32
Love at First Splash

Church would be at Cousin Hannah’s house today—close enough to walk. “Jim gets a Sabbath rest today, too,” Papa had said as they walked down the lane after breakfast. Lily wondered if Jim really wanted a Sabbath rest. If she were a horse, she would want to see all her horse friends. It must be lonely for Jim to stay at home with no one except Pansy the cow, some annoying goats, and a couple of chickens to keep him company.

As they turned into Hannah’s driveway, Lily forgot about Jim and thought about this afternoon—after the long, long, long church service and after lunch, when the girls could gather together and play. That was the best part of Sunday, the very best. Just thinking about it helped her be quiet and good during church.

A few hours later, as soon as lunch was finished, Lily and her friends had gathered in Cousin Hannah’s bedroom to play. The girls were just deciding what to play when Mama knocked on the door and said, “Lily, we’re going home.”

What? How disappointing! But Lily knew she didn’t have a say-so in the matter. She followed Mama downstairs. Papa put baby Paul in the little wagon and off they went down the driveway. Lily turned and looked back at Hannah’s window, wondering which game her friends had chosen to play. It wasn’t fair.

Then came even worse news. As soon as they reached home, Papa told the children to take a nap.

How awful! Lily didn’t like taking a nap during the day. It was such a waste of time. And why would a ten-year-old have to take a nap? Naps were for babies and little boys, like Joseph and Dannie and Paul. Not for nearly grown-up girls.

As if he could read her mind, Papa said, “Lily, Mama and I thought it might be nice to attend the hymn singing tonight. It’s always late by the time it’s over, so if everyone takes a nap now, we can stay up a little longer tonight.”

Well, that put the horrible afternoon-nap idea in an entirely different light. Lily was thrilled to hear they would be going to the hymn singing tonight. Her family didn’t attend them very often. The singings were usually for the boys and girls who were old enough to start socializing. Lily could not wait until she turned sixteen and joined them. Oh, what a happy birthday that would be!

Lily ran to her room, changed her clothes, and jumped on the bed. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep but her mind was too busy making plans. She would sit beside Cousin Hannah and eavesdrop on the big girls’ conversations. They tried to listen in to the eighth graders at school but were always shooed away. Whatever did those big girls have to talk about? They put their heads together and twittered like chickens.

She tried to imagine herself as a sixteen-year-old at a singing, sitting at a table with the rest of the big girls. In a flash, she realized that those big girls would be her friends. Would Hannah still be taller than her? Would Effie still have a puckered-up look on her face, like she’d just eaten a green persimmon? Lily grinned at the thought.

The next thing she knew, Mama was gently shaking her shoulder. “It’s time to get ready for the singing.”

Lily’s eyes went wide. Had she really slept? She jumped out of bed and changed back into her Sunday clothes. She galloped downstairs to eat sandwiches Mama had prepared for a quick supper. The good thing about sandwiches was they didn’t make a lot of dirty dishes. It didn’t take long to get everything cleaned up, and then it was time to go to the singing. How fun! Lily skipped down the driveway, ahead of Mama and Papa and the boys.

Hannah was waiting at the end of her driveway for Lily to arrive. The girls ran to the front porch swing. They wanted to be able to watch all the buggies come in the driveway and stop in front of the house. The girls would get off the buggies and walk into the house while the boys went to unhitch the horses. Then the boys would stand around in a big group talking and laughing and horsing around until it was time to start singing.

Watching them, Lily thought it might be fun to be a boy. They were able to talk and laugh as loud as they pleased. Inside the house, the girls would stand in a clump and quietly visit. Only soft, gentle laughter allowed. In just about every way, boys had more fun than girls.

After they got bored watching the boys, Hannah suggested they go inside. Lily slid off the swing and followed Hannah into the house. The girls sat quietly at the table. Teacher Rhoda smiled at Lily and Hannah when she saw them and started paging through her little black hymnbook.

Lily hoped Teacher Rhoda would lead a few songs tonight. She had a beautiful voice. She wanted Papa and Mama to hear how lovely her voice was.

Soon, a noisy clomping sound hit the porch. It was the boys, coming in for the singing time. Hannah and Lily darted behind their parents and found a chair to sit on. They watched as the boys filed in and sat across the table from the girls.

Aaron Yoder’s oldest brother, Samuel, the one who seemed all grown-up, announced the first song and everyone started to sing. It was pure heaven to Lily. She loved the sounds of harmony. In church, they sang in only one voice, no harmony. No one should stand out but they should all sing as one. But at singings, they could sing different parts. She knew every song and was able to keep up.

She watched as the girls shared two glasses that they filled with water from the pitcher that stood in the middle of the table. On the other side, the boys also had two glasses that they shared. Lily thought that was disgusting. She would never take a drink of water at a singing table once she was old enough to be part of the young folks.

A little later they passed a saltshaker around the table and anyone who was beginning to get hoarse from singing so long sprinkled a little into the palm of their hand and then licked it. Lily and Hannah both thought that was weird. They looked at each other and giggled. It was funny to see big boys and girls licking salt like a cow at a salt lick. Even Teacher Rhoda took a little salt.

