"Honestly, I'm not too worried about some boy turning your head," Emeline observed, "in fact, quite the opposite. Caution and skepticism are good, they protect you, but they can also inhibit you."
"Oh?" Clara was all ears. This was exactly why she had come to Emeline about this topic, she would not varnish her opinions but give it to her straight. So was the woman thinking she was too inhibited?
Emeline continued, "I think it might be more difficult for you to accept that a boy would compliment you and be genuine, but because of that, once you give in, you can be well assured you're right."
"I see," Clara nodded, even if she didn't quite 'see' but she thought she knew what the woman meant.
"It can be difficult in any event to give that trust to another person, no matter how much your heart tells you it's right. But once you do, it's amazing."
And THAT was exactly what she wanted, she wanted the 'amazing'. Her life often seemed to be all chores and work, constantly mindful of the many responsibilities she had. Not that she was bitter about it, she loved her father and little brother, but the reality was she had had to take on roles of both wife and mother by running the household with all that entailed such as cooking, laundry, and sundry other requirements. And this job at the diner, more hours of work but that too, she loved it, especially spending time with Emeline who she practically hero worshipped.
"So you are saying that I should rely on my feelings. And if I feel good about the boy, I should trust that and take a chance on him? " Clara now ventured.
"I think that you'd be safe doing that, you have a good head and practical mind." Well, in a way, that didn't exactly sound like a great thing even though it was far better than being flighty and having your head easily turned. "You have such an advantage. I've seen plenty of ladies who have jumped hastily into a relationship because they felt desperate, that they'd never have another chance, and then they find out they were wrong, or they meet the right man, but..." She shrugged, then chuckled.
"I'm afraid there are no easy answers in the matter of love, but I have no doubt you'll do fine." Then she grinned slyly. "You should invite him here for pie sometime." She was curious to see what manner of young man had caught Clara's fancy.
Emeline stopped in the middle of some more of her observations, which all had Clara's rapt attention too.
"You have such an advantage. I've seen plenty of ladies who have jumped hastily into a relationship because they felt desperate, that they'd never have another chance, and then they find out they were wrong, or they meet the right man, but..." she chuckled then.
"So one cannot know unless one gives the person a chance to prove themselves one way or the other?" Clara thought she got it now. It did seem quite logical now that she heard it someone say it aloud.
"I'm afraid there are no easy answers in the matter of love, but I have no doubt you'll do fine."
Emeline's confidence in her only boosted Clara's own hopeful assessment. Yes, she could handle this. One must not get intimidated by a boy one way or the other.
Then the woman grinned slyly. "You should invite him here for pie sometime."
"Oh, but he has been in here before. He comes in on occasion when he is in town for a slice of pie and something to drink. And.... I think he comes in to see me too," Clara announced.
"I will introduce you though next time. His name is Jacob Lutz."
"Is that so?" Emeline raised an eyebrow. "So, he's not here for the amazing pies?" She laughed then and patted the girl's arm. "I'd love to be introduced when the opportunity arises. I'm curious as to which he is."
Even if Clara didn't realize it, Emeline had a suspicion that there was more than one cowboy who came by for more than just the good fare. Despite her misgivings, Clara was not at all homely, and she was charming, especially in a society that was overwhelmingly male.
"It would probably be good practice, too," she pointed out, "in case you need to introduce him to your father." Because that would be a natural progression, if things progressed!
"So, he's not here for the amazing pies?" She laughed then and patted the girl's arm.
"Maybe a bit of both," Clara conceded with a hint of a smile.
"I'd love to be introduced when the opportunity arises. I'm curious as to which he is."
"Then I shall make it a point to do just that next time he comes in. I think you will like him. He is very pleasant and a real gentleman. Oh, and this is different...... he likes poetry, he even writes some," Clara revealed.
"It would probably be good practice, too," she pointed out, "in case you need to introduce him to your father."
"You may have a point there. They can both talk farming, Jacob loves to talk farming," the girl nodded.
"Poetry? Really?" That was pretty unusual for a farmer, they stayed pretty busy and had a lot of other things to dwell on. "That's good, it shows creative thinking and varied interests. I have a couple books of poetry you can borrow...Shakespeare's Sonnets and some collections."
It was all the better for Clara, that the young man was well-read, she had a good mind and curious nature, and if a gentleman couldn't keep up with her intellectually, she'd be bored and unhappy.
"What sort of farming does he do?" It was good that he had that in common with Clara's father. "He seems young...that's good that he's got that sort of work ethic."
Seemed like young Jacob was a good potential match for Clara.
"Oh yes, he does love poetry but just between you and me, the poems he has written are....awful," Clara leaned in as if she was revealing some momentous state secret.
Emeline offered some books on poetry but the younger girl had to wave that off, "Thank you but he has informed me very clearly he has a real aversion to borrowing ...books, anything. He worries about owing anybody anything."
"What sort of farming does he do?" Emeline then asked, "He seems young...that's good that he's got that sort of work ethic."
"He is a crop farmer, no cattle. He is a year older than me, so seventeen. And he does not own the farm, it is his grandmother's. But it sounds like he has to do the lion's share of the labor," Clara explained.
"That's quite a bit of responsibility for a young man," Emeline commented, impressed. "It shows a good deal of character." Hopefully not at the expense of life in general and Clara specifically. It was too easy to be consumed with your work and not have time for anything else. but if he could find that time, Emeline thought that he might be the sort of gentleman that Clara needed.
"Well, you know he wouldn't owe me if he borrowed books, but I understand. He does seem like someone that would be good for you to get to know better. Maybe you should ask him on a picnic, I'm sure we can spare some fried chicken and a slice or two of pie!"
"Oh, he certainly is quite the character. Never met a boy quite like him," Clara replied but then quickly added, "I know how you meant it though and I believe him to be very upstanding, a proper gentleman."
"Well, you know he wouldn't owe me if he borrowed books, but I understand. He does seem like someone that would be good for you to get to know better. Maybe you should ask him on a picnic, I'm sure we can spare some fried chicken and a slice or two of pie!"
"Actually we have already agreed to meet again. I am very much looking forward to it," Clara announced.
"Thank you for talking to me about this. I hope you do not think it strange of me to go to you rather than my father. But....well, he is a father and I wanted a woman's take on things."
Emeline laughed and shook her head. "No, a man can't understand the problems a young lady faces, and you are welcome to come to me any time you''d like." In truth, she really liked Clara and was honored that she'd come to her for advice. "Of course, I can't promise how good my counsel will be, so be sure to take it with a grain of salt!" She laughed again. "And that is exactly what my own mother told me."