Page 34 of Wish You Faith (Christmas Sweethearts #1)

Especially Mom’s future and one without her in it.

All that would inevitably come.

“The good news is that God is already in the future, ahead of us. So we don’t need to be worried or stressed out.” Rosie had brought up God. She couldn’t reel back her words now, even as she remembered what Evan said. His parents were not Christians.

“God again. I’ve heard enough about God from my sons. Not you too.” Mei rolled her eyes.

“We can only be true to ourselves and who we are,” Rosie explained. “I’m a Christian, so I will talk about God. If I hide who I am, then I’m being dishonest with you. You do want me to speak the truth, don’t you?”

Mei stared at her. “Then tell me what’s going on. Evan says he fell in love with you at first sight. How was that possible?”

Rosie couldn’t help smiling. She recalled the first day she’d met Evan. She was lying down on the floor in the greenhouse. “You know, he stared at me the same way you stared at me earlier.”

“Your eyes. He fell in love with your eyes.” Mei sounded like she was trying to understand her son.

Rosie shrugged. “We hit it off right away and became friends that first day and it went from there.”

“My husband and I didn’t fall in love right away. It was a slow burn through college.” Mei tapped the table. She only wore a couple of rings, and one of them was a set. The diamond was huge on her small ring finger, and the wedding band was broad.

“How did you know he’s the one?” Mei asked.

“I think he knew I was the one first and then I followed.”

“He was sure. I offered him all sorts of things, but he didn’t want any of them. He only wanted you.” Mei sighed. “So I flew here to see you for myself.”

“How did you know I was sitting out here?” Rosie asked.

“I didn’t. I was taking a short break before going upstairs to Rusty’s condo. But I saw you and I knew it had to be you.”

“You mean Evan showed you photos?”

“We’re not that close…” Mei’s voice cracked. “I wish we were close. I love him so much. He’s my baby. But I think he hates me. I wish his older brother would talk some sense into him.”

What she said seemed to be in line with what Evan had told Rosie, but she was doubtful about one thing. “I don’t think Evan hates you, Mei. I think he loves you more than you know.”

Mei’s eyes widened. She straightened up. “Really?”

“I don’t know what the problem is. Maybe it’s communication, but it might be deeper than that. What do you think is the underlying issue?”

Mei thought for a moment. “He doesn’t like me to tell him what to do. I don’t do that very much. I don’t tell him who to date or who to marry.”

“You came all the way here to check on me,” Rosie said. “He might misunderstand it to say that you don’t approve of his decisions.”

“That’s right. At the moment, I don’t approve of your relationship.” Mei’s voice was cold.

“But you’re curious about me.”

Mei’s eyes met Rosie’s. This was a showdown of sorts. “I have questions.”

“Ask me anything,” Rosie said. “If I don’t know, I’ll find out for you. However, the condition is that I get to ask you some questions in return.”

“Oh?”

Rosie nodded. “I mean, we’re engaged, but not married yet. What if your family dynamics just don’t work out for me? I’d like to know that before the wedding, you know.”

“What do you mean by family dynamics?” Mei asked.

Rosie meant family drama, but she didn’t want to say it.

She felt that if Evan had future problems with his parents at the same time as Mom’s cancer returning, Rosie might be stretched too thin trying to be a moral support to Evan while dealing with a mother who had said she would refuse further treatment if her cancer came back.

“Each family has issues,” Rosie said. “Evan’s issues are now mine, but I also have my own family issues. I’d like to know what I’m going to be dealing with. That’s all.”

“What did Evan say about me?” Mei asked point blank.

“That you two are not particularly close.”

Mei thought for a bit. “No, we’re not. I want us to be, but he wouldn’t even hug me.”

“You’re missing his hugs.”

Mei’s eyes moistened. “When he was little, we hugged a lot.”

Perhaps Mei’s love language was also physical touch, like Evan’s.

“Now my baby boy avoids me except in business meetings. I didn’t even know he was engaged until Connor told me.”

Rosie was about to say something when she heard a door chime in the distance. She turned her head to find Mom walking out of the door leading to a lobby where the elevators were. Rosie hadn’t heard Mei earlier because the latter had probably walked through the covered porch from the parking lot.

Rosie waved to Mom. Mom was wearing her favorite plum-colored wool coat that extended to her knees. She usually wore that to church, but lately she had been wearing it on weekdays and everywhere.

Mom approached the tiki hut. “Hello.”

Rosie got out of her chair to walk with Mom. She introduced her to Mei Cavanaugh. “Evan’s mom.”

Mom wanted to shake hands, but Mei did a fist bump. Mom went along with it. She was cool that way, taking everything in stride and didn’t sweat the small stuff.

