“My mamm always makes a gelatin mold. She says it’s a family tradition. It’s sort of pretty, I guess—dark red cranberries with oranges and pecans in it.” He shook his head. “Nobody eats it but her.”
“No one?” she asked. “It sounds sort of good to me. Does it not taste good?”
He shrugged. “I never tried it.”
Tillie stopped. “Wait. You won’t eat it, but you never tried it because you don’t think it’ll be good, but yet it looks pretty?”
“Okay, the truth of the matter is I have trouble with gelatin.”
“Trouble?”
He shook his head. “You’ll laugh.”
Tillie eyed him skeptically. “Of course I won’t laugh. What sort of trouble?” She knew there were people who were allergic to peanuts and citrus and all sorts of things. Shellfish and such. She’d never heard of anyone being allergic to Jell-O.
“It wiggles.”
She stopped again, eyed him to see if he was actually telling the truth. He looked serious enough. “What?”
He sighed. “I said it wiggles. Food shouldn’t wiggle.”
Tillie couldn’t help it; a bark of laughter escaped her. She clamped one hand over her mouth, but the giggles still came. “You won’t eat it because it wiggles.” It wasn’t even a question.
He shot her a stern look. “You promised you wouldn’t laugh.”
She shook her head as tears sprang into her eyes, tears of mirth and laughter. “I didn’t promise. But you have to admit that is really funny. I don’t know a soul who won’t eat food that wiggles. I guess cold gravy is out.”
He made a face. “Why would anyone want to eat cold gravy?”
“Point taken.” But she still couldn’t help the chuckles escaping her. And all the while she tried to think of other foods that wiggled. “Pudding?”
He held his hand out and tilted it from side to side. “Depends. Some pudding is not so trustworthy.”
She laughed again. “Untrustworthy pudding. I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“Maybe we should go out to eat and I’ll show you some.”
At his words they both stopped.
“I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.” His whole demeanor changed. His shoulders had grown stiff and his back like a board as if he knew he had crossed a line.
“I didn’t take it that way.” But how should she take it? It seemed as if he too had come to enjoy the seclusion that they had. For a time they had locked out the world, not so they could be together, but more so they could be alone. It just so happened to be that they were with each other. What’s a person to do about that?
They looked at the other a moment, then Tillie jumped as a knock sounded at the door. They’d been so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn’t seen or heard anyone arrive. She whirled around and looked out the window. “It’s the police!” she exclaimed.
Levi pushed to his feet and made his way to the door.
She had made it seem like they were doing something they shouldn’t be, but she had been surprised that anyone had arrived. How had she been so captivated in a conversation with Levi that she hadn’t seen a patrol car pull up outside?
“Levi Yoder?” the uniformed officer asked.
Levi nodded and stepped back to allow him to enter the house.
“I’m Brian Carmichael. I’ve been out checking on all the Amish folks since the roads have been so bad. I just came to see if you were okay. We have a record that you called the nonemergency number about a Miss Tillie Gingerich.”
Tillie jumped to her feet. “I’m Tillie Gingerich,” she said.
“Your folks have been worried about you,” Officer Carmichael said with a smile.
“Is there a way that you can tell them that I’m okay? I know Levi left a message at my sister’s store. She has a phone.”
“I’ve been out to see your folks,” Carmichael said. “And they know you’re fine. But that doesn’t stop a mother from worrying, now does it?” There went that smile again. He was young, maybe in his early twenties, with twinkling brown eyes and slashing dimples. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, so Tillie figured he was single. But with his sweet demeanor and cute smile, she had a feeling that wouldn’t be his state for long.
Tillie returned his smile. “I suppose not.”
Carmichael checked his notepad and tucked it back into his pocket. “And I suppose your mother is anxious to see that new baby I heard about. Do you need me to take you to the hospital? I can arrange for an ambulance right now.”
Tillie shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m fine. Everything went fine. I’m just anxious to get home.” Add that to her list of lies.
“I can arrange a patrol car to come and get you. I still have rounds to make before dark. But someone can get you home if you want.”
If she wanted. The one thing she wanted was to stay locked into this fake dreamland she had created for herself with Levi Yoder. It was most ridiculous, and she needed to correct that situation as soon as possible.
“My sister Leah will come get me.”
Carmichael nodded. “I believe I still have her number if you would like me to call her for you.”
Tillie wanted to yell No! She wanted to stay right where she was, and if he could arrange for a couple of feet of snow to go on top of the ice, that would be great. Instead she nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
“And you’re sure about the hospital? It’s no trouble to get an ambulance for you.” He looked over to where baby Emmy lay snuggled in her little fabric chair on the coffee table. She had been there most of the morning, sleeping and growing and just being beautiful.
Tillie knew what he was thinking. Everything looked okay, and there didn’t seem to be any cause for concern on his part.
“No, I’m fine. My sister will be enough.”
“Then I’ll let you be. Thank
