“Really?” He gazed into her eyes. Even though she was disappointed he’d veered from the conversation about the kiss, the wayhe was looking at her now felt even more intimate. “You would do that?”
“Of course.”
“No.” He shook his head hard. “We can’t.”
“I completely understand, and—”
“No. You don’t understand. Giovanni said he saw bats in the cave today.”
Evelyn’s stomach began to churn. She’d always gone to the caves when she was younger during the heat of the summer becausethe bats were said to mostly be inside the cavern during the winter. It was spring, so she had assumed there wouldn’t be anythingthat flew inside. She sat taller. “Then we face our fears together.”
“No. I can’t let you do that. You’re not having near the issues I am at the moment. You’ll face your fear of flying thingswhen you’re ready.”
Evelyn knew she’d never be ready, and the opportunity was staring her in the face, with pleading eyes he probably didn’t know he was showing. “Don’t you think I get embarrassed when butterflies get near me and I go all crazy? Why not face the scariest of all the flying creatures that haunt me?” She cringed.
He stared at her and didn’t say anything.
“We could go tomorrow. We don’t have worship service. If it worked out well, you could surprise your father on Monday. Buteven more, you’d be proving something to yourself that might help you with enclosed spaces in the future.” She shrugged. “Andbesides, I’ve been in the boats and gone through Bluespring plenty of times and never seen a single bat.” Although the factthat Jayce’s friend had seen bats today didn’t bode well for tomorrow.
“We can do this.” Jayce’s expression was tight with strain, but his voice was filled with hope.
“Ya, we can.” Evelyn knew she didn’t sound quite as confident, but there was a bonus to the entire ordeal. Being mostly alonewith Jayce in a dimly lit area. She would pray that everything went well for both of them. “But it’s too far to go in a buggy.We hired drivers when we went as kinner—children, I mean.”
“I can take one of the limos, but will your folks be upset?”
“Well, Millie can’t make the trip. They know it’s too far for a horse. And it doesn’t make sense to hire a driver when youhave access to a car.”
“Okay.”
When she dropped him back at the inn, he hugged her and kissed her cheek. It seemed appropriate for friends. And that’s whatthey were, she reminded herself.
Then she decided to start praying early that tomorrow went well.
Seventeen
Esther and Lizzie sat propped up in bed, lanterns lit on both of their nightstands. They stared at the box Naomi had broughtover, along with the envelope and card that had been taped to the outside.
“We’re not meant to open that box.” Esther shook her head. On the outside of the envelope, she recognized her mother’s handwriting.Esther and Lizzie. But after they’d read the card, it didn’t appear the contents were for them. The short note only said:
It is important to me that Gus be given this box after mei passing.
Leib,
Mamm
Lizzie pulled her long gray hair over her shoulder, twisting it into a wet rope that was dripping on the sheet. Esther gentlyslapped her hand. “Stop that.”
Lizzie groaned as she released the mass of hair. “Of course we’re meant to open it.” She picked up the envelope and pointed. “See, here are our names.”
Esther wanted nothing more than to tear into that box. Maybe there was a clue inside about why their mother had made thempromise to let Gus live in the cottage.
“And that envelope was barely taped to the box, easy for us to pull off.” Esther shook her head again, her wet hair pinnedin a bun on top of her head. “Look at the amount of tape wrapped around the box. There are layers of it.”
“That doesn’t mean we aren’t supposed to open it.” Lizzie picked up the box and shook it. “It’s not very heavy, but it’s notfiles or papers. More like a football hitting the sides of the box, or maybe something a little heavier but about the samesize.”
“It doesn’t feel right to open it.” Esther’s fingers itched to get a knife and start cutting through the packing tape thathad yellowed over time. Even the envelope and card were discolored with a light brownish tint, making Esther wonder how longago her mother had written the note and packed the contents.
“Maybe Mamm had an affair, and Gus is our long-lost bruder.” Lizzie covered her face with her hands and moaned. “Just shoot me if that’s the case. The thought of sharing the same DNAwith that man makes mei toes curl.”
“Ach, hush now. You’ve brought that up before, and we both know Mamm never would have done anything like that.”
“Then why, oh why, have we been forced to tolerate that man for the remainder of our time here on Earth? These are supposedto be our golden years, but Gus tarnishes each and every one of them.”
Esther recalled asking Gus about his arrangement with their mother. He’d said, “If she wanted you to know, I reckon she would have told you.” Since Gus wouldn’t reveal any information about their relationship, it was even more of a mystery.
“Gus isn’t Amish, for one thing. And he’s only been around for eleven or twelve years.” Esther tucked loose strands of hairback into the bun on her head.
Lizzie sat straighter as her eyebrows arched mischievously. “Thus the term ‘long-lost bruder.’ He could have returned like a prodigal sohn.”
“He’s not our bruder. There must be something else.” Esther shrugged. “Or maybe it’s just personal papers Mamm had been holding on to for Gus. Maybe it’s his
