A Surprise for Lily (5 page)

By late afternoon, vans started to arrive. One after the other, filled with Papa's brothers and sisters and their children. Men had brought church benches to the house and filled the living room with them. The benches at the back of the room started to fill with Lily's cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Lily didn't know any of her same-age cousins except for three: Ella, Rosie, and Miriam. She knew those cousins only because they were included in her circle letter. She wished the girl cousins could go find a place to talk far away from this room of hushed whispers. Everyone acted sad and solemn and oh-so-proper.

Happily, all the cousins—boys and girls—were just as bored as Lily. The boys lasted about an hour and then they suddenly got up and filed out to the barn. Papa gave a nod to Joseph and Dannie and they followed right behind the big boys.

The girl cousins, being more mature and grown-up than the boys, sat for a while longer, until one of the older ones suggested that they could go outside and sit under a shade tree. Everyone else jumped up from the hard backless benches, as if they were set free. Lily was so relieved when Mama said she could go, too. Oh, to be able to get up and walk outside! She had never appreciated it so much.

The boy cousins had gathered outside the barn, talking and laughing. The girls sat under the big shade trees, clumped together in little age groups.

Lily sat on the ground next to Rosie, her closest-in-age cousin. “I wish we didn't have to miss our first day of school,” Rosie said.

Lily's eyes went wide. Today was the first day of school! How could she have forgotten such an important day? Her thoughts left Kentucky and sailed to Cloverdale. How were Hannah and Beth and Malinda doing with a new teacher? Where was Lily's seat? It had better not be anywhere near Aaron Yoder. She was so sad to realize she had missed out on the excitement of the first day of school. Effie, she knew,
would be acting insufferably important. She would want everyone to assume she was Teacher Judith's best friend.

“How many children are in your grade?” Miriam asked her.

Surely, Miriam was interested only in the girls in Lily's grade. Who would ever care about the stupid boys? Hannah did, but she had an unreasonable crush on Aaron Yoder. Effie would care about the stupid boys, but she was boy crazy and made no sense at all. “There are four other girls in my grade,” Lily said. Rosie and Ella had about the same number of girls in their grades.

Miriam sighed wistfully. “I wish I had classmates,” she said. “I'm all alone in my grade. There are plenty of children in the grade ahead and behind me. I'd even be happy with a boy in my class.”

Lily knew Miriam wouldn't feel that way if she could spend a day anywhere near Aaron Yoder or Sam Stoltzfus. She was just about to say so when something started pinging around them. Someone was tossing gravel peas at the girls' heads. The girls sprang to their feet and looked up into the leafy tree branches. Rosie's brother, Ben, was high on a branch, laughing as he reached into his pants pocket to toss another handful of gravel at them.

“Oh Ben!” Rosie said. “Go away and quit being such a big pest.”

Ben took his time climbing back down the tree. When he hit the ground, he hooked his thumbs into his suspenders. “Do you girls want to play hide and seek?”

“We'll play if the older girls will,” Rosie said.

Lily thought that was pretty smart of Rosie. If they ended up in trouble for playing during the preparation for Grandpa Lapp's funeral, the older girls would be held responsible.

“No problem,” Ben said. “I'll go find everyone.”

For the first time since yesterday morning, Lily felt happy. She liked being a part of a big group of cousins. By the time Ben rounded up everyone who wanted to play hide-and-seek, he had gathered twenty-two children. All of Lily's first cousins on the Lapp side who were close to her in age. Since it had been Ben's idea to play hide-and-seek, the oldest cousins said he should be the one to do the seeking. Ben was pleased. Lily could tell that he liked being the center of attention. He reminded her of the horrible Aaron Yoder.

“I'm only going to count to one hundred before I start looking for all of you,” Ben said. He buried his face in the crook of his arm and leaned against the tree trunk. “One . . . two . . . three . . .”

Ella spoke first. “Let's all hide in the woodshed.” Miriam, Rosie, Lily, and Ella held hands and ran across the yard toward the woodshed. As they reached the shed, Rosie lifted the hook that held the door shut. The girls stepped inside and drew the door shut behind them. As Lily's eyes adjusted to the dim light, she felt an unexpected wave of missing her grandfather. Grandpa Lapp had hung his gardening tools in a row on one wall. Along another wall were neatly stacked piles of split firewood that reached all the way to the roof. Papa stacked his wood in the exact same way. Another wave of missing Grandpa crashed over her. Then it vanished, like a wisp of steam from a cup of tea, as they heard Ben's voice call out, looking for people. The girls froze, huddling low on the floor so Ben couldn't see them through the tiny window as he ran by.

A few seconds later, Lily heard a funny little noise outside the shed. The girls looked at each other. “Was that the hook
on the door?” Lily asked. Ben's face appeared at the tiny window as he peered inside and then ran away, laughing as he went.

