––––––––
Two weeks later, the flu outbreak seemed to have worn itself out. Just as students had fallen ill and stayed home, drawing down the numbers in attendance at school, the began to return by ones, and twos. Annie, counting the students back in their seats and seeing thirteen faces attentively turned toward her, wrote a quick note to Mr. Kopp, letting him know that her students were recovering and coming back to school. She gave the note to Micah, who promised to give it to his father.
“And, in the future, if anyone comes down with an illness that spreads so easily – flu, a stomach bug, whatever – please stay home. It’s much healthier that way. I will make sure you get assignments, never fear!”
Students giggled, knowing she would do just that.
Annie moved to the next lesson of the day. At the end of the day, the board showed up with smiles on their bearded faces.
“Miss Fisher, I got your note. The play is back on, ya?”
“Yes, it is, Mr. Kopp.”
You don’t have much time. You concentrate on having the class learn their parts and we will advertise for you. If there is anything you need for the play, give me a list. What kinds of props do you have?”
Annie beckoned the school board members to a closet at the side of the room. “I have these figurines of the animals. Students will portray Mary, Joseph and the wise men. I will need hay and a manger. I will have a student bring in a doll to represent the Infant Jesus.”
“Excellent. You get them learning their parts and we will let the community know that the play will be taking place,” said Mr. Kopp.
In town, Hannah saw the school board members hanging handwritten fliers advertising the school’s play. She realized she could make things difficult for Annie through the play. Seeing Annie riding through Peace Landing with props stacked in the buggy, she realized how she could interfere. I will take different props and make her look like she doesn’t know what she’s doing.
On the day of the play, Annie closed and locked the school building after wrapping herself in her scarf and coat. Driving off, she didn’t see Hannah skulking behind the building, watching her leave.
Hannah tried the door. Finding it locked, she scurried to the back of the building and forced the window open and climbed in. Opening the closet door, she rifled through several props and chose those that seemed to be the most important. She was so focused on picking props, she failed to hear the unlocking of the front door.
“Miss Lapp! What are you doing?” Mr. Kopp’s deep voice roared out.
Hannah shrieked, startled. As she whirled around, she dropped several of the items she had in her arms, breaking them.
“I . . . I . . .” Hannah couldn’t say anything else. She knew she’d been caught red-handed.
“Come with me. I’m leaving a note for Miss Fisher, telling her what I found you doing. Put those props down and get into my buggy . . . now,” he ordered.
Hannah, frightened, didn’t dare try to defy Mr. Kopp. She climbed into the buggy and sat next to him, knowing they were on their way to her parents’ home. As the buggy stopped, she jumped out, hoping she could avoid the worst of what was about to come.
“Miss Lapp! Stay with me,” ordered Mr. Kopp. “Take me to your parents, right now.”
Hannah directed him to the barn, where she knew her father and brother were.
“Jacob, go get your mamm. It’s important that she hear this,” Mr. Kopp said.
Jacob hurried, wondering what the news was now. From the look on Mr. Kopp’s face, he knew it was bad. Returning with his mother, he sat down next to her. Mr. Kopp, their father and Hannah were sitting in a silent circle, waiting for them.
“Mr. and Mrs. Lapp – Jacob – I went to the school house to see if Miss Fisher needed any final preparations completed for the play. I found your daughter inside, taking several of the animals Miss Fisher has collected as props. Many of them are now broken, dropped by your daughter. She has been trying to undermine Miss Fisher as the new Peace Landing teacher ever since the beginning of the school year. I rather suspect that Hannah is the source of the ‘leak’ regarding some students and services they were receiving. What she has done goes against the Plain life and the Ordnung. It is for the ministers to decide whether what she has done rises to the level of excommunication and Shunning. Miss Lapp, I told you last summer that Miss Fisher had gotten the job because she applied for it and qualified for it. I know why you are not allowed to go to town – your parents have made a decision that you are to be escorted everywhere you go, because of your tendency to misbehave and cause trouble for others. That is their right as your parents. And that is why you missed out on learning of that job announcement. If you were not so bent on causing trouble for others, you would have been able to go to town freely, you would have learned of the announcement – and you would have been considered along with all applicants. Do you understand that I’m saying your actions have had an impact, not only on those you have aimed them at, but upon you?”
