“Annie! You have company!” her father called from the living room.
Annie took a calming breath and, smoothing her hands down her dress, she walked into the living room. Seeing Mark, her plastered-on smile smoothed into a more-natural one.
“Hello, Annie. Would you like to take a walk before it gets dark?”
“Yes, denki,” Annie said.
They walked slowly around the perimeters of the Fisher property. As they walked, they talked about their individual experiences in New York City. Mark was telling Annie about one experience he had on the subways, dealing with an amorous, drunk woman, and Annie, remembering her own subway experiences, laughed in appreciation.
Several yards down the road, Barbara and Sarah Kurtz were in their own father’s buggy when Barbara squinted her eyes slightly. As she verified that the man was Mark Stoltzfus, she frowned heavily when she spied the smaller, slender form of Annie Fisher walking next to him. Seeing the couple deep in conversation, she muttered to herself, then told Sarah to hold on tightly. Immediately after, she flicked the horse on a spot she knew was sensitive to the skittish mare – she had flicked this spot several times before, with good effect.
Brownie, the horse, reared and neighed in fright. As her front hooves came down on the packed dirt road, she took off running wildly.
Sarah began screaming in a high-pitched voice, terrified as the buggy bounced and moved down the road. She held onto the side of the buggy, looping her arm through the open window of the buggy. Her other hand gripped Barbara’s plump shoulder as she tried to keep her seat.
Mark turned as he heard the high-pitched screams of terror. Seeing the buggy rolling down the road out of control, he told Annie to stay where she was and began running toward the buggy, aiming to meet it so he could grab the reins and stop the runaway horse. Looking to the right, he saw the narrow bridge that bordered the Fisher farm. Reaching desperately, he grabbed the reins and began soothing the horse in a low, calming voice. He dug the heels of his boots into the ground as he forced the horse to stop.
As the buggy came to a sudden halt, Sarah tumbled out because she had been perched so precariously on her seat. As she landed on the hard ground, Mark heard a loud snapping sound as her arm hit the ground. Wincing at the sound, he saw Annie run up and kneel next to the girl. He continued to soothe the still-spooked horse, talking to her in a low voice and running his hand down her sweaty side.
“Miss Kurtz, it looks like your sister has broken her arm. Wait here while Annie goes to my shop to call for medical help.” Looking down, he saw Annie rising from the ground.
Annie had heard Mark’s brief words to Barbara. Nodding once to Mark, she turned; lifting her skirts slightly and ran to Mark’s shop, where she knew a phone was waiting.
“Mark, I’ll take her home and we’ll get her to a doctor,” Barbara said.
“Miss Kurtz, you’ll wait. My daughter has already called for help,” said John Fisher. “She’s already coming back, and my wife is on her way as well.”
“But . . .” Barbara whined, feeling embarrassed. She had never intended for Sarah to be hurt. All she had wanted to do was to get Mark’s attention and take it away from Annie. “Mr. Fisher, I can take her home and my parents can take Sarah to the clinic . . .”
Annie ran up, breathless. “Daed, the clinic in town told us to bring her to them. I called my Englischer friend, and she is on her way now. She’ll be here in five minutes or less, she said.”
Barbara, hearing this, scowled once again. She knew she now owed a debt of obligation to the Fishers, including Annie. Looking from under her heavy eyebrows, she gave Annie a look of dislike.
Mark and Annie, seeing Barbara’s reaction, could not figure out why she was so upset that they had taken care of the situation.
CHAPTER TWO
True to Annie’s report, her friend drove up in an SUV shortly afterward. John and Mary Fisher gently helped Sarah into the front seat of the SUV. Barbara, waiting for help, was forced to open the back door and climb in herself.
“Miss Kurtz, we’ll see to it that your daed’s buggy and horse get home. Go with your sister so she can be seen by the doctor.” ordered John. After the SUV left, John turned to Mark and asked him if he had any idea how the accident happened.
