AllFreeNovel
Share Us
With a sigh, he trudged to the woodshop and stepped inside. He glanced around. He didn’t see Onkel Hosea, but Joseph was in the back corner, assembling what looked like the spindled back for a chair. A sudden resolve filled him. Maybe it was good he’d come and found Joseph alone. He needed to talk to him about what he’d said to Ava. He strode across thefloor and stepped to the opposite side of the worktable, directly in Joseph’s line of vision.
His cousin glanced up, and surprise registered on his face. “Gil. Did you find Ava? Was she still upset?”
“I found her. And, jo, she was still upset. So upset she wouldn’t talk to me.” Then he snorted. “Well, I suppose she talked. I should say she wouldn’t listen to me.”
Joseph laid the small brush over the pot of glue. “I’m not surprised. I hadn’t seen her so mad since the time we put the frog in her lunch pail at school.”
Gil would not be distracted by funny stories from their childhood. “She said you told her I didn’t care about anything except music. Did you really say that to her?”
Joseph’s face contorted into a grimace. “Jo, I did.” Then he shook his head. “But it was a long time ago, when I was angry at you. It was adommthing to say. I’m sorry for it now.”
If he hadn’t apologized, Gil would be able to stay angry. But Joseph rarely apologized. It proved his remorse. Gil hung his head and picked at a bit of chipped wood on the corner of the worktable. “I’m sorry, too. Because now she might not listen when I tell her why I wanted the boys to play that song.”
“Why did you teach it to them?”
The reason was also personal, between Gil and Ava. He searched his mind for a truthful yet cautious answer. “I…wanted to surprise her with a different variation of the one I’d played on my violin.”
A mirthless chuckle rumbled. “Well, you surprised her, for sure.”
Gil released a soft snort. “Jo, I suppose I did.”
Joseph rounded the table and stopped near Gil. “Gil, I am sorry I told Ava you didn’t care about anything else as much asmusic. I know you care about her. The hurt in your eyes tells me how much it bothers you to have her angry at you.”
Gil slowly nodded. “It does. But it must make you happy to know she listened to what you said, remembered it, and believes it. When I got back to Falke, you told me to stay away from Ava. Now she’s staying away from me. So you’re getting what you wanted.” He waited for Joseph’s ire to flare, for him to even punch Gil again.
His cousin looked aside, his jaw muscles tense. “Jo, there was a time Ava was what I wanted. But I realize now why I wanted her so much.” He shifted his eyes and met Gil’s gaze. “Because you had her. Winning her affection was just another competition between us.” He fully faced Gil. “I don’t love her. Not like you do. And if you think it would help, I will talk to her again. Tell her I was wrong in what I said.”
His willingness touched Gil deeply, but he shook his head. “Thank you, but nä. This is between Ava and me. If she won’t listen and believe me, then maybe”—pain stabbed his heart—“she isn’t as committed to me as she said. If that’s true, it’s best for me to know.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Ava
Ava hid in Mr. Willems’sbarn with the mama cat and kittens until midafternoon. With the café closed, she didn’t have any baking to do, but other chores awaited her. She couldn’t ignore them forever. She sneaked back into the house, relieved to discover Gil had gone and Mama was sleeping. She performed her duties by rote, surprised how well she functioned when her heart was surely broken.
Mama awakened a little after four and came to the kitchen. She seemed surprised to find Ava at the ironing board. “Shouldn’t you be baking?”
Ava frowned. “Why? The café is closed. I don’t have orders to fill.” Maybe she should open it herself. It would keep her too busy to think about how much her heart ached. If loving someone caused this much pain, she would be better off never marrying. The thought created a bitter taste on her tongue.
Mama still gaped at her. “Ava, the men have band practice this evening. I realize the boys’ mothers have been taking snacks to the youth band, but the men will expect you to bring their treat.”
“Jo, well, I’m not taking them one.” Ava applied the iron to Papa’s shirt. “They can do without until Papa is directing them again.”
Mama stomped across the floor and yanked the iron from Ava’s hand. “I will iron. You bake.”
Ava stared at her normally patient mother.
Mama nudged Ava aside. “You heard me. You won’t be hurting Gil a bit by not sending a treat, but the men will be disappointed.” She sent Ava a brief glower. “Don’t be petty.”
Chastened, Ava mixed the batter for gingerbread cakes and readied the oven. After supper, Ava placed the cooled cakes and stack of napkins on the platter and held it out to Papa. “Here. Take this with you.”
Papa sent a startled look from the tray to Ava’s face. “You aren’t bringing it?”
“Not tonight.”
“Are you not feeling well?”
Ava set her lips in a tight line and refused to answer.
