Chapter 22 #3
“Do you plan to live here in Minneapolis?” Evie asked.
“Not only do I plan to live here, but I’m in the process of buying a house one block from the place Max bought. We shall very nearly be neighbors, at least for a time. I promised Christina we would have a grand estate one day.”
“I’m so glad you’ll be close by. I will be as helpful to Christina as she wants me to be. Perhaps we’ll even have children close in age, and they can play together.”
“And we won’t be but a short distance from Mother and Father and the rest of the family. Imagine how it will be in the years to come when all of us are married with children of our own. Friday family nights will be more like a county fair than a private gathering.”
Evie chuckled. “It will be a wonderful thing to be sure. I can hardly wait to see how God brings it all about.”
“I hear laughter, and it does my heart good,” Father said, joining them.
“We were just speaking about the future and how exciting it will be to see what God does with our family.”
“He’s already done such wonders.” Father glanced around the gardens. “I marvel at how He’s taught me forgiveness and increased the love of family and friends.”
“And don’t forget all that He’s done with the charity work.
The farms are doing so well and will go into the winter months giving shelter and hope to those who lost everything in the fire,” Evie added.
“I know there are so many who still are struggling to get back on their feet, but I’m proud of the way the people of Minneapolis dealt with this tragedy. ”
“I am as well,” Father replied. “I’m also very grateful for your suggestion of Nurse Conway. She has stepped into the job running the charity hospital, and I find that I am hardly needed.”
“She is quite good. I told her I thought she should extend her studies and become a doctor in full. She laughed and told me she prefers the role she plays as nurse. Being a doctor is far too limiting, as far as she is concerned.”
Father laughed. “I feel I am leaving the place in capable hands when I cannot be present. And we’re connecting the hospital and the house with telephones. Nurse Conway will be able to contact me day or night.”
“At least as long as the exchange is open and operating.” Evie picked up her pen once again. “Now, I must get back to personalizing some of these invitations to the fund raiser. I want to appeal to everyone’s hearts for donations.”
“If anyone can persuade them, it will be you, Evie. I’ve no doubt on that count.” Father turned to head back to the house.
“Wait up, Father. I have something to discuss about tonight,” Evan called after him. He looked back at Evie and winked. “I doubt this will come as any surprise.”
That evening after Evan and Christina announced their engagement, Max and Evie discussed plans for their own wedding.
“We plan to marry December twenty-third,” Evie told her parents. “We want to celebrate our wedding apart from the Christmas festivities.”
She looked at Max with such a loving expression that he sighed. “I told her I was fine with eloping tonight, but she insists on doing things right.”
Father laughed heartily at this, as did Evan, who also confirmed he’d be just as happy to do likewise. “I told Christina I would go along with the big wedding and all the trappings but would be just as happy to get a preacher over tonight and marry here and now.”
Christina clung to Evan’s arm, gazing up as if she would walk to the ends of the earth for him.
“I convinced him that weddings are a wonderful celebration. I’ve dreamed of a big wedding since I was a little girl.
He’s hoping to convince me to wait no longer than springtime.
” She shrugged. “I might yet be convinced.”
Everyone laughed. Max slipped his arm around Evie and pulled her to her feet. “I must head home. I have several important papers to go over before I head to bed, and then I have an early morning tennis game with your brother.”
“If you have any questions about those papers, just let me know,” Evan declared. “And get plenty of rest. I beat Father on the court and am excited to beat you as well.”
“I’m considerably older than Max,” Father reminded. “I am guessing he can match you much better than I could.”
“I’ll certainly give it my best,” Max said. “I’ll see you again in the morning. Good evening.”
They bid him good-bye, and with Evie at his side, Max followed the path around to the front drive.
“I could have one of our men drive you home,” Evie said as he pulled her close under cover of darkness.
“No, the walk will do me good.” He reached up and touched her cheek.
“I can barely make out the shape of your face, but it’s seared in my mind.
Yours is the image I last see before falling asleep and the first I think of as I wake.
I look forward to the day that you and I will fall asleep together and that gaze won’t be a memory or dream but reality. ”
“I do as well. I love you so dearly, Max.”
“I love you, Evie.” He lowered his head and kissed her.