The Amish Schoolteacher

by Jerry Eicher

  She bit back a sharp retort. Why didn’t you bring a bigger buggy?

  “By the way, my name is Marcus,” he said, looking quite impatient.

  “Why are you meeting me instead of the school board wives?”

  “Elmer Miller asked me to come. I live next door to the schoolhouse, as do Leon and Lavina Hochstetler, where you will board.”

  “I know about Leon and Lavina Hochstetler,” she said.

  “I suppose you do. Shall we go?” He motioned with his square, shaven chin towards the buggy door. “Half of your pretty suitcase will hang over the side.”

  “And that’s a problem?”

  “It can’t be helped,” he said, as if she hadn’t spoken. “The weather is nice, so the door doesn’t have to close.”

  “I know that,” she snapped.

  “We’ll get there fine,” he said. “Shall I help you?”

  She didn’t answer, carefully lifting the suitcase into the buggy with both hands and clambering up after it.

  He had an amused expression on his face after he untied his horse and climbed into the buggy. She was sure his mirth wasn’t expended on the ridiculous sight they made—driving out of the gas station parking lot with her suitcase dangled half out the door. She almost wished she hadn’t been so daring and purchased the turquoise blue one for the trip. The decision had seemed appropriate at the time, befitting her new start in life and venture into un-sailed waters. Mam’s old brown one, stored in the attic, would have been the wiser choice. Well, there wasn’t much to be done about it now. She was allowed a few innocent mistakes, wasn’t she? This was all so new—she couldn’t be expected to get everything exactly right.

  “Whoa there,” Marcus called out to Rowdy as a light in downtown West Union turned red.

  He didn’t dare glance at Mary seated on the buggy seat beside him. His courage was seeping away. The woman’s beauty and presence were overwhelming. He shouldn’t have been so disapproving of her luggage back at the gas station, but his reaction had been instinctual. If Mary only knew how much he hadn’t wanted to make the drive into West Union with the press of the farm’s evening chores on his schedule, she might be more understanding. Of course, he couldn’t tell her the whole truth. Yah, he had made the trip to accommodate Elmer, but there had been a tiny hope in his heart that perhaps Elmer’s teasing had a base in reality. That perhaps his time had arrived to impress a decent, solid, hardworking Amish woman.

  He was more disappointed than he wanted to admit. Mary was not even an option to date, let alone marry. She was far too beautiful for him, plus she was haughty and vain. Not that that gave him a right to rudeness, regardless of how she had acted.

  Marcus took a deep breath and jiggled the reins. The light had turned green. An apology was in order, but he couldn’t bring himself to say the words.

  “Is the suitcase staying inside?” he inquired instead as Rowdy trotted down the street.

  “It is,” she said, not looking at him.

  “How was your journey?”

  “Okay.” Her voice was terse.

  “I don’t like bus travel much.”

  “Have you traveled often?”

  He kept his eyes on the road. “Our family visited Holmes County a few years ago.”

  “I see,” she said. “Was the experience bad?”

  “The bus was stopping and starting all the time. I grew a little impatient, I guess.”

  “I prayed for patience on the trip down,” she said, “and the Lord granted my cry.”

  He prickled at the preachy tone in her voice. “I had my reasons for not liking the trip,” he said.

  “Prayer is a great spiritual exercise,” she intoned, obviously thinking he needed the lecture. “It’s difficult at times, even for me, but in the end the fruits borne are from the Lord.”

  He gritted his teeth.

  “I prayed long and hard about my desire to teach in another community,” she continued, “and the Lord answered beautifully. I knew I was coming to Adams County the moment I saw that ad in The Budget.”

  “I didn’t know there was an ad.”

  “I thought you would know, given that the school board trusted you with meeting their new schoolteacher at the bus stop.”

  He pressed his lips together. Explaining was useless. If Mary knew that he had imagined a date with her, he would never live down the embarrassment.

  “I don’t know everything,” he said instead.

  “Are you going to be nice to me now?”

  He grimaced. “I shouldn’t have said what I did about your luggage, but why do you have three pieces of luggage?”

  Her nose went into the air. “You are not going to be nice to me.”

  “It’s just a question. I was wondering.”

  “I needed three,” she retorted. “You don’t think I did?”

  He shrugged. “Like I said, I don’t know everything.”

  Mary’s gaze was focused on the protruding suitcase.

  “You can pull it in further,” he offered, moving his feet to the side.

  She jerked the handle, and the suitcase slammed against his shoes.

