Page 38 of Wish You Faith

Evan almost said that Rosie already had this evening, but he didn’t want to add to the banter. He didn’t want to poke fun at Rosie. He wasn’t sure how she felt about such things. Maybe she had thick skin, but Evan didn’t want to hurt her feelings at all.

“Give me a minute and then I’ll be ready, okay?” Rosie said to Evan.

Evan nodded. He stood there at the edge of the living room, not being sure of what he was supposed to do. The historical drama was playing on TV.

“Have you seenNorth and South?” Sonya asked.

“No.” The actors on screen were wearing what looked like period costumes. “Edwardian?”

Sonya nodded. “I’ve seen it countless times with Rosie.”

With Rosie.

Evan realized that he barely knew Rosie. What movie genres did she like to watch? What books did she read other than the Bible? What were her hobbies and interests? Plans for the future? How many children did she want to have?

Questions like that.

Rosie returned. “Let’s go.”

“Want to take some popcorn with you?” Sonya asked.

“I’m on a diet, so no popcorn for me,” Rosie looked at Evan. “Want some?”

“I’m all right. Thanks for asking.”

“You two hurry along and let Sonya get back to Mr. Thornton,” Dottie said from her seat.

“We’re going now.” Rosie gave her mom a hug.

Sonya’s eyes were on Evan. “Please get her home by midnight.”

“Mom!” Rosie’s face reddened. “I’m thirty. Not a teenager.”

“You will always be my baby.” Sonya blew a kiss at Rosie.

Sonya reminded Evan of how his own mom treated him, the younger of two boys. Did Mom always think of him as her baby? Could that explain why Mom hovered over him?

Perhaps he should find an opportunity to assure Mom that everything would be okay. He wanted her to stop worrying so much about his life and his lack of a wife.

If Mom knew Jesus Christ, she might be less prone to worry and depression, no? Christ could be her living hope. Thinking of that reminded Evan of Phil Wickham’s song, “Living Hope.”

Maybe he could send Mom a link to the song. Not that he had expected Mom to listen to Christian music. She wasn’t interested in anything Christian and refused to go to church with Connor and Evan except at Christmas and Easter Sunday.

Outdoors, the temperature dropped some more as they walked toward Rosie’s car.

“Want me to drive?” Evan asked.

“Why?”

The question took Evan by surprise. “What do you mean?”

“I’m just curious about your thought process.” She handed him the car key.

“My thought process?” Evan came around the car to open the passenger door for Rosie.

“I can do this myself.” Rosie put one foot in the car. “I mean… Thank you.”

“You’re not used to someone opening and closing car doors for you and driving you around, are you?”

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