A Big Year for Lily (19 page)

T
oday was the last day of school. Teacher Rhoda stood by her desk, giving her end-of-the-term speech. This time, she added a shocker: “I have enjoyed all the years I spent being your teacher, but when school starts again in the fall you will be getting a new teacher.”

The classroom went bone silent. Then someone—maybe Lily—began to cry, and soon all of the girls were sniffing loudly and quietly crying.

“Why aren't you coming back in the fall?” Effie asked.

Effie always asked the questions everyone was thinking. Usually, it was annoying. Not today, though. Lily was glad to hear Effie pipe up.

An embarrassed little smile spread across Teacher Rhoda's face. “I'll be very busy with some other plans. But I'm sure
you will learn to like your new teacher and enjoy school just as much as you do now.”

Lily and Cousin Hannah exchanged a knowing look. She had been afraid of this moment—ever since that first Sunday evening singing when she and Hannah had spied on the youth at Uncle Elmer's house and saw Teacher Rhoda get into Samuel Yoder's buggy.

The tears were coming faster now, too fast for Lily to wipe away. Teacher Rhoda might not be telling them but she was sure those other plans included marrying Aaron Yoder's older brother. How sad!

In the kitchen, Lily was helping Mama fold sun-dried laundry from the clothesline. “Mama, how old were you when you decided you wanted to court Papa?”

Mama tucked a sheet under her chin and folded up the sides. “Around Teacher Rhoda's age, I suppose.”

Lily's head swam. “How did you know you wanted to court Papa?”

“Well, you know about how I threw the dishwater at Papa.”

Lily grinned. “I remember.”

Mama plucked a towel, stiff from the sun, out of the laundry basket and folded it in half. “But we didn't talk that night, other than when I apologized to him for dousing him with dirty dishwater.” She smiled. “I had cousins who lived in Papa's community, so I knew a little bit about him. Papa was awfully shy. We saw each other now and then, but he never spoke to me.”

“Never?”

“Not until a certain weekend. My cousins were having church
at their house. It was an in-between Sunday for our church, so my friends and I decided to walk over to my cousins' and stay the night. We would be able to go to church the next day.”

“And you could see Papa.”

Mama smiled. “Then I could see Papa.”

“So what happened?”

Mama put down the socks she had been folding. “We left in the morning, right after breakfast, bright as buttons. Very cheerful and excited. We started walking. And walking. And walking. My sister, your aunt Mary, got a blister on her heel. I slowed down to stay with her and soon we had fallen way behind the other girls. What we hadn't realized was how far fifteen miles of walking could actually be!”

“Did you turn around?”

“We discussed it. By now, we couldn't even see my friends. They were that far ahead of us. I wasn't even sure we were heading in the right direction anymore. But next thing we knew, a horse and buggy pulled up beside us.”

“Papa?”

“Yes, it was Papa. He offered us a ride. He drove us right to my cousins' house and took us all the way home again the next day. It was the first time we talked to each other.”

“And we haven't stopped talking yet,” Papa said as he walked into the kitchen. He had been listening the whole time. He gave Mama his special smile that made Lily feel as if they had forgotten she was in the room. Mama returned the smile.

“I think we'll have to pick strawberries tomorrow,” Mama said. “I want you to take a note to Aunt Mary. She said she would help us pick them when they're ripe.”

Lily had been eyeing the strawberry patch for days, watching the berries get plump and red. She loved to eat strawberries and she didn't even mind picking a few. But Mama and Papa had planted an entire acre with thousands of strawberry plants. The very sight of that strawberry field exhausted her! But having her relatives come to help would make it fun.

Lily ran all the way to Aunt Mary's house and found her in the garden, pulling weeds with Hannah. Aunt Mary read the note Lily handed to her. She smiled at Lily. “Tell your mother that I'll come over tomorrow to help pick strawberries.”

On the way home, Lily was struck with a brilliant idea. Even with Aunt Mary's help, it would take days, weeks maybe, to get all those strawberries picked. She was sure Grandpa and Grandma Miller would come help if they knew that Mama needed them. She was almost walking by Grandma's mailbox, and before she could think twice, she turned into their driveway, walked up to the porch, and knocked on the door.

Grandma opened the door and looked surprised to see Lily.

“We need help picking strawberries tomorrow,” Lily said.

“Aunt Susie and I will be there bright and early tomorrow morning,” Grandma said.

Lily was pleased. On the way back to the house, she decided not to tell Mama. Grandma's appearance tomorrow would be a nice surprise for her.