Hannah, her heart pounding, finally realized how her actions had impacted her and her future. Keeping her eyes downcast, she nodded.
“Ya, I understand.”
In her room, she cried, inconsolable. All she had wanted to do was to make it clear that she had been cheated! Yet, from what Mr. Kopp had said, she had cheated herself with her actions.
Downstairs, Hannah’s parents sat in the kitchen, talking quietly.
“We have to go talk to the ministers and let them know what she has been doing. All this time! She has been doing her damage, trying to get back at Annie Fisher,” said Mr. Lapp.
“Were we too strict with her?”
“Nee, nee. If we had allowed her to have full freedom within Peace Landing, just imagine what she would have done. All along, she has carried an attitude that she is entitled to something, whether she has earned it or not. Even when we talked to her, she refused to understand that, if she hadn’t earned something, she wasn’t entitled to it. We will go talk to the ministers tomorrow. To spare Miss Fisher, we won’t be going to the play. Jacob, if he wishes, may go. Hannah is staying at home. She will only go to town with one of us until a decision is made,” decided Mr. Lapp.
“Ya, I will go tell her,” sighed Mrs. Lapp. She trudged upstairs, knocking on Hannah’s closed door.
“Come in,” said Hannah dispiritedly.
“Hannah, your daed and I have just finished talking. You will not be going to the play; when you go to town at all, it will be with Jacob, me or your father. You have shown yourself to be untrustworthy of the little freedom we had granted you with running errands. We will be talking to the Peace Landing community ministers – about excommunication. Hannah, you may be forced to leave, not only Peace Landing, but our family! All because you could not let go of the thought that you were ‘entitled’ to things you had not earned. If you are excommunicated, you will not be allowed to take that teaching position in Hope Township – unless you show remorse and repent and make a confession to the bishop,” said Mrs. Lapp hopefully. “Because you have done this more than once, I don’t know how it will go for you – will you repent?”
“Mamm, I see how I have harmed myself . . . but I still believe that I was cheated out of the teaching position here in Peace Landing. I . . . don’t know what I will decide,” Hannah said as tears thickened her voice. “I have to be honest with you. If I am shunned, I will see how I feel – how my beliefs change. To answer your question, I don’t know if I will repent or not,” Hannah said.
The Lapp house was quiet that night. Jacob went to the play, hoping to see Jenny King there.
***
Back at the school house, Annie unlocked the door and stopped short as she saw the broken animal figures. She had no more left that she could use to represent the animals in the manger. Making a quick decision, she pulled out large pieces of cardboard and quickly drew and colored animal shapes. Using a sharp cutter, she cut each animal out and propped it against a desk. She was working so hard to get the stage ready, she failed to hear the scuff of a footstep on the wood floor.
“Annie. I found out about your break-in. I have several large, wooden animals. You can use them, now and in future years,” said Mark.
“Oh, Mark! I . . . thank you!” Annie sped over to him and relieved him of two of the smaller animals.
The couple moved the desks into rows, then set up the stage with the wooden and ceramic animals. Mark scattered large clumps of hay to make the “manger” look more realistic. Annie moved a large table to one side of the room as families began to drift in, placing platters of refreshments. The refreshments went on the long table and families began finding their seats.
Mark sat to one side, telling Annie that, if she needed any help, he would be ready. Annie smiled gently at him, then hurried to the back of the school house, where she helped children into their costumes.
“Everyone, you’re going to do a wonderful job! You all know your parts. The stage is set up, and it looks just like the manger in Jerusalem. Remember, you are in the play to give glory to the Lord. This is why we celebrate Christmas – to remember His birth,” Annie finished saying. “I will be right back. Stay right here and don’t get loud!” She hurried back to the front, where she helped families find rapidly diminishing spaces for the refreshments. Looking around, she saw her parents. She continued to look – the only Lapp in attendance was Jacob. Annie was not aware of what had happened at the Lapp home. Thinking, she knew she would learn what was deemed appropriate. Shutting Hannah and her actions out of her mind, she returned to the back of the school, where she helped a few late-coming students into their costumes.
“Okay, we are getting started. Mary, Joseph, shepherds, wise men – all follow me! Take your places as we rehearsed all week long.”
At the end of the play, Annie let out a long-held breath. It was over! She clasped her hands in front of her as the audience applauded loudly. She saw Mr. Kopp and the other members of the school board applauding as well.
