The Last Potluck Supper, Part 3, a story

The Last Potluck Supper
Part 3

a story

(Find Part 1 HERE)

(Find Part 2 HERE)

Evelyn rubbed her thumb against her fingers throughout the symposium, remembering where Aiden’s hand had been entwined with hers. She chided herself the entire time.

It didn’t help that tonight’s symposium discussion was on the patience of love.

Patience. She could fake it well enough, but in her heart of hearts, Evelyn was ANYTHING but patient. How many years did she have to wait already? Hadn’t she been patient enough?

Yet again, she had no comments to add to the discussion.

At least she was over Bobby Washington. Sheesh! That took a long time. And one bite of Aiden’s chicken and black bean pasta dish.

As soon as the symposium portion of the evening finished, Jimmy Kradin bounced to her side. Ugh. There were a few people more annoying, but not many.

“Hey, I lived through the sushi last week. Good stuff. I shouldn’t have given you such a hard time about it. What was that green stuff by the way?”

She gave him a coy smile. “Why? Did it make you cry?”

Jimmy looked away. “No. Not even a little. I can handle the spice!”

Not for one second would she spare him a stiff roll of the eyes. Why didn’t someone just marry him so he’d be out of the singles’ group once and for all. Hm…maybe someone like…Madison Filmore who kept talking to Aiden. Or Gladys, who seemed to love Jimmy’s cooking.

“I loved your sauces tonight even more.”  Was he still talking to her?

Gladys appeared from nowhere. “Ooh, that one with the chili flecks, what kind was that? I loved it, Ev!”

Praise indeed! But she couldn’t help her smile. “It was a mango chili dip.”

“It was righteous, girl. Keep it coming.”

“I agree,” Aiden said, appearing from out of nowhere. Where did come from? And how would she keep him in the conversation? “That mango chili dip was dope stuff.”

Madison also jumped into the conversation. “And what was that coconut-y dip? It reminded me of the Caribbean! Absolutely divine, Evelyn. Absolutely divine.”

Aiden grinned. “You keep making sauces like those and it won’t be long before you’re not in the singles’ meetings, but walking down the aisle.”

Evelyn’s face flushed hot. “I…I made them all from scratch.”

Madison clenched onto Evelyn’s arm. “You have got to let me come over so I can learn some of your cooking secrets.”

Somehow, in the midst of all this praise, all the praise she’d been yearning for, Evelyn realized it wasn’t about the food. It wasn’t about the praise, either. All this time, she had been yearning for the One who gave her everything and blessed her so mightily with these friendships. God is love, and love was all she needed. God had been so patient when she had been so bitter.

It was the first time in weeks that instead of crying herself to sleep after a Potluck Symposium, she skimmed through the pages of her bible to 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is patient.

Love is kind…

Evelyn’s Protest sauces and dips

Mango Chili Sauce:

Ingredients:

2 c. mango slices (3 mangoes)
1/2 c. sugar
3 c. rice vinegar or distilled vinegar
2 tsp dried red pepper, or 1 tsp chili powder

Method:

Heat the vinegar in a sauce pan.
Add the sugar and stir until it’s dissolved.
Add the mango slices and cook until tender.
Remove from heat and puree.
Stir in dried red pepper and allow to sit for at least 1 hour until flavors meld.

Divine Caribbean sauce/marinade/dip:

Ingredients:

1/2 c. vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
2 pieces candied ginger, sliced
2 bananas, sliced
juice from 1 lime
1/2 c. pineapple slices
1 can (14oz) coconut milk

Method:

Heat the vinegar in a sauce pan, and stir in the sugar until it dissolves.
Add the sliced candied ginger, banana, pineapple slices and lime juice.
Puree mixture.
Return to heat and add coconut milk.
Cook until the mixture bubbles.
Cool completely before using (unless you plan to use it as a glaze over roast chicken, then apply 5 minutes before the end of the chicken’s cooking time).