27. Ambrose #2
Maybe I made the right choice, because Emiline’s dreamy eyes lit up. Arthur was a good man and a good friend. If Emiline wanted to officially court him, I’d add my blessing on top of our father’s, as I knew he adored Arthur and his business.
“How are you and Zeth doing?” Emiline asked. “You both made quite the spectacle last night. A few people are suspicious of you courting him.”
“A correct assumption…” I stood up to lean into her side and whispered, “Father invited him to supper on Sunday, and I’m anxious about it. No doubt I should tell him about what’s going on then.”
“Oh, the same night as the theatre… Is that why you hardly talked on the ride home last night?” When I nodded, she continued, “This is good for you both, Amby. I just hate that I can’t be there. Do you want me to stay instead? I don’t mind.”
I laughed, seeing how she was willing to do it but also aware of her disappointment in skipping a night out with Arthur.
“No, I want you and Arthur to go out. Your little brother can handle himself, I promise. Besides, I’ll have Zeth.
And… Hattie.” When Emiline giggled, I nodded at the basket.
“Thank you for bringing this over. Tell Arthur thank you as well.”
“Of course. I have to get back to the shop. Have a good day, Amby, and don’t let the talk around town get to you.” Emiline kissed my cheek before she whisked away to speak with Marigold.
I looked at the basket and pulled back the cloth to see a dish, along with some wrapped bread and grapes. Suddenly, I knew who I wanted to share the meal with.
***
Not long after Zeth and Millie left the bank, I did too, carrying the basket of food in the rain.
When I arrived at the laundry, my back and hair were wet.
Damn me for forgetting my cap and umbrella in my rush.
I tried protecting the basket of food by hunching over it and knocked on the door.
I stared at the colorful chipped paint as I waited.
It really did look like a mess of rainbows. I loved it.
When Zeth opened the door, his face glowed as he waved me quickly in.
He closed the door behind me and instructed, “Wait here,” before leaving me in the middle of the empty floor while I listened to his quick steps up the side stairwell.
He spoke to someone, and a moment later, his footsteps descended.
“Sorry about that. Todd just arrived as well. I told him I’m taking a break already,” Zeth chuckled as he rounded the long counter with a faded towel. “Here, let’s get you dry.”
“Thank you.” I took off my jacket to hang it on the hooks next to the door.
Water dripped from my hair along my neck, making me shiver, so I placed the towel around my shoulders.
I ran my eyes over Zeth, noticing the bits of white in his messy hair and on his worn-out clothes.
When the sound of a hammer echoed from upstairs, I said, “Todd’s been helping you out a lot. That’s good.”
“Aye, the man has some odd notion that I helped his little brother growing up, so he’s paying me back now.
Maybe Arthur needed friends as much as I did at that age, or he needed someone to take him down a peg.
Either way, I’m glad they’re both my friends now.
I’m lucky too, because Todd had free time due to the storm.
He and his crew are building the roofs for those houses across the river, and…
” Zeth paused mid-sentence and smiled sheepishly.
“Enough about me. What brings you and your handsome face to my doorstep?”
“I’m glad you’re making friends.” I laughed softly and held up the basket. “Em brought this casserole. I wanted to share it with you, unless you’ve already eaten supper.”
“I’m hungry for something, and it’s not in that basket,” Zeth assured me with roaming eyes and a deep chuckle. “But since we’re not alone, food will do.”
“Don’t you hate when that happens?” I teased, and searched for a place to eat, finding nothing but the long counter that once held a register. “Should we eat here?”
“Sure.” Zeth followed me over and sniffed the basket with exaggerated sounds while I set it down. “Smells good. Roast beef with lobster?”
“I think you need your nose checked.” I grabbed his nose and tugged it gently. “It’s chicken and rice casserole. Arthur made it.” I nudged him. “For my sister.”
“Oh, is it like that? Arthur and Emiline?”“He’s liked her since our early school days, but she’s just now noticing him in that way.”
Zeth nodded as he reached into the basket and brought up the vine of grapes. He popped one into his mouth before muttering, “My thanks to Arthur. I hope you don’t mind skipping the fancy setup. We don’t have plates. Or utensils. Or chairs.”
