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

she slit it open and read her brother’s brief note. He was expecting her to come home with Danny as soon as possible. He had included the money for a bus ticket this time.

“And?” Danny asked.

“I made myself plain in the letter I sent him. I want to stay. He’s enclosed the money for our bus tickets and says he has written to the bishop and the school board detailing why I shouldn’t be a teacher and why I’m needed at home. I lose. Gene wins.”

“Gene’s going to be eating burnt pancakes for the rest of his life, isn’t he?”

“Very likely.”

“I’m sorry, sis.”

“I know.”

He walked away. Eva stared at her letter. Danny might calmly accept Gene’s order to return home, but she wasn’t going to leave unless she had no other choice.

The next day started off well at school. She confiscated the rubber bands from the Yoder twins and made Sadie go home the first time she poked her nose in the door. Both Harley and Otto were quiet but that was a good thing. The children went out for the morning recess and Eva stayed in to grade papers.

She didn’t see what started the fight. One moment the children were playing a game of softball and when she looked up again there was a fistfight in progress. Otto and Harley were pummeling the Yoder twins.

She rushed out the door to break up the fight. She stepped between the two boys to push them apart. The next second she found herself in the dirt between them. Otto tripped over her legs and fell on top of her.

Before she could get up, the boys were pulled apart by Bishop Schultz and Samuel Yoder. “What’s going on here?” Yoder demanded.

“I haven’t the least idea,” Eva said breathlessly as she scrambled to her feet. The bishop had a hold of both Harley and the older Yoder boy.

“Grandson, what is the meaning of this?” Samuel demanded.

“Nothing.” The boy couldn’t look his grandfather in the eye.

Harley’s face was beet red. “He called my brother an idiot, and he wouldn’t take it back.”

Samuel glared at Eva. “Is this the sort of behavior you are teaching our children?”

Her temper flared. “It is not. Your grandsons had learned to throw insults and punches long before I came.”

“Woman, where is your demoot?”

She forced herself to calm down. “I beg your pardon. My humility is in short supply at the moment.”

The bishop turned to the children gathered in a semi-circle. “School is dismissed early today. Go home.”

They all filed away except for Harley, Otto and Maddie who gathered close to Eva. Jenny and little Annabeth waited by the school steps.

Eva managed a smile for the Gingrich children. “Go to the house, get cleaned up, do your chores then go home with Jenny. Bethany and Michael are expecting you to stay with them another night aren’t they?”

Harley nodded. “Willis said he wouldn’t be home until after midnight and he didn’t want to get us so late on a school night.”

“Okay, I will see you all tomorrow and we’ll discuss what happened with him. Harley, my brother Danny is working in the new barn. Tell him Annabeth needs a ride home. She’s too small to walk so far alone.”

Samuel scowled at her when the children were gone. “It is as your brother Gene stated in his letter to us. You are not a proper teacher if you allow the kinder to engage in fistfights. You were warned that your contract would run for one month at a time, but an exception must be made. Consider yourself terminated.”

“What?” Her jaw dropped.

“Samuel, I think you are being hasty,” the bishop said calmly.

“I don’t believe I am. Your pay will be forwarded to your home in Illinois. I will take over your duties until a suitable replacement can be found.”

The two men walked off, leaving Eva reeling. She had lost her job and her home in one fell swoop. Her days in Maine had come to an end. All that she had feared was coming true.

She went back inside the school and stared at the blackboard. What was she to do? She needed to talk to Willis, but he wouldn’t be back until late. She didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to speak to him.

She grabbed a pen and a sheet of paper. The time for maidenly reserve was past. She was in love with Willis. If he cared for her, she would defy Gene and find a way to stay in Maine but she had to know for sure.

My dearest Willis,

I have been fired from my position as teacher. I don’t want to leave you and the children. I love you Willis. I love Harley, Otto, Maggie and even Bubble. If you hold any feelings for me in your heart please meet me tonight at the swing set no matter what time it is. I’ll be waiting. I can’t leave without knowing how you truly feel. Your kiss gave me hope even if that wasn’t your intention.

If you don’t come, I will know my hope was in vain and I will leave.

Eva

She sealed the letter and went to Willis’s house. The children had already gone. She placed the note on the counter under the kerosene lamp where he couldn’t miss it and left.

She told Danny what had happened when he returned from taking Annabeth home. He was as astonished as she had been. “What are you going to do?” he asked.

“I’ll let you know in the morning.” It all depended on Willis.

Time dragged until it was almost midnight. She hurried to the schoolyard and waited.

It was long before she heard Dale’s truck pull in. She saw Willis enter his house. The light came on in the kitchen. Her heart began hammering in her chest. He had to be reading her letter. What was he thinking? Had she been too bold? The chains of swing bit into her palms as she waited. He must love her. She loved him so much.

He came out a short