The Amish Teacher's Dilemma and Healing Their Amish Hearts by Patricia Davids (all ebook reader .txt) 📕

him toward the house. “Come into my lovely little house and I will make us both some kaffi. I must warn you I have company. The children from across the street are staying with me during the day. Harley is thirteen, Otto is eleven and Maddie is six. I should warn you that Maddie has an imaginary friend named Bubble so please be kind to her.”

“When have you known me to be anything else?”

“Never. That makes me wonder how you inherited all the kindness in the family and Gene inherited all the sour. How is he? I never thought I would say this but I have missed him and his grumpy looks. I even miss Corinne and her litany of aches and pains.”

“Gene is fine, but some things have changed. I’ll tell you about it over that coffee.”

Eva held open the screen door. A single bark alerted her to the fact that Sadie was on her way to make a visit. She glanced inside the house and saw Maddie coloring at the kitchen table. “Maddie, Sadie is coming.”

Maddie’s eyes grew wide with joy. “She is? Can I go outside and play with her?”

“You may go outside and play with her but don’t stray from the yard.”

Maddie stopped in the doorway when she saw Danny standing behind Eva. “Who are you?”

Eva held a hand toward her brother. “Maddie, this is my brother Danny who has come for a visit.”

“I’m Maddie Gingrich and this is my friend Bubble.” Maddie put an arm over the shoulder of her imaginary friend.

Eva waited eagerly for Danny’s reaction. He glanced at her and then took his hat off. “Pleased to meet you, Maddie and Bubble.”

Maddie grinned. “We’re going to go play with Sadie. She kept the bear from eating us.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Did you say a bear?”

“Ja. Come on, Bubble.” Maddie raced down the steps of Eva’s porch and out to see Sadie. The dog held a thick stick in her mouth. She gave it to Maddie who promptly threw it for the happy retriever.

“The bear was imaginary, too, right?” Danny asked.

Eva covered her mouth with her hand and giggled as she shook her head. “Nee, it was quite real. Come in and sit down. I’ll tell you the whole tale while I brew you some stout kaffi.”

After she had a pot fixed for the two of them and while it perked she recounted her adventures in New Covenant.

“All this took place in a week?” He shook his head in disbelief.

“I dread to think what the next month will bring.”

“I hope you don’t find yourself with a bear in the classroom.”

“Fortunately, Sadie comes to the school with the children so I don’t think we’ll have a problem.”

Eva poured them both coffee when it was finished and spread her fresh jam on several pieces of homemade bread. She sat across from her brother, took a sip from her mug and then put it down. “So. Why are you really here, Danny? It’s only a little over a week since I left.”

“Gene thought perhaps you would be ready to return by now.”

“Oh, he did? He has very little confidence in me. So I assume he sent you to escort me home, is that it?”

Danny leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his thick black hair. “In a manner of speaking, but that’s not why I came.”

She leaned back with her arms crossed over her chest. “Do tell.”

“I wanted to see for myself if you were happy here. Are you?”

Eva heard footsteps on her porch. She looked out and saw Willis in the doorway. A jolt of happiness sent her pulse racing. She smiled at Willis. “Ja, Danny, I am happy here. Come in, Willis. I have fresh coffee and some jam to send home with you. This is my brother Danny who surprised me with an unannounced visit.”

Willis stepped inside, and the two men nodded to each other. “We are blessed to have your sister as our new teacher. I won’t interrupt your reunion. I’m home from my errand. I’ll take the kinder off your hands. Thanks for watching them. I see Maddie playing with Sadie. Where is Otto?”

“He’s doing some cleaning for me inside the school.”

“Has he been trouble for you?”

“Not a bit.” She grabbed an unopened jar of jam and pressed it into his hands. “For you and the kinder to enjoy.”

Willis shot a glance at her brother and mumbled his thanks. He walked to the edge of the porch and shouted for Maddie and Otto. Maddie came running with Sadie beside her. A few moments later Otto appeared at the schoolhouse door. Willis gestured for him to come on. Otto sauntered down the steps, crossed the lawn and paused in front of his brother.

Willis smiled at the boy. “I brought pizza from town for our lunch. How does that sound?”

Maddie jumped up and down. “Yea, I love pizza. Let’s go.”

Willis tipped his hat toward Eva. “Thanks again.”

Otto shifted his weight from one foot to the other and folded his arms tightly over his chest. “I think Teacher will want to check my work before I leave.”

She shook her head. “Nope. If you did your best, then I can’t ask for anything more.”

He seemed surprised by her answer but didn’t say anything. He took off running to catch up with Willis and Maddie. Eva waited hoping Willis would look back. He did. She waved and called out, “See you tomorrow.”

He lifted his hand in a brief salute. She was still grinning as she turned back to Danny. “Where were we?”

“You were telling me that you’re happy here. I can see that for myself. It didn’t take you long to meet the neighbor. Seems like a nice guy.”

“He is. The children are his half brothers and sister. He took them in after their parents died. It hasn’t been an easy adjustment for him or for the children. I’ve been doing what I can to help him. As a good neighbor.”

“As a neighbor. I