Esther heard the regret in the last part of his comment. “So you just walked up to her door, even after she said during herlast visit to your house that she never wanted to see you again?”
“I know what she said, Esther.” His mouth fell open like a cave, darkened by his jowls. “You don’t have to rub it in.”
At the time, Gus said he didn’t care that his time with his daughter had gone badly. Esther suspected he’d been hurt more than he let on. “I’m not trying to rub it in.” She crossed one leg over the other and cupped her knee with her hands.
He got up and began to pace the small living room.
Since Gus had lived there, Esther could count on one hand the times she’d been in the cottage. And this was the second timeit was clean. The first time, Esther had cut Gus’s hair in preparation for his daughter’s visit. Maybe that’s why he wasn’tfussing about Rose cleaning the place. His daughter must be coming to visit again. But she waited.
“I figure now that I’m kind of a movie star . . .” He slowed his pacing and glanced at Esther. She did her best not to react.Being an extra in a movie was hardly a movie star. If he was even included in the picture show.
“I thought maybe she’d . . .” He cleared his throat and avoided looking at Esther. “I thought maybe she’d like me more.”
Esther thought it would make the woman incredibly shallow, if that were the case. And based on the vicious argument Heatherand Gus had—part of it in front of Esther—she didn’t think anything Gus did would change Heather’s opinion of her father.But Esther had to tread softly. The fact that Gus had opened up this part of himself was proof that, whether Heather caredor not, Gus did. He cleared his throat again before Esther had time to respond.
“Brandon said he was going to have a private viewing of the scenes filmed here in Montgomery. They’d already done most of the movie off-site before they got here. He said these were unedited clips, but he wanted his investors to see them in case they needed to make changes while they’re still here. Not everyone gets to go to a movie premiere, even if it’s only to see an unedited clip. I wanted to ask Heather to come to the event.”
Esther was scared to ask Heather’s reaction, so she waited. Gus’s eyes were fixed on her and he seemed to be waiting for herto say something. “Was she home?” she finally asked, thinking it might be best if she wasn’t.
“Yeah, she was home.” He sat back down on his spot on the couch, nervously tapping his fingers together.
Esther wanted to ask if the woman slammed the door in his face, but she just nodded.
“Anyway, she said she’d be there and to let her know when it gets scheduled.” Gus kept his head down. A good thing since Estherwas sure her surprise showed in her expression.
“Isn’t that what you wanted?” she finally asked before stifling another yawn, a real one this time. But she was tired of holdingher tongue. “I’m surprised she agreed to attend after the way things ended between the two of you.”
Maybe she was provoking him intentionally. She wasn’t sure. She just wanted to get home to bed.
Gus lifted his eyes to hers. “Maybe when she sees the type of people I hang around, she’ll think me worthy to be in her life.”
Esther thought her heart might crack. Her legs carried her to the couch somehow, and before she knew it she was sitting closeenough to Gus to put a hand on his arm. “Gus, that is not a gut reason for her to want to be in your life. It shouldn’t matter who your friends are.”
He lowered his head again. Esther had never seen Gus this vulnerable. “I know, Esther.” He slowly lifted his eyes to hers.“Will you come too?”
Esther smiled sympathetically. “I don’t think I will lend any credibility to your circle of friends. I’m just an old Amish woman who rents you a cottage.” She paused, slowly lowering her hand from his arm. “And you know our people don’t watch television or movies.”
Avoiding her eyes again, he cast his gaze onto the wooden floor. “I know you don’t. And I’m not asking because of any credibility . . .”He shook his head and sighed before he locked eyes with her. “I’m going to be real nervous with her there.”
This was a first, and Esther’s jaw actually dropped a little.
“I just reckon I wouldn’t be so nervous if you were there.” He looked away again.
Esther had always suspected she might be Gus’s only friend, even if their relationship wasn’t a true definition of the word.If she asked the bishop to attend, he would likely say no. Esther wasn’t a rule breaker. But when Gus looked back at her withsuch longing in his eyes, she said, “I’ll be there.”
Gus stood and started toward the door. Esther followed and stepped onto the porch when he opened the door. His jaw thrustforward. “Tell Rose Petal I can clean my own house. I don’t need her snooping through my things. But I’m fine with her doingmy clothes. That laundry place in town is expensive.”
Esther was about to tell him Rose wasn’t going to clean his clothes, but then reconsidered. Gus hadn’t smelled good in allthe years she’d known him. She’d never been sure if it was his personal hygiene or his clothes. Only one way to find out.
“I will tell her. But we don’t call her Rose Petal. Just Rose.” She narrowed her eyes at him to make her point.
“Yeah, okay, whatever.” Then, in typical Gus fashion, he closed the door.
By the time Esther climbed into bed, Lizzie was snoring, and only a dimly lit lantern
