As unenthused as I feel about Nadine’s plan, I agree. At 9:55, we show up at the shop, which still has a couple of customers. After the customers leave, Nadine locks the doors and announces the plan.
“I realize it’s quitting time,” she tells them. “But Rachel has informed me that we could be in violation of the health department’s requirements.”
“What?” Belinda looks shocked.
“Apparently the cleaning has been substandard,” Nadine tells her. “Now I’m not pointing the finger at anyone, but I decided it’s time for a refresher course on how to clean and close.” She points to me now. “Go ahead, Rachel.”
“Rachel is going to teach us?” Lorna frowns.
“Rachel was in 4-H,” Nadine tells them. Naturally, both Belinda and Lorna laugh. Even Alistair snickers. “Rachel knows all about these things and is happy to share her insight with us.”
“I’ll bet she is,” Belinda says quietly.
“Go ahead, Rachel.” Nadine pulls out a stool and an office chair for herself and my mom.
I can tell by my fellow employees’ expressions that they all want to kill me. I’m sure they had hoped to get out of here fast. After all, it’s a Saturday night. And living at the dorm, I’m well aware there are all kinds of things going on tonight — stupid drinking parties and whatnot — that these three were probably looking forward to participating in.
“This doesn’t have to take long,” I begin. And giving them various cleanup tasks, I attempt to remedy what’s been neglected of late. I remind them of the importance of using the bleach-water solution to kill bacteria. “Dairy products are prone to food-borne illnesses like salmonella, shigella, or E. coli. But a good washdown with a bleach solution will kill those bacteria.”
Lorna rolls her eyes, but I ignore her as I continue. “See this cutting board?” I hold up a large cutting board where we chop fruit for smoothies and toppings. “It needs to be cleaned with the bleach solution throughout the day. Just like all the surfaces.”
It takes nearly forty minutes to do a thorough cleaning, and I can tell that everyone, including my mom, has had more than enough of my refresher course. But really, is it my fault no one’s been doing it correctly? “I don’t think it should take that long tomorrow night,” I tell them as we’re leaving. “It’s just that I want you all to really understand how to do this right … and how important it is.”
However, I can tell by their stony silence and the dagger looks — even Alistair is sulky — they couldn’t care less. And worse than that, I suspect they’ll make me pay for this … later.
“I’ll just walk back to my dorm,” I tell Mom and Nadine as we’re locking up. “And don’t forget I’m going to church tomorrow. I won’t be in to work until the afternoon.”
Nadine just nods. And Mom gives me a tired wave. As I walk to the dorm, I 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 just a facade. While they do have a couple of automatic milking machines, there are also several people who are milking the cows by hand. And some workers are using old-fashioned devices that look like they’ve been around for a while. Meanwhile, others are operating modern-looking stainless-steel machines. It’s all quite interesting.
It’s also interesting to see there’s some ethnic diversity here. Although the women look similar due to their long dresses, I notice a young Hispanic woman washing a cow. And I pause to watch a petite Asian girl as she wrestles with a butter churn.
“That looks like a good way to build up your biceps,” I tell her. Looking up, she gives me a patient smile, then turns back to her churning.
“As you can see, my uncle likes both the old and the new,” Josiah explains as he leads me past some freezers. “Originally, he wanted to do everything the old-fashioned way and without much reliance on outside electricity. But as his business grew, he had to get some new technology to keep up.”
“Everything seems so clean,” I say as we walk through a storage area. “I mean, considering it’s a dairy farm.”
“Some might think it’s hokey, b
ut my uncle is a firm believer that cleanliness is next to godliness.” He chuckles as he leads me back out into the sunshine.
“Hey, that works for me. I wish your uncle could give my coworkers a lecture on the subject.”
“Speaking of my uncle …” Josiah waves to a nice-looking middle-aged couple walking toward us. “Come over here and meet Rachel,” he calls to them. After a quick introduction, I’m shaking hands with Reverend and Mrs. Davis. Like Josiah, they both have Australian accents. And they both seem very nice.
