Chapter 28

Mary Redferne

Despite having called Joseph earlier to let him know I would be late, guilt gnawed at me for arriving home so much later than expected. It was already 7:30, and I knew Joseph was probably already home, waiting for me.

"Sorry I'm late," I said as I walked into the living room, where Joseph was sitting on the couch, a warm smile on his face. "Traffic was a nightmare."

Joseph's smile widened as he stood up to greet me, his eyes reflecting understanding as I apologized for my tardiness. "I know, I also got stuck on the highway as I was getting back from a meeting," he shared, "From the look on your face, I can tell you had a great day."

Relief washed over me as I realized Joseph wasn't upset about my late arrival. I nodded and led the way to the kitchen for a glass of water, where Joseph followed closely behind.

"Joseph, I had such a great day with Judith," I exclaimed, my voice filled with excitement. "We laughed so much and caught up on everything. It was really refreshing