Page 31 of Wish You Faith

But was he a Christian? Wouldn’t Rosie want to marry someone like-minded, who would go to church with her, and even teach Sunday school class with her if needed?

Wouldn’t Rosie choose Evan?

Rosie’s eyes were on her watch. “We’d better go. The sun has set and I don’t want to stay too long. Mom’s at home alone.”

She got up. Reached over for a plastic tray that was in the middle of the table.

Evan helped her retrieve it. She put her plates, silverware, and used napkins on it.

“I’ll take it.” Evan reached for her plastic lunch tray first before Rosie could lift it up.

“Over there.” She pointed to a rectangular window nearby that had a conveyor belt inside. People put their trays on the conveyor belt, and the dishwashing staff would clear them.

On his way, Evan noticed that dining hall workers were clearing tables for elderly residents so that they didn’t have to. When he returned, he found Rosie at the beverage kiosk, getting a couple of bottles of water.

And an apple.

She placed the apple in Evan’s hand. “Dessert.”

“Thank you.” Evan put it in his jacket pocket.

They walked together outside and meandered down the stone path to the garden, which twinkled with Christmas lights and music.

Salty breeze swirled in the air to the beats of the ocean waves beyond the garden and sandy beach. He couldn’t see it at night, but he knew it was there.

“I love the sounds of the ocean,” Rosie said.

“We can hear them better if not for the music.”

“Only if someone walks down that path.” Rosie chuckled. “We’ll take them all down after Christmas, and then we can hear the ocean again.”

“Do you like the beach a lot?” Evan asked.

“More than the mountains.”

“Same. Growing up, we often vacationed on Cannon Beach.”

“Oregon?”

“Yeah.” He didn’t say that his parents still had an oceanfront cottage there. Telling her that might make her ask about his parents. Right now, Mom was flabbergasted that Evan had walked away from his job at the family business. Evan wasn’t ready to talk about it yet.

He wanted to tell Rosie everything about his life, including his big fight with Mom, but first, he wanted to stabilize his relationship with Rosie. And then she might not leave him after she found out that he’d been ornery to Mom.

Right now Evan only wanted Rosie to see the best side of him. Yes, he knew that was unrealistic. Perhaps he should chat with her and let her see all of him. That way, he wouldn’t be lying to her by omission. Their relationship would be transparent. She could trust him.

“You know, I’ve never been to Cannon Beach,” Rosie said. “Amy has some framed photos of Cannon Beach and Ecola State Park in her office, and she told me where Mom and I could stay and find food.”

Evan waited.

“Mom is waiting for heaven.” Rosie’s voice cracked. “I don’t want to leave town, just in case her cancer returns and we have to rush to SMH, you know?”

“SMH?”

“Savannah Memorial Hospital, where Mom’s doctors are. It’s providential that our old house is five minutes from the hospital.”

“There are doctors where you travel to as well.”

“I know, but Mom has decided that a staycation is for her. Lots of things to do here on Tybee and over there in Savannah, you know.”

---