The sun was peeping in the eastern horizon the next morning when Aunt Mary arrived. Lily was still clearing breakfast dishes away. Aunt Mary had brought along Levi, Hannah, and Davy.

“The dishes can wait today,” Mama told her. She handed
out baskets and everyone headed out to the strawberry patch. By the time Grandma and Aunt Susie arrived, Lily had filled her basket.

Mama was surprised to see Grandma. Even more surprised when she heard that Lily had asked them to come. She raised her eyebrows at Lily, as if to say, “We'll talk later about asking others for help without permission.” She turned to Grandma and told her that she would help her get started sorting and selling the berries in the little roadside stand that Papa had built.

Grandma sat behind the counter sorting strawberries. Only the biggest, juiciest, nicest ones were put into little baskets to be sold. Mama gave Grandma a bowl for the smaller berries. They would be used to make jam and pie filling. In between customers, Grandma could sort berries.

It took only two days for Lily to be sick and tired of strawberries. Even thinking about Mama's strawberry shortcake or strawberry jam didn't help. New strawberries kept ripening and the work was endless, even with Aunt Mary, Hannah, and Levi's help. As soon as they had finished picking the last row, it was time to start on the first row again.

Mama and Aunt Mary liked to sing while they worked. The first few days, Lily and Hannah had sung along. Singing wasn't fun any longer. The only interesting part of picking strawberries was eavesdropping on Mama and Aunt Mary's conversations, in between songs.

Hannah was just as weary of picking strawberries as Lily. The girls picked slower and slower. To help pass the time, they made plans for things to do after strawberry season was over.

“I'm going to take long walks in the woods,” Hannah said. “Maybe I'll walk past Aaron Yoder's house.”

Lily ignored that. She wanted to sit and read one of her books for a whole day without having to do anything else.

Mama and Aunt Mary had stopped singing and were talking. Lily sidled closer to the row they were working on. Eavesdropping on them was better than nothing.

“How is the mini barn business?” Mama said.

“It's doing well,” Aunt Mary said. “Elmer has built the barns in between his fieldwork. He's been busy. But we've already sold a few.” She stood and put her hands on her hips, stretching her back. “That reminds me! Last evening,
Elmer and I thought it might be a nice treat for the children to camp overnight in a mini barn after strawberry season is over. They've all been working so hard.”

“That sounds like a fun idea,” Mama said. “I'll talk it over with Daniel, but I don't see why they couldn't enjoy a little campout.”

Lily and Hannah looked at each other, mouths open to a big
O
. A campout sounded like fun! They both began picking strawberries faster and faster. The sooner the last strawberry was picked, the sooner they could have their overnight.

S
trawberry season finally came to an end. On a beautiful, warm Sunday evening, Lily and Joseph were packing up to spend a night camping with their cousins. Dannie was in a bad mood because he was told he was too young to join them, but other than that, it was an exciting event.

Papa and Mama sat on the front porch swing. Papa held Paul in his lap and Dannie sat between Mama and Papa, sad and sorry for himself. Lily and Joseph waved goodbye and started down the road. They carried their overnight things in shopping bags. Lily had packed her prettiest nightgown. Joseph had stuffed into his bag the first pair of pajamas he could find in his room.

Cousins Levi and Hannah were waiting outside for them, eager to get the campout under way. They had already spread blankets and pillows in two mini barns. Aunt Mary had
popped popcorn. The children sat on the front porch, eating popcorn, talking, and laughing, until it was time for bed.

Levi, Davy, and Joseph went into the boys' mini barn and Lily and Hannah went into the other one. The girls took turns changing into their nightgowns. Lily stood outside the mini barn while she waited for Hannah to change. She noticed a lot of fireflies fluttering around. Their little lights blinked on and off. It would be fun to try to catch some before they settled down to sleep. “Hurry, Hannah!”

Hannah opened the door. “All ready,” she said.

“Let's catch some fireflies!” Lily said.

“That would be fun,” Hannah said. She and Lily ran to the basement to get jars to hold the fireflies they caught. As they came out of the basement, they saw three white ghosts tiptoe toward the girls' mini barn.

Lily and Hannah stopped abruptly, hearts pounding.

“The boys are hiding under sheets,” Hannah whispered. “They think we're inside the mini barn. They think they're scaring us.”

They waited to see what the boys were going to do next. They had to cover their mouths to keep from laughing out loud when they saw them pick up sticks and scratch the side of the mini barn, making funny groaning noises.