“That’s alright, I can improvise.” I hopped up onto the counter to sit and looked into the basket. “Oh, lucky us.” I pulled out a fork and held it out, but Zeth shook his head and ate another grape, so I tore off a chunk of bread to start on myself.
As we ate, my thoughts drifted to earlier. “I saw you at the bank today. I would have said hello, but I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“Hmm,” Zeth grumbled around his mouthful of fruit. He turned to lean his back against the counter edge, and his mood shifted as if a dark cloud hung over his head.
“Did something happen?”
“Well, there’s something I tried not to worry about, but you should know…. A large property tax is hanging over this building, and the bank can claim the laundry if I stop making payments.”
“Oh…” My stomach dropped.
“So, when Mils and I went to open an account today, as people do when they move to a town, we were instantly denied. The clerk said we need to pay off our bill first. Fucking insult. My family goes back generations too.”
I paused, chewing my bread slowly. “So, what happened?”
“I told the clerk that I was a good investment. That he was missing out, and then your big sis came over. And your dad. It was ridiculous, but we eventually opened a fucking account with Somerset and Sons.”
“You did?”
“Of course, who wouldn’t want me as a customer?” Zeth winked, but there was still frustration behind his smirk as he leaned closer. “Now I just need something to deposit. Maybe you can give me a donation. Do banks accept kisses?”
I clicked my tongue. “Sorry, they don’t, but I’m sure we can set up a private meeting to arrange such a thing.” I kissed his cheek anyway, and he grinned before eating another grape.
He easily let go of his worries, but what he said about the large bill was troubling.
“I can help you pay the tax bill,” I said. “I wouldn’t mind. Just say the word, and I’m there for you.”
Zeth’s brow popped up, then creased in thought. The air stilled between us for a moment until he looked at me. “I appreciate that, but your dad may suspect we’re courting if you help me so generously. That does make me wonder, though… How rich are you, without your dad? If I may ask.”
The question caught me off guard, but I answered truthfully, “I have some money saved up. Just not enough to buy us a home. I’m sorry to say I’ve been dependent on my father. He makes me work for my money and earn what he wants to be mine one day.”
“I know you’re a hard worker, darling.”
I felt the sincerity in Zeth’s words, but I felt no better about this unpaid bill sitting on his shoulders.
Water trickled down my neck, so I set the rest of the bread back in the basket to smooth a hand over my wet hair, shaking a few water droplets out.
My father and Marigold had helped Zeth open an account, which at least made me hopeful for Sunday’s dinner.
Gaining my father’s blessing would guarantee us a place to live after we marry, and maybe my father would give him more time to pay the property tax.
Perhaps Zeth could get some kind of use out of the laundry if it didn’t sell.
Being on Main Street, he could turn it into anything.
I only hoped everything went well with my father. Since people were beginning to gossip, it would be good for me to tell him on Sunday that Zeth and I were courting. If only I didn’t have such anxiety over it…
When I looked over to see Zeth watching me, as if trying to figure out my thoughts, I smiled at him.
His lips spread into a devious grin before he snagged the towel from my shoulders.
He flipped it up to cover my hair, and the room disappeared as he rubbed my head vigorously, as my mother used to do when she helped me bathe.
“Zeth!” I grabbed his arms to stop him, and he let the towel go to rest on my head like a shepherd. “This rain, plus doing that, makes my hair do very odd things.”
“I like those things. I like your hair a lot, especially when it’s a fiery riot, like you,” Zeth chuckled, his golden-brown eyes lighting up with delight as they roamed over my messy curls poking out from the towel. He took a deep breath to ask, “So where’s this casserole you mentioned?”
“Oh, right.” I brought the dish out from the basket and set it in front of him. Then I pulled off the top to reveal plenty of chicken and rice.
But he handed me the dish right back. “Eat, you’re the one sharing this.”
“Perhaps we can take turns?” I said, as I took up the one fork and dug into the casserole for a bite.
It tasted amazing; the rice was buttery, and the chicken had some sort of robust seasoning in it that made it incredibly flavorful.
I took another big bite and chewed before scooping up one for Zeth.
His gaze dropped to the forkful of food before he leaned forward and took the bite into his mouth.
Several more bites from him were enough to satisfy me. I was glad to see him eating. “How are you feeling about Sunday?” I asked.