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

any of his tasks this morning. And when I chastised him for it, he threw a tantrum and ran away. I wasted an entire afternoon looking for him. He must learn to obey.”

“I’m sorry that happened, Jesse. But I’m certain, if you reason with him, he’ll understand and want to do better. He’s just seeking your approval. He wants your love so much.” She held out a pleading hand, her voice gentle and nonconfrontational.

Jesse snorted. “He’ll win my approval by obeying what I say. I won’t have him reading books instead of doing his chores again. The livestock must not suffer because of his dereliction.”

She nodded. “Ja, I agree. But maybe if you weren’t so grouchy with him all the time, he might be more willing to obey. It’s entirely appropriate to reprove your child with sharpness but then if you’d show an increase in love toward him afterward, he might not consider you to be his enemy. As it is, he thinks you don’t love him. And I’m sure that’s not the message you want to send him.”

Jesse shrugged out of his damp coat. His eyes narrowed, his lips pursing tight with disapproval. “Miss Graber, do you presume to tell me how to raise my sohn?”

She blinked. “Ach, of course not. But it seems you need some help right now. I just thought...”

“I don’t need your advice on how to handle my boy,” he cut her off.

She stared at him, completely aghast. Of all the nerve! Who did he think he was?

The answer came loud and sharp to her mind. He was Sam’s father. She was simply the boy’s teacher and didn’t have a right to tell Jesse how to raise his own child.

“This isn’t your business and I won’t allow you to interfere.” Jesse’s voice was low but powerful, like the sound of rolling thunder off in the distance. His hands were clenched, his features tight.

Some inner guidance told her not to challenge him right now. But she didn’t have to like it.

“All right. If that’s the way you want it,” she said.

Drawing herself up straight, she reached for her scarf and shawl, which lay over the back of one of the kitchen chairs. Without speaking, she jerked them on, wrapping up tight against the frigid wind outside. It had stopped raining but the ride home would undoubtedly be as chilly as it was inside this kitchen.

She walked to the door, longing to say something more. Wishing she dared plead with him to show some compassion toward his son. Sam seemed so lost right now. So did Jesse.

He didn’t speak as she stepped out onto the back porch. A blast of chilly wind struck her in the face and she gasped. It slapped the screen door closed behind her. It reminded her of the glacial man standing inside, watching her go.

He didn’t walk outside to see that she was safely in her buggy and on her way. But as she pulled out of the yard, she saw him standing at the living room window, watching her with a severe expression on his face. If she hadn’t seen his deep concern for Sam, she might think he hated the boy. That he hated the world.

She tried to calm her trembling hands and beating heart as she headed home. She told herself everything was all right. Sam was safe. Jesse was obviously upset but, in the morning, things would look differently. Jesse would calm down and so would Sam. Unfortunately, the problem wouldn’t just resolve itself. Deep in her heart, she knew the issue wasn’t going away anytime soon. It occurred to her that Jesse’s trust in Gott was in tatters. He hadn’t said so but she knew without asking. His faith had been greatly damaged. And though she longed to help him and Sam, she had no idea how to go about it. Other than to keep tutoring Sam and trying to show both of them compassion, she didn’t have a clue. She just hoped it was enough.

Chapter Ten

Sam didn’t show up for school Monday morning. A part of Becca wondered if it was because of the disagreement she’d had with Jesse when the child ran away. Another part of her thought it might be just because Jesse was so busy with work that he couldn’t drive the boy here. She thought of offering to pick Sam up every morning on her way. After all, they lived only a mile apart. But she was already tutoring the boy three afternoons each week and barely keeping up with her own work as it was. It also occurred to her that Jesse needed that time alone with Sam each day, to be a father. What he did with the time was up to him. He could make it a quality chat with his boy or a silent, sullen trip.

Deciding not to make more out of Sam’s absence than necessary, she taught her lessons as usual. As she worked with the fourth-graders and Caleb Yoder, she couldn’t believe the difference in him. Since that second week when she’d started teaching here, he’d been so good and helpful. Maybe his older brother and sister had told on him and Bishop Yoder had corrected Caleb’s poor behavior. Whatever it was, Becca was grateful. Now, the school was quiet and orderly and she really thought she was making headway with the children.

That afternoon, she set aside Sam’s work and waited until all the other children had left for the day. Then, she loaded her books into her buggy and drove over to Jesse’s farm to tutor Sam as usual. The day was cool but the sky was clear and the sun was shining. That was a good sign that spring was on its way.

She parked beside Jesse’s house and knocked on the front door. Glancing at the flowerbeds, she noticed the tulips and daffodils had poked their heads out of the soil. The last church service had focused on Easter and the Savior’s resurrection,