Today’s scene comes from a part in Boaz’s Wager where Eva decides she’s ready to consummate her marriage with Boaz.

*Side note: Eva first appeared in Isaac’s Decision as the girl Isaac Larson wasn’t interested in.  I moved her up to Montana so she could get her happily ever after. 😀

It starts with Eva and Boaz doing their familiar routine in the evening.  After the children are in bed, he reads to her in the parlor.  He’s been sleeping on the couch and up to now, that has suited her just fine.  But tonight, she has other ideas…

She got comfortable in the chair and listened to him as he read.  But on this particular night, she couldn’t concentrate on what he was saying.  She kept debating how she could extend the invitation to her bed.  And though she thought of different ways she could bring the subject up, by the time he was finished reading, she still didn’t know what to say.

“Did you want me to read more?” Boaz asked after he’d closed the book.

She cleared her throat.  “No.  I’ve heard enough for the night, thank you.”

With a nod, he held the book out to her.

She took it but didn’t leave like she’d done every other night.

He stopped fluffing his pillow and looked at her.  “Is something wrong?”

“No.  I-I just…” She took a deep breath.  If she was going to extend the invitation, she’d be better off doing it now before she lost her nerve.  “I just wanted to let you know you don’t have to keep sleeping out here.  You can sleep in the bedroom, if you’d like.”

“Oh.” He lowered his gaze to his pillow, and after a long, awkward silence, he said, “I need to stay out here.” She waited to see if he’d explain what he meant or if he’d tell her when he’d join her in the bedroom, but he only added, “It’s for the best.”

Realizing that was the only answer she’d get, she swallowed and rose to her feet.  Somehow she managed to leave the parlor despite her shaky knees.  She’d faced rejection in the past, of course, but she hadn’t faced anything like this.  And quite frankly, she didn’t know what to do.  Did she go out there and ask him why or did she keep quiet about it and wait to see if he’d ever explain why?  Maybe he didn’t want to that night.  Maybe he’d wait until tomorrow.  Or another day.

She reached the bedroom and set the book on the table.  Releasing her breath, she sat down.  Well, there was nothing else she could do right now.  What she needed was a good night’s sleep.  Maybe tomorrow she’d have a better idea of what to do.

After a moment to regain her composure, she got ready for bed and slipped under the blanket, the slight breeze drifting in from the window cooling the room off.  She closed her eyes and waited for sleep to come, but it didn’t until well past midnight.