Mark frowned in confusion. “It’s funny, sir. As spooked as that horse was, it didn’t look as though Sarah’s sister was really trying to control her. I’d like to be wrong, but . . . I’ve seen how people work to get their horses under control and Barbara wasn’t doing half of what she could have been doing.” As he talked, he walked with John back to the now-still buggy and tired horse.
“Don’t worry, Mark. I know the Kurtz family well. This doesn’t surprise me, not one bit. I’ve watched as Barbara grew up and she’s begun taking an attitude of attitude, almost. She gets that from her mother, who has never been happy with what she and her family have. What I don’t know is why she allowed a spooked horse to run so far after becoming spooked. I will take Brownie home and talk to her father. However, I want to soothe her down a little further before I take her home.”
It was nearly an hour later when John slowly drove Brownie back home, with Mark following in his in own buggy.
“We don’t know how Brownie spooked, or why,” John finished.
“I just talked to Barbara and she told me something ran across the road, frightening Brownie.”
“I have to tell you that a witness saw the whole event as it happened. This . . . witness . . . tells me that your daughter, who is experienced with horses, was not doing everything she could to control your mare . . .” At this point, an angry woman came waddling and huffing down the path.
“And, how do you know? You’re a farmer, not a farrier! My Barbara did everything she could. She told me so.” As she said the last bit, her eyes closed, she crossed her arms and gave a sharp little nod of her round head, causing her double chin to jiggle.
After Mark had squeezed Annie’s hand and left for his own parent’s home, Annie sat cross stitching in the living room. As she worked, she overheard her parents talking about the entire incident. Sticking the needle into a corner of the fabric, she set her work aside and walked into the kitchen.
“Annie, girl, I am glad you are in here. Please sit – we need to talk to you,” said John.
Annie, confused, sat down and asked her father what was happening.
“Annie, I don’t know why Miss Kurtz would have allowed Brownie to run down the road after being spooked. She’s a better horsewoman than that. Wherever you are . . . whoever you are with, Annie, I want you to be careful. Do you understand?”
“Ya, daed. Do . . . do you think she did it on purpose?” Annie asked.
John raised and dropped his shoulders in an expressive shrug. “I don’t know. I just want you to be careful. I know this family, and her mother is just like Barbara. She is not a happy woman, and Barbara is picking up on her attitude.”
CHAPTER THREE
Two weeks later, the community service was held at the Fisher farm. Annie, sitting with Jenny and Ruth, enjoyed a light lunch. Feeling a gentle hand on her shoulder, she turned to see Mark’s dark eyes twinkling down at her.
“Would you like to stay for the group sing after lunch?” he asked.
“If my daed and mamm agree to it, yes,” Annie said with her own twinkling smile. Not looking at her friends, she sought her father, then her mother out. She was given permission, as long as she returned before it got dark.
Sitting next to Mark in a large circle, Annie sang several German songs of faith. She, Mark, Jenny, Jacob and Ruth had belonged to this particular group since they had each reached their 16th birthdays. Annie, seeing a young man approach Ruth, who blushed as he asked if he could sit with her, thrilled, knowing that she and her friends were each meeting young men at the same time.
The youth and young adults in the group sing enjoyed this group – as a “high” group, it was less conservative than other groups, allowing members a
little more freedom within the group’s rules. When the singing had ended for the day, Mark drove Annie home, getting her to her parent’s house shortly before sunset. Smiling at her, he squeezed her hand and gave her a quick wave good-bye.
Inside, Annie was particularly happy. She visited with her mother as they worked on various crafts. As Annie chose quilt pieces to make for doll quilts for Ruth’s family’s planned tours for Englischer tourists, she chatted with her mother.
“So, do you like Mark?”
“Ya. He is a calm man. He handled the runaway horse situation with Barbara Kurtz . . . mamm, I’ve been thinking of that, and I can’t figure out why Barbara would allow her horse to run wild like that. I’m a good horsewoman . . . but she’s much better. Her little sister suffered a broken arm in that accident.” Annie’s forehead creased in confusion.
