As Love Blooms (31 page)

Snagging the envelope from the pile of mail, Tessa held her breath. Thank goodness it had come on a Saturday, and she’d found it before Aunt Sam. If her aunt had opened the letter from the University of Minnesota, Tessa’s secret would be out.

She slipped her finger beneath the seal and opened the missive. Although the information inside was nothing new, it seemed stark and final in black and white.

The dean waxed poetically about the choices a young person makes, how willing the institution was to offer second chances, and the opportunities that might yet arise. He, of course, mentioned the mercy they’d shown in letting her finish the term, but the message was clear: she was not allowed to return in the fall.

It was so unfair. She’d done nothing worthy of expulsion—not really—and she’d not been allowed to defend herself. Now, if she didn’t secure a job at Como Park, she’d have to defend herself to her sisters.

Maybe she should be up-front and tell them now. No, they probably wouldn’t listen any more than the dean had.

What would Reese think if he knew the truth of why she needed
this position so badly? Did he even need to know? Sure, he wanted her to confide in him, but if she was seeing him and working at Como, then there’d be no need to return to school and the problem would be solved.

She slipped the letter into her pocket and patted it. No, this secret was one she’d keep to herself for a long, long time.

 25 

Why did the people who most needed a sermon end up being absent on the day it was given?

Tessa glanced behind her and scanned the congregants for Hannah but saw only Lincoln and Ellie. Hannah must have been feeling poorly, which was too bad for a whole host of reasons. First, she didn’t want her sister to suffer from morning sickness, and second, she really needed to hear this sermon about Leah and Rachel.

According to Brother Taylor, Rachel and Leah’s problems began with good intentions. Jacob, he said, loved Rachel and worked seven years to win her hand, but her father had another plan.

Beside her, Reese squeezed her hand. “I’d work fourteen years for you,” he whispered in her ear.

She bit back a giggle and turned to Charlotte, who sat on her other side with Joel. Wiggly Alice Ann finished filling the pew.

Brother Taylor held his Bible up as he preached. “Sisterhood is a precious bond, and this bond was severed by lies and jealousy.”

He went on to declare that the Bible showed Rachel and Leah in a baby contest with one another about who could bear the most children. “When Naphtali was born, Rachel said, ‘I’ve struggled hard with my sister, and I’ve won!’”

Tessa risked looking at Charlotte. Her glassy eyes told her the
topic was close to her sister’s heart. Was Charlotte struggling with these feelings of jealousy?

Brother Taylor shared how even after Rachel’s prayers were answered and the midwife told her not to despair, she named her second son Ben-Oni, which means “son of my trouble.”

“Luckily for baby Ben-Oni,” Brother Taylor said, chuckling, “his father gave him a different name, Benjamin, which means ‘son of my right hand.’” The preacher stepped from behind his podium. “What these two women didn’t see was that God’s blessing was being poured out on both of them. God saw them both and he heard their prayers. He’d given them each other. That should have been their greatest gift, but they wanted something so much they were blinded to how God was already working in their lives.”

As the congregation began to sing “Bringing in the Sheaves,” Tessa noticed Charlotte dabbing her eyes.

As soon as the final “amen” was said, Tessa turned to Charlotte. “Are you all right?”

“I want a baby, but I want Hannah back more. She’s been distant in an odd way—do you know why?”

Everything in her wanted to shout yes, but Tessa didn’t dare. “Sorry, Charlotte, you’ll have to ask her.”

Reese touched her elbow. “Ready?”

She leaned close to her sister and whispered, “We’re going to his friend’s home for dinner. Wish me luck.”

Charlotte smiled. “They’ll love you. How could they not?”

From the moment she entered, Tessa could tell the Swenhaugens’ home, though small, was rich with love. After introductions were made, Sonja wrapped Tessa in a hug. “We’ve been waiting to meet you. Reese, you didn’t tell us how truly lovely she is. Shame on you.”

“Momma, you’re embarrassing the poor girl.” Erik wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist.

“But I think we should feed her. She’s a mite skinny compared to our neighbor girl.”

“Everyone is skinny compared to Inga.”

Sonja slapped his arm while Reese and Erik shared a laugh.

“
Uff da!
Now look what you two have done. Poor Tessa doesn’t know what all the laughter is about.” Sonja took Tessa’s hand. “Why don’t you come with me? You can help me put dinner on, and I’ll tell you some of my best Reese King stories.”

“How can I refuse an offer like that?”

Sonja handed Tessa a lacy apron. “I’d hate for you to get flour all over your dress.”

“Flour? I’m not a very good baker.”

“We’re not baking. We’re making
potetlefse
to go with the sausages.”

“
Potetlefse
?”