“While your children get dressed, feel free to take some refreshments and mingle! Thank you for coming to our Christmas presentation! Our students worked very hard on their roles, practicing and learning their lines. They will be out in short order. Please – enjoy some refreshments!”
Annie stood to the side as Mr. Kopp approached her.
“When you have a few minutes, we need to talk,” he told her in a low voice. “Ya, Mr. Kopp. I will be cleaning up after everyone leaves. Can we talk then?”
“Ya. I think your parents – and Mark – should also hear this. It will be common knowledge very soon.”
Annie looked silently at Mr. Kopp, surprised at his words.
“Oh! Ya. I will ask them to stay behind,” she promised.
After everyone had left, Mr. Kopp asked Annie, Mark and Annie’s parents to sit down. The men drew up several desks and the group sat down.
“Miss Fisher, I came in and found Miss Lapp holding several figurines you had intended to use for the play. When I called out her name, she turned and dropped them. She was in the act of stealing those parts, Miss Fisher . . . so she could make you look incompetent as a teacher. I drove her to her parents’ farm. Mr. and Mrs. Lapp will be talking to the bishop and deacon about excommunication for Miss Lapp. What she did – stealing – goes directly against, not only the Commandments, but the Ordnung. She has long been restless. Your mother can tell you what actions she caught her in while she was her teacher. She has a sense of entitlement that leads her to believe that she should get what she has not worked for – your teaching job, for instance. You do know, don’t you, that her parents placed severe restrictions on her after learning of some of her past actions? You know she was only allowed to come to town with one of her parents or with Jacob?”
“Ya, I do, but . . .”
“It has a bearing on what has been happening to you. Your mother announced her retirement during the busiest part of the planting season. We announced it immediately. You and several other applicants provided your applications. Because Jacob and Mr. Lapp were so busy with planting, they could not bring her to town. Mrs. Lapp was away at that time, taking care of a sick relative. Nobody could bring her to town. She missed the application deadline and learned of it only when I gave you the news that you had been selected.”
“Oh, now I understand . . . didn’t she get that teaching position in Hope Township?”
“Ya, but that is now in jeopardy. If she ex excommunicated and Shunned, she will not be allowed to communicate with any Amish. At all, for at least the short term.”
“Oh . . . And, if she repents?”
“No excommunication. Miss Fisher, to preserve the integrity of our faith, anyone who commits wrong must be punished and, if necessary, excommunicated. Of course, if she decides she repents . . .”
“She will be welcome back.” Annie concluded.
“Yes. I don’t know what will happen after this. If anything else unusual happens, I want you to tell your father and me right away. We will make sure that, if Miss Lapp is at the bottom of any future events, the ministers, deacon and bishop are informed. You will not be unprotected any more. You are a wonderful young teacher, full of ideas, compassion and energy. Your students are benefiting from your teaching.”
Annie blushed. “Denki, Mr. Kopp.”
After getting to the Fisher home, Mark helped Mr. Fisher unload the play props and store them in the barn. In the house, Annie and her mother made hot cocoa and filled a plate with several cookies. The two men came into the house and joined the women around the large, rectangular kitchen table.
“Well, my Annie, you did it! Your first Christmas play is now a success and you have given Peace Landing something good to talk about for the next few weeks,” said Mr. Fisher.
“Denki, daed. I had a lot of help and guidance from mamm. Without her, I wouldn’t have known where to begin. When the flu outbreak slowed us down, Mr. Kopp and the school board helped tremendously with advertising our presentation. I had a lot of help, and I won’t be forgetting that,” said Annie.
Mr. Fisher looked at everyone and his expression became solemn.
“We have to face the biggest issue we just learned about – Hannah Lapp and her attempts to make Annie look incompetent. I am not happy with what she did – in fact, I am angry about it, but it is our practice to forgive those who wrong us. Hannah is no exception to that rule. The Ordnung requires that we follow the example of the Lord and forgive others, even if we have difficulty forgetting. Annie, what are your thoughts?”
