mitchell’s hands were trembling, and he wouldn’t go close to the small hole through which the mouse had passed.
She couldn’t understand why everyone was afraid of a little mouse. She’d often been in the biology lab to feed them kitchen scraps.
Being careful to be quiet since they were the center of attention, Carolyn lowered her voice to the faintest of whispers so Mitchell would be the only one to hear her. “It really is a mouse. I saw it. What’s wrong?”
He spoke so softly she could barely hear. “I was bitten by a rat when I was a kid and had to undergo a series of very painful rabies shots. On top of that, my class had just studied the black plague. Even though the doctors insisted I wouldn’t, I really thought I was going to die. I’m still skittish about rats—and mice, apparently. I feel like an idiot.”
Her heart went out to him for admitting such a thing while they were in the middle of trying to deal with the fugitive mouse. “I don’t know what to say. If you’d like to sit down …”
“No, if you say it’s a mouse, I believe you. Besides, God has not given us a spirit of fear. Let’s just catch the little escapist and get on with the class.”
Slowly, they opened the cupboard door just wide enough to fit the opening to the cage, using the dustpan underneath to make sure it didn’t squeeze through the space. Mitchell held the cage and dustpan in place while Carolyn shooed the little mouse into the cage with the broom. She worried Mitchell was going to faint, but he gritted his teeth and held himself together.
She heard him click the cage door shut, confining their prey. “Got him!” he called out in triumph. “I’ll go take him back to the biology lab.”
He held the handle of the cage containing the star attraction very carefully, cautious not to let his fingers get too close to the bars. As he stood, the class broke out into boisterous cheers and applause. At the clamor, Mitchell stood still, his eyes wide, and smiled so hesitantly his dimple didn’t appear.
Since he wasn’t moving, Carolyn sidestepped him and blocked his path. She clasped her hands together and tucked them beside her chin. “Our hero!” she singsonged.
She didn’t know what made her do it. Maybe it was because she was so impressed at how he’d handled his obvious fear or maybe it was because Mitchell was already so flustered, but she couldn’t help herself. She stood on her tiptoes, gently rested her hands on hi
s shoulders, and gave him a quick and gentle peck on the cheek in front of everyone.
The applause and cheers increased in tempo and volume. Mitchell’s face turned beet red, and he left without a word.
Carolyn adjusted her glasses then turned back to the class, which had finally quieted. “Okay, class, if we hurry, we can still make both projects. Divide into your groups while Mitchell goes to the biology lab, and let’s get started.”
The whole time Mitchell was gone, she couldn’t help thinking of what she’d done. Judging from Mitchell’s red face and the speed at which he left the room, she’d embarrassed him more than she had embarrassed herself.
Above all, she couldn’t figure out why she’d done such a thing, as impulsiveness was not in her nature. It had only been meant as a joke, but Mitchell might have taken it the wrong way.
No matter how hard he tried, Mitchell couldn’t concentrate on the lesson. He finally managed to push the memory of the rodent’s beady little eyes out of his mind; but as if his humiliating admission about his childhood trauma hadn’t been bad enough, every time he looked at Carolyn, he remembered her kiss.
Though it was only a quick peck on the cheek, Carolyn had kissed him in front of the class.
For the first time, he allowed himself to be encouraged that she might overcome her anxieties about their developing relationship. She’d responded the one time he’d kissed her properly; but this time she’d initiated it, and most important, she’d done it in front of the entire cooking class.
Unfortunately, the novelty of a man in a cooking class had lost its charm, so the ladies actually expected him to do his share of the work. He did his best to do what was required, but Sarah kept poking him every time Carolyn came near them. He would have done better if he hadn’t known Carolyn was watching.
By the time the class was over, it had been the longest night of his life. He deliberately took longer than necessary to clean up so he would be the last person remaining except for Carolyn. He watched as she began to scoop up her bag of supplies, a huge cookbook, and her purse.
He joined her at the demonstration table. “I can carry some of that for you.”
“Thanks, but we’re going in opposite directions. I’m parked in the staff lot in back.”
“I know that. I want to escort you safely to your car. It’s dark out there.”
She hesitated for a second and then sighed. Otherwise, she didn’t protest, so Mitchell picked up the heavier items and walked with her toward the staff exit.
Unfortunately, the missing custodian was now standing in the doorway, awaiting their approach.
“Now he shows up,” Mitchell grumbled.
“It’s his job to make sure we get to our cars safely and wait until we exit the parking lot.”
“Tell him his services are no longer required. It’s now my job to be the hero.”
She sighed again. Mitchell bit his lower lip to keep from smiling.
“District regulations, Mitchell.”
The custodian didn’t say anything, but Mitchell thought Mr. O’Sullivan looked at him strangely as he walked past carrying Carolyn’s bags.
When they arrived at her car, Carolyn piled everything into his arms while she dug into her purse for her keys.
“See. You needed me after all.”
“Yes. Thanks for helping catch the mouse. The whole class appreciated it.”
He didn’t care about the class. He only cared about Carolyn. He helped her load everything into the backseat then waited for her to be seated behind the wheel.