“Your dairy is amazing,” I tell Reverend Jim. “Very impressive. I was already a fan of your ice cream. But seeing this place has won me over.”
“Rachel works at Nadine’s Natural Ice Cream Parlor,” Josiah explains.
“So is this a field trip?” Reverend Jim asks me.
“Not exactly.”
“Rachel came out here to try our church,” Josiah tells him.
“Oh, you’re the girl I spoke with on the phone,” Mrs. Davis says. “Now I remember.”
“Well, I hope you enjoy the service. It won’t start until ten. But I’m sure Josiah will make you feel at home.”
“I’m just showing her around,” Josiah tells them.
“It’s such a beautiful property,” I say. “Such a lovely location for a dairy.”
“And not a bad place to live either,” she tells me.
“We’ll see you later.” Reverend Jim nods. And now Josiah and I continue with our walking tour. He shows me some more buildings related to the dairy. And then we walk down a wooded trail that follows the creek until we reach an area with lots of small wooden cabins nestled among the evergreens. There must be at least twenty of them.
“What is this? Some kind of a summer camp?”
“Lost Springs used to be a fishing resort,” he explains. “The fly-fishing on the creek is exceptional, and fishermen would rent the cabins.”
“It looks like some of them are occupied now.” I notice a young woman hanging laundry behind one of the cabins.
“Yeah, some of the dairy workers live here.” He points to a cabin off to our left. “That one’s mine.”
“How interesting and quaint. Do you live here year-round?”
“Sure. It’s a bit rustic, but we’ve been insulating them so they stay warmer in the winter.”
“I’d love to see inside of one,” I say.
“I’d show you my cabin, but my uncle has strict rules about not entertaining the opposite sex … if you know what I mean.”
My cheeks warm. “Of course. I wasn’t hinting for you to invite me into your cabin, Josiah. I simply meant they look charming and I —”
“Just pulling your leg. Come on, I’ll show you a vacant cabin over here. Who knows, maybe you’ll want to move in.”
He opens the door to reveal a small, dark interior where everything is made of wood. Wood-paneled walls, wood floors, and wood bunks. Enough for four to sleep. “Is there a bathroom?” I ask.
“You bet.” He opens a door next to an open closet, revealing a tiny bathroom, complete with a shower. “All the comforts.”
“Not bad.” And although I don’t mention it, I think this setup is preferable to the dorm where I live. At least it’s more private here.
After we leave the cabin area, Josiah takes the creek trail, which eventually wraps around, bringing us to another open area and several more camplike buildings, all with brown wooden siding and green metal roofs. Only these structures are much larger than the cabins. And some of them look newer.
He points to a tall lodgelike structure with big double doors in front. “That’s the meeting hall, where we have church.” Now he points out an older-looking low building. “That’s the dining hall.” Finally he points to what looks like a well-made log house. “And that’s my uncle’s home.”
“Nice.” I nod with appreciation. “It all has such a good feeling to it. Everything is so orderly and neat.” I look at the flower beds, with white and red petunias growing in straight, even rows. “Even the flowers are tidy.”
He smiles. “Uncle Jim likes it that way.”
“Well, I think it’s all very lovely. It’s like another country or going back in time. And not like the resort where I work either. They try to make everything look old-fashioned and sweet, but beneath the veneer it’s rather disappointing.” I smile at Josiah. “This feels real.”
“How about a real cup of coffee or something cool to drink?” He leads me over to the dining hall. “Breakfast is over by now, but there are still beverages to be had.”
I help myself to iced tea and Josiah fixes himself a coffee. “My mother would frown upon this too.” He holds up the cup.
“Coffee?”
“GEF opposes caffeine as much as alcohol and drugs.”
I nod. “That’s right. It’s one of the don’ts.”
“Part of a long monotonous list. Fortunately Uncle Jim did away with that part too. We’re allowed to drink coffee. But alcohol and drugs are still taboo.”
I’m curious to hear more, but before I can ask, some young people come up to say hello to Josiah. As he introduces me, I focus on trying to remember their names. Sometimes I use a game my dad taught me to help remember people’s names. You pick out something unique about a person and tie it to his or her name. However, these people strike me as strangely similar to each other. Not only do the women all have long hair, similar to mine, but they are also wearing longish dresses, which make my skirt look even shorter in contrast. However, everyone is warm and friendly and welcoming, and I don’t feel too out of place.