“Let's fill up plastic bottles with water,” Hannah said. “We can sneak up behind them and squirt them.”

They tiptoed back to the basement, careful not to slam the door or make any noise to alert the boys that they weren't inside their mini barn.

They filled two bottles with water. Carefully, they sneaked up behind the boys and squeezed the bottles as hard as they could. The boys yelled and screamed, running back to their
mini barn. Lily and Hannah chased behind, laughing and squirting water.

The noise brought Uncle Elmer outside to see what the ruckus was all about. His gaze took in the soaked sheets on the ground, then shifted to the empty bottles in the girls' hands. He listened, eyes twinkling, to Hannah's explanation. “Okay, I think there has been enough excitement for one evening,” he said. “Time to get some sleep. Hannah, you go inside and bring some dry sheets out for the boys. Then it's time to get to bed. No more visiting each other's mini barns. Understand?”

“Yes,” chimed five voices.

Lily went back to the girls' mini barn and sat on her blanket, waiting for Hannah to come back. Hannah returned and sat next to her. They both laughed at turning the tables on the boys. It was so easy! They were too wide awake from excitement to go to sleep.

“Do you think Samuel Yoder took Teacher Rhoda home from the singing again tonight?” Hannah asked.

“Probably,” Lily said. “Mama says that they're courting.”

“I hope they don't get married until we turn sixteen,” Hannah said. “I think weddings will be more fun after we're old enough to be a part of the youth group.”

“I just hope she waits to get married until we graduate so we can help with the wedding. Just four more years.” Lily stretched out on the blanket and leaned on her elbows. “I wonder what they do.”

“Who? What?” Hannah asked.

“Samuel and Rhoda,” Lily said. “I wonder what they do for courting.”

The girls lay quietly for a moment, chins on their palms,
pondering the mysteries of courting. Hannah's face lit up. “Why don't we go see? Teacher Rhoda's home isn't very far away. Only through the woods and over a few fields. We could run over and peep through their windows.”

“But it's dark outside,” Lily said. “And your father said we need to stay in our mini barns.”

“No, he didn't,” Hannah said. “He said we couldn't go visiting in each other's mini barns. We won't be doing
that
.” Which was an example of how Hannah reasoned. “I have a flashlight and the moon is shining brightly.” She jumped to her feet. “Come on. Let's go!”

“In our nightgowns?” Lily asked.

“Of course!” Hannah said. “No one will see us.”

Lily held her breath as Hannah opened the door. The hinges creaked noisily, echoing in the still of the night. She was sure that Uncle Elmer could hear it and would come see what they were doing.

It was a warm night. There were no other sounds besides chirping crickets, singing katydids, and the distant sound of a few night birds trilling in the woods. Lily and Hannah hurried out the driveway and across the road. Along the way, they discussed what they were going to do, knowing it was wrong but lured by its daring.

Then they came to the woods. The trees rose like towering giants. The moonlight sifted through the branches and cast flickering shadows on the floor of the woods. Every step they took seemed to make noise. Twigs snapped, leaves crunched. The woods seemed alive with spooky noises. Lily's heart beat fast as she tried to stay close to Hannah. She wanted to go right back to the mini barn and call it a night. Hannah wasn't scared at all. She just kept on marching through the
woods in her nightgown, shining the flashlight on the path ahead of them.

Lily was relieved to come out on the other side of the woods. Now there were only two cornfields and a hayfield to cross before they reached Teacher Rhoda's home. The cornstalks weren't even up to their knees yet, so walking through the field was easy. They followed the rows and stepped over plants.

Unfortunately, the plan started to unravel as soon as they entered Teacher Rhoda's yard. A dog started to bark. Loud and scary. Lily and Hannah stopped in their tracks. The dog ran around the corner of the house, barking at them. But when he saw them, he wagged his tail and came over to be petted. Lily stroked his head and whispered, “Please don't bark anymore.” The dog wiggled all over as if he understood what Lily had said.

Hannah pointed to a window. “I think they must be in there. Do you see the lamplight?”

Holding hands, the girls tiptoed up the porch steps. They froze when a wooden board creaked underneath their feet. They crossed the porch to peek into the living room window. The dog followed behind them and sat down, his tail beating a steady
thump
,
thump
,
thump
against the floor. Lily and Hannah peered inside. Samuel and Rhoda were sitting on a sofa, eating popcorn from a bowl and talking.