“Like you, daed, I’m angry. I understand her upset and anger at missing the announcement of the opening last spring, but she knows why she missed it. She also knows that, if she had not tried to wrong others, she would have had more freedom to move around within Peace Landing, and she would have learned of the opening before it was too late. There is an Englisher expression. Mark, you may know it. It goes like this . . . ‘trust, but verify.’ I am working on forgiving Hannah, but from now on, when I have to interact with her, it will be on that basis. I will trust what she says, but I will verify it first. If she is only excommunicated for a short while, she will need to express her remorse in front of the community because she was baptized a year before I was. I hope that, if she chooses to apologize to us, she will be sincere about how she has wronged Peace Landing and her relationship with the Lord. If not, well, then . . .” Annie shrugged eloquently.
“Here are my thoughts, and I know I am going to have to pray long and hard to get to where I need to be,” said Mrs. Fisher. “Annie, you are a gifted teacher, and I don’t say that just because I’m your mamm. You have been given a gift from God in your ability to reach out to and connect with children. They feel that and respond. You are my daughter, and this is where it gets hard for me . . .” Here, Mrs. Fisher began to choke up. “Hannah Lapp nearly destroyed your ability to teach in Peace Landing and elsewhere with her actions. Spreading the news that the Kurtz children are receiving special services . . . making it look as though you had spoken out about that . . . breaking into our school house and trying to steal play props to make you look incompetent . . . I want to protect you, today and always. I don’t know if this is my mother’s gut or if the Lord is telling me, but I feel as if you still need to be watchful around Hannah. Like I said, I will be praying for the ability to forgive that young woman. She is troubled. Maybe some time by herself will allow her to reflect and pray. I don’t know.” Mrs. Fisher wiped tears from her face as she finished.
“I hope you’ll allow me to speak,” said Mark Stoltzfus. “Annie and I have been seeing each other for some time now. I have seen her preparing to become a teacher and, now that she is teaching, I see her preparing lessons for her students. Like you, I see her as gifted with her abilities. She is meant to work with children and impart knowledge to them. Annie, I have forgiven Hannah Lapp, but, like you, I will be cautious whenever she’s around.”
“Everyone, Christmas is just around the corner. This year’s wedding season has just ended. We will be busy from now until after Christmas day, so I suggest we all get to bed and prepare ourselves for the next few days. Today and all its mishaps and achievements is done. We have much to learn from God, and maybe that is what we are supposed to take from today’s events,” said Mr. Fisher.
Mark stood, placing his hat securely on his head and putting his heavy jacket back on.
“Annie, I will be seeing you,” he promised. “School is ended for the rest of this year, so we will have a little more time we can spend with each other. I will need your help completing the gifts I’m giving out. You are much more artistic than I am.”
Annie grinned tiredly. “I’ll be glad to help you out. I have final gift preparations to complete as well.”
***
The next day, Annie and her mother began working on Christmas preparations in earnest. Baking and browning bread cubes, chopping vegetables and boiling various meats for the Christmas meal took up most of the next several days. As they worked, they talked quietly between themselves about the damage Hannah had attempted to cause to Annie.
“I am still struggling with forgiveness. In my prayers, I have learned that my desire to protect you has taken over. I have to agree with Mark – be careful around her, Annie! I think I have forgiven her, as the Lord wishes, but it is so hard! Oh, look what I’ve done!” Mrs. Fisher had been rolling out cookie dough and, in her emotion, had pressed down so hard on the dough with the roller that she had split the circle of dough in two pieces. Sighing, she picked the pieces up, re-formed a ball and began rolling it out more carefully.
“Mamm, we all need to be careful. It will take time for the church bishop and deacon to come to a decision – and, unless I’m wrong, Hannah’s eventual decision will dictate what happens. I don’t get a good feeling about what may happen. Stealing? Violating the confidentiality of our neighbors? Those are serious actions. They will be asking Hannah if she repents before they make any decisions about her future here in Peace Landing. I will be very careful, not only about my teaching, but about all aspects of my life. I don’t trust her. That’s not a good feeling. I have learned a valuable lesson about friendship and trust – from Hannah, of all people!” said Annie.
Mrs. Fisher smiled. “You know, you have a staunch ally in Mark Stoltzfus. That young man cares for you very much. He will help you make sure that you won’t be harmed ever again.”
Annie blushed and grinned at her mother. “Yes. I get that feeling, too. He has become very . . . important to me, mamm. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the near future, but I hope he stays in my life.” She looked down as she measured ingredients, missing her mother’s delighted grin.