“I wouldn’t mind even a tiny bit. Go over there and ask. You could walk to her house and pick her up if you wanted a little time alone with her. There and back would be plenty, I would think. It’s easier to get to know someone with others around, I think.”
John looked over at the girl with a frown. “Maybe I should wait a little while.”
“Why?”
He looked down. “I’m not a good person. I’ve been drinking a lot.”
“I know you have. Do you plan to continue on that path? Or are you going to live the way God wants you to live?”
“I want to do the right thing. It’s hard.”
Toria took a deep breath. “Your father told me that he’d talked to you about moving back into our home. I want you to know that I’d be happy to have you. Even if you just did it so you could avoid the temptation of going out because you know we’d see you, then you should move back in here. Just because I’m here doesn’t mean it’s not your home anymore.”
John teared up, looking at her skeptically. “Why are you so good to me when I’ve been rude to you? I was determined to hate you when you arrived.”
“I know you were, but I was determined to love you. I don’t know if you’ve realized it yet, but I always get my way.”
He laughed. “Wait until I tell Dad.”
“Oh, your father will figure it out soon enough, don’t you think?”
“I’m going to think about what you said. And maybe next week I’ll ask her to supper. I need to prove to myself I can stop drinking first.”
Toria patted his arm, thrilled with his words. If he was willing to try for himself, it was so much better than if he tried for the beautiful girl across the church. Just to torment him a little, she walked across the church to introduce herself. “Hello. I’m Toria Jackson. I’m new here in town.”
“I’m Patience Graham. My family just moved into town last week.”
“What are you doing here?” Toria asked, thrilled she wasn’t the only new person in town. She spotted John standing behind Patience, waving his arms wildly as if to tell her to stop.
“My parents heard the restaurant in town burned down and wouldn’t be reopened. They’re going to open a new one.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Toria really was pleased. It would mean her little lunch business would be unnecessary soon, but she had a million more ideas that would keep her busy.
“Do you? I’ll be helping them out. I like to cook. I’ll probably have to wait some tables too, but I can live with that.”
“With a smile like yours, I’m sure you’ll make a lot of money in tips when you wait tables. It’s so good to meet you.” Toria slowly walked away and back toward John, who was giving her a mortified look. “Her name is Patience Graham, she’s new to town, and her parents are opening a restaurant to replace the one that burned down.”
“Did you say anything about me?” John seemed more than a little worried.
“No, I wouldn’t do that. It’s your job to ask her to supper if that’s what you decide you want to do.”
His eyes narrowed. “Did you just walk over there and talk to her to scare me?”
Toria’s grin widened. “Nobody said I was perfect.” She winked at him. “Are you coming over for lunch today?”
“If you’re offering to feed me, I won’t turn you down. I want to talk to you and Dad about something together anyway.”
“Well, come over, then. I put a pork roast in the oven for our lunch. I’ll need to make potatoes and carrots to go with it, but that won’t take long. You and Mortimer can play checkers while I cook.”
“All right. Where is Dad, anyway?”
“No idea.” She looked around and spotted him talking to Arthur. “Oh, he’s over there talking to Arthur. Those two seem like fast friends.”
“They are. I think it’s good that Dad has made friends with him.” He frowned at her for a moment. “I really wanted to hate you.”
“I know you did. Maybe I’ll think of something terrible to do later so you can hate me after all.”
He laughed. “Thanks for being good to me.”
“What else could I be?” Toria walked across the church to find Beatrice sitting in a pew near Arthur and Mortimer, who were talking non-stop. Little Sally was asleep in her arms. “She looks angelic lying against you that way.”
Beatrice smiled. “She’s my angel, all right.” She took a deep breath. “I’m glad she’s being so good today. I’m having trouble keeping my breakfast down.”
“Are you all right? I could make you some ginger snaps. Ginger is great for nausea.”
“I’m fine. Nothing nine months won’t fix, anyway.” Beatrice looked a little embarrassed to admit to her condition, but mostly she just looked happy.
“Oh, congratulations! I’m happy for you!”
“We just found out for sure on Friday, so I’m really excited. I probably shouldn’t run around telling people, but I saw you, and I just couldn’t keep it in another second. I think Sally will be a wonderful big sister, don’t you?”
Since Toria had never seen Sally awake, she had no way of answering that. “She’ll certainly be a beautiful one.” The baby had blond hair that curled around her little face. “I hope she makes the next few months easy for you. If you need me for anything, let me know please.”
“I will.” Beatrice looked over at Mortimer and Arthur, who were still talking. “I think our men might need to be torn apart if we want to make it home before suppertime.”
“At least they’re talking kindly to one another. I think it’s good for both of them. I don’t imagine Arthur has much time for friendship when he spends all day in the telegraph office.” Toria looked at Beatrice with a smile. “Why don’t the three of you come for supper tonight? John will probably be there as well, and we could spend time getting to know one another better.”
Beatrice looked nervous at the idea. “I’m not sure if Sally will sit still or not. She’s very rambunctious.”
“Then we’ll just make sure anything breakable is put up. Please come.”
