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Gil huffed, and he glared at Joseph. “How could I have known? I didn’t even know he’d died until Onkel Bernard explained why he was leading the men’s band. Why didn’t you or Taunte Dorcas write and tell me Mr. Goertz passed away? You knew how much the man meant to me. As much time as I spent with him, you had to know.”
Well, well, well. Maybe Gil wasn’t so perfect after all. He’d thrown a little temper tantrum. Joseph wanted to be glad about his cousin’s disgruntled outburst, but somehow sadness—and more guilt—attacked instead. He drew on defensiveness and tamped down the emotions. “You’d been gone for so long already, never coming back after you left, how could we know if you even remembered him anymore?”
Gil hung his head and stood in silence. Joseph waited a few minutes, but when Gil didn’t say anything, he gathered up his discarded clothes and shoved them into a basket near his bureau. As he turned toward the bed, Gil released a heavy sigh.
“You’re right. I didn’t come back. And I did stop writing to you.”
“You were busy,” Joseph said. He meant to say it sarcastically, but it came out kindly. As if making an excuse. He pulled his covers back and eased into bed. “About giving lessons to children in town, how much good could you really do in only a few months? And people might not like the idea of you coming into their homes. Especially after you’ve been away from Falke for such a long time. Folks knew Mr. Goertz, but they don’t really know you, do they?”
Gil nodded. “You’re right. I should give the idea more thought before I talk to anyone else about it.”
He sounded so defeated, Joseph came close to saying he was sorry. But sorry for what? Sorry for wanting to court Ava? Sorry for not welcoming Gil with open arms the way folks in town had the minute he stepped off the train? Sorry for wishing he didn’t have to share his family and his private space…again…with Gil? All of his feelings were honest. He didn’t need to be sorry for them. Did he?
Gil headed for the door. “I’m going to visit the outhouse. I’ll turn out the lamp when I get back.”
“Sounds fine.” Joseph rolled over and faced the wall. “Good night.”
“Good night.Schlop die gesunt.”
The familiar nighttime wish to sleep well, bestowed on them by Gil’s ma when Joseph spent nights at Gil’s place when the two of them were very young, raised a wave of good memories. Joseph closed his eyes and shut them out.
Ava
At the closeof the Sunday morning service, half the congregation surged to the pew where Gil sat with his uncle, aunt, and cousins. Inwardly, Ava strained to join them, but outwardly she remained seated next to Mama. She would not give in to the pull she’d experienced since he entered the building over an hour ago. Before she, Mama, and Papa got into the carriage for the drive to the white-painted clapboard chapel built on a gentle rise a mile north of town, she’d given herself a stern lecture about keeping her distance from Gil. The gossip mill would spin out of control if she rushed over to him in front of half the town. But how she yearned to be part of the throng officially welcoming him back to Falke.
Mama took hold of Ava’s arm. “Escort me to the Batys’ pew,please. I didn’t have the chance to greet Gil the other evening since I was too weary to come to the table.”
Ava hated to deny her mother the chance to talk to Gil. He’d been an important part of their lives for many years, and her parents had missed him almost as much as Ava had when he went away. But how to take her without making it seem Ava wanted to see Gil, too? “Maybe Papa can escort you. Where is he?” She glanced around.
“He went to pull the carriage closer to the porch for me. He’ll worry he’s blocking others from leaving, so we need to hurry if I’m to speak to Gil.”
Ava sighed. “Very well.” As she crossed the floor with Mama’s hand tucked into the bend of her elbow, she prayed people would see the truth of what was taking place and not presume that going to Gil was her idea. They reached the edge of the circle, and Ava said, “Excuse us, please.”
People politely shifted, and Mama worked her way toward Gil while Ava stepped aside. Trusting one of their friends to lend Mama a steadying hand if she needed it, Ava sat at the end of a pew on the opposite side of the aisle and blew out a little breath of relief. She’d escaped being in close proximity to Gil. For now. Someone touched her shoulder. Expecting Papa, she turned. “Mama wanted to say hello to—”
Joseph Baty was sitting behind her. He bounced a snide grin in the direction of the crowd. “How come you aren’t over there with everyone else, fawning over our returning hero?”
Ava was familiar with Joseph’s scornful attitude toward his cousin. She’d always thought it a shame, given their close ages and growing up under the same roof. Shouldn’t they be more like brothers? Her own brothers, Anton and Rupert, were almost five years apart in age but the best of friends. Shesometimes wondered if that’s why God chose to take them Home at the same time, so neither had to suffer life without the other. She turned sideways in the seat and forced a glib tone. “I wanted others to have a chance to talk to him.”
“Ah.” Joseph nodded, his expression smug. “So you got enough of him when he came to dinner the other night?”
Ava only wished that were true. There was no good answer for his question, so she remained silent.
Joseph stacked his forearms on the back of her pew, bringing his face close to hers. “He talked about giving music lessons to children in town while he’s here.”
If Gil had mentioned it to Joseph, he must have taken her idea to heart. The thought made her smile.
“I hope he doesn’t do it, though.”
Her smile faded. “Why not?”
Joseph angled his gaze in Gil’s direction, and the muscles in his jaw knotted. “All he cares about is himself. And you can’t depend on him.”
Ava gave him a mild frown, unsettled by the resentment emanating from him. “I realize his return to Falke was unexpected, but he does have plans for when he intends to go back to New York. I’m sure he’ll tell the families the lessons are short-term.”
Joseph abruptly faced Ava. “Are you defending him?”
She blinked several times, searching herself. Her statement had been in support of Gil. Why had she given it? Maybe because she’d always defended Gil against Joseph’s petty bursts of jealousy when they were children. But Joseph had no reason to envy Gil. Not anymore.