“Potato lefse.” Sonja set a flat griddle on the stove and lit the gas burner beneath it. “Last night I riced the potatoes and added in the cream and butter while they were hot, so today all we have to do is add flour and roll them out.”

“Roll them out? Like pie crust?”

Sonja nodded. “Only much more gently. Lefse is tricky, but you’ll get the hang of it.”

Tessa highly doubted she would. Charlotte’s numerous efforts to make her into some semblance of a cook had not worked thus far, but she didn’t want to hurt Sonja’s feelings, so she’d give it a try.

Sonja added flour to the cold potato mixture and worked it through. She then passed Tessa a ball of dough. “Rub flour into your pastry cloth before you put this down. Then you can roll it.”

“Maybe I should watch you roll it first.”

“Ah, good idea.” Within seconds, Sonja had the potato ball rolled into a thin, plate-sized disk. Then she eased a long, flat stick beneath the lefse, lifted it, and transferred it onto the hot griddle.

Immediately, the lefse bubbled up in places. When the first side
had browned, Sonja flipped it over. “Grab that butter crock and the sugar bowl.”

Tessa got the items from the Hoosier cabinet in time to see Sonja plop the lefse on a plate. “You should eat your first lefse the right way, rolled up with butter and sugar inside. Go on.”

Tessa slathered butter over the hot lefse and sprinkled it with sugar before rolling it up. She bit into the item and moaned. It melted in her mouth.

“Hey, Sonja.” Reese filled the doorway. “Are you trying to fatten her up already?”

“Be nice. It’s her first lefse. Let her enjoy every bite.”

Reese moved next to Tessa. “Don’t I get a bite?”

Tessa shook her head. “I love you, but I’m not sharing this.”

“You could roll out your own.” Sonja handed him another potato ball.

To Tessa’s surprise, he completed the task, even if his lefse looked more like a misshapen cloud than a dinner plate. After it had cooked, Sonja passed it to Reese. “Now, shoo. If you stay here, we won’t have any left for the sausages.”

Reese kissed Tessa’s cheek. “I’ll leave you in Sonja’s capable hands.”

Although Tessa did her best to convince Sonja she would be better at cooking the lefse than rolling them, Sonja would not be dissuaded, and Reese’s cloud-shaped lefse looked perfect compared to her misshapen creations.

Sonja stirred the sausages. “Don’t fret. They all taste the same.”

There had only been a few times in her life that Tessa had felt an immediate connection to someone like she did to Sonja. They laughed and giggled as they worked, with Sonja telling a few funny stories about Reese.

Sonja waved her spoon in the air. “So, you’ve stolen our Reese’s heart?”

Tessa drew in a deep breath. How did she answer that?

Sonja didn’t seem to notice Tessa’s lack of response. “From what he’s said, I can tell you are a woman with great passion. That can be good, but it can also make you careless. All I ask is that you don’t hurt him.”

“I would never try to hurt him.”

“I know.” Sonja plopped the sausages onto a platter. “But even when we are not trying, we sometimes hurt others—especially those we love.”

“But—”

“
Uff da.
” Sonja sighed. “What was I thinking? You’ll hurt him. He’ll hurt you. The question is, will it bring you closer or distance you? It’s part of loving someone.”

Tessa carried the plate of lefse into the dining room behind Sonja. Reese took the plate from her and brushed his hand against her cheek. “You’ve got a little flour there.” He replaced the flour with a kiss.

Her love for him grew in that sweet moment. Falling in love with Reese hadn’t happened all at once—it had grown over time. But was her new friend right? Would she inevitably hurt this wonderful man?
Please, God, don’t let that happen.

“Did you have to tell Sonja about the motorcycle escapade?” Reese yanked her car door open.

Tessa giggled as she stepped out. “I thought poor Sonja was going to faint.”

He waited for her to start toward her aunt’s mansion. Her antics, like a burr, had irritated him all the way there. “Why do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Turn an innocent dinner into a stage performance. It’s like you have to put on a show.” Usually her theatrics didn’t bother him in the least, but when his parents arrived in a couple of weeks, he knew they’d not be impressed.

“It’s not a show.” She turned to face him. “It’s who I am. I thought you understood that.”

“You’re not like that with me. I watched you parade about at that party as if you were one of them, but then in the blink of an eye, you’re a different Tessa for me.”

“When I’m with a group, I’m one way.” She held out her right hand, then her left. “With you another. Besides, you know why I was acting that way. It’s for the conservatory.”

“Maybe it’s all an act. Maybe you’re so busy pretending that you don’t know the real you anymore—even when we’re together.”

“I’ve never pretended with you.” Hurt tinged her voice, but anger flashed in her tear-filled eyes. “I’m not Laura.”