Nathan had being thinking of how to approach her and talk to her about God.. He didn't want to put her in any kind of pressure.. He had asked God to give him a chance, a kind of window that he would use to talk to her and make her understand the goodness of God..
And now God just gave him the Chance.. She just trapped herself, by herself..
Vanessa squeezed her eyes tightly and pressed her lips together so hard.. What was she doing, arguing with a six year old, and then trapping herself with her own words.. This was definitely the stupidest of all stupid things she had previously done..
She had to get herself out of this.. She just had to find a way, someway or somehow.. She really wasn't ready to leave the comfort of her bed on a Sunday morning and go seat on a wooden bench In a church..
"What challenge.. I never challenged you, I was just having fun with the child.. So don't mind my words..
" so you agree that my daddy is better..
"of course not., nothing beats that place.. What was wrong with her, why couldn't she just let the little girl win huh.. Why did she have to keep arguing with the child..
" so it's settled then, I'll cook, and you'll be the judge. You tell me if it's better or not.. You wouldn't possibly lie about it just so you could get out of going to church would you? What in the world did he take her for.. She was no liar., well occasionally she was but there were somethings she could not just lie about.. Things like food.. Even if her mouth didn't say the words, if a food was really tasty, her whole body would show it..
"I'm not a liar., I won't do that...
" then you agree to the challenge??..
"I never... She was going to say she never agreed to anything, but then her eyes fell on the girl that sat in front of her.. The expectations in the girls eyes was evident.. For some reason she didn't want her to feel like she didn't keep her word.. She wanted to be perfect in front of this child.. But why?
"All right, okay fine I accept.. At her words, she could see his lips curl up into a victorious smile.. It was like he knew he had won already. She didn't like his overconfident look, it made her feel like she just made the wrong decision..
" Just so we're clear., you won't be making the pasta just for Vanessa right??.. I mean I've been to the restaurant that she's talking about and I know how the pasta there tastes so all I'm saying is that I could also be a good judge..
" Everyone knows that you just like to eat Jenny... Emily exposing the actual intent of the lady, causes everyone to burst out with laughter...
They talked and laughed throughout the rest of their breakfast.. Nathan stayed for awhile after breakfast, chatting with them, well mostly just with Margaret and Jenny.. Vanessa just replied with a simple yes or no whenever her opinion was needed in the conversation... Occasionally he would glance her way, and whenever he caught her staring at him, she would raise her head to the ceiling like there were some invisible words scribbled on there that she was trying to decipher.. Her actions were so funny at least to him who was looking, he couldn't hold back his laugh. The other two ladies in the room would think he was laughing with them at the things they said, but his attention was somewhere else and his smile was caused by a different force..
After a while, he said he had to go help someone fix up something. When Vanessa asked about the time for their food testing challenge, he just told her he would let her know the time next week.. And he kissed his daughter goodbye and out the door he went..
Even after he had gone out of the house., Vanessa was still shaken up.. Maybe it was due to the unnecessary argument she had with father and daughter., or the challenge she had gotten herself into, or the stormy feelings that he stirred up inside her that morning, she didn't know which it was, but no matter which, he was still the reason why her blood was boiling...
"Come with me... Jenny drags the girl upstairs into her room...
" Now start talking.. Jenny said as soon as they were in the safe confinement of her room..
"Talking about what.. Vanessa looked at her friend. She knew where this was going, so she tried to escape her friends gaze..
" look at me Vanessa., there's obviously something more I don't know between you and Nathan.. What is it.. I'm your best friend you think I haven't noticed the way you act when you're near him... Start talking.. Now.. Did you know him before we came to Sitka..??
******************
Emily sits outside, she brings out a book and a pencil from her bag..
"Hi Emy.. His ever cheerful voice called out.. She looks up and sees him.. A slight smile curls up her lips, but disappears as quick as it had appeared..
" HI Jeremy.. He takes a sit next to her.. "you're not complaining about me calling you Emy today??..
" I've decided to let you call me that if you like... My daddy says it's what friends do.. She said looking all adorable..
"so does that mean you will let me be your friend now.. The boy said with his little white teeth shining...
" only if you let me call you something else too...
"and what do you want to call me... He said with wide eyes expecting his own pet name..
" I'll call you Jerry like the mouse in Tom and Jerry because he is the one always stirring up trouble.. His little eyes narrowed down on her., he looked sad.. She saw it and she didn't like his sad face..
" what happened., don't you like it.. I'll change it to something else if you want... But his face suddenly lights up., and he pulls her into a tight hug...
" I love it.. I love it a lot.. Thank you Emy., now we are best friends... Em could not hold back her smile.. Her lovely set of teeth could be clearly seen...
" So what you got there bestie... He asks as they break the hug..
"nothing.. She tosses the book behind her... It's a secret.. She added..
" well that's not good., best friends don't keep secrets from each other... She ponders on his words for a while, then she slowly brings the book to her lap..
"but you have to promise not to tell anyone about it, okay?..
" I promise I won't say a word to anyone... He makes a zipping your mouth and throwing out the keys gesture... She opens the book and gives it to him... He sees some words written in colorful pencils..
"PLANS ON HOW TO GET A NEW MUMMY., AND PLANS ON HOW TO GET A NEW AUNTY...
"shhhh.. Not so loudly., you'll let them hear you... She cautioned him to bring down his voice..
" what's this about.. He was whispering now..
"I'm only telling you because you said you won't tell anyone.., I plan on getting a new mummy and a new aunty...
" where are you going to get them.. Do they sell them?? The boy asked seriously confused all the while still whispering..
She places a hand on her head in a frustrated gesture.." No.., I mean Vanessa and Jenny.. I want Vanessa to be my mummy, and I want Jenny to be my aunty.. The boy's eyes and mouth widened with understanding...
" I'm working on Vanessa and my daddy now., I'll work on Jenny after... And my first plan just worked that's why I ticked it off my list... He reads the first plan..
" get Vanessa to eat the food made by daddy..."
"i think she will agree to become my mummy when the eats daddy's food.. The girls assurance was so strong..
" Well since I'm your best friend now., if this first plan doesn't work, I'll help you with the next one...
The next plan on the list was "get daddy and Vanessa working together...
" I hope this one works, so I can get a mummy soon.. But if it doesn't., then I'll work with you on the next one.. Now we're a team..
They concluded.. It was like they had been best friends for years. Well maybe they had been., they just didn't accept it. So now that they both accepted each other., they were a perfect little adorable team..