“I reckon we better get over to church.” Josiah points to the clock above the stone fireplace.
“Reverend Jim doesn’t tolerate tardiness,” a girl quietly tells me. “He says it’s rude and insulting to be late.”
“I completely agree.” I remember how many times Belinda has insulted me by being rudely late to work.
We walk together as a group toward the tall meeting house. The double doors are opened wide, and I can hear music wafting out. For some reason I assume it’s a recording, but as we go inside, I realize there’s a small choir of men and women up in front. The singing is actually live. And it’s very pleasant sounding too.
I smile at Josiah as he guides me up to one of the front pews. Although this building looks recently built, these wooden pews seem old. As we slide in, Josiah tells me in hushed tones that they were recycled from an old church. “I think they were from someplace back east. Like Pennsylvania.”
“Very cool,” I whisper.
Then as we sit there, quietly listening to the choir, I look at the big window up high in the arched point of the roof. It’s just a plain glass window, probably about five feet by five feet. But with the tall evergreen trees and the clear blue sky and golden sunlight pouring through, it’s far more exquisite than stained glass.
And suddenly, as I’m looking up there, I experience this unexplainable rush of joy — like God is really, truly here. Like he is most definitely in this incredible, amazing place — and I’m so happy I can actually feel tears filling my eyes.
I glance over at Josiah, wondering if he’s experiencing the same flood of emotions. But his eyes are closed and his head is bowed as if he’s praying. And that’s when I notice everyone else’s head is bowed in a similar fashion.
So even though I’d rather just stare out the beautiful window, I follow suit and bow my head as well. And with the clear, sweet tones of the choir’s singing washing over me, I feel more spiritually alive than I have ever felt before. I feel like I am finally home.
[CHAPTER 6]
“Someone’s in a good mood,” Belinda says in a slightly snotty tone as I’m humming to myself while scrubbing down the blender, which someone neglected to clean after making a triple berry smoothie that splashed all over the place.
“I’d be in a good mood too if I didn’t come in to work until one and got to leave at six thirty,” Lorna says.
“I wasn’t even scheduled
to work today,” I remind them. “I only came in because Nadine was worried you guys would be swamped.” And we have been swamped. In fact, this is the first time without a customer since I got here, and it’s close to six thirty now. I’m well aware my coworkers are jealous that I have a short shift today. Even when I point out that they’re getting time and a half for more hours, they’re still mad at me. I suspect it’s related to my sanitation seminar last night. But I wish they’d just get over it.
“I’ve been here since eleven,” Belinda complains. “I should be the one getting off now.”
“You should’ve asked me to trade with you yesterday,” I tell her as I dip the washrag into the bleach solution and wring it out. “I already made plans for tonight.”
I don’t tell them that my plans involve going to church again. They wouldn’t get it. They already teased me for going to church this morning. They’d probably really let me have it for going twice in one day. But when I heard that Reverend Jim has an evening service at seven, I felt desperate to go. To that purpose I actually packed my clothes from this morning and at exactly six thirty, I duck into Nadine’s office, lock the door, and do a quick change.
Then I dash out the back door, avoiding more comments from my coworkers. As soon as I’m walking down the alley, I call my mom’s number. To my relief, she doesn’t answer. “I just want to let you know I’m going to church tonight,” I say lightly. “I know you and Nadine are barbecuing burgers, but don’t wait for me. I’m not sure if I’ll be back in time to watch the fireworks. If I miss it, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Now I remember that I forgot to recharge my phone today. “And I’m not sure if this old phone has much charge left in it, so I’ll probably turn it off. Have a good Fourth. Later.” I’m just closing the phone as I reach the appointed meeting spot in front of the post office, where Josiah is already waiting for me.
“I hope we won’t be late,” I say as I hop into the small car. “I came as fast as I could.”
Deceived: Lured from the Truth (Secrets) Page 5