So now the alliteration suddenly ends?

School starts back, but Rita is still here, because apparently she's reached the age to drop out. Mennonites don't attend for very long.

They continue to feel anxious and burdened for the new pastor family, but Dorcas's heart often feels of wonder when Rita shows signs of "getting better," such as setting the table neatly. Dorcas often thanks God for Rita's new behaviors like this.

I'm not making this up.

Then Father announces that because Rita has been learning so much, she and Dorcas will teach a manners class at home to the younger kids.

After church, Rita and Dorcas go home with some friends. While Rita is playing with lambs, Dorcas and the friends observe her and discuss her improvement, including how she looks so much more modest with more tightly combed hair and a larger headcovering. Dorcas describes how Rita resented it at first, but then learned that covering her head is modest. They say she looks "sweet." Again I get serious Warren Jeffs vibes.

This book needs its own version of the Bechdel test, except for talking about Rita. Also, it would fail.

Then they get into a conversation with the Brother and Sister (I honestly have no idea what those titles mean) about how God doesn't condone leisure time.

A few weeks later, it's time for the first manners class. Dorcas and Rita teach about how God helps keep us "calm and sweet." Then they read a TON of Bible verses about being graceful and without rebuke. I'm not sure what the point is.

In October, with the other kids in school, Rita and Dorcas stay busy harvesting corn. Rita wonders how she'll ever manage IF she goes back home. IF??? It was EXPLICITLY stated Rita was coming just for the summer????

Then they go to visit the caricatured black man again. This lovely conversation happens.

I was like "this is the biggest bullcrap I've ever read" so then I googled it and Minnesota is 83% white what the heck are you okay Minnesota.

They also talk about how this family is Methodist, but converted to wearing headcoverings because they were convicted by Dorcas's family. HAHAHA THIS WOULD LITERALLY NEVER HAPPEN.

In the next manners class, things go from bad to worse. They talk about how babies are born selfish and demand to be fed right now, even if it's the middle of the night or his mother is in the middle of cooking dinner. They use the verse about foolishness being in the heart of a child to back this up. They say babies need lots of love and hugs, but they also need to be handled firmly when they're "angry" until they "submit."

They have a class at home on proper table settings, and the book includes an illustrated diagram, because at this point, why not. The parents say you don't have to set the table exactly properly when no Christian principles are involved. What the heck.

There is an entire page of table manners. An entire page. Top to bottom.

They spend the fall days raking leaves with the kids jumping into them, and in the evenings they play ping-pong in the basement and play board games and word games at the table. I literally can't believe my eyes.