She nodded, knowing he would make time to drive her if she felt uncertain about the task. “I’ll be fine.”
Her cousin smiled with approval. As children, he had teased her for being a tomboy. Athletic and full of life, she was always the girl who could do anything. But since those carefree days, she wasn’t so sure anymore. Vernon’s rejection had hit her confidence rather hard. He’d broken her heart and destroyed her trust in men.
Bundled up in her scarf, gloves and black traveling bonnet, she left early and drove extra carefully. No doubt she’d have to shovel the sidewalks at the school. She wanted time to build up a fire in the old stove so the schoolhouse was warm and toasty for the scholars when they arrived.
As she turned off onto the snowy dirt road leading to Bishop Yoder’s hay fields, she saw the school. A thin stream of gray smoke rose from the chimney and she gave a cry of pleasure. Someone was already here. Probably one of the school board members, taking care of the school and seeing that they had their needs met.
As she pulled into the main yard, she saw a lone man standing beside the front porch, shoveling snow off the walk paths. Even from this distance, she recognized the solid set of his broad shoulders and the tenacious tilt of his black felt hat.
Jesse King.
And little Sam was just carrying another armful of kindling into the schoolhouse.
Tugging on the lead lines, Becca stuck her tongue in her cheek and couldn’t contain a quiet laugh. It was the snowiest day of the year and Jesse had finally gotten Sam to school on time.
“Hallo!” she called, stepping out of the buggy with a flurry of lavender skirts.
Jesse paused in his work and leaned an arm against the handle of his snow shovel. He tugged the brim of his hat away from his face in a completely male stance and gazed at her with no emotion on his face whatsoever. But his dark eyes were filled with life. His breath exhaled in small puffs, his cheeks gleaming red above his beard.
“Guder mariye,” he said in a low voice.
She made her way through the snow, stamping her feet when she reached the cement walk path he had unburied. “What are you doing here so early?”
He glanced at the cleared walk paths, which were quickly melting now that he’d removed the snow. “I would think that is obvious. I’m shoveling snow.”
She laughed. “I know that, silly. But I didn’t expect to see you here so early. Danke for clearing away the snow and starting the fire.”
Jesse shrugged, a slight frown tugging at his forehead. “It’s the least I can do to repay you for all the meals and tutoring you’ve been giving us. Besides, it’s the duty of the fathers of the scholars to look after the school, unless they make an exception and assign these chores to someone. Bishop Yoder and the other men have more kinder than me, so I thought it’d be easier for me to do the task today.”
How thoughtful of him. Yes, it was true that the board members were to look after the school’s needs. But Becca knew each father had a farm and familye to care for too. Sometimes, it was easy to neglect the school just a bit. And even though she knew it was expected, she couldn’t help feeling happy that Jesse had come to her aid. He’d saved her from the arduous chore of shoveling snow and fetching wood. Not that she minded the work. It was just nice to have it done already. Jesse’s efforts told her that he wasn’t as callous and harsh as he pretended to be. No, he was a kind and generous man and she appreciated his work on her behalf.
She scooped up a handful of snow and smashed it into a round ball between her gloved hands. “The snow is heavy. There’s lots of water in it.”
He grinned at that and she stared, simply because it wasn’t often that she saw this man looking happy.
“Ja, it’ll fill our rivers and streams,” he said.
Feeling a bit reckless, she tossed the snowball at him, hitting him squarely in the middle of the chest. She laughed, thinking he might throw a snowball back at her but he didn’t. He merely looked down at the splotch of snow marring his heavy black coat and then back at her. Without a word, he brushed the snow away.
Feeling suddenly awkward, she glanced up at the gray sky and shivered at the cold. “I may let school out early today. Dawdi Zeke thinks another storm is on its way. I need to give the scholars their assignments for the end-of-year program but I don’t want them stranded here all night.”
She mentally calculated that they had plenty of water to drink and fuel to burn but she had very little food, except for what the scholars brought in their lunch pails. If she had to feed the children before their parents could break through the snow to retrieve them the following morning, they’d be mighty hungry.
