Jayce took a seat in the middle of the twelve place settings and eyed the offerings. “Wow,” he said again. “This looks awesome.”He reached for a large bowl of mashed potatoes nearby. After scooping a generous helping onto his plate, he stood and madehis way around the table gathering roast, peas, corn, bread, and broccoli salad. His glass was already filled with tea.
When he sat back down, he said a silent prayer of thanks, unsure what proper protocol was with these people. Then he tooka couple of large bites and thanked God again. The food was amazing. The two women were still standing at attention side byside. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
They exchanged looks. The petite one—Lizzie—clenched her teeth before moving to a chair across from Jayce. “Well, I’m eating.”She looked over her shoulder at her sister. “And you should too. There’s going to be a lot of food wasted if more people don’teat.” Visibly bothered by the lack of attendance, she frowned even more as she sat. While Esther remained standing, Lizzielowered her head, presumably to pray. Jayce stopped chewing, which seemed silly but somehow respectful. He started eatingagain when Lizzie raised her head and began to fill her plate.
When she finished, Esther made herself a plate and joined them. She sat beside her sister, also lowering her head right away.Despite a mouthful of roast, Jayce stopped chewing again and resumed after her prayer.
Jayce had helped himself to seconds before the women finished a third of their meal. “I can eat enough for at least three people.” He hoped to quench their disappointment that no one else had joined them for the meal.
Esther cleared her throat. “So, what type of movie is your father making?”
Jayce held up a finger as he finished chewing another large chunk of roast, possibly the best meat he’d ever had. “It’s aboutsix people who get stranded on an island, then they find a cave to take shelter in when a storm comes, leaving them trappedinside. One of them is a murderer, but no one knows who.”
“There are a lot of caves around here.” Esther delicately forked a piece of meat. Her tiny sister ate like she hadn’t hada meal in days. She’d piled her plate with almost as much food as Jayce. No way that little old lady can eat all that food.
“Tomorrow we’re loading up to go to Bluespring Caverns to film. The people running it said they would close it for half aday and offer patrons a free pass for the following day.” He helped himself to another slice of bread and slathered butteron it. “This is the greatest meal I’ve ever had,” he said. The food will definitely be the best part of this gig.
“Danki. I mean, thank you.” Esther blushed a little. Lizzie was too busy eating to acknowledge the compliment. “Will your groupbe spending the night in the cave?”
“Do what?” Jayce covered his mouth with his hand so he didn’t spew food everywhere. “I don’t see that happening.”
“Oh. I just wondered.” Esther raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused. “Bluespring hosts a lot of Boy Scout troops, church groups, and students, so they have a section of the cavern set up with electricity, beds, and other accommodations.”
Jayce tried to picture anyone from the film spending the night inside a cave. “Nah, I seriously doubt it, but it sounds cool.”He pointed to the roast. “May I?”
“Eat all you want,” Lizzie said before she rolled her eyes. “Doesn’t appear anyone else is going to.” She grunted. “Nothinglike gut food going to waste.”
Jayce smiled apologetically. “I’ll do my best not to let that happen. I—”
A large heavyset man with a gray ponytail stomped into the room. By the look on his face, he wasn’t here to eat. He crinkledhis nose. His big jowls jiggled as he shook his head and folded his arms across his chest, resting them on his oversized belly.
“What in the . . . ?” He rattled off words that obviously upset the sisters. The smaller one stood and picked up her plate,firing the man a look filled with anger as she squinted and snarled at him.
“I am forced to eat two meals per year with you. Thanksgiving and Christmas. That’s all you’ll get from me, you grumpy oldexcuse of a man.” Carrying her plate, she stormed out of the room.
Jayce stifled his amusement. The woman had been mostly quiet up to this point. What a spitfire.
“Gus, I have told you repeatedly that you can’t use such language in this haus.” Esther turned to Jayce, her face red. “Mei apologies.”
“No problem.” Jayce refocused on his plate and began cutting off another bite of roast. He’d noticed the women’s accents.Some of their words sounded different, kind of like German.
“Gus, why don’t you sit down and eat?” Esther waved toward a chair across the table. “Most of the guests had already eaten before their arrival, so we have plenty.”
The man—Gus—turned to Jayce, nostrils flaring. “Who are you? Are those your motor homes causing all that racket outside? Notto mention there are people everywhere—in and out, doors slamming, and someone playing loud music.” He faced Esther beforeJayce could answer. “This ain’t gonna work, Esther.”
“Just eat, Gus.” She lowered her head, shaking it. “It’s only for a month.”
Gus let out enough expletives to offend even Jayce, face flaming as his jowls bounced. “And this is surely something Lizziedid!” he added at the end of his rant.
“Dude, whatever your problem is, that’s no way to speak to a lady.” He reached for his fourth slice of bread but kept hiseyes on the man. He was an old guy, but he was big.
“Sonny, you zip it.” He pointed at Jayce before he turned back to Esther. “You’d better at least make sure those idiots turnoff those generators at night or I won’t get a lick
