Grace sat there thinking. “Nothing, I guess, it is just that…” Grace sighed. “I am going to go talk to mother quickly. Then I will get ready for bed.”
“Don’t stay up late now.”
“I won’t Father,” and Grace quickly retreated upstairs.
Her mother received the news with mixed emotions.
“A school all your own to teach?”
“Yes, mother.”
“Well I am glad for you but who will do everything around here?”
“I will do all I can before and after school. Father has asked Mrs. Fang to come in and see you while we are both away.”
“Mrs. Fang, that nosey old woman?”
“Yes, her. I wasn’t too happy with her myself, but Father doesn’t see a problem with it.”
“He never does.”
“I know, Mother. I don’t know what else I can do, though.”
“There isn’t Grace now get ready for bed.”
“Yes mother.” with a sigh Grace left and went to her room. Quickly she dressed for bed. There were so many things to think about before actually closing her eyes. Braiding her hair tightly she sat down at her desk and pulled out a sheet of paper.
I will write Ryan tonight and tell him what is going on.
Grace had just finished her letter giving Ryan a brief overview of what had occurred since her parents’ arrival in Esperanza Springs when she heard her father coming up the stairs. Closing her letter, she waited. Grace listened as he entered her mother’s room then he passed her door. He never bothered with a goodnight. Every night he passed her door to get to his own room, and he never stopped or even uttered a goodnight. Grace turned down the lamp and went to bed. Tomorrow was a big day, and she knew she was in over her head.
Way over.
Sleep refused to come to Grace until the wee hours just before dawn. Rising and making breakfast for her father, she tried to eat, but the butterflies that swarmed in her stomach made the attempt useless. Grace walked to the school trying to think all the way but feeling in such a blur. As she walked up to the school house, Mitch was sitting on the front step.
What is he doing here? “Good morning, Mitch.”
“Good morning, Grace. Your father forgot the key to open up the school house, so they gave it to me. How are you doing?”
“Not sure, I have never done this before.”
“Just be like you were yesterday. Besides, you will have a respect of the kids from catching that snake.”
Grace laughed freeing some of the butterflies.
“I didn’t know you caught that snake until last night when I overheard some people talking. How did you catch it?”
“Well, it just sat there sort of stunned in the drawer, so I just grabbed it behind its head the way brother told me. He always was trying to have me catch snakes with him as a kid. I didn’t mind chasing them or holding them but actually catching them was a whole different story. Yesterday was actually the first one I picked up by myself.”
“I am sure he would be proud of you.”
“I think he would probably laugh at me.”
“Well as your brother may I say I am proud of you?”
Grace blushed. “I guess.”
“Here is the key. Why don’t you open it up, Miss Grace,” he said with a flourish.
With slight apprehension, Grace unlocked the school and entered. Stepping in she walked down the aisle. She turned to Mitch with a smile. “I am going to teach.”
“Yes, you are.”
“What I am going to teach about, I am not exactly sure. I never took a teaching course. I have no idea what I am supposed to be able to do. But, I am here to teach.”
Mitch put his hat down on a desk and stepped forward and took Grace’s hands in his. “You are cold.”
“I am nervous.”
“Can I pray for you, Grace?”
“Would you?”
He bowed his head. “Dear Lord God, I just thank you for Grace and this opportunity that has been thrust upon her. Lord, I ask that you bestow upon her today and every day that she teaches, wisdom, grace, understanding, peace, and love for the children and for the subjects she is teaching to them. Lord, help her to be organized and confident that she might always have the respect and love of these children. In Jesus name, Amen.”
For a moment after his prayer had closed Grace leaned against him. “Thank you, Mitch,” and with a squeeze of her hand, she stepped away.
“You’re welcome, Grace. Have a wonderful day.” He said picking up his hat and walking towards the door.
“I will try. Thank you.”
Grace went to the teacher’s desk and opened the drawers and looked through the books at her disposal. They were so different than the one she had used a school. She glanced at the room filled with desks that would shortly be filled with children waiting to learn.
“Oh God, please help me.”
In several minutes she heard children playing outside. She glanced at the clock with apprehension. She had ten minutes. Opening a book, she found a list done in Jane’s overly prim hand, laying schedule for all of the classes and what was supposed to be done.
“God be praised she was good at something. At least I will know what to do for a start.”
With apprehension, Grace rang the bell ten minutes later and the children flooded in.
Chapter 26
The first week of school went by like a dream. The children were perfect, and so were her lessons. By the next week, the dream had vanished but remained free from storms.
Then entered a lanky, lazy, overgrown young man just older than Grace; known as Slim.
He walked into the school late one morning while she was in the middle of a lesson and stood in the middle of the aisle.
“Can I do something for you?” she asked feeling more than just slightly disturbed but hiding it with a confident manner.
“I wanna learn.”
“Well, then you have come to the right place. Please take a seat in the back row; I will give you books in a minute.”
