11th Vhalar, 717
It felt better, more honest and correct that she had told her employees about her pregnancy. Once the first seven ten-trials were over there was much less risk of anything going wrong and they were happy to tell people. It was good to her that they were, because it was overwhelming in her thoughts. Faith had found herself, more than once, completely losing her train of thought as her mind drifted to the life which grew within her. It was overwhelming, in an entirely delightful way. Yet, the longer she was pregnant the more she realised and recognised that the pregnancy in Rharne had not been real. It had been what she, and Aelig she suspected, expected it to be. The birth was more accurate, but then she had been present at a number of them so that made sense. In Rharne, she had felt tired, but the kind of tired which she was feeling now was different than anything she'd ever experienced. She was tired in her bones and sleep did nothing.
However, the nausea was wearing off, mostly, for which Faith was very grateful. She had a lot to do and what felt like not a lot of time to do it, but more than anything she wanted the two of them to be able to enjoy this pregnancy. To be able to experience it, fully and not let it pass them by. It ran that risk she knew ~ especially with their lifestyles and tendency to be far, far too busy. So, Faith and Padraig had discussed it and they had come up with a more-or-less plan. They'd have to be flexible, she knew that, but so long as the intention was there and they kept focus on it then they would work it out.
This season, she was preparing the restaurant for her being there less and less. Her employees knew, but she needed to make sure that the trainees were taken care of. They were the reason for this place, after all. So, having saved in the bank for it, Faith had looked at the financials and she knew that they were, finally, ready to expand the number of trainees they took in. That meant another set of houses, she knew and so she had worked out what land they would need and the cost of it. They had enough.
Now that the initial cost for the business had been paid back and they were entirely out of debt, Faith had started to take a wage. She wouldn't do that before the debt was clear, but now that it was she felt it was appropriate to do so. Padraig hadn't exactly said anything but somehow he managed to exude the words 'about time' when she'd told him that. Still, every nel she took from the business was nel which could be spent on the trainees so she had to do it in a way which she considered fair and right. With a smile, she considered that there had been a time when she wouldn't have been quite so stubborn about it. Or stubborn at all, come to that.
"I'd like to use the same plans as we did on the original houses," Faith said and looked at the others sitting around the table with her. Trudi, her front of house manager nodded. "Those work well. The sharing helps, I think, but that's going to mean that we've got a small village going on here, Faith." Trudi didn't seem unhappy with that, just wanted to be sure that Faith was clear.
"I know. With the investment here, we'll be able to add another five houses, on three acres, I believe. The money will also go to building a single large place, a classroom of sorts, I suppose. We need somewhere for the more formal education to happen. Once we've got that, too, then I want to start the next phase." Faith was entirely serious and totally focused as she spoke.
"The next phase?" Paul, her farm manager asked and he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What's the next phase, Faith?" Taylor, who helped Paul in the fields but also helped in the restaurant when needed, gave a snort. "I imagine," Taylor said with a smile, "the next phase is something which everyone except Faith thinks is impossible and will seem to be." Paul nodded, sagely and Faith looked between the pair of them.
"You two are funny. Funny funny. The next phase is to look at childcare. An orphanage, I think." She looked around and Trudi frowned in thought, "You know," the waitress said, looking at Faith as she did, "I haven't really thought about it, but I guess we must have orphans. What happens to them?" Faith lowered her head back to the notes and plans they were looking at for a moment, and then she answered. "I don't know. Slavery, maybe, living on the streets. I don't know. But its the next part of the plan. Maybe, later this season."
Paul shook his head, "Faith, you can't save all the people you know." Faith looked up at him and smiled, her expression a mix of determined and sad. "I know," she said, her voice low. "Just like I can't cure all the diseases. Does that mean I should stop trying or just accept that doing all I can is better than nothing at all?"
However, the nausea was wearing off, mostly, for which Faith was very grateful. She had a lot to do and what felt like not a lot of time to do it, but more than anything she wanted the two of them to be able to enjoy this pregnancy. To be able to experience it, fully and not let it pass them by. It ran that risk she knew ~ especially with their lifestyles and tendency to be far, far too busy. So, Faith and Padraig had discussed it and they had come up with a more-or-less plan. They'd have to be flexible, she knew that, but so long as the intention was there and they kept focus on it then they would work it out.
This season, she was preparing the restaurant for her being there less and less. Her employees knew, but she needed to make sure that the trainees were taken care of. They were the reason for this place, after all. So, having saved in the bank for it, Faith had looked at the financials and she knew that they were, finally, ready to expand the number of trainees they took in. That meant another set of houses, she knew and so she had worked out what land they would need and the cost of it. They had enough.
Now that the initial cost for the business had been paid back and they were entirely out of debt, Faith had started to take a wage. She wouldn't do that before the debt was clear, but now that it was she felt it was appropriate to do so. Padraig hadn't exactly said anything but somehow he managed to exude the words 'about time' when she'd told him that. Still, every nel she took from the business was nel which could be spent on the trainees so she had to do it in a way which she considered fair and right. With a smile, she considered that there had been a time when she wouldn't have been quite so stubborn about it. Or stubborn at all, come to that.
"I'd like to use the same plans as we did on the original houses," Faith said and looked at the others sitting around the table with her. Trudi, her front of house manager nodded. "Those work well. The sharing helps, I think, but that's going to mean that we've got a small village going on here, Faith." Trudi didn't seem unhappy with that, just wanted to be sure that Faith was clear.
"I know. With the investment here, we'll be able to add another five houses, on three acres, I believe. The money will also go to building a single large place, a classroom of sorts, I suppose. We need somewhere for the more formal education to happen. Once we've got that, too, then I want to start the next phase." Faith was entirely serious and totally focused as she spoke.
"The next phase?" Paul, her farm manager asked and he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "What's the next phase, Faith?" Taylor, who helped Paul in the fields but also helped in the restaurant when needed, gave a snort. "I imagine," Taylor said with a smile, "the next phase is something which everyone except Faith thinks is impossible and will seem to be." Paul nodded, sagely and Faith looked between the pair of them.
"You two are funny. Funny funny. The next phase is to look at childcare. An orphanage, I think." She looked around and Trudi frowned in thought, "You know," the waitress said, looking at Faith as she did, "I haven't really thought about it, but I guess we must have orphans. What happens to them?" Faith lowered her head back to the notes and plans they were looking at for a moment, and then she answered. "I don't know. Slavery, maybe, living on the streets. I don't know. But its the next part of the plan. Maybe, later this season."
Paul shook his head, "Faith, you can't save all the people you know." Faith looked up at him and smiled, her expression a mix of determined and sad. "I know," she said, her voice low. "Just like I can't cure all the diseases. Does that mean I should stop trying or just accept that doing all I can is better than nothing at all?"
