Near the end of the workday, Ella discovered Dorothy shelving books in the children’s section. For a moment, she watched her. As usual, Dorothy was a silent worker, merely shelving the books and organizing stacks with little more than a distracted glance at any of the patrons. Because of her sour expression, most of the children gave Dorothy wide berth.
Ella was tempted to avoid Dorothy as well, but she knew she couldn’t behave so childishly. The plain and simple truth was that she couldn’t avoid Dorothy forever. And, well, not trusting Dorothy’s recent moods, Ella figured it would be safer to speak with her in a public place.
Picking up a stack of books left on a table, Ella straightened her shoulders and approached her.
“Dorothy, here you are. All day I’ve been trying to have a word with you.”
For the briefest of seconds, Dorothy froze. Then she visibly gathered her composure, placing her palms on a stretch of bare shelf as if to stabilize herself. Finally, she spoke. “I’ve been here all along. What did you need help with?”
Irritation sliced through Ella as she realized that, once again, Dorothy was going to place all responsibility—and fault—with her. “It’s not that. I wanted to speak to you about the note you left me last night.”
Still keeping her hands on the shelf, Dorothy stared straight ahead. “Oh. I wondered when you were going to thank me for the meal.”
Ella was stunned. This was the exact opposite of the reaction that she’d been expecting. She’d been expecting anger and accusations. Or even a denial. Definitely not such a chiding remark. “Dorothy,” she sputtered, “you were in my home. Without my permission.”
“No, that is not true.” Turning her head, Dorothy finally pinned Ella with a penetrating gaze. “It’s mei haus.”
“I know it’s your house, but I am renting from you. That counts as ownership, I think.”
Dorothy turned away and rolled her cart of books two feet away. For a moment, Ella watched her actions in surprise.
The more closely she worked with Dorothy, the more evident it was that this woman thought of no one else’s needs but her own.
While it was true she didn’t have a wealth of skills when it came to working and socializing with others, even Ella knew she’d never been this rude to anyone in her life! Becoming increasingly frustrated, she followed her friend down another cramped aisle and continued her objections. “Dorothy, I don’t want you entering my home when I’m not there. It makes me uncomfortable.”
Silence between them lingered. Dorothy pulled a book from the cart, bent down on one knee, and slid it into the correct spot. When she got to her feet, she finally gave Ella her attention. “You are making me uncomfortable, too,” she said. “You are not acting like I’d hoped you would. None of this is like how things were supposed to be.”
“How did you imagine things would be?”
“I had thought you would want me in your life.” Her voice hardening, Dorothy added, “Ella, we were supposed to do things together.”
“Dorothy, we have.”
“Barely. I had planned for us to work together and eat our meals together, too. I thought we were going to be best friends. Best friends who would push aside duties for each other.”
Ella stared at her in confusion. “What duties are you talking about?”
“About your obligations to that man, of course.”
“My wanting to be with Loyal is most certainly not an obligation.”
“If he’s not a duty, then it’s even worse. Instead of returning the friendship I’ve offered, you are taking me for granted.”
“I’ve done no such thing—”
Dorothy’s voice rose as she stepped forward, crowding Ella. “How else can you explain the way you’ve been leaving me to be with him? It’s made me sick every time you’ve left me to see that man.”
“That man’s name is Loyal.”
“You shouldn’t be even talking with him, let alone spending so much time in his company.”
“Dorothy, he’s my friend.”
“He bought your farm. He bought your life.”
That’s where Dorothy was wrong. He’d bought her farm, but not what really counted. He bought things that had been important to her, but now she was realizing that those things had been just that—merely items that meant little. He hadn’t bought what was in her heart. Or anything that made her who she was.
Instead, he’d shown her many ways that he’d valued those things.
“He’s not my enemy,” she tried to explain. “All he did was buy my family’s farm. And I was grateful for that. I’d put it up for auction.”
“He pushed you out of your house. And now he’s driving us farther apart.”
“Dorothy, I’m afraid you have things all wrong.” When a parent glanced their way with concern, Ella knew their discussion would have to end. What she’d hoped would be a simple matter of clarifying their boundaries was becoming something else entirely different. “Perhaps we could talk on the way home tonight.”
“You’ll have time?” Pure hurt burned deep in her eyes. “You’re not going out with him again?”
“No.”
“All right, then. I will see you for supper.”
As Ella turned around, she felt her spirits fall. For too long, she’d gone to bed each night with a prayer to God, asking Him to give her a future that was more vibrant and filled with hope than the previous year had been.
And it seemed like He was doing that. He had given her a wonderful job and children like Katie to get to know. And new friendships like the one she was having with Loyal.
But why had he also given her such a confusing relationship with Dorothy? She’d been the one person Ella was sure she would be comfortable with.
But instead of comfort, she was finding only frustration and unease.
And the niggling sense that things were about to get worse.