Rosie tried to open the door but it was locked. “Ben!” she hollered. “Get back here and let us out!” She started to pound on the door. “Grrrr! He is such a pest!”

Why, this was just the kind of thing Aaron Yoder liked to do! Lily hoped that Ben and Aaron Yoder never met. Double trouble.

The girls took turns pounding on the door. Finally, the door hook was undone. Mama opened the door with a look of frustration. She spoke directly to Lily. “I don't mind if you want to play with your cousins instead of sitting inside, but I expect you to be quiet. Understand?”

“Yes, Mama,” Lily said. How unfair! Why was she the only one who was told to be quiet? Her cousins made just as much noise as she had. Rosie and Ben were the loudest of all.

The next morning, after breakfast, Mama helped Lily pin her black cape and apron. All the other Lapp aunts and girl cousins were arriving soon. Buggies drove up to the house to drop off women and girls. Everyone was dressed in black and no one smiled. Even though it was a warm day, Lily felt cold.

Aunt Tillie, as usual, told everyone what to do and where to sit. All the older grandchildren were supposed to sit on benches at the back of the room. Lily was happy to see she could sit on a bench against the wall. She looked forward to leaning against the wall during the long service. The girls filed in first and then the boys.

Cousin Ben sat right in front of Lily. He looked as if he had
been doing somersaults in the hayloft before he had come into the house. His hair had a few pieces of hay sticking out of it.

After everyone had been seated, the bishop stood and started to preach. Little by little, Ben leaned on his bench so his backside was resting against Lily's knees. Lily wasn't sure what to do. Rosie noticed and nudged Ben. He looked back at both girls with a smug “you can't tell me what to do” grin on his freckled face. He sat up, but it wasn't long before he started pushing his backside against Lily's knees again. Disgusted, Rosie nudged him to sit forward again. It worked . . . for another minute. Then he leaned again.

Rosie leaned over to whisper in Lily's ear. “Poke him with a pin the next time he leans against your knees.”

What a good idea! Lily wished she could think quickly like that. She pulled a pin from her apron belt and held it by her knees. It wasn't long before Ben tried to lean back again. This time, Lily was ready. She held the pin firmly in her hands, point side out, and felt a delightful thrill of triumph as Ben jumped to his feet when the pin stuck him.

Ben's commotion caused his parents to swivel around. His father rose to his feet and marched to the back of the room. He placed his hand on the back of Ben's neck and guided him to sit between his parents.

The pin had worked! Lily tried not to feel smug as the back of Ben's neck flushed bright red with embarrassment.

Lily sat in the buggy with Papa and Mama and the boys as they made their way to the graveyard, slowly and sadly. Ahead of them was the buggy with the casket that held Grandpa Lapp's body. Next came the buggies with Papa's
older brothers and sisters. Behind them came Papa's two younger sisters, then a long string of buggies filled with other relatives and friends.

At the edge of Grandpa Lapp's grave, Lily stood next to Papa and watched as four men gently lowered the casket and covered it with dirt. The sound of the dirt hitting the casket made Lily cringe. It took a long time until the men were done. Finally, everyone returned to the house to eat a meal that the women had prepared.

It was always strange to Lily that grown-ups returned from a burial acting happy. Just a short time ago, everyone had been sad and crying. Now, they were laughing and talking and eating.

Lily sat at a table with her girl cousins, eating and laughing. She was looking forward to an afternoon filled with fun as soon as they could all go outside to play.

Suddenly, Papa was at her side. “It's time to start for home.”

So soon? Lily had just felt as if she was finally getting to know her cousins. She rose from the table and hugged her cousins goodbye.

On the ride home in Mr. Tanner's big blue station wagon, Lily had so many feelings stirring inside of her. She was sad that she would never see Grandpa Lapp again. It was hard to say goodbye to Grandma Lapp. But she did enjoy visiting with her Lapp cousins. She couldn't wait for the next circle letter—it would be so much more fun now that she was familiar with her cousins. And then there was school to look forward to. She was eager to meet Teacher Judith. She was even curious about how puffed up Effie would act at school.

It was tiring, in a way, to have so many thoughts bouncing around Lily's head. Soon, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

L
ily's toes couldn't stop tapping under the breakfast table. She was eager to get to school today. She had missed two full days and she was full of worry. Would she be far behind her class? What if Teacher Judith thought she should stay in fourth grade for a little while longer?

And then she started to worry about Teacher Judith. What kind of a teacher would she be? What if she didn't excuse Lily for her grandfather's funeral? What if she was mad at Lily for being gone? And stayed mad all year?

Then there were other worries. Where would Lily's desk be? If it were anywhere near Aaron Yoder's, she thought she might scream, right then and there.

