Mail Order Mommy. Christine Johnson

      “That’s not the way men eat,” Isaac insisted. “A real man holds on to his fork so no one can take it away from him. Right, Pa?”

      Garrett quickly shifted the way he held the fork. Eva had always complained that he acted uncivilized at the table. He’d stubbornly refused to change, even saying that nonsense about needing to hold on to his fork. True, Roland had snatched a fork from him once when they were children and refused to give it back, but that had been roundly reprimanded by their mother. Garrett never dreamed his resistance to Eva’s attempts to change him would influence their son.

      He cleared his throat. “A gentleman holds his fork like Miss Amanda is showing you.”

      “I don’t want to be a gentleman. I want to be like you.”

      Amanda’s eyebrows shot up.

      Garrett felt both pleasure that his son wanted to emulate him and distress that he had set such a poor example. “Well, from now on, I’m going to eat like a gentleman.”

      Amanda smiled, and warmth spread through him. She approved. That was amazing enough, but even more startling was how much he enjoyed that approval. What was happening to him?

      He took a bite of the hash and choked.

      “What is it?” She looked horrified.

      He swallowed without chewing more than necessary and washed down the rest with half of the cup of water in front of him.

      “It’s...different.”

      She took a small taste, and the expression of horror intensified.

      “It’s salty,” Isaac pointed out.

      “Thank you, son.” Garrett motioned for him to say nothing further while Amanda guzzled water.

      Sadie, always a dainty eater, picked out little pieces of onion and ate them as if there was nothing wrong with the hash.

      Amanda recovered. “Oh, dear. I added too much salt, but Mrs. Calloway said everything needs salt.”

      “Except perhaps salt pork,” Garrett said.

      She looked mortified. “I’m sorry. I—I don’t know how to fix it.”

      Garrett had learned a few tricks from those days when Roland was busy and he had to cook something for the children, mostly because he made a lot of mistakes. He grabbed the skillet and stood. “We’ll dilute it.”

      * * *

      We? Amanda rose and set her napkin on the table. Garrett Decker was helping her?

      She followed him the few steps to the kitchen. Her face must be flaming red. It certainly felt that way. How could she have made such a blunder? Mrs. Calloway had suggested she taste before serving. With the fiasco over the burned potatoes and Sadie’s distress, Amanda had forgotten that all important tip.

      Now she stood beside Garrett at the kitchen worktable. It was such a small surface that their arms nearly touched.

      “Get a bowl from the cupboard,” he commanded.

      When she picked out a soup bowl, he sent her back for a serving bowl. Then he scraped the salty hash into it.

      “Chop two more potatoes,” he said. “Did you get any other vegetables, like carrots?”

      “Yes, of course.”

      “Good. We’ll add four of those, too. Chop them fine so they cook quickly.”

      She could figure out that much, but considering her record tonight, she didn’t think it wise to mention.

      Meanwhile, the children watched every move with wide eyes. Isaac crawled onto his chair and leaned across the table to whisper something to Sadie. She giggled. Dear me, even the children found her efforts humorous.

      “Isaac, bring your plates here. Then bring ours.” Garrett then added the contents to the bowl on the worktable.

      Amanda finished peeling and chopping the potatoes and carrots. Garrett added a little of the hash to the skillet and then had her add the raw vegetables. When they had gotten tender, he added a bit more of the hash and stirred it all together. After it heated, he had her taste the mixture.

      “A little bland,” she reported.

      He added more of the salty hash and then a little more until it tasted just right.

      “How did you learn to do that?” she marveled.

      “From experience. The best teacher.” He smiled at her. “The same thing happened to me once.”

      His words were intended to comfort, but his smile went a lot further. She had hardly ever seen Garrett Decker smile. He was the sorrowing widower, never pleased with anyone or anything. Even in church or when escorting Fiona to the hotel dining room, he hadn’t smiled. Only with his children did he smile. It changed him so much, from a rigid, dour perfectionist to a compassionate man.

      Amanda breathed out. “You have a beautiful smile.”

      It instantly vanished. “Everyone’s hungry. Let’s eat.”

      * * *

      Amanda reveled in what had happened long after she returned to the boardinghouse and settled into bed. Her mind whirled round and round, going over the events in minute detail. Garrett hadn’t yelled at her. He’d worked with her. He’d shown her consideration and compassion. He’d granted her leniency. He’d smiled at her.

      The sheets being cold, she blew on her icy fingers and wiggled her toes, trying to warm them.

      “Could you be still?” Pearl grumbled. “I’m trying to get some sleep.”

      For a second Amanda tried to imagine not having to share a room and a bed with her friend, who was every bit as dear as a sister. No one to complain when she moved around in bed. No one who knew every little thing about her. Just like it had been at the Chatsworths. She shuddered. Pearl meant everything to her. With her married and gone, Amanda would no longer have someone at the ready to hear about every moment of her day and give her advice and consolation.

      “I will miss you,” she whispered.

      “Me, too. Now go to sleep.” Pearl’s muffled tones came from beneath the pillow that she’d jammed over her head.

      “I’m sure Roland will want to talk at night, too.”

      Pearl rolled over and emerged from beneath the pillow. “What’s bothering you?”

      “Nothing.”

      “Then why are you pestering me?”

      “I can’t sleep after what happened today.”

      “Oh?” Now she’d caught Pearl’s attention. “What happened today?”

      Amanda hedged, not quite ready to explain everything. “Did you know that Garrett has a lovely smile?”

      “Hmm. I suppose so.”

      “He should smile more often.”

      “Why don’t you tell him, and let me get some sleep?” Pearl plunked the pillow over her head again.

      Amanda quieted, but she couldn’t imagine going up to Garrett and telling him to smile more. Just mentioning the smile had turned it to a frown, as if that smile had been in error. “He doesn’t want to hear it.”

      Pearl said nothing.

      Amanda glanced in her direction, but in the darkness couldn’t tell if her friend was sleeping. Her thoughts drifted back to the hours with Garrett. He’d been kind today, so different from the day before.

      “I made a mess of supper tonight,” she whispered. “I burned it terribly and then added too much salt. It tasted awful, but he didn’t yell, like he did yesterday. He told me he’d done the very same thing.”

      “He