After two hours of singing, one of the boys announced the closing hymn. It was one of Lily’s favorite songs. It always made her feel happy and bouncy. She was sorry when it was over. The boys got up from the table and filed outside. The girls remained sitting at the table for a while longer visiting with each other. Quietly visiting, of course.

“Let’s go outside and watch everyone leave,” Hannah said.

Lily thought she should ask Mama, but she was busy talking to Aunt Mary. Baby Paul was sleeping in her lap.

So Lily quietly followed Hannah outside. They could hear the boys talking and laughing again. She wanted to sneak closer to them to hear what they were talking about. It sounded interesting.

“Let’s hide here under this pine tree,” Hannah said. “We can peek through the branches and watch to see who gets in the buggies.”

It wasn’t long before the first buggy drove up. In it was Carrie Kauffman’s brother. He stopped at the house and Carrie walked down the porch steps and got on the buggy. As the buggy drove out the driveway, another buggy drove in. In this one was Samuel Yoder. Lily thought it was strange that he bothered to stop at the house. After all, he didn’t have a sister. She was surprised to see Teacher Rhoda come out and get on the buggy and then they drove away together.

“Teacher Rhoda has a beau!” Hannah whispered. “She’ll probably get married soon.”

Wait. What? That was terrible news! She wanted Teacher Rhoda to always be her teacher and not ever get married. Especially not to a brother of Aaron Yoder.

Lily and Hannah went back inside. Papa and Mama were getting the little boys ready to go home. On the walk home, Lily asked Mama why Teacher Rhoda would take a ride with Aaron’s brother.

Mama was not happy to hear that Lily and Hannah had been spying. “Teacher Rhoda and Aaron’s brother are courting,” she said.

“Will they get married?” Lily asked. Please please please please please say no.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” Mama said, but she had a twinkle in her eye. “I don’t want you to say anything about it at school. The other children probably don’t know and they don’t need to find out through you. Understand?”

“Yes, Mama,” Lily said. It would be fun to keep such an important secret. At least she finally knew something that Effie Kauffman didn’t know. “But if Teacher Rhoda marries Samuel, then she won’t be my teacher anymore.”

“Only time will tell,” Mama said.

But what if time told Lily something she didn’t want to hear?

The next evening, the boys went to sleep early and Lily was allowed to stay up. It was quiet in the living room. The only sounds were the clicking of Mama’s knitting needles and the rustle of Papa’s newspaper. Lily got tired of worrying quietly.

“It would be terrible if she stopped teaching!” Lily said very loudly, making Papa jump.

“Are you still worrying about Teacher Rhoda?” Mama said.

“Yes!” Lily said. “She will marry Samuel Yoder and never teach again!”

“Lily, you might be putting the cart before the horse,” Papa said. “Even if that were to happen, then the school board would find another teacher for the school.”

“What if we end up with another teacher like Teacher Katie?” Lily said. “It will be awful! Everyone will move away. We will move away. And then we will have to start all over again!”

“That’s borrowing an awful lot of trouble,” Papa said. He went back behind his newspaper.

Lily looked to Mama. “I don’t know why anyone would want to get married and stop teaching school.” Especially to someone related to Aaron Yoder.

“When you fall in love with someone, you’re willing to give up some things,” Mama said. “You’ll see.”

“Not me,” Lily said. She couldn’t think of one boy to love and marry. “I don’t think I’ll get married. I’m going to live with you and Papa for the rest of my life.”

Papa dropped his paper and exchanged a smile with Mama. “You may feel different later on.”

“I did,” Mama said. “Love has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it.”

Lily made a face. That sounded creepy.

“Like moonlight,” Mama said. “It sneaks up on you like moonlight.”

That sounded a little better.

“But how did you know it was love?”

Mama cast a sideways glance at Papa. “Whenever I was around Papa, I felt like I had butterflies in my tummy.”

“Like you were sick?” Lily said, which made Papa laugh.

“No,” Mama said. “They were romantic butterflies.” Lily moved over to the couch and stared at Papa over the newspaper. He did not look romantic to her. He looked embarrassed. But pleased, too. More pleased than embarrassed.

“Did you ever hear how we met?” Mama said with a smile.

“Rachel,” Papa said, grinning. His cheeks turned red.

“How?” Lily said. “What did Papa do?”

“It was at Sunday church, after lunch. I had helped wash dishes and went out on the porch to toss out the dirty wash water over the railing. But . . . I didn’t look first. I threw the dishwater right at Papa’s face!” She cringed at the memory, but it was a happy cringe.

“You did that?” Lily said. “Poor Papa!”

“I was just minding my own business, walking past the porch, whistling a happy tune, and suddenly a beautiful girl was tossing dirty dishwater at me.” Papa laughed. “But after I got over the shock, I realized that beautiful girl had captured my heart.” He winked at Mama. “It was love at first splash.”