But if she did, then Teacher Judith would think she was crazy.

Oh, there was so much to worry about when you were in fifth grade.

She couldn't stand it any longer. “Mama, can Joseph and I go to school early?”

Joseph's spoon froze, midair. “Why?” He stuffed the spoonful of porridge in his mouth.

“Why? Why! Because it's the first day!” Lily couldn't understand why Joseph didn't like school. She loved school. There were some parts of school she didn't love, like the Aaron Yoder and Effie Kauffman parts, but other than that, she loved everything about it. Joseph was the opposite. He disliked everything about school except for recess.

“As soon as Joseph is done with his breakfast,” Mama said, “you can both go.”

Lily stared at Joseph until he shoveled down the last bite. After a silent prayer bookended the meal—the family prayed before and after, giving thanks and returning thanks—Lily grabbed her bonnet and lunch box and hurried down the driveway. If she ran, she would arrive at school all damp and sweaty, but she did walk briskly. Joseph dragged behind like he was heading to church.

She hoped she might be the first in the schoolhouse, but Effie Kauffman was already there, sweeping the room. Effie gave Lily a sweet-as-pie smile when she saw her. “Well, look here, Teacher Judith,” she said, very prim. “Lily Lapp has finally decided to come to school.”

Typical Effie.

Teacher Judith was at her desk. She looked up and gave Lily a smile. “Welcome, Lily. Don't you have a brother?”

“Joseph. He's out on the playground.”

“Effie, show Lily where her desk is so she can put her things away.”

Effie dropped the broom and sailed across the room to a
desk against the wall. “This is where you sit, Lily.” She opened the lid for Lily. As Lily put her pencils and crayon box into the desk, Effie whispered, “Don't you wonder where Aaron is sitting?”

“No,” Lily said. As long as he wasn't next to her.

“Hannah sits right next to you, then Beth, then Malinda, then me. Right behind me is . . . Aaron!” Effie was delighted to be near Aaron, all year long.

Lily was just as delighted to be far, far away from Aaron. She was on the other side of the room. How wonderful! Fifth grade was looking promising.

“Teacher Judith is giving a big prize to the student with perfect attendance,” Effie said. “But you—” she pointed to Lily—“have already lost it.”

Lily was so disappointed! She would have loved to win a
prize for perfect attendance. She had never won a prize at school, as hard as she tried.

Effie traced a finger around the back of Lily's seat. “I suppose you heard that Hannah's farm sold and that she's moving in a few weeks.”

Lily's eyes went wide. She had pushed the whole thought of Hannah's move out of her mind. Effie could see this was news to Lily. “Oh, I thought you knew! I thought Hannah told you everything.” She gave Lily a fake smile. Then she spotted Aaron and Sam on the playground and flounced outside. Aaron saw Lily through the window and made monkey ears at her.

Lily's happiness over the first day of school popped like a balloon. Effie and Aaron had that effect on her, many times. She finished organizing her things in her desk and went outside to wait for her friends to arrive.

Beth and Malinda were coming up the road and ran to greet Lily when they saw her sitting on the schoolhouse steps. “Welcome home!” Beth said.

Malinda peered anxiously into Lily's face. “Was the funeral for your grandfather very, very sad?”

“It was a little sad,” Lily said. “But it was fun to visit with my cousins.” The three girls sat on the steps, warmed by the morning sunshine. “Teacher Judith seems nice.” She was older than Lily thought she would be, and much bigger than she had expected. Low in the backside and high in the front side and rather bunched up in the middle.

“She is nice,” Beth said. She looked behind her to make sure the schoolhouse door was closed. “She doesn't have any rules.”

“None?” Lily said.

“Not a one,” Malinda said. “She said she's sure we'll all behave because we
want
to, not because we
have
to.”

Lily squinted her eyes in disbelief. “Didn't anyone warn her about Aaron Yoder and Sam Stoltzfus?”

Beth snorted. “She's living with Effie Kauffman. Teacher Judith probably heard the sun rose and set by Aaron.”

Hannah and Levi came around the bend. Hannah broke into a run to join the girls on the steps. “Lily! I'm glad you're back! I have news.”

“I already heard,” Lily said glumly.

Beth, Malinda, and Hannah exchanged a look. “Effie,” all three girls said, at the same time. Effie Kauffman liked to be the first to know everything, often before it happened.

“When do you move?” Lily asked.

Hannah sat down beside her. “In a few weeks.”

Lily wished Hannah didn't look so excited. The thought of Hannah moving away made Lily want to cry.

Just then, Effie came toward the girls from the playground, waddling like she was very fat. Hannah frowned. “She's imitating Teacher Judith. She's been doing that since school started.”