“About tomorrow night. I’ll pick you up at seven for Bible study.” He smiled and closed the door behind her then turned and walked away before she could respond or turn him down.
All the way home, he continued to think about what he could do to change the direction of their relationship. He didn’t come up with an answer, but one thing he did know. It was time to quit fooling around and be more direct.
Once he climbed into bed, Mitchell closed his eyes, folded his hands over his chest, and lay still. What he wanted wasn’t as important as what God wanted.
He opened his heart to God and prayed for a solution.
His eyes shot open. He had to prove his intentions in a concrete way, and nothing stated a man’s intentions better than jewelry. Except for earrings and the cross necklace from her grandmother, Carolyn didn’t wear jewelry of any kind. He didn’t know if that was because she didn’t like jewelry or simply that nobody else had given her anything to call special—besides the cow pin, which she had worn to every class since.
There was only one way to find out.
Mitchell smiled and rolled onto his side, pulled the blankets up to his chin, and closed his eyes. This time he would get her something more serious, something to better represent his intentions. Tonight his dreams would involve shopping.
Chapter 8
Mitchell managed to get off work on time Friday night. He didn’t allow himself to be distracted by stopping for supper first. He headed straight for the mall and the jewelry store.
When he first made his decision to buy something for Carolyn, he hadn’t considered how much he would spend; but now that he was in the store, he realized that different items would carry with them a different message. After browsing through everything the store had to offer, he narrowed his choices to either earrings or a ring.
“May I help you?”
He turned toward a middle-aged lady with a bad dye job, wearing a conservative two-piece dress. She smiled at him with a practiced smile as phony as her hair.
“I’m here to buy a gift for someone special.”
The woman clasped her hands together. “You’ve certainly come to the right place. Did you want to look at engagement rings?”
Her question made him aware of where he was standing. He definitely wasn’t in a position to buy an engagement ring. Such a commitment was for a courtship that had already withstood the test of time. “Not an engagement ring, no, but something special.”
She led him to the next display case filled with rings of every size and color and description. The more he thought about it, the more he thought that a ring would be a good choice. A ring was a classic and tangible way to show how serious he was about courting her properly. If things went well, it might even be a precursor to that engagement ring.
However, most of the rings in the case were too flamboyant, the stones too prominent, or the settings too ornate. Not only did he not like a single one of them, he doubted Carolyn would accept something so large and obviously expensive. Her home was filled with simple things. He suspected every item she displayed held some degree of personal value to her.
“Those are too big. She’s got really small hands. I want something delicate and understated. Nothing showy.”
He was about to tell the woman that nothing in the case interested him and move on to the case containing the earrings when a selection of smaller rings in the corner caught his eye. In the middle of the grouping was a thin gold ring with a tiny diamond set in a dainty heart shape. Carolyn wasn’t the flowers and lace type, but the simple understated message of the small heart was exactly right.
He pointed to it. “May I see that one?”
The woman pulled out the section, plucked the tiny ring from its velvet perch, and gently dropped it into Mitchell’s hand. As he held it up, the small diamond twinkled brilliantly in the bright fluorescent light, and the gold reflected both the light above and the gleaming sparkle of the diamond.
“If you’re looking for a promise ring, we have a better selection in the other case that I can show you.”
“A promise ring?”
“A ring like that is called a promise ring, although often women choose to wear them as pinkie rings.”
Mitchell smiled. Then the ring was all the more perfect. “This is exactly what I want.”
“And what size will you need?”
He slipped the ring onto his pinkie, trying to picture the size of Carolyn’s fing
ers. The ring barely went past the first joint. “I have no idea. This one is probably close, I guess. Can you size it after I give it to her?”
“Certainly.”
Mitchell listened politely to the woman prattle away about promise rings in general as she processed his credit card and rang up the sale. When everything was completed, she tucked the ring into a small blue velvet pouch, dropped it into a store bag, and handed it to him.
Mitchell tucked it into his pocket, patted it, smiled a thank-you, quickly checked the time, and left the store.
Tonight he was going to present his gift to a very special woman.
Carolyn turned off the electric mixer and listened. The doorbell rang again, confirming that she had not lost her mind. She hadn’t arranged for Mitchell to have another cooking lesson this evening, and Hank never came without calling first, therefore she suspected that, perhaps because it was a Friday night, Wendy was paying her a surprise visit.
She peeked through the peephole. Instead of Wendy or a striking green eye staring back, she saw the entire owner of that eye.
She opened the door. “Mitchell? I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I was just in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by.”
She’d heard that one before. “What are you really doing here?”
His smile dropped, and she immediately felt churlish for being so abrupt with him. “I’m sorry. Please come in.”
The smile immediately returned, making her wonder if she had just committed herself to something she might regret. “I just have to finish up what I was doing. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
He followed her into the kitchen and sat in one of the chairs while she picked up the electric mixer and finished off the whipping cream.
“What are you making?”
“I might have found an alternative for you instead of those chocolate dessert squares.” She tried to keep the blush out of her cheeks but felt them heat up anyway. “I first wanted to do it myself to be sure it was something you could handle.”
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