“Annie, Barbara has what she needs with her parents. Yet she still wants . . . more. Your daed and I have seen her becoming more and more like her mother as she has gotten older. He warned you to be careful when you are walking out with Mark. He didn’t say why, but I feel as if she is angry that Mark has chosen to court you, and not her. I have seen her at church meetings, looking at Mark when he was not looking.
When he asked us for permission to meet with you and court you, I looked over at her on our side of the picnic tables. She was very unhappy, Annie . . . very unhappy. You know the Ordnung – Amish men and women are expected to follow our traditions and display certain behaviors. She cannot approach a man and express interest in him.
Oh, no! She would run afoul of the church ministers. So, she has to wait until someone expresses an interest in courting her. It’s becoming a vicious circle – she wants someone to court her, and she becomes more and more angry and bitter the longer she waits. Young men who are of courting age see her attitude and this drives them off. And so, it continues.”
“So, she needs to correct her attitude and stop expressing her bitterness, right?”
“Ya. But given that her mother carries that same attitude . . .”
“It won’t be easy,” concluded Annie.
“Nee. It will not,” Mary said as she cross stitched.
For the next few days, while her mother taught at the Peace Landing school, Annie cleaned, cooked and worked on doll quilts for Ruth. Looking with satisfaction at the pile she had already completed, she smiled – at this rate, I’ll have enough for Ruth, and should only need to work on one or two per week during the tourist season. She looked up at a knock on the door. Expecting it to be Mark, she was surprised when her daed came into the first-floor room where she and her mother did their crafting.
“Annie, girl, you have company . . . and it isn’t Mark,” her father said with his warm, brown eyes sparkling.
Annie’s face creased in confusion. As she followed her father to the living room, she saw Mr. Kopp, the head of the Peace Landing school board.
“Mr. Kopp! Good evening! How are you?” Annie asked, feeling nervous.
“I am fine, denki. John, is there some place I can sit down with Annie?” asked Mr. Kopp.
“Come into the kitchen. Would you like some water?”
“Water would be welcome, thank you.” Mr. Kopp sat down with Annie, who clasped her fingers together on top of the wooden table.
“Miss Fisher, I have come to tell you that we have decided to hire you for the next school year. I expect your mamm can sit down with you to do your planning for the next school year. She can also tell you about your new students,” said Mr. Kopp with a large smile beaming out through his dark mustache and beard.
“Denki, Mr. Kopp! Thank you!” Annie smiled widely, relieved to know she would be teaching. After she discussed several details of her new teaching job and signed a simple contract, she escorted Mr. Kopp to the living room, where he left. By that time, Annie’s mother had come home. She began stirring pots and checking the progress of the dinner Annie had already started. As she did so, she excitedly discussed Annie’s new job.
“Mr. Kopp cane here just a little bit before you got home, mamm! I have a contract signed, so I am going to need to sit down with you to talk about planning and students,” Annie said, setting the table.
“Annie, you will enjoy teaching the Peace Landing students. They are all eager, motivated students, ready to learn. The only real problem you’ll have . . .”
“Problem? What kind of problem?” asked Annie with worry.
“You will have to work with the Kurtz children. Sarah is very shy and her younger brothers have that same attitude problem their mother has. I will teach you how I deal with that – no worries, Annie. Just don’t let them get the best of you and you’ll do well throughout the school year. We’ll begin planning your first year as a school teacher this week.”
Annie smiled with excitement, now feeling ravenous with hunger. She and her parent discussed her exciting news as they ate their dinner. Mary had made a roast beef with roasted potatoes and vegetables. She had baked an apple pie, on which she scooped vanilla ice cream, in celebration of Annie’s job offer.
“Mamm, you were saying that some of your students give you some problems. I’d like to know what they are so I can come up with good ways of handling them.”
