“But you passed with such good grades,” Mother said, shaking her head. “How in the world could you have endured it all?”
“I just kept thinking about how I wanted to please Father.” She turned toward him. “I’m so sorry. I wanted this as much as you did. I’m just not able to do it. You saw how sick I was at the fire. It wasn’t just the smells of burnt flesh. I would have been sick no matter the injury. Blood is just appalling to me.”
“I feel terrible that you thought you had to carry on.” Father appeared genuinely concerned. “I never would have wanted that for you.”
“I know, but I wanted so much to be a part of something that mattered so much to you.”
Mother offered a sympathetic smile. “Evie, you’re already a part of all that matters to us. Besides, your father will be able to hire someone else to take over running things when he can’t be there. He knows a great many people.”
“I even know someone you might consider.” Evie had given this a great deal of though. “My nursing supervisor. She was an amazing woman, so knowledgeable and capable. She was the best of teachers.”
“That’s good to know. I’ll be happy to correspond with her,” Father said, his expression softening. “Evie, I’m gladyou finally told me how you feel and the truth of this situation.” He looked down the table at each of his children. “I want you all to do the job you feel God is calling you to do. I don’t want you to worry about disappointing me or your Mother. We will love you no matter what. We will even help you to obtain your dream.”
“Well, you should know then ...” Fifteen-year-old Jim spoke up. “I don’t want to go to college. I want to be a farmer. Ever since you took me up to the farm where they were growing wheat, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
“Well, you should have said so much sooner,” Father replied. “You could have spent part of the summer up there. I would not ever object to having a farmer in the family.”
“I already told everyone that I didn’t want to go to college,” Meri threw in. “I want to marry and have a big family like ours. And I want to cook and bake for them.”
“I think that’s admirable, Meri,” Evan said, giving her a nod of approval. “You will make some man very happy. In fact, I have a few friends who have noticed just how pretty you are.”
She blushed and lowered her face. “I’d love to know about them.”
Talk sprung up around the table about what some of the children wanted to do with their lives. Evie couldn’t help but glance over at her father. He winked at her and smiled, and suddenly she knew that all would be well. It was a hard thing to tell and equally hard to hear, but she suddenly felt silly at having worried about it all these years.
“Are there any other announcements anyone needs to make about the future?” Mother asked, looking around the table. “If not, then I believe we should refocus on this delicious meal.”
Evie smiled and picked up her fork. “I do have one more thing to say.” Everyone went silent, and Evie almost laughed atthe intensity of their expressions. “Relax, this is a good secret. I’m in love with Maxwell Garrison.”
For a moment they all just stared at her, then Mother gave a lighthearted laugh. “That’s no secret, Evie. We can all clearly see that as a fact.”
Everyone nodded, and Evie gave a girlish giggle. She looked to her father and shrugged. “Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t keeping it from anyone.”
“I’m glad you could join us for dinner, Maxwell,” Max’s stepmother announced from her perch at the end of the table. “It seems strangely quiet in the house without you here.”
Max was surprised to hear her say something that even remotely suggested she missed him. “I’m sure you’ve been enjoying the silence, Duchess.”
“To a degree, I suppose. I was sorry to hear that you were wounded in the fire. Does it cause you much pain?”
“Well, the bone is broken, the burn’s quite tender, and the head wound is on the mend. So there is some pain to be tolerated.”
“I still don’t understand why you felt you had to be there on a Sunday. No one expected anyone to be at the mills on a Sunday,” his father said, cutting into the piece of pork roast on his plate.
“Yes, I would imagine it surprised more than one person.” He really had no desire to discuss the fire with his stepmother present, but his father seemed insistent.
“I’ve seen the newspapers, and it would appear that all questions have been laid to rest regarding the fire’s origin. The two boys on Nicollet have confessed to their carelessness; however, I doubt anyone will be filing charges. I spoke with the investigator who went with Chief Runge to look things overon Boom Island. He has every confidence that the fires there were started by the embers, just as there were several small fires that started on the east shore of the river. Thankfully, those were easy enough to extinguish.”
“Yes, it was more difficult to extinguish fires on Boom Island without hydrants to replenish the fire tankers. They did, as I understand, pump some water from the river, but it was tedious and difficult to manage,” Max replied.
“Well, it’s behind us now, and thankfully no one lost their life.” His father’s expression suggested regret. “But I am sorry that you were injured.”
“In a few weeks, I should be right as rain. However, I think it only fair to say that I am going to be focusing on my own industry in the weeks to come. I believe we have discussed the possibility before, and now I feel certain that God is leading me in this direction.”
“Since when have you concerned yourself with God’s leading?” his father asked in surprise.
“Well, that’s yet another change in my life. My experience with the Turner family has given me pause to consider eternity. I must say, I find their approach to the Almighty to be of great comfort. I’ve come to realize that much has been missing from my upbringing.”
His father’s brow knitted. “I suppose you shall be preaching at all of us now.”
