Page 10 of Wish You Faith

“My Sunday school is at nine, so I go to the eleven o’clock service.” Rosie had nothing to hide.

“Would you like to save me a seat?”

“I’m not usually early because I clean up my Sunday school class before the second service, so my friends save me a seat. I can ask them to save an extra seat for you too.”

“Thank you. Would you like me to pick you up for church?” Evan asked.

Pick me up?

“Thanks for the offer, but no need. My mom and I drive together.”

“Your mom lives near you?”

“She lives with me. She’s a cancer survivor, and we take care of each other.” Most of the time, Mom took care of her rather than the other way around. Mom was the strongest woman she knew.

“Do you have a good relationship with your mom?” Evan turned pensive.

“Yes. We get along very well.” Rosie waited to see if he’d share why he would ask such a question. Then again, not everyone got along well with their parents. “After Dad died, Mom and I only had each other, so we’re best buddies in this difficult world.”

“Yes, it’s a difficult world indeed.”

Rosie finished nibbling on some carrots.

“I wish I could get along with my mom,” Evan said. “Isn’t that what a normal family is? Where parents and their kids have a healthy relationship.”

Rosie wasn’t sure what to say. She had no experience with hostile parents.

“Maybe you could ask your mom for some advice on how I could get along with my mom.”

“It’s probably easier if you ask her yourself.”

“Oh, are you inviting me over?”

Rosie gave him a look.

“Can I?” He tried again.

“I was joking.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Let me ask Mom. See when she’s free.” Rosie thought for a little bit. “To be honest, you know that every family is different. I just happen to have great parents. They weren’t perfect and then Dad died before I graduated. He wasn’t there for my commencement. So each family has its own woes, you know.”

“I know. Sorry I brought it up.”

“No, no. You felt comfortable enough to tell me.”

“Where did you go to college?” Evan changed the subject.

“UGA. Go Dawgs!” She hadn’t been back to the University of Georgia campus in Athens since she graduated nine years ago, but always cheered for them when she had time to watch college football on television. “Where did you go to college?”

He hesitated.

“Is it a secret?”

“No. I went to Vanderbilt.” He paused. “Did my undergraduate and MBA there.”

A Master’s in Business Administration.

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