The Forgiving Heart (The Heart of Minnesota Book 1) (32 page)

             
“May I help?” Benard came into the kitchen.

             
Ellie pointed to the cupboard, “You can get the glasses.”

             
The three of them finished preparing supper.

             
“Ellie,” Sig pulled the chicken from the oven, “call your sister down.”

             
Ellie put down the rag she was using to wipe the counter and went to do as she was told.

             
“Sara?” Ellie called again when there was no response.

             
“She's probably so caught up in that math that she couldn't hear you,” Sig called from the kitchen, “you may have to go get her.”

             
“I vill do that,” Benard offered, “I haf letter from my father I like to show you.”

             
Ellie went back into the kitchen, “Thanks, Ben.”

             
Benard chuckled at Ellie's name for him. He liked it even if it was a bit strange. He went quickly up the stairs and looked into the girls' room, “Sara?”

             
The girl's brow was furrowed, a pencil between her teeth. She didn't look up.

             
He rapped on the door frame, “Sara?”

             
She startled and her attention snapped to him, eyes wide.

             
“Sorry for scare,” he willed himself not to smile at her response. “Supper is coming.”

             
Sara breathed heavily, “Thanks, Ben. I'll come down right away.”

             
Benard smiled broadly. If he thought Ellie's use of his nickname was sweet, it sounded positively wonderful coming from Sara's mouth.

             
“Is this your hard math?” he asked as she closed her book and stood.

             
“Yes,” she looked toward the text with ill-disguised annoyance, “it is my hard math.”

             
“I am like math. I could try help.”

             
She cocked her head at him, “Do you know how to do trigonometry?”

             
“Trigonometry? Yes. I do this.”

             
She looked doubtful, but Benard knew he could prove himself in this area even if he could not do anything else, “If you vant to do this after supper. I can help.”

             
He went, then to get his letter and go downstairs.

             
Sara brought her math down to the table and set it on the counter.

             
“I hope that is not for me,” Will pointed to the homework, “because you know I had enough trouble with algebra.”

             
Sara shook her head, “Ben said he could help me,” the young man thought she looked a little nervous when she looked up at him.

             
“Benard?” Sig smiled at him and then nodded, “Good. We were losing hope that anyone could help.”

             
“Mom,” Sara sounded embarrassed at her mother's words.

             
Sig just chuckled.

             
An hour later Sara was beginning to think she may just pass the class after all.

             
“I don't know why this seemed so difficult, Ben,” she wrote as she spoke. “It makes so much more sense now that you explain it.”

             
“I am glad to do something back for your family and not be only burden,” his soft voice made her turn and look more intently at him.

             
“You think you are a burden to our family, Ben?”

             
He looked down at his hands. Sara looked at Ben's strong clean-shaven jaw, wondering for a moment what it would feel like to run her finger along that line. His dark brows were now drawn together over serious eyes, but she knew those eyes were capable of sparkling with humor as well.

             
Sara dragged herself from her admiration of Benard's physical attributes, “You are not a burden, Ben,” she allowed herself to squeeze his shoulder. “You are family, and family is a blessing.”

             
He smiled as he looked back at her, “Thank you.”

             
She met his eyes before looking quickly back at the paper, “Do you, um, do you think you can help me with the next problem as well?”

             
“I can help vit all problems. All days you need help.”

             
She swallowed, “But you are starting work tomorrow. You won’t have time.”

             
“I vill haf time.”

             
“I wish I could help you with something,” she didn't look up at him.

             
He was quiet for a moment, but then he spoke, “Could you help me vit my vords?”

             
“Your words?”

             
“I vish to speak better vords in English. Karlijna says she vas helped by Ellie telling her she vas all wrong. Maybe you could tell me when I am wrong too.”

             
Sara stared at him, “You want me to correct you when you say the wrong words?'

             
“Yes. And if my vords sound. . .” he looked away as if he was ashamed.

             
Sara touched his hand with her own, “You want to sound American,” she avoided implying he was trying to stop sounding German.

             
“Yes,” he looked at their hands.

             
“I can do that,” she picked up her pencil again.

             
“Thank you.”