The Girl in the Mirror Book 4

P. Costa

Description

April and Hugh commit to each other
and agree to wait a year since both will be away.
April goes on a farm competition which includes
interning on four farms.
Upon her return home, things radically change.

Sujets

• Religion
• Christianisme
• Christian
• Family Life
• Fiction

Informations

• Publié par: iUniverse
• Date de parution: 29 mars 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781663251428
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Girl in the Mirror Book 4
 
 
 
P. COSTA
 
 
 

 
 
THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR BOOK 4
 
 
Copyright © 2023 P. Costa.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
 
 
 
iUniverse
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Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6632-5143-5 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6632-5142-8 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022912814
 
 
 
iUniverse rev. date: 03/08/2023
Contents
Working Together
Tina & Mel
The Captain
Going on a Trip
The Governor’s Home
Christmas at Church
Christmas at Home
The Christmas Pickup Truck
A Very Late Birthday
The Books
A New Home for Nora and Lena
The Farm Application
The Kentucky Derby
Hugh is Leaving
Olympics Again?
Off to Florida
Heading Back Home
Going to Pennsylvania
Wisconsin Here She Comes!
Oh, Tim
Oh Ohio
Maine Here I Come
Strangers at Home
Race Day
My Senior Year of High School
Graduation
Working Together

THE TOWNSPEOPLE WERE AWESOME. MANY WOULD VOLUNTEER for projects that included using their own equipment. Changes were coming from the state, and towns had to be in compliance. And they walked a very thin line. April saw no reason why those who volunteered their trucks could not help with road repairs.
One day April and a state employee got into a heated argument. “This makes no sense,” she kept saying. The state employee would not back down. Finally, April realized it was useless. She got up in the cab, thanked them all, and told them to go back to their shed.
That evening she called some of the council members to meet on that Friday night, along with all those who were helping on their own. Those who volunteered their time or equipment were in attendance. Many ideas were discussed. They all agreed if they were looked at as lawbreakers, then so be it. They all agreed they would keep things as they were in order to save costs. There was no need to work in the daytime either. It would be best to work at night. There would be less traffic and the temperatures would be much cooler.
One afternoon Mr. Stevens stopped by the Di Angelo’s home. Miranda welcomed him in as the school bus stopped to let April off. As usual Ruby did her dance in anticipation of her best friend coming home. And that made Mr. Stevens laugh. “Hey kid, how are ya?” he asked her.
“More like middle of the road,” April said laughing, holding Ruby in her arms.
“Well, I received some outstanding news and wanted to stop by and share it with you,” Mr. Stevens said. April looked at the portfolio he had with him. Then he looked directly at her and said, “Sit down.” Mr. Stevens opened the portfolio and in it were testimonial letters from students who had graduated from colleges all across America. These students had been in the D Farms program.
Mr. Stevens pulled out one letter and handed it to April. Her Mother leaned over her shoulder to read it with her.
My name is Toby Brown, and I was born along with my two other siblings in Virginia. When I was three, my dad decided we cost too much and took up too much of his time. He left us with our Mom who was twenty-five at the time and had no education and no job.
To say those were lean years is an understatement. Mom did all she could to clothe and feed us. She worked when she could. Mom is a fine Christian woman, but when she was away, we found all sorts of trouble to get into. At age seventeen I was heading into a life of crime when I robbed the local gas station for sticky buns and meat sticks. I was sentenced by our local judge to enter the milking program at D Farms to work and get an educa tion.
At first, I was resentful and angry. I hated everything about it. What right did that judge have to send me away from my family? I found that answer on my own. I was thrown into a household with seven other kids about my age or older. There were two older people who were our house parents. I learned to reshape my Southern values, calling them “Ma’am” and “Sir”. I remembered to say “please” and “thank you”. All the kids there were learning a new kind of life.
We worked, and we were fed. Our clothing was purchased, washed, and kept clean. Those who were old enough were encouraged to attend college and church! That was something I never thought would be an option, not fo r me.
I want you to know this past Spring I graduated second in my class from engineering school. I had several job interviews and never would have imagined this possible without D Farms. We will be moving to New York with a new, good paying job with insurance I am taking my family with me, my Mom, my brother Will, and my sister. We are all encouraging her to apply to the New York D farms program. I am not a man of many words, but somehow thank you falls far short of my deep feeling of gratitude. I will pay back to the D Farms program for other kids like me who might not have had a chance. Thanks so much D F arms.
Letter two:
Hello, my name is Adrianne. I am a twenty-two-year-old female. Thanks to D Farms I am a registered nurse with a background in research. I am to be married this coming fall to a wonderful man who lives in Kansas. I am sure my education will help and bless many. I will forever be grateful for the parental and educational guidance D Farms set forth in their programs. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and am thankful for my baptism. I look forward to the future with hope and joy. I owe so much to D Farms. Thank you from the bottom of my h eart.
April had tears running down her face as did Miranda. They looked up at Mr. Stevens who was looking at them. “Amazing, aren’t they?” he said to April.
“Yes, I’ll say. I just never could have hoped for anything better.” She answered him. “What is the graduation rate at D farms?” April asked.
Mr. Stevens looked at a paper and said, “Eighty-nine percent, and the dropout rate is at ten percent. That’s because a small number enter the program, don’t like it, and quit.”
The file was full of letters, “I am going to let these with you. You know, for those days when you are not so sure you amount to much, when life overloads you.” He then put his hands on April’s shoulders. “Kid, I don’t know where you got this idea, but I have to say it has made a tremendous impact on people’s lives. I know it has on mine. And I agree with what all of them have to say in those letters,” he said. “D Farms is becoming a testimonial of doing much good for the individuals, house parents, and to the entire community. The meat stores are a huge success. I just met with the Governor of Virginia recently and unemployment is high with the coal miners. Their quotas are filled for this winter. It has been such a blessing for those families to go into the meat stores and get what they need, at no cost to them. Others who have jobs and can afford the meat are welcome to come in and purchase the beef. So the Governor was very impressed with this model.
April then asked if there were meat stores similar near all the D Farms. “Yes, by the end of this month they will be,” Mr. Stevens said. “We had a tough time with compliance in some states, but often a statesman would overturn the ruling and help us out. For instance, when we went forward in Pennsylvania, we had so much trouble putting in meat stores in major cities. There were problems with city codes, permits and so on. The Governor of Pennsylvania got upset and realized there would be no profit from these models. He was more interested in tax dollars. Can you imagine that? There is undeniable greed in our country, but thankfully there are also those who know what we are doing is necessary and needed.”
All the meat is donated to help the poor people, AND we also pay taxes on our buildings. So every now and then we have need of some help to push and get them in.”
“It’s common sense,” April said with a harsh tone. “Don’t they want to help the poor?”
“Yes, yes, I am sure they do, but they also want the credit. You must understand bureaucrats and politicians,” Mr. Stevens said. “Well, I must be going,” he said as he glanced at his watch. “It was a pleasure, as always, to see you both. Take care and call me if you need anything at all.”
“How are you at milking cows?” April asked teasingly.
“Nope, gotta run,” he said and with that he was gone.
Miranda moved the small suitcase into the living room near her chair. “I can read some of theses this evening,” she said as she placed a tissue box on her stand.
Tina & Mel

A FEW DAYS LATER A LETTER ARRIVED IN THE MAIL, IT WAS FROM Tina and Mel from the New England area. They were at the derby races. They would be coming thr