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Teacher Rhoda’s Horrible News

Today 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.