Beatrice nodded, a smile on her face. “We’d love to. Then I won’t have to cook supper. It will be nice to take a break. Is there anything I can bring to help?”
“Just yourselves. We’ll see you at six.” Toria was excited to have people over for supper. She’d never been able to in the boarding house, and though she’d cooked for the other boarders, it hadn’t been the same as having her own home.
On the way home, Toria practically danced in the street. It was a good thing there was very little traffic. “I invited Beatrice, Sally, and Arthur for supper tonight. I’ve never had the opportunity to entertain guests in my own home. I’m very excited!”
Mortimer nodded. “They’ve had me over for supper a few times. I’m glad we can reciprocate. I’m not much of a cook, and I wasn’t about to invite anyone over to eat my beans and cornbread.”
“Badly cooked beans and cornbread,” John interjected.
“Very badly cooked beans and cornbread. I have to say, I’ve been buying up the loaves of bread Beatrice has been baking so I could eat something that wasn’t badly cooked.” He shrugged. “I probably should have made more of an effort to go to the restaurant, but there were always things to do at the store, and it was closed before I was done. I never claimed to be a good cook.” Mortimer didn’t seem at all embarrassed that John was making fun of his cooking. “I’m a merchant, not a chef.”
“What should I cook for supper with them coming over? Is there anything you’ve really enjoyed that I made this week?”
John looked at her with a grin. “Why don’t you make your fried chicken again? I didn’t get to have any, but Dad told me about it the next day…I think I need some.”
Toria laughed. She did enjoy the humor that was constantly displayed between her two men. When they reached the house, the two men sat and played checkers as she’d suggested while she finished fixing lunch, and then they ate together.
As soo
n as the meal was over, John looked between the two of them. “I need to talk to you about something.”
Mortimer shrugged. “Anything, son. You know that.”
John took a deep breath. “Well, you both know that I’m trying to stop drinking. I find that when I’m alone, I’m more tempted to go to the saloon. Would it be all right if I moved back in and took my old room? I don’t want to live alone anymore, because it’s not good for me.”
Mortimer studied him for a moment. “I think that’s a good idea. But if you’ll remember, you started drinking while you still lived here. What makes you think it will be different this time?”
John looked down at his hands, then looked his father right in the eye. “Because I don’t want to drink anymore. I want there to be something that keeps me from doing it. The desire to stop—and people to help me remember I want to stop—should make the difference for me.”
“When are you moving home?” Mortimer asked. There was no need to ask Toria about what she thought, because she’d already told him.
Chapter Seven
After lunch, John went home to get his things. He didn’t want to live alone for even one more night. As soon as he left, Toria looked at Mortimer with wide eyes.
“Where am I going to sleep?”
“By my side, where you should have been sleeping since you got here. I don’t know what came over me when I told you to sleep in John’s bed.” Well, he did, but he didn’t want her to feel like she was in competition with his dead wife.
Was he saying he wanted their marriage to be consummated? She was developing feelings for him, but she wasn’t sure she was ready for that yet. “I’ll move my things.” They’d talk about it later. For now, she wanted him to be able to save face with his son. John never needed to know they’d been sleeping apart.
Mortimer got to his feet and reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “Thank you for being so understanding. So many things have been strange since you got here, but you take them all in stride.”
Toria smiled at him. “The only thing I knew when I got off that train is that I was going to be the best possible wife I could. I still feel like that’s my primary responsibility.”
He leaned down and kissed her softly. “If you want me to wait a little longer before we…become husband and wife in the true sense, then I’ll wait.”
Toria bit her lip as she looked up at him. “I think I do want another week or two. I feel like I’m developing feelings for you, but I’m just not ready for that. Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“I don’t mind at all. It will be strange for me to even share my bed again after so long. We’ll get used to it together, though.”
“Thank you, Mortimer. I couldn’t have asked for a better husband.” She hurried away to gather her things and carry them into his room.
It took her some time, but before John returned, Mortimer’s bedroom looked like they’d shared it since her arrival. She scattered her brush and a few other personal items on his dresser, and carefully folded her clothes and put them in the drawers. She even made sure both pillows had head imprints so it looked as if two people had slept there.
“All right. I think we’re ready for John to come back.” Toria looked at her handiwork with a smile. “I’m going to start frying the chicken. John and the Jamesons should all be here within an hour and a half, and they all expect to be fed.”
While she worked, she smiled, content. She was in the right place, and she knew it. She may not be madly in love with her husband, but sometimes love had to build, and she knew her feelings were building quickly.
She was just taking the chicken off the stove when John came in with Arthur, Beatrice, and Sally. Sally was walking on her own, and she seemed determined to get away from her mother. Beatrice had her by the hand, but she was having trouble keeping her under control.
Toria grinned at the picture they made. “Why don’t you set her at the table, and I’ll get her a piece of bread with butter.”
Beatrice looked down at Sally. “Are you hungry? Do you want some bread?”
Sally didn’t say anything, but she got very excited and hurried to the table. Toria laughed as Beatrice put her on a chair. “Does she talk yet?”