Rummaging through the drawers of her desk Grace found the necessary supplies and placed them on his desk, avoiding eye contact. He is looking for a fight. The last thing I want to do is give him grounds to pick one with me. When Grace turned to walk back down the aisle, his foot shot out to trip her, but Grace saw it and stepped over it.
“Try and keep your feet under your desk. They can be a hazard in such a small school house.”
“Sorry Miss,” he said sarcastically.
Grace went back to teaching.
In awhile, they were dismissed for lunch. The little ones remained indoors with Grace and a good portion of the older girls.
“Slim is mean,” said one of the little girls.
“He is bad news, my papa says,” whispered another.
“I was wondering that when he walked in the door. I hope he doesn’t cause any trouble. I am half tempted to send word down to the sheriff’s office and tell him we might have trouble on our hands. He doesn’t make any of you feel very comfortable, does he?”
They all shook their heads.
“He doesn’t scare you, though. Does he, Teacher?” asked one of the little ones.
“Call her Miss Grace,” whispered an older sibling.
Grace smiled. She liked being called teacher, it helped sometimes.
“You know one of the greatest weapons you can have is not to show your fear even if you feel it. And once in a little while, you don’t feel afraid anymore. When they think you are scared, that gives them power but when you aren’t, they don’t know what to do.”
“Really?” asked a chorus of curious voices.
“Really,” Grace reiterated with confidence.
When lunch was over, Grace reluctantly rang the bell, summoning them all indoors. As Grace followed them all indoors, she found Slim’s foot once again waiting for her in the aisle.
“Slim, your foot,” she stated quietly.
“It don’t fit under
my desk.”
“Then at least pull them up when someone is walking down the aisle.”
“Don’t want to.”
“Slim it isn’t an option. Pull in your foot.”
“I isn’t going to stand for someone to boss me around.”
Grace turned to face him. “I am not bossing you around. I am telling you what to do, and you will do it. When you come into this school house, you under my authority and you either obey or leave. So put your foot under your desk.”
“It ain’t doin’ no harm in the middle.”
“You are trying to trip me. I can see it in your eyes. I am no fool. Stop it right now.”
“What if I don’t feel like stopping?”
“Then feel free to leave.”
“You can’t make me.”
“You are right you are too big for me, but I know of someone who can. Jake run down to the Sheriff’s office and tell them I have a situation I can’t handle,” Grace said with great calm.
Jake bolted from his chair and out the door.
“You tryin’ to scare me.”
“No, I am not,” said Grace, quietly trying to keep herself calm. Her heart had slowly begun to race, her palms sweaty with anticipation, her mind darting, and mouth dry.
Slim pulled his foot out of the aisle. Grace turned and started walking back down the middle of the school. He jerked her around, pulling her close.
“No one tells me what to do, ya hear?”
One of the children in the front row started to cry.
Grace’s mind raced. Everything that came to her head was a command. She pushed away from him anger beginning to boil inside of her. How dare he?
He held onto her.
“Slim let me go.” At least it is worth a try.
He laughed coarsely. “You really think that is going to work on me?”
“I am not telling you I am commanding you to.”
“Oh, aren’t we great, Miss All-High-and-Mighty are we?” He sneered. “You know, I never noticed until now how pretty you were.”
Grace’s stomach turned.
He pulled her closer. Grace swung into action catching her foot behind his she pulled while with her free arm she caught the base of his jaw and pushed him backward. Slim fell off the back of his chair. It took him a moment to recover, but he was back on his feet and after her. Grace darted out into the school yard.
Away from the children, and out here I will have more room for whatever he has planned.
He came after her. The first blow swung slow, and Grace saw it coming. She ducked.
“You think you are clever, huh?” he leered.
Come on we can play cat and mouse. You be the mouse.
The next was quicker. Grace feigned and cut in on him in the jaw with her left, sending him for an unexpected spin. Once he turned back towards her; he charged. Grace barely managed to sidestep in time. He caught her from behind. She slammed the heel of her shoe into a boot pivoting her elbows, landing one in his stomach and another in his ribs. Turning she pulled herself away flinging her arm behind her in an attempt to hit him in the face. Instead, her elbow landed in his neck as he stepped after her. He gagged and gasped for breath after the last blow and Grace pushed him to the ground. In an instant, a few of the older boys launched off the steps and pinned him to the ground.
“Just hold him down, don’t hit him,” gasped Grace, leaning against the fence for support.
A few moments later two deputies and Jake came running around the corner. It was Jip and Mitch.
Jip lost no time in clamping cuffs down on Slim.
“What are you doing here?” he asked pulling Slim to his feet.
“I came for learnin’, and she jumped me.”
Grace wasn’t sure whether to laugh, roll her eyes, or cry, or do all three at once at such a statement.
“What happened?” asked Mitch, turning to Grace. Over a dozen voices burst in with their version of the story. “Shhh, just a minute. Come on, let’s get you all back inside. Jip, you got him?”
“Yup. Come on you lout,” said Jip with a pull.
“But I didn’t do nothin’,” He protested. “You should be puttin’ her in jail not me!”
