used to anyone fussing over her at all. “Oh, goodness. I’m fine, John. It was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.”
“Will you at least let me look at it later?”
“Of course. I mean, if you want to . . .”
Feeling that connection between them, he nodded, though he sensed Abel glaring at him. Well, that was fine. He didn’t care. Someone needed to look after Mary, and it might as well be him. She needed someone to fuss over her!
After a brief pause, Mary looked at Jenna and Abel. “Now, who would like to go next?”
“I will,” Jenna said. “My good thing is that I think I got a job today. Ms. Donovan at the library offered me a part-time job. She said she’s been shorthanded.”
A brief moment of silence met Jenna’s pronouncement. John knew they were all thinking that the reason the library was shorthanded was because of Dorothy Zook’s passing. She used to work at the library, but then was recently killed in a buggy accident. As the uncomfortable moment lengthened, all of Jenna’s confidence dissipated in front of them. Paling, she sputtered, “I didn’t mean that how it sounded.” Biting her lip, she continued. “I mean, of course I’m sorry that Dorothy died. Even though she, ah, put Ella in danger . . .” Her voice drifted off.
For a whole other reason, John felt himself growing uncomfortable. Until he’d made his choice, he’d also been seeing Jayne. While he wasn’t sure just how much Mary knew about that, he would have rather not talked about Jayne at all.
John cleared his throat.
Again, Abel snickered, but it sounded forced, like he was struggling to stay aloof and snarky.
Tears pricked Jenna’s eyes. “John, I didn’t mean to offend. I know Ella is your sister-in-law . . .”
“You didn’t offend me at all. It’s all right, Jenna,” John said. Hoping that God would give him the words to help her and to make the tense subject lighter. “I know what you meant. I’m glad you got a job offer. I’m sure you’ll be good at it.”
After sending a pointed look Abel’s way, Mary folded her hands on the table. “Do you have a not-so-good thing, Jenna?”
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. “My dresses are starting to get snug. I’m going to have to see if I can let some of them out.”
“I can help you with that,” Mary offered kindly.
John’s heart expanded as he yet again thought about what a wonderfully kind and generous woman Mary was. Here she not only had taken in Jenna, but now she was offering to help her with her alterations.
Looking briefly at Abel, who was using his fork to spin a lone green bean in circles on his plate, John cleared his throat. “I’ll go next. My not-so-good part was spilling food on your tablecloth, Mary. I hate having to cause you more work.”
“Cleaning a tablecloth is no trouble.”
He thought it probably was, but instead of stewing on it, he tried to think of something good to share. Finally, he brought up the little girl who’d stolen his heart. “My good thing is that Katie has agreed to let me take her ice skating next weekend.”
Abel turned his way. “Do you think it really will be cold enough for them to open the pond?”
“I think so. We’ve had twelve days below freezing now. That pond isn’t too deep. At least that’s what the rumor mill announced this morning at the Kaffi House.”
Jenna whistled low. “You’re a brave man, Mr. Weaver, to take that little Katie anywhere. She’s quick to run off.”
“She is, but I love her,” John said. “That little girl has enough spunk for several people.”
Mary’s eyes warmed as she looked toward Abel. “Your turn.”
After darting another glance at Jenna, Abel sat up. “All right. My gut news is hearing about the skating pond. And my not-so-good news is that I failed today’s spelling test.”
Mary gazed at her son with sadness. “That’s okay, Abel. I know you studied.”
“Not that it did any good.”
Jenna leaned forward. “I
“Will you at least let me look at it later?”
“Of course. I mean, if you want to . . .”
Feeling that connection between them, he nodded, though he sensed Abel glaring at him. Well, that was fine. He didn’t care. Someone needed to look after Mary, and it might as well be him. She needed someone to fuss over her!
After a brief pause, Mary looked at Jenna and Abel. “Now, who would like to go next?”
“I will,” Jenna said. “My good thing is that I think I got a job today. Ms. Donovan at the library offered me a part-time job. She said she’s been shorthanded.”
A brief moment of silence met Jenna’s pronouncement. John knew they were all thinking that the reason the library was shorthanded was because of Dorothy Zook’s passing. She used to work at the library, but then was recently killed in a buggy accident. As the uncomfortable moment lengthened, all of Jenna’s confidence dissipated in front of them. Paling, she sputtered, “I didn’t mean that how it sounded.” Biting her lip, she continued. “I mean, of course I’m sorry that Dorothy died. Even though she, ah, put Ella in danger . . .” Her voice drifted off.
For a whole other reason, John felt himself growing uncomfortable. Until he’d made his choice, he’d also been seeing Jayne. While he wasn’t sure just how much Mary knew about that, he would have rather not talked about Jayne at all.
John cleared his throat.
Again, Abel snickered, but it sounded forced, like he was struggling to stay aloof and snarky.
Tears pricked Jenna’s eyes. “John, I didn’t mean to offend. I know Ella is your sister-in-law . . .”
“You didn’t offend me at all. It’s all right, Jenna,” John said. Hoping that God would give him the words to help her and to make the tense subject lighter. “I know what you meant. I’m glad you got a job offer. I’m sure you’ll be good at it.”
After sending a pointed look Abel’s way, Mary folded her hands on the table. “Do you have a not-so-good thing, Jenna?”
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. “My dresses are starting to get snug. I’m going to have to see if I can let some of them out.”
“I can help you with that,” Mary offered kindly.
John’s heart expanded as he yet again thought about what a wonderfully kind and generous woman Mary was. Here she not only had taken in Jenna, but now she was offering to help her with her alterations.
Looking briefly at Abel, who was using his fork to spin a lone green bean in circles on his plate, John cleared his throat. “I’ll go next. My not-so-good part was spilling food on your tablecloth, Mary. I hate having to cause you more work.”
“Cleaning a tablecloth is no trouble.”
He thought it probably was, but instead of stewing on it, he tried to think of something good to share. Finally, he brought up the little girl who’d stolen his heart. “My good thing is that Katie has agreed to let me take her ice skating next weekend.”
Abel turned his way. “Do you think it really will be cold enough for them to open the pond?”
“I think so. We’ve had twelve days below freezing now. That pond isn’t too deep. At least that’s what the rumor mill announced this morning at the Kaffi House.”
Jenna whistled low. “You’re a brave man, Mr. Weaver, to take that little Katie anywhere. She’s quick to run off.”
“She is, but I love her,” John said. “That little girl has enough spunk for several people.”
Mary’s eyes warmed as she looked toward Abel. “Your turn.”
After darting another glance at Jenna, Abel sat up. “All right. My gut news is hearing about the skating pond. And my not-so-good news is that I failed today’s spelling test.”
Mary gazed at her son with sadness. “That’s okay, Abel. I know you studied.”
“Not that it did any good.”
Jenna leaned forward. “I
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