“Just a little. Her only words are Mama, Dada, and no. No is her favorite at the moment, right, Sally?”
“No!” Sally responded.
Both women laughed, and Toria buttered a piece of bread and put it in front of the toddler, who promptly picked it up and started gnawing on it.
Beatrice moved over closer to Toria. “How can I help?”
“Just sit with Sally. I’ve got everything under control. I’m so glad you joined us tonight. Mortimer said you’ve had him over for supper several times, so he was glad I invited you to come over here.”
“We were neighbors to him, just as the Bible says we should be.” Beatrice did sit down beside Sally, watching the little girl make a mess with her bread. “Do you have a tin cup? I don’t want her to have anything breakable, because she likes to drop her cup on the floor when it’s empty. It’s her way of telling me she needs a refill.”
Toria immediately went to her cupboard and dug to the back for a tin cup. “I have a tin plate too!”
“That would relieve my mind a great deal. I don’t want you to invite us for supper and have your home completely demolished by my little girl.”
Toria laughed. “I need to tell you about my nephews and nieces sometime. I’m sure Sally is absolutely angelic in comparison.”
“I’m not so sure about that,” Beatrice answered. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can help with?”
“Do you want to stir the frosting for the cake? I have it cooling, and I was just about to mix it. Everything else is done.” Toria had worked hard to time things so they’d be ready to eat almost as soon as the others arrived. She’d be up late baking for the next day, but hopefully she could do all she wanted to get done with no problem.
As soon as the cake was frosted, Toria went to the parlor. “It’s time to eat.”
John was the first to his feet. “No one cooks like Toria,” he said as he headed for the table.
Toria’s eyes met Mortimer’s, and they both smiled. The change in the young man was something they’d both been hoping for, and it had happened for them.
John offered to say grace that night, and Mortimer nodded. “Heavenly Father, we thank You for this meal that will nourish us. Thank You for the fellowship of these fine people, and for the love that I feel as I move back into my childhood home. Thank You for giving me a second chance to do Your will. Amen.”
Toria had tears in her eyes, as she echoed, “Amen.”
John grabbed the plate of chicken. “Toria made this for my dad her first evening here, and he told me all about it the next day, but I didn’t get any. Now that I live here, I get to eat everything she cooks.”
Mortimer shook his head. “Now we understand the real motivation behind your actions, don’t we?”
John laughed easily. “I have to say the idea of Toria’s wonderful cooking didn’t hinder my decision-making process.”
Beatrice’s eyes met Toria’s, and she had a smile on her face. It was obvious to everyone that John was doing much better than he had been.
After supper, the men took Sally into the parlor so the women could do the dishes. “I can see you haven’t had time to bake today. Do you want me to help?”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that!”
“Why not? We’re friends. It’ll be nice to do something I enjoy without the baby underfoot for a change.”
Toria nodded. “All right then. I’ll let you help for a while.”
The two women worked well together, each of them understanding what the other would do next. They were both very experienced in the kitchen, and that helped them.
“Dinner was delicious.” Beatrice kneaded dough for bread as she complimented Toria.
“Thank you. Fried chicken has always been one of my favorite thi
ngs to eat, so I tend to cook it often. John was the one who chose it tonight, though.”
“He seems like a new person,” Beatrice said with her voice soft. “I worried about him, but since your arrival, he’s really done well.”
“He’s a good person. He just needs to remember to make the right choices, and sometimes that’s really hard.” Toria shrugged. “Mortimer and I are both glad that he’s moved back in, because we can give him gentle nudges when he needs them to make those right choices. He’s really excited that he’s going to be delivering full-time starting tomorrow. He’s always hated having to work in the store, but he feels right at home driving a wagon. Willie is going to help him.”
“Willie from Bachelor? He’s such a sweet boy, but he is trying to do too much for his family. He’s too young to take on the kind of work that he has.”
“I know, but at least he’ll be with someone who will keep an eye on him, and he won’t have to do as many odd jobs if he’s working steadily. Julianne is going to arrange for different men to bring him into town for work every day.”
“That’s wonderful. It’ll be good for him and for his family.” Beatrice finished kneading the dough and put it into a bowl to rise. “Now what?”
“You just sit there. I have the cookies ready to go. We’ll chat while they bake.”
“Sounds nice.”
When the small family left an hour later, the cookies were baked, and the bread was rising in bread pans. She put the bread pans into the ice box to keep cold, not wanting to stay up long enough to bake them that night. Toria wiped the table to make sure everything was perfect.
She found the two men sitting in the parlor talking, so she said, “I’m going to get ready for bed. Goodnight, John.”
“Goodnight, Toria. Thank you for everything.”
“You’re very welcome in every way.”
She hurried into the bedroom and undressed quickly, worried that Mortimer wouldn’t give her enough time to change before he came in to bed as well. She needn’t have worried. He gave her a good thirty minutes before he opened the door.
She wasn’t asleep yet, and very nervous about sharing a bed with him for the first time, even though he’d agreed that nothing needed to happen between them yet. It was still strange to share her bed with him.
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