Re-entering the school house, Grace found some of the smaller grades in tears. She was on her knees and gathering them as close as possible wiping away their tears. “It’s okay, it is all over now.” When she had quieted them down, she looked around the class.
“How many of you still feel like studying?”
No one raised their hand.
“I am with you there. So why don’t you take your books and go home early.”
There was a shout of joy at that prospect and the school room emptied quickly. In a few minutes, Mitch entered from talking with the older boys.
Grace was sitting behind the desk, thinking in a land far away however she looked at Mitch when he came close.
“I think your father should deputize you and give you a gun.”
Grace laughed. “I don’t think a girl deputy would go over too well.”
“You are probably right.”
“Besides, I am not exactly sure how I would look wearing a gun belt with a dress. The two don’t really go together.”
Mitch smiled, “Yeah they aren’t really designed for it. How are you doing?”
“Fine, I think,” Grace said with a sigh letting her shoulders relax and head tilt back against the chair, “I just can’t imagine what they are going to tell their parents once they get home.” she cringed.
“At least Jane wasn’t around to hear about this exploit, that or your schoolmates.”
Grace laughed, “They would all be so shocked.” She sat up and pulled her books and papers into a pile and then leaned back to look at them, “I am too tired to deal with them now. They look so big.”
“Come on I will walk you home, just in case you need an arm to lean on.”
Grace smiled, “I think I can manage by myself, but I would like the company.”
They walked in near silence until they reached her house.
“Grace, I need to tell you something. But I want to make sure we aren’t near anyone.”
She looked up at him puzzled but followed him off the road and into a grove of trees. He took her books from her hand.
“What is it, Mitch? Your eyes are worrying me.”
“After you told me about Keats,” he stopped, hoping the words would come to him easier in a minute but they didn’t. He pressed on. “I telegraphed all of the nearby towns and asked if they would send me word if they heard anything about him.”
Grace turned pale.
“I got word today he was in a town about three-hundred miles away but…”
“What was it called?”
“The town?”
“Yes.”
“Milton.”
“He found them then.”
“Found who?”
“That is where my parents were before they came here. It took him longer than usual. Why?” Grace stamped her foot puzzled frustration burning inside her.
“Has your father made plans to move on again?” Mitch asked, his heart aching.
“Not that I am aware of. But he doesn’t tell me much.”
“Why does he keep chasing them?”
“I don’t know!” Grace almost shouted. “Father is the one man who refused to chase after him. I don’t know why. It is some sort of game to him. Like he is slowly trying to kill them or kill himself. I don’t know. He leaves them alone and then he hunts them down. Maybe he wants father to stop him. I just don’t know. I just want him locked up and brought to proper punishment for everything he has ever done.”
“Grace.”
She looked up at him, confused and fearful tears shining in her eyes.
“I am scared of him. The day he came, my world fell apart. If he comes again—I don’t know what is going to happen, Mitch.” She covered her face with her hands trying to repress the tears and emotions that were swallowi
ng her whole.
Mitch stepped closer and gently touched her shoulders. Grace leaned into him. His arms closed around her shoulders holding her tight.
“Oh Mitch, what should I do?” the question came out muffled from between her hands.
“All I can think of is to pray, Grace. Pray.”
She nodded, “But will it work?”
“Grace, God, works all the time. Sometimes it isn’t the way we want him to, but he does. He never will fail us Grace no matter what happens it is what He plans. We put in our requests and the loving Father that He answers us, yes, no, or wait. He loves you, Grace, and He will take care of you no matter what happens.”
“I want to believe that Mitch, but oh…”
“Pain like this is not meant to destroy us Grace. It is to make Him more real and draw us closer to Him, to let us lean on Him. He loves you, Grace. He loves you.”
“How can you be so sure, Mitch?”
He lifted Grace’s face to look into his own. “Grace, I know because He is all I have. There is no one else out there for me. No one but Him.”
Grace rested her head on his shoulder conflicting feelings seeking for mastery.
“Mitch, what if that is all that God leaves me? Just Himself.”
“Grace, He will never give you more than you can take. He will supply everything that you need. God is willing and waiting to offer you everything He has. You know how I know?”
Grace shook her head.
“He gave up everything to have you, to give you a chance to be with Him. A chance you might turn down. God yielded His perfect Son so that He might love you unconditionally. You gave God your heart, let God give you His.”
Grace buried her head against Mitch’s shoulder, quiet tears shaking her. “But Mitch, if He takes it all away….”
“Take no thought for tomorrow, for tomorrow shall take thought for the things of itself. God gives you sufficient grace for every day, it is one of His promises. His strength is perfect in our weakness. He will never fail you no matter what happens. It is His promise to you, and He will never lie.”
“I am so scared, though.”
“Fear thou not; for He is always with you: be not dismayed; for He is your God: He will strengthen and uphold you with the right hand of His righteousness, Grace. I know what it is like to be scared and feel like you have nowhere to go but He is waiting there, waiting to hide you in His love. Just take it.”
Sufficient Grace Page 15