feel totally underappreciated. My one consolation is that Josiah is coming in the morning. I will have several blissful hours with him before I have to face the music with my fellow workers at Nadine’s.
Josiah is right on time the following morning. And I am ready and waiting, standing outside the dorm wearing a floral-print skirt and a yellow shirt.
“You look as fresh as a daisy,” Josiah tells me as I climb into the small hybrid car.
“Thank you.” I grin, taking in his pale blue shirt and navy pants. “You look very handsome yourself.”
“Fortunately, my uncle doesn’t make us wear ties. Not like my mum’s stuffy old church. But he does insist on long pants and button-up shirts for men. And, of course, dresses for women.”
“Oh, I hope this is okay.” I look down at my skirt, relieved that I didn’t wear pants, which I nearly did.
“No worries there. You’re a guest today. You get to wear whatever you like.”
As he drives, I spill out the story of my previous evening and how I made my coworkers angry last night. “I’m almost afraid to go to work today.”
“You’d think they’d appreciate that you took the time to help them.”
I nod. “You’d think.”
“Problem is some people just don’t want to work.” He stops for the traffic light. “Even my uncle has trouble with some of his employees.”
“I thought they were all his church people.”
Josiah chuckles. “Well, as you know, just because they’re churchgoing people doesn’t mean they’re perfect. As my uncle likes to say, we’re all just works in progress. The important thing is not to give up.”
“Yes, that’s true.” For some reason this reminds me of my dad and his new living situation. Not that my dad would consider himself a churchgoing person anymore. Somehow I doubt that he and Selena will be attending church today. I just can’t imagine the four of them stepping into a church.
“Is something wrong?” Josiah glances at me. “You seem quiet.”
“Sorry. I was actually worrying about my dad just now.”
“Is he sick?”
“Not exactly. Well, maybe he’s sick in the head.” And then I go ahead and tell Josiah about what my mom said. “I can’t quite believe it. I mean, my dad used to be such a strong Christian. He used to talk to me about, well, all sorts of things.” I almost mention how Dad used to encourage me to keep my purity pledge and save myself for marriage, but I can’t bring myself to say that to Josiah. “Anyway, now my dad is … well, living in sin.”
“Life’s funny, isn’t it?”
I just nod.
“But your dad has to live his own life. Just like you have to live yours. All you can do is keep making good decisions for yourself, Rachel.” He grins. “And it looks to me like you’re doing a great job of it too. If your dad’s got any sense, he should be proud of you.”
“I just hope I never make the same mistakes he’s made.” I sadly shake my head. “I’m so disappointed in him. Seriously, it’s like everything feels upside down. Like I’m the parent and he’s the kid.”
Josiah chuckles. “I know what you mean. I reckon it’s just part of growing up.”
It’s not long until we enter a gated road and Josiah informs me we’re on his uncle’s property.
“It’s beautiful up here,” I say as he drives past some fenced pastures where dozens of contented-looking cattle are peacefully grazing on lush green grass. “No wonder you guys make such delicious ice cream. Even your cows look happy.”
“Uncle Jim takes the dairy business very seriously.” Josiah pulls up to a big red barn with a sign on the front proclaiming Lost Springs Dairy .
“What a cool building,” I say as he parks next to the blue-and-white delivery truck. “It reminds me of a children’s picture book.”
“If you like, we can start with a quick tour of the dairy. I’m sure you’ll appreciate how well it’s run.”
I soon see that the old-fashioned exterior of the farm is not
Josiah is right on time the following morning. And I am ready and waiting, standing outside the dorm wearing a floral-print skirt and a yellow shirt.
“You look as fresh as a daisy,” Josiah tells me as I climb into the small hybrid car.
“Thank you.” I grin, taking in his pale blue shirt and navy pants. “You look very handsome yourself.”
“Fortunately, my uncle doesn’t make us wear ties. Not like my mum’s stuffy old church. But he does insist on long pants and button-up shirts for men. And, of course, dresses for women.”
“Oh, I hope this is okay.” I look down at my skirt, relieved that I didn’t wear pants, which I nearly did.
“No worries there. You’re a guest today. You get to wear whatever you like.”
As he drives, I spill out the story of my previous evening and how I made my coworkers angry last night. “I’m almost afraid to go to work today.”
“You’d think they’d appreciate that you took the time to help them.”
I nod. “You’d think.”
“Problem is some people just don’t want to work.” He stops for the traffic light. “Even my uncle has trouble with some of his employees.”
“I thought they were all his church people.”
Josiah chuckles. “Well, as you know, just because they’re churchgoing people doesn’t mean they’re perfect. As my uncle likes to say, we’re all just works in progress. The important thing is not to give up.”
“Yes, that’s true.” For some reason this reminds me of my dad and his new living situation. Not that my dad would consider himself a churchgoing person anymore. Somehow I doubt that he and Selena will be attending church today. I just can’t imagine the four of them stepping into a church.
“Is something wrong?” Josiah glances at me. “You seem quiet.”
“Sorry. I was actually worrying about my dad just now.”
“Is he sick?”
“Not exactly. Well, maybe he’s sick in the head.” And then I go ahead and tell Josiah about what my mom said. “I can’t quite believe it. I mean, my dad used to be such a strong Christian. He used to talk to me about, well, all sorts of things.” I almost mention how Dad used to encourage me to keep my purity pledge and save myself for marriage, but I can’t bring myself to say that to Josiah. “Anyway, now my dad is … well, living in sin.”
“Life’s funny, isn’t it?”
I just nod.
“But your dad has to live his own life. Just like you have to live yours. All you can do is keep making good decisions for yourself, Rachel.” He grins. “And it looks to me like you’re doing a great job of it too. If your dad’s got any sense, he should be proud of you.”
“I just hope I never make the same mistakes he’s made.” I sadly shake my head. “I’m so disappointed in him. Seriously, it’s like everything feels upside down. Like I’m the parent and he’s the kid.”
Josiah chuckles. “I know what you mean. I reckon it’s just part of growing up.”
It’s not long until we enter a gated road and Josiah informs me we’re on his uncle’s property.
“It’s beautiful up here,” I say as he drives past some fenced pastures where dozens of contented-looking cattle are peacefully grazing on lush green grass. “No wonder you guys make such delicious ice cream. Even your cows look happy.”
“Uncle Jim takes the dairy business very seriously.” Josiah pulls up to a big red barn with a sign on the front proclaiming Lost Springs Dairy .
“What a cool building,” I say as he parks next to the blue-and-white delivery truck. “It reminds me of a children’s picture book.”
“If you like, we can start with a quick tour of the dairy. I’m sure you’ll appreciate how well it’s run.”
I soon see that the old-fashioned exterior of the farm is not
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