The Path Of Dreams by Eugene Woodbury

Author:Eugene Woodbury [Woodbury, Eugene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2020-02-06T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

The General Authority

M onday morning Elly checked her email at the library before heading to the JKHB. There was a message from her mother. It was the usual account of a week-in-the-life-of-a-mission-president’s-family her mother periodically sent to their friends and relatives. Though this message was addressed to Elly alone.

The addendum at the bottom made clear why. “Yuki mentioned the other day that you were dating Connor McKenzie. They’ve vouched for his character, so I’ll treat this as welcome news. But I want to remind you again how important it is that you finish your education. Don’t be reluctant in learning, as your great-great-grandfather wrote. Persevere at your teaching, as I believe you have both a God-given and an inherited talent for it.”

Elly smiled at her mother’s ability to assume the worst and see the best in her simultaneously. Don’t get married and get pregnant right away, she meant.

I am getting married. But I won’t get pregnant right away. She didn’t write that. Instead, she chattily outlined the history of the relationship, starting with the day they “met” on the Nakamozu Nankai. She left out anything that might possibly point to their impending marriage.

“I shall be resolute in learning,” she concluded. “I’m getting my degree in teaching Japanese, as Uncle will no doubt be overjoyed to hear.”

Uncle was in his office. His black gown hung in a dry cleaning bag on the inside door hook. She said, “I thought you’d be at graduation.”

“One of the benefits of no longer chairing the department. I’ll have enough to do at the college convocation this afternoon. Did you get your grades turned in?”

She nodded. “Uncle, I have something important to tell you.”

“It wasn’t that bad after all, was it?”

“No, not at all. In fact, I was hoping to get a 101 section Fall semester. I’ve decided to major in teaching Japanese.”

Oh Sensei’s countenance lit up like a hundred-watt bulb. He rummaged through the stack of papers spilling off the end of the bookcase. “Your mom wasn’t sure about you plunging back into academic life—she worried about you getting overwhelmed—but I knew it was just the thing. Here we are—” He pulled out a manila folder, glanced at it, and handed it to her.

Elly read the cover sheet: Teaching Japanese Course Outline for Native Speakers. “So, you think I qualify as a native speaker?”

“Once you finish the kanji courses. Was that what you wanted to tell me? It certainly is good news.”

“Yes and no. There’s something else that’s a bit more important. And you can’t tell Mom. Not right away. Not until I say so.”

“Not tell her what? About changing your major?”

“No, I already told her about that.” She took a deep breath. “You know Connor McKenzie—?”

“Yes, of course. Did you—”

“We’re getting married.”

Uncle stared at her.

“We’re getting married,” she said again.

“But—I thought you didn’t know him.”

“It turns out that I did. We met in Japan, like you said, when he was working for Uncle Nobuo.”

“You’re getting married,” Uncle said. “To Connor.”

Elly nodded.

“That’s not a bad thing.

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