“Annie, I told you about Sarah Kurtz and her younger brothers. You’ve seen Mrs. Kurtz around Peace Landing, and you know what kind of an attitude she has – that ‘I’m entitled, even if I didn’t work for or earn what I want’ belief she has. Her younger boys have that same attitude, which comes out in their interactions with me. They want me to give them grades they haven’t earned. I don’t communicate with their mother any more. Instead, I address my notes to Mr. Kurtz, asking him to ensure that Ben and Joseph have done their assignments. He’s more willing to work with me, but he’s almost overwhelmed with his work and trying to keep his family from falling apart. Mrs. Kurtz has always had this attitude, but it’s gotten much worse in the last few years.
Sarah is the only child who hasn’t taken on that assumption that she’s due what she wants, regardless of whether she’s earned it. But she still has a problem with her shyness. She does her work and hands it in, but getting her to speak up during school is . . . a challenge,” said Mary, shaking her head sadly.
“Do you think she could benefit from talking to someone about why she’s so shy? What about Ben and Joseph? Would discussing why they think they should just ‘get’ grades would help them adjust their attitude?”
“Are you talking about with an Englischer professional? You know you would need to get permission from the school board and from the Kurtz parents for this,” Mary warned.
“I know . . . I don’t want to violate the Ordnung. But, if a professional starts talking to them, maybe they can start to work on why they are the way they are. Boy! I’m glad I’m talking to you now. At least, I know what to expect next autumn.”
Mary looked seriously at Annie. “We will talk more about this, but, if you decide this is the best solution, please get permission from Mr. Kopp and other members of the school board first. You do not want your first year as a teacher marked with an act that could be considered insubordination.”
Annie’s gaze became sober as she considered the path she wanted to take. “Ya, mamm, I will. I’m only thinking about this right now. I need to know much more about the situation in your – my – classroom first. It might not be the best idea, once I know more.”
Mary, then John smiled at Annie as she spoke. “There’s the cool head I’ve always known was there,” John said as he squeezed Annie’s hand.
Mark stopped at the house shortly after Annie had finished cleaning the kitchen.
“Would you like to go for a walk?” he asked Annie.
“One minute while I let my parents know,” she told him, taking her apron off. “Daed, Mark is here and would like to take a walk. If it’s okay, I’ll be back inside before dark,” she said to her father.
“Be inside before dark. Hello, Mark. Wie geht’s?” asked John.
“It’s gut, denki. How was your day?” Mark asked.
“Very good . . . Annie will have some news for you!”
“Ach, ya? Gut! We will talk about it on our walk. Annie, are you ready?”
Annie held up her sweater in reply, draping it over one forearm. “I’m ready.”
As they walked, they talked about her job offer.
“So you want to bring an Englischer therapist in to help Ben, Joseph and Sarah with their problems in the classroom? I remember Barbara had that attitude in school, as well, but not as badly as she has it now. She’s almost as bad as her mudder. You got good advice from your mamm, and I hope you’ll think about it,” Mark said.
As he walked, he swung his arms and his knuckles brushed against the back of Annie’s hand. Knowing the Ordnung, he had to make himself resist the impulse to take her hand. She was still in the process of making her baptism into the Amish faith, and he did not want to jeopardize her chances. Nor did he want to jeopardize what was becoming more and more a possibility between them – marriage.
“Ya, Mark, I know. I just want to know what I will be facing as I start my first year of teaching. I don’t want to ruin my chances of being a teacher! Mamm and I will be talking about the best ways of dealing with the Kurtz children. A therapist is only one suggestion. You know, when I was attending the community college in New York, I learned that these therapists specialize in working with different age groups. They help their clients by working with them at their level of development.
So, an Englischer therapist would be able to develop a therapeutic relationship and talk about what is making them think and act the way they do. For instance, Sarah is very shy. Mamm told me that it’s very difficult for Sarah to speak out in class. A therapist could help her see why she is so shy, and find ways of handling that so she can start to talk in front of groups without being so uncomfortable.”
“Ach. So a therapist could work with them to help them change their attitudes?”
Simple Amish Love 3-Book Collection Page 2