“I see where Evan got his good looks from,” Mom said. “Evan’s a good man. You raised him well.”

“Thank you,” Mei didn’t leave her chair.

“I would invite y’all upstairs for tea, but I have to go to my mahjong club now.”

“Wait. What club?” Mei’s eyes widened.

“Mahjong. Do you play?”

Mei tilted her head. “Do I play? I’ve won competitions.”

“Wow.” Mom clapped. “Maybe you can come with me and give us pointers? I’m still learning the game. Been at it since December.”

“Sure.” Mei got off her chair. “Let’s go.”

Rosie supposed Mei was putting aside the rest of the interrogation.

Mom looked into the distance, to the other side of the pool, where the covered area was. “I think the cart is coming soon. I called for a ride to the activity center—or what we’re now calling the community center.”

“Did you forget I was going to drive you?” Rosie asked.

“Yeah, but by the time I realized it, they were on their way.” Mom did a head count. “I don’t think there’s enough room in the cart.”

“You can take the cart,” Rosie said. “I’ll still drive.”

Mei turned to her assistant. “Vanda, you go with Sonya, and I’ll ride with Rosie in her car.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

They walked to the curbside, where the cart just arrived and parked. Once Mom was on her way, Rosie led Mei to her designated parking spot. She opened the passenger side for Mei.

“Nice and clean car.” Mei put on her seat belt.

“Thank you. When Mom had chemo, her immunity was down. She had respiratory issues to begin with. I cleaned our house and car thoroughly so that she didn’t get sick from allergies or anything.”

“Chemo?” Mei’s voice was grave.

Rosie nodded as she pulled out of the parking lot onto the small lane going toward the main SSLR building. “Didn’t Evan tell you? Mom’s a Stage 4 cancer survivor.”

“I’m sorry she had cancer, but I’m glad she survived it.”

“God worked a miracle.”

“Normally, I’d say that doctors work a miracle, but here I must agree with you that God had something to do with it.”

“Do you believe in God, Mrs. Cavanaugh?” Rosie asked.

“You can call me Mei.”

“Mei.”

“Yes, well, I don’t really believe there’s one true God, but my sons do.”

“I do too.”

“Connor told me you’re a nice Christian girl.”

Rosie felt sorry that Mei had to hear it from Evan’s brother and not directly from Evan himself. The relationship between him and his mother seemed quite broken.

“I’m just an ordinary Christian trying to live my life,” Rosie said. “If not for the grace and mercy of God, I wouldn’t be here. Really, I want a peaceful life where I can serve God and help people.”

“So why did you major in plant biology?” Mei asked.

“Evan told you?”

“No, I did some research—or at least, I paid for it.”

At least Mei was honest.

Rosie parked her car as close as possible to the entrance of the SSLR community center. She spotted Mei’s assistant waiting at the curb.

“Do you play mahjong also?” Mei asked.

“I want to learn but haven’t had the opportunity. Mom said she’ll show me the game when I have more time.”

“You have the day off, so why not come watch?” Mei opened her passenger side door.

“How did you know I have the day off?”

“I called the tree farm. They told me so.”

Rosie nodded. She locked the car after they had both gotten out. Mei’s assistant came to fetch Mei.

“I’ll take you to the table,” she said. “Sonya said that someone bailed out, so they have a seat for you.”

“Oooh. Yes.” Mei turned to Rosie. “You watch me.”

“I want to, but I also want to take a walk in the greenhouse.” Rosie pointed. “Mom will text me when she’s done.”

Mei’s eyebrows rose. “Are you saying that you need a break from me?”

“No, no. Nothing like that. Don’t get me wrong.” Rosie didn’t know how to explain, but she wanted to be alone for a little bit. Maybe she should just say it. “The community center is crowded, and I just want to be somewhere quiet for a couple of hours.”

“Ah, I get it. Your happy place is among the plants.” Mei smiled. “No worries. I’ll see you after mahjong.”

“Okay. Have fun!”

“I always do.”

Rosie waved as Mei and her assistant disappeared into the building. She walked down a stone path and entered the greenhouse from a side door. She looked around, hoping to see Chevalle, the head gardener who often went by the nickname Chevy.

Rosie walked among the rhododendrons and then multicolored hydrangeas until she spotted him by the koi pond.

“Happy new year, Chevy!” Rosie said before she reached him.

“I saw you coming in.” The elderly gentleman, who was also on the housing waiting list, held a small tub of fish food in his hand. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“What?” Rosie watched him feed more fish.

“I asked you about this before, and you didn’t want to work here full time,” Chevy said. “However, this is a new year.”

“I like my job at Christmastown.”

“I know, but could you maybe work as a consultant on Saturdays?”