He inclined his head. “That’s wise. I’ll plan to pick up Sam at noon. That should give each familye plenty of time to return home before the next storm hits.”
“But what about Sam’s tutoring this afternoon?” she asked.
“Ne, you shouldn’t komm over today. You go home where it’s safe. It won’t hurt him to miss one session.”
“All right. Let’s hope the next storm bypasses us altogether. I’ve never seen so much snow in all my life. And I’m sorry to say this but I’m rather tired of it now.” She laughed, amazed at the colder weather here in Colorado.
He chuckled too and she couldn’t help jerking in surprise at the sudden sound. He’d actually laughed! Maybe he hadn’t been as disgusted by her throwing a snowball at him as she first thought.
“Ja, we definitely have lots of snow here. I had to lock Sam’s dog, Patches, in the barn last night so he wouldn’t wander off and get lost in the storm. Sam wanted to bring the pup inside to sleep with him but I said ne,” he said, a wide smile curving his lips.
She stared at him in amazement, thinking how handsome he looked in that moment. “Ach, I knew you could do that.”
He blinked, looking confused. “Do what?”
“Smile. It looks gut on you. You should do it more often.”
He looked away, his expression dropping like stone. Oh, dear. Maybe she shouldn’t have teased him. But she was starting to feel comfortable around this man. Maybe too comfortable. She was a grown woman and he was the father of one of her scholars. She shouldn’t be flirting with him like a brainless schoolgirl.
“Ja, the snow here has been an adjustment. But we’ll be glad to have the moisture this summer when we’re watering our crops,” he said, ignoring her comments altogether.
He glanced at her, looking suddenly anxious, as if he wanted to get away from her. And that’s when she realized he could decide to be happy or sad. Yes, he’d faced something horrible in his life. But he could choose to be miserable and walk around with a glum face, or he could put it aside and smile. So could she. And it reminded her that, in spite of the hurt she’d suffered at the hands of Vernon, the Lord wanted her to go on and live her life. He wanted her to be happy. She was trying to do that, though it wasn’t always easy. But she had the responsibility of teaching a school full of children. She must set a good example for them.
Filled with her thoughts, she turned and walked inside. Jesse leaned the shovel against the outer wall and followed her. She noticed he stomped off his boots and removed his hat at the door, then stepped inside. Sam was stacking the wood pan high with plenty of firewood to last throughout the day. The boy tossed a shy smile in her direction, then ducked his head. His father watched with approval as the boy did his work. Then, seeming assured that the school was in good condition for lessons, Jesse waved a hand.
“I’ll be going now,” he said.
“Ja, danke again. I really appreciate it,” she called.
“You’re willkomm,” he said.
“See you later.”
She walked with him to the door and peered outside at the chilly day. Gusts of wind were sweeping the snow into drifts along the road. As if on cue, two black buggies and horses appeared at the top of the county road. They tu
rned off, heading toward the school. She’d kept her warm woolen shawl on so she could greet each parent, to let them know school would let out early today.
As she went out to meet them, she watched Jesse climb into his buggy and slap the leather leads gently against the horse’s back. The animal lurched forward and the man waved a hand to the other families as he passed.
Thankfully, she wasn’t tutoring Sam this evening. She didn’t mind, not at all. But she was getting to bed rather late each night. She was tired and falling behind on her lesson plans. But Sam was speaking regularly for her now. Just simple words spoken in a mega-soft whisper within the walls of his own home, but he did talk. And she knew deep in her heart that he was making headway.
If she wasn’t mistaken, so was Jesse. She sensed he wasn’t an overly gregarious man by nature but he was much friendlier now, with her and her familye members, as well as with other people in their Gmay. She’d noticed him at church meetings, talking more openly with the other men, though he rarely laughed and was still shy around the women. The transition was gradual but an amazing sight to behold and she was happy for it. Now, if she could just get Sam to start speaking at school, she would consider this year a great success.