“I thought she liked Teacher Judith,” Lily said. “I thought she would like having her stay at her house.”

Hannah shrugged. “She does. She just makes fun of her behind her back.”

“That's Effie,” Beth said. Malinda nodded.

Two-faced Effie.

The next morning, as Lily and Joseph walked to school, they chatted about the writing assignment Teacher Judith had
given to them. Each student was supposed to write a short story about something that had happened to them during the summer. The student who had written the best story would receive a prize.

Lily liked to write. She liked prizes even better, though she had never won anything. But trying to think of something interesting that had happened was harder than she had thought it would be.

She practically tripped and realized her shoelace had come untied. She set her lunch box down and bent down to tie it while Joseph waited for her. Lily finished tying her lace and straightened up just in time to see a dog charging toward her. Not just any dog. A Dozer dog.

Dozer jumped all over them, wagging his tail and wiggling all over. “Go home, Dozer,” Joseph said sternly, pointing toward home. Dozer didn't understand. He tried to grab Joseph's hand with his mouth as if he thought there was a treat in it.

“Go back, Dozer!” Lily shouted. She and Joseph stamped their feet and pretended to chase him. Dozer would run a few feet and start following them again.

“Dozer is a dumb dog,” Lily said.

“No he isn't,” Joseph said, offended. “He's very smart. He wants to be with me.”

Lily knew it was pointless to argue about Dozer with Joseph. He was crazy about that puppy.

They heard the school bell ring and ran the rest of the way to school. Lily was glad the other children were already in the schoolhouse. No one had seen Dozer follow them to school. Nobody's dog ever did that. Surely, Dozer would get tired of waiting outside the schoolhouse for Joseph and go back home again.

But when the first recess came, Dozer was waiting patiently under the tree in the school yard. When he saw Joseph, he ran over to greet him. Just as Lily feared, Aaron Yoder noticed.

“That's the strangest looking dog I've ever seen,” Aaron said. “His ears are funny and he has a black patch over his eye like a pirate.” He nudged Sam Stoltzfus and the two started pointing and laughing at Dozer. “What a weird-looking dog!”

Now wait just a minute. Lily thought Dozer was dumb and she thought he was a little strange looking, but she wasn't going to let anybody—especially Aaron Yoder—call
her
dog names. She marched up to Aaron and Sam.

“Stop making fun of our dog.”

Aaron couldn't wipe the grin off his sassy face. “What's that weird-looking dog's name?”

“His name is Dozer,” Joseph said, stroking the top of Dozer's head.

Aaron doubled over and laughed some more. “Dozer . . . His name is Dozer! What a dumb name for a dog.”

“A dumb name for a dumb dog,” Sam echoed.

It took a lot to get Joseph riled. He was like Papa that way. But Aaron Yoder had done it. Joseph's hands were clenched in fists by his sides. “Dozer is not a dumb name, and he is not a dumb dog. He's my dog.”

Aaron Yoder just kept laughing, like a hyena, and suddenly Joseph punched him right in the nose. Aaron stopped laughing. Sam stilled, and all motion on the school ground stopped. Everything was silent. Even the birds had stopped singing in the trees. Wide-eyed, Joseph stood there shaking his hurting hand, awaiting his fate. Even Dozer sensed something was going on and snuggled tightly against Joseph's legs.

The unnatural silence beckoned Teacher Judith from her
desk. She popped her head out the window and said, “What's going on out here?”

Effie, the bearer of all news, true or otherwise, said, “Joseph punched Aaron right in the nose.”

Teacher Judith hurried outside. She peered at Aaron's nose, trying to see if it was broken or swelling up. She didn't know what to do next. Lily figured she probably hadn't had to deal with nose punching before. “It's okay,” Aaron said, waving her away. “I was teasing him about his dog.” He glanced at Joseph, still holding onto his nose. “Sorry about that.”

Aaron Yoder never apologized for any crime he committed, not unless a teacher made him. The world was turning upside down and Lily didn't know what to make of it.

Teacher Judith gathered her wits about her. “Joseph, I want you to apologize to Aaron for hitting him.”

Joseph scuffed the gravel with the toe of his shoe. “I'm sorry I hit you,” he said, though he didn't sound too terribly sorry to Lily. He walked off to join his friends and Dozer trotted behind, jumping and oblivious to the chaos he'd created.

Papa had an idea to keep Dozer from following Lily and Joseph to school. Each morning, he kept Dozer in the woodworking shop until Lily and Joseph were safely in school.

Papa's plan worked for a few days. Lily thought Dozer might be teachable after all, until the day when Dozer sneaked into the schoolhouse during lunch. Everyone was quietly eating when Sam Stoltzfus suddenly let out a yelp. “Hey! Get that dog away from me!”