Page 25 of Bride in Blue
“Oh, I’m not company,” Mrs. Brown said. “I’m just here helping out. I made you breakfast,” she said, pointing to the plate.
Cassie watched her father rub his palms over his head, trying to flatten his hair. He pressed his hands down the front of his shirt and took a seat.
Hal turned his plate several times and then dug into his eggs. “Oh my,” he said. “These are really good. I can’t think when I had eggs last.”
“It was when Mrs. Graham brought those chickens home,” Cassie laughed.
“I think you are right. And she had to get rid of them because the silly rooster kept half the apartment building awake.”
“Did you live in the city, Mr. Stockton?” Mrs. Brown asked.
“Yes, we just moved from New York City.”
Cassie finished her breakfast as she listened to her father and Mrs. Brown exchange pleasantries. She learned that Mrs. Brown was a widow. Her husband was killed in the fire. She had been married for over twenty years and had no children. She started cooking for Max right after he arrived. And she was able to keep her father engaged in conversation without a negative word spilling from his lips.
When they were done, Cassie offered to take the plates into the kitchen. “No need, child,” Mrs. Brown said. “I’ll put them in the bucket and wash them when we get back from church.”
“Church?” Hal asked.
“Of course. It is Sunday. The best day of the week,” she replied. “You are coming to church, aren’t you Hal?”
Cassie’s gaze shot to her father who was pulling on his collar. “Not today. Maybe next week,” he replied, looking directly at Max.
“Well, we will miss you.” Mrs. Brown stood and started collecting the dishes.
“I can take those,” Hal offered. “Just put them in the bucket, you say?”
Cassie tried not to let her mouth fall open. She couldn’t recall one time in her entire life where she saw her father offer to do any type of housework.
Maybe miracles do happen, she thought.
Max couldn’t help but notice the stares of the parishioners as he escorted Cassie and Mrs. Brown into the Reverend Bing’s church.
Mrs. Brown waved to a woman who was standing by the pulpit, as she proceeded up the aisle to the front of the church. Cassie scooted into the last pew and moved over so Max could sit next to her.
“That is Mrs. Maybelle. I don’t know her last name. She’s the baker,” Max explained. He had leaned over to whisper the words in Cassie’s ear, and he was assaulted by the scent of roses.
He took another deep breath, allowing the floral fragrance to fill up every pore of his being. He couldn’t recall anything so exciting as the scent of flowers.
Excitement.
He recalled the words Mrs. Pennyworth said to him right after he had met Cassie. She was definitely exciting him.
The service started, and they stood to sing. Cassie’s voice rang out. “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.” Max opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He preferred not to sing. He held the corner of the hymnal, sharing the book with Cassie.
Her fingers bumped his several times as she turned the page. As she turned the page to the last few lines of the hymn, he caught her fingers in his and held them for a moment.
Her eyes flew up and met his. She closed her eyes for a minute, and then reopened them. Her eyes were like liquid honey surrounded by long black lashes.
Max gave her fingers a quick squeeze before releasing them. “Amen,” the congregation sang before sitting down. Max glanced around the room. There were several people looking at them with open curiosity.
Reverend Bing cleared his throat and they turned around, providing Max with a sense of relief.
“Reverend Bing is not what you would call your typical clergyman,” he whispered to Cassie.
“How so?”
“He was a pugilist in New York before he came out west.”
