Jonah looked away.
“I said I would never make employment depend on anything else.”
“I remember.”
“That hasn't changed.”
“I know.”
He met her eyes.
“But I need to say something before you decide.”
Ruth slowly dried her hands.
Jonah took one step closer.
Not enough to touch.
Enough that she could feel his presence.
“This house was dead before you came.”
Ruth’s breath caught.
“I thought that was easier.”
“No noise.”
“No reminders.”
“No chance of losing anything again.”
He looked toward the stairs.
“Then your boy started dragging sticks along my banister.”
Ruth almost smiled.
“Your girl started leaving books everywhere.”
“You started arguing with my accounts.”
“I do not argue.”
Jonah raised an eyebrow.
Ruth folded her arms.
“Continue.”
His mouth moved at the corner.
Then seriousness returned.
“I started waiting for supper.”
“Not because of the food.”
Ruth’s cheeks warmed.
“I started hearing you in the kitchen before dawn.”
“Started wondering which dress you'd wear.”
“Started pretending I needed coffee when I did not.”
Ruth looked down.
Jonah’s voice dropped.
“I do not want roundup to end.”
She looked at him.
“Roundup has to end.”
“You know what I mean.”
She did.
Ruth’s heart pounded.
“I am not Mary.”
The words came out more sharply than intended.
Jonah froze.
Ruth continued.
“I will not live inside another woman’s place.”
“I will not spend every day wondering whether you chose me because I filled silence.”
Jonah absorbed that.
Then nodded.
“You shouldn’t.”
Ruth was surprised.
He continued.
“Mary was Mary.”
“You are Ruth.”
“I loved her.”
“I do not need to stop loving her to want you.”
Ruth’s eyes burned.
Jonah took another step.
Close now.
Still not touching.
“I miss my son.”
“I do not need to stop missing him to love your children.”
Ruth’s breath caught.
The word had come out.
Love.
Jonah heard it too.
Neither pretended otherwise.
Ruth whispered:
“You love them?”
“Yes.”
He answered too quickly to be lying.
“God help me.”
She laughed through tears.
Jonah smiled.
“And you?”
Ruth looked at him.
“What about me?”
His gaze moved over her face.
Then lower.
Not crudely.
But unmistakably.
“You know.”