“I didn’t know you had a son,” Joseph said with the same twinkle in his eyes.
“I was going to tell you today,” she said guiltily.
“Of course you can have some eggs. I see your coloring stuff over there. Why don’t you grab your stuff and then come sit here with us,” Joseph said. Emily could tell he was a man used to being in control. She sighed inwardly and went with the flow.
Joseph ended up ordering for all of them. Emily began totaling the bill in her head, hoping the job came through because breakfast was going to eat up most of her cash.
“What is your name boy?” Joseph asked kindly.
“My name is Trevor. I’m five years old,” he stated proudly.
“Five is a great age,” Joseph said. Trevor beamed at him and Emily could see a little bit of hero worship forming.
Joseph turned his attention back to Emily. “We only spoke briefly on the phone, so let me tell you a bit about the position.”
“That would be great,” Emily said. She really didn’t care what the position entailed. She would scrub out toilets or muck out stalls, if it gave her son some stability.
“The position is for a housekeeper and cook, though more of a cook. There’s a cleaning service that comes in regularly. The place is quite large and frankly too much for one person to handle. Can you cook well?” He asked.
“Yes, Mr. Anderson. I don’t like to brag but I have a passion for cooking and love to try new recipes. I can make about anything and can easily cook for one, or for a hundred,” she said enthusiastically. She really loved the art of cooking a complicated meal. It had been far too long since she had cooked a meal in a nice kitchen. Being on the run wasn’t pleasant for Trevor or her.
“The position provides room and board, as well as a weekly paycheck. Are you willing to relocate?” he asked and then glanced at her son.
“We love this area so much and have been hoping to find a job so we can stay here. Trevor’s a really great kid and you won’t be able to tell he’s around,” she promised him.
Joseph laughed aloud. “I have three boys of my own and a ranch would be a great place for a kid. If no one knows he’s around then that’s the time to worry about what he’s up to,” he said.
Emily didn’t know how to respond to his statement. She wasn’t sure if he was saying her son would be welcomed or not. She remained quiet and hoped the man liked children.
“Trevor, do you like animals?” Joseph asked.
Trevor tilted his head, as he did when he was thinking deeply about something. “I really want a puppy,” he finally said.
“Well of course you do, all boys should have a lot of puppies,” Joseph said. He spoke as if it was a matter of life and death.
Emily was sure there would be some dogs running around the ranch. Her son would be in heaven. They continued to chat as they ate the breakfast. Emily was surprised how good the food was. She was a bit of a food critic and the omelet was light and fluffy and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. She would have to thank the cook before leaving.
Breakfast lasted for about an hour. Emily was starting to worry a bit. This was unlike any other job interview she’d ever had before. He wasn’t asking her any of the usual questions prospective employers ask. He was far more concerned about her personal life.
She was surprised when she found herself telling Joseph about her late husband and the automobile accident. She had to stop herself before she brought up the whole custody situation. The man seemed to inspire a person to tell him their life story.
“Emily, I think you’re a perfect fit for the position. When can you start work?” Joseph asked her.
“I could start right away,” she replied with real joy.
“Well, there’s no time like the present. Let me take care of this bill and you can follow me out to the ranch,” he said as he stood up.
“I can pay for mine,” she said. She wasn’t used to taking handouts, even when she had nothing.
“Nonsense my dear, this was my interview. Why don’t you gather up your son and meet me out front,” he said. She could tell there would be no arguing, so did as he asked.
“Where are you parked?” he asked her when he stepped out front.
“I’m staying at the motel down the street but my car isn’t working right now. I need to get it in the shop.” She was really embarrassed to admit the obvious.
“Well then, hop in my car and we’ll swing by your motel so you can gather your belongings and get checked out. I’m happy to give you a ride to the ranch. Is your car at the shop here in town?”
“Not yet. It’s still at the hotel,” she quietly replied.
“That’s no problem. We’ll have it towed there. The guys here in town do excellent work and they can have it delivered when it’s all done.”
“Thank you,” she replied. She was grateful to have found the ad in the paper. She really didn’t care what the job entailed. She was excited to have a place to stay and her first few paychecks would pay for her car. Life would start getting back to normal for her and Trevor, again.
Emily didn’t take long getting checked out of the motel. She didn’t have many personal items. She’d packed clothing and some of Trevor’s favorite toys and books but not much more. She’d been in a hurry to leave and she knew possessions could easily be replaced but her son couldn’t.
They were soon off and heading up a winding road, away from the small town. “The ranch house is not too far from town. It’s most definitely beautiful country out here,” Joseph said.
“I agree. I can’t believe I’ve never been out to this area,” she responded.
“Where are you originally from?” he asked her.
Emily didn’t know whether to tell him the truth or not but she knew if she started building a huge story around herself it would be difficult to keep it up. She decided it would be best to stick with the truth as much as possible.
“We’re from the LA area. We got sick of the crowds and pollution and decided to drive north until we found somewhere we couldn’t leave. It turned out Fall City became that place,” she said.
“You have great taste, my dear,” he responded.
Trevor started asking his usual myriad of questions and Joseph happily answered them. Emily sat back and enjoyed the drive in the comfortable sedan.