* * *
Jesse clicked his tongue, urging his horse up a particularly slippery slope as his buggy reached the county road. He thought about Becca throwing a snowball at him. No one had ever called him silly and it had been a long time since he’d felt like smiling. But lately, the urge to laugh was coming a bit easier to him. When he was with Becca, he could almost forget the sadness in his heart. Almost.
Shaking his head, he mentally reminded himself that he had to pick up Sam early today. He mustn’t be late or it could put Becca in jeopardy. He knew she couldn’t leave the school until all the children were gone and he didn’t want to make her late getting home that afternoon. Even the slightest delay could force her to be caught in the coming snowstorm.
Looking down at the front of his coat, he saw beads of water from where her snowball had struck him. He brushed them away, feeling confused by her actions. The last girl who had flirted with him had been his wife. And yet, he didn’t think that was what Becca was doing. She was just having fun. She was so full of life. He’d noticed the bounce in her step and happy lilt in her voice whenever she came over to his house. She’d confided that she’d been engaged to be married and he would have been a fool not to notice the pain in her voice. She’d been deeply hurt. All her hopes and dreams for a familye of her own had been dashed to pieces. It was easy to think that she’d find someone else to marry one day. That she’d go on and be just fine. But once you were really and truly in love with someone, it wasn’t always that easy to move on. He knew that firsthand. Besides, she’d said she had chosen a teaching career instead of a familye.
When he’d been inside the school, he’d noticed how tidy everything was. Becca had made the same difference in his own home, washing the dishes when she came to tutor Sam. It had spurred him to be a better housekeeper, so he didn’t appear to be taking advantage of her generosity.
Most days, she brought them something for supper too. She always claimed her aunt Naomi had made the food but he suspected she had helped. And her generosity had touched his heart. He’d heard his son’s whispered words as she worked with the boy in the living room. He’d noticed how Sam’s countenance lit up when he knew Becca was coming over. And honestly, Jesse had to admit he liked her frequent visits. She was working hard and making a real difference in his son’s life.
As he reached the turnoff to his farm, he glanced over and saw the log house that belonged to Becca’s cousin, Jakob Fisher. So different from the sprawling, white frame houses he had lived in back in Pennsylvania.
Turning toward home, he thought maybe he should speak to Bishop Yoder about Becca. He should tell him and the other board members what a good job she was doing as their schoolteacher. Then, the board would give her a good reference when it came time for her to leave and find another teaching assignment at the end of the school year. He wanted Becca to find a permanent job that would make her happy. One that would provide her with a firm and stable income all her life.
As he pulled into his main yard and directed the horse toward the barn, he felt suddenly quite sad. While he knew that Becca had to leave in the spring, he didn’t want her to go. And yet, there was nothing he could do to help her stay. Nothing at all.
Chapter Nine
Jesse stepped out of the barn and glanced over at the house. After two weeks of cold, the weather had shifted. The warmth of the sun had finally melted all the snow, though the ground was quite damp. Patches romped around close by his feet, which was odd. The dog usually followed Sam everywhere. Speaking of which, where was Sam? It was Saturday morning and the boy should be outside doing his morning tasks.
Jesse had just finished his chores and was ready to head out to the fields. When he saw the two buckets of pig slop still sitting where he’d left them on the back porch almost an hour earlier, he shook his head. Why hadn’t Sam fed the pigs yet?
Heaving a sigh of exasperation, he walked over to the porch and retrieved the buckets before carrying them to the pigpen. The three swine saw him coming and rushed toward him. Patches gave several shrill barks as Jesse dumped the contents of the buckets into the trough. The pigs snorted and grunted, scarfing down the food like they were starving. They were definitely overdue for their breakfast.
While the pigs were occupied, Jesse stepped inside their pen and checked their water cistern. Patches whined and scratched at the gate, trying to follow him. But no way would Jesse let the little dog in with the ornery pigs.