  “Sorry,” she said, looking like she really was. She tried to move the suitcase to the left again.

  “I’m okay,” he said.

  “This is better,” she muttered, gazing out of the buggy door.

  He clutched the reins as they came to a stop sign. He had never sat this close to a beautiful girl before.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Mary watched Marcus’s hands grip the reins. He was quite handsome, and on the surface appeared likable. Too bad that appearances didn’t give the true picture. Clearly Marcus was as unimpressed with her as she was with him.

  “How far do we have to go yet?” she asked.

  “A few miles.”

  “And you live next door to where I will board?”

  “I do. I have five siblings who attend classes.”

  “That’s nice.” She tried to smile. “I’m sure they enjoy school.”

  “They always have,” he said.

  She looked away. He had his nerve, but she already knew that.

  “I’m sure you’ll do okay,” he continued.

  “I’m sure I will,” she shot back.

  He smiled, a tolerating sort of smile, as if her presence must be borne with great patience.

  Mary focused her gaze out of the buggy door. They were crossing a small stream, with the water tinkling as they passed. There was no sense quarreling with the man. In the grand scheme of things, his opinion did not matter. What the parents of her students and the school board thought was what she would concern herself with. They would not be like Marcus. Not even close. She was sure of that.

  “School was a good time for me,” he said, as if the subject should be changed.

  “Everyone enjoys their school years, if they have a decent teacher.” She made sure there was plenty of emphasis on the word “teacher.”

  “I had that,” he said. “Nancy Miller was my teacher for most of the grades. She got married the year after I left school.”

  “Does Nancy still live around here?”

  “She’s Eli Glick’s wife,” he said. “Life moves on.”

  “It does,” she agreed. “But not all schoolteachers have to marry.”

  “I suppose not.” He shook the reins.

  “Do you disagree?”

  “I don’t know. Most do marry.”

  “And why is that?”

  “I don’t know, just saying.”

  “They don’t have to,” she said.

  He shrugged and didn’t answer.

  “The will of God does not always include getting married.”

  “Perhaps,” he allowed. “There are occasions when that is true, but not often for our people.”

  “So you think a woman should marry just because it’s time to marry?”

  “You are asking me?”

  “You seem to have plenty of opinions to offer on other things . . .
like luggage.”

  “I shouldn’t have spoken so plainly.”

  “But you still thought your opinions?”

  “Does that make me a criminal, thinking a woman shouldn’t run around the country with an overabundance of shimmering luggage?”

  Mary bristled, feeling her cheeks flush. “Do you think that’s why I’m not married?”

  He didn’t answer, obviously pretending to concentrate on his driving.

  “You can tell me,” she finally said, more softly now. Did he detect a note of sadness in her voice?

  “My guess is that you’ve had plenty of offers to date.”

  She raised her eyebrows at him.

  “I would be right,” he said. “Yah!”

  “That was not what I asked.”

  “But I am right.”

  “And why do you think that is?”

  He pressed his lips together. “We are about there.”

  “I would like to know,” she insisted.

  “What does my opinion matter, if I even have one?”

  “I’m sure you do. You think I should be dating?”

  He pulled back on the reins. “I’m surprised that you’re not.”

  “Do you mean that in a nice way, or . . .”

  “Do you always ask this many questions?”

  “I’m a teacher.”

  He gave her suitcase a skeptical look.

  “Are you going to judge me forever by my suitcases?”

  “It shimmers,” he said. “Suitcases shouldn’t shimmer.”

  She forced a smile and stayed silent this time. The man was hopeless.

  “Whoa there,” Marcus called out to Rowdy as he made the turn deftly into the Hochstetlers’ driveway. He pulled to a stop by the barn, glad the drive and the questions were over. He could hardly breathe properly with her on the buggy seat beside him.

  “We’re here,” he said, trying to sound friendly.

  Mary appeared to have forgotten their conversation as she leaned out of the buggy to inspect the place. “What a beautiful setting Leon and Lavina have, and that must be the schoolhouse? Right?”

  “Right,” he said, climbing down.

  “And that must be your home across the fields?” She lightly leaped to the ground after him.

  “It is,” he said.

  She stood, staring rapturously at the schoolhouse while he tied Rowdy to the hitching post.

  CHAPTER 3

  MARY PASTED ON HER BRIGHTEST SMILE ON THE WALK FROM THE barn to the white two-story house. Behind her, she could hear the steady tread of Marcus Yoder, his arms laden with her two heaviest suitcases. If not for the fuss, she would have insisted that he leave them by the barn and carried them up the sidewalks herself later.