What a disappointment! Had they walked all this way in the middle of the night just to see them talk?

Hannah was disappointed, too. “Let's go,” she whispered. They turned around and started down the porch steps. The dog walked beside them, his toenails clicking against the wood. Hannah walked down a few steps and then jumped
to the bottom. The dog crossed in front of her to dart after Hannah, causing Lily to trip. She tumbled down to the bottom of the stairs.

Lily jumped up, smoothing her nightgown. Suddenly, the door opened and there stood Samuel and Teacher Rhoda.

“What are you girls doing here?” Teacher Rhoda asked.

Lily and Hannah looked at each other. How awful to have been caught spying on them! “We wanted to see what people do when they are courting,” Hannah said.

Samuel and Teacher Rhoda stood looking at them. Lily wished she could disappear. She felt so foolish—standing at the foot of the porch steps in her nightgown. The silly dog sat beside her like they were best friends.

Lily managed to look disinterested. “Well, we'll just be on our way. We won't bother you again.”

“It's about time I head for home,” Samuel said. “I can give you a ride.”

“We can walk,” Lily and Hannah said at the same time. What if he were to tell Uncle Elmer? Oh, this was terrible.

“Nonsense,” Samuel said. “Let me go get my horse and we'll be on our way.” He didn't sound mad. He sounded amused.

Quiet followed as Lily and Hannah climbed on Samuel's buggy and sat there like stones. Miserable stones. This fun spying adventure had turned out to be a disaster. What would their parents say when they found out what they had done?

Samuel's horse trotted briskly down the road. Lily was torn between wanting this ride to be over and not wanting to get home. “Lily is spending the night at our house,” Hannah said.

“It's always nice when cousins can have fun together,” Samuel said. But instead of taking both of them to Uncle Elmer's
house, Samuel turned into Lily's driveway. He jumped off the buggy and tied his horse to the hitching post. He waved to Lily to climb down. Then he walked up to the front porch with her.

Lily wanted to run and hide when Samuel knocked on the door. She heard Papa's footsteps and then the door opened. He looked back and forth between Samuel and Lily.

“Lily and Hannah thought it would be fun to spy on a courting couple,” Samuel said.

Papa looked at her. “Ah. I see. I'm sorry, Samuel. Lily, go inside.”

Lily ran up the stairs to her room and jumped into bed. She could hear Papa and Samuel talk for a little and then the crunch of buggy wheels on the gravel driveway as Samuel took Hannah home.

Papa and Mama came into Lily's bedroom. They stood looking at her. Lily felt as if she had never been looked at so much in her life as she had this evening. She wanted to pull the covers up over her head. She didn't, but she wanted to.

“I'm sorry to hear what you and Hannah did tonight,” Mama said.

“Little girls have no business wandering the countryside at night and peering into other people's homes,” Papa said. “No more sleepovers until we're sure we can trust you to behave. I want you to promise us that you will never go spying on anyone ever again. Not ever.”

“I promise,” Lily whispered.
That
, she thought, wouldn't be hard to remember.

Uncle Jacob preached the main sermon at church that week, his first. He did a fine job of preaching. He was Lily's
favorite minister, and not just because he was her uncle. His preaching was so easy to listen to that even she could understand what he was talking about.

Everyone sat down after the benediction. Lily reached for the hymnbook, tucked under the bench, expecting to hear him announce where church would be held next.

But no! Uncle Jacob rose to his feet for a special announcement. “Two young people, with the blessings of their parents, want to get married. They are Samuel Yoder and Rhoda King. The wedding will be a week from Thursday.”

Hannah nudged Lily with her elbow. “Told you,” she whispered. Then Uncle Jacob sat down and the song leader announced the last song. Everyone started to sing as if nothing unusual had just happened. Lily tried to see if Teacher Rhoda's face was turning red. Lily would feel mortified if she heard her name announced in church for everyone to hear. It was another very good reason to not get married.

As soon as the song ended, Samuel and Teacher Rhoda rose and walked outside. By the time church was dismissed, they had driven off in Samuel's buggy.

How mysterious! Lily wondered what could be so important that they were missing out on church lunch and an afternoon of visiting with their friends. She searched out Mama to ask, “Where did Teacher Rhoda and Samuel go?”

Mama smiled. “They went to write wedding invitations.”

That would mean they had to write hundreds of invitations. Weddings were huge events—everyone was invited. Lily's hands felt achy just thinking about writing so many invitations.

Another excellent reason to never get married.