The temperatures were still mighty cold. Although the sky was filled with leaden clouds, he didn’t think it would snow again. But it sure might rain.
Hurrying so he could get some work done in the fields before the weather turned, he used a metal bar to break the thin layer of ice that had formed over top of the water trough so the animals could drink. As he set the bar aside, he glanced toward the chicken coop, wondering if Sam had fed the hens and finished gathering the eggs yet. Stepping outside of the pigpen, he pulled the gate closed until he heard it latch, then walked toward the house with Patches at his heels. It was Saturday and they weren’t in a rush to get Sam to school but Jesse needed to get out to that field if he hoped to make any progress in clearing the overgrown brush before it rained. The previous owner of this farm had gotten old and had neglected the fields, which were now overgrown by weeds, shrubs and saplings. Spring was just around the corner and Jesse wanted to make the best use of his land.
“Sam! Waar ben jij?” he called to his son.
He gazed at the chicken coop, expecting the boy to come from there. When he heard the screen door clap closed behind him, he whirled around and found his son standing just in front of the back door to the house. Patches scampered toward the boy, jumping at his legs. Though Sam was fully dressed for the day, his feet were bare. The boy didn’t speak as Jesse walked toward him.
“What are you doing inside the house? Are you ill?” Jesse asked, feeling confused.
The boy shook his head and that’s when Jesse noticed he held a book in one hand. A bad feeling settled in Jesse’s stomach. Without asking, he knew what had happened. Instead of doing his farm chores, Sam had been inside the house reading.
“Did you feed the chickens and gather the eggs yet? Did you feed the cows?” Jesse asked, hoping his son said yes. If so, all would be forgiven.
Sam’s eyes widened and he hung his head in shame. Finally, the boy shook his head.
Jesse reached to take the book out of Sam’s hand. It was a library book that Becca had given him. “You’ve been reading when there are chores to be done?”
Grave disappointment filled Jesse’s chest. Sam hadn’t done his morning chores. Not a single one. Instead, he’d been languishing inside the house. He hadn’t even put on his
shoes yet! As a parent, Jesse was outraged by his child’s disobedience. Though he longed for a quiet heart and wanted to retain his composure, he knew he must be strict and clear in his expectations.
“Why have you not done your work yet?” Jesse asked, forcing himself to speak calmly.
Sam didn’t answer but he shivered as a brisk wind blew from the east. The child stared at his bare toes, which were scrunched against the cold, wooden porch. Jesse knew his son loved to read more than anything else. But too much of anything was not good. And Sam had plenty of time to read. In addition to school and trips to the town library every two weeks, Jesse had been reading to the boy each night, regular as clockwork. Also, for the past two months, Becca had been coming here several afternoons each week to read and tutor the boy. The strategies seemed to work. Sam’s demeanor was happier and there was a bounce in the boy’s step that hadn’t been there for a very long time. But now, the books were getting in the way of Sam’s chores. And work must always come first on a farm. It was critical to their survival. As Sam’s father, Jesse had an obligation to teach his son how to work hard. To teach the boy how to farm and raise livestock. Jesse couldn’t just let this go.
“I’m very disappointed in you, sohn. You know what is expected of you. Did you start reading and lose track of time?” Jesse asked his son.
Sam nodded.
A wave of annoyance rose upward within Jesse’s chest and he couldn’t prevent a note of irritation from filling his voice. He didn’t have time for such nonsense. Not if he was going to get the fields cleared for spring planting.
“If you don’t do your chores, who will?” Jesse asked, his voice stern but not overly unkind. “Do you want our hens to stop laying eggs? And what about the cows? They need to eat too. Do you want them to stop giving milk? Then what will we eat? What will we have to sell so we can live?”
Jesse didn’t really expect a response and he got none. But he hoped his questions would make Sam think. After all, the boy was still young and learning his place in the world. This was a teaching opportunity. A time to reiterate Jesse’s expectations and let Sam understand that he needed the boy’s help.
The Amish Teacher's Dilemma and Healing Their Amish Hearts Page 28