  But this would be her new home for the next nine months. Banishing her next-door neighbor and leaving suitcases sitting in the barnyard while his buggy rattled out the driveway was not the way she wished to begin her stay in the community. Better to expect that Lavina Hochstetler was a gracious and understanding host, even to a girl who walked in with three suitcases, including a turquoise blue one. Marcus’s critical attitude must be the exception in this place. If not, her future was filled with the dark clouds of a disapproving thunderstorm. She couldn’t believe the Lord had led her into such nasty weather.

  She must have faith. She had prayed, and the Lord would not let her down. Mary snuck a quick glance over her shoulder, but Marcus didn’t return her smile. Maybe he knew that hers was a pasted-one one?

  The front door opened in front of her, and a round-faced woman stepped out, clad in a dark blue dress. Lavina Hochstetler squinted for a moment before the smile came, followed by the hurried steps forward.

  “Our new schoolteacher! Yah!” Lavina exclaimed. “Why didn’t I hear anyone drive in the lane?”

  “I sneak in like a mouse into the barn,” Marcus quipped.

  Lavina waved her hand dismissively at him and opened her arms wide for Mary. “I hope Marcus gave you a proper Adams County welcome.”

  “He got me here quite safely,” Mary managed.

  Lavina held her at arm’s length. “Let me look at you. My, you are a lovely thing, and so young. Our new schoolteacher.”

  “I am so glad to meet you,” Mary demurred, her smile still in place.

  “And I’m glad to meet you. I hope our home is to your satisfaction.”

  “I’m sure it is. You have a lovely place.”

  “Thanks.” Lavina smiled. “We try to keep the farm up. Leon is getting on in years, but Marcus is across the road and takes a great load off of our minds. If there should be an emergency, he is always there.”

  “I’m sure he is,” Mary said, not looking at him. Her private feelings about Marcus Yoder had best stay buried.

  “But you don’t have to take care of everything.” Lavina was looking accusingly at Marcus. “Why did you pick Mary up at the bus station? If you had let me know I would have gone.”

  “Elmer asked me to,” Marcus said, setting down the suitcases. “I should be going.”

  “It was very sweet of Marcus to make the trip, and take the time out of his busy schedule,” Mary said. She should at least be courteous to the man.

  Lavina cast quick glances between the two of them, obviously drawing the wrong conclusions. To make matters worse, Marcus had turned bright red and beat a hasty retreat.

  Both of them watched Marcus leap into his buggy and whirl out of the lane.

  “He is such a nice man,” Lavina said. “I’m sure you have discovered that on the drive in from town.”

  “He did pick me up at the bus station.” Mary avoided the question.

  Lavina still appeared quite pleased. “I’m glad you got to meet Marcus right off and become acquainted. When he agreed to pick you up, Marcus made the right choice in more ways than one.”

  “I think he was just doing his duty,” Mary said quickly. “The chairman of the school board, after all, did ask him to meet me at the bus station.”

  Lavina’s look of satisfaction didn’t fade. “Either way, Marcus got to meet you the day you arrived. I’m glad for that.” Lavina reached for one of the suitcases and Mary picked up the other two. “Come on in the house, and we’ll get you settled. Supper is at six. I hope that’s soon enough. You must be starved after your travels.”

  “I am hungry,” Mary admitted, “but six is fine.”

  Lavina opened the door into a large living room, with a kitchen going off to the right and a sewing room situated on the left. Deeper in there was a sitting room, and a bedroom door. The steps to the second level went up without a stairwell, and the basement stairs were around the corner from the kitchen.

  “Your room is upstairs.” Lavina was all smiles. “And this is our home.”

  “It is lovely. Absolutely perfect!” Mary declared.

  Marcus unhitched Rowdy in the barnyard across the road, his gaze drifting frequently towards the Hochstetlers’ place. The trip home from West Union with the new schoolteacher seated beside him seemed like a dream—a disconcerting dream. Yet he was sure it had happened. He had dropped Mary off at the Hochstetlers’ place moments ago.

  “What was she like?” his younger brother Mose came out of the barn to ask.

  Marcus grabbed Rowdy’s bridle with both hands and led the horse forward.

  Mose laughed. “I guess that answers my question.”

  “I was thinking,” Marcus retorted.

  “Some thinking,” Mose chuckled. “The new schoolteacher must be awfully pretty. Did you make any headways gaining her affections?”

  “I went to pick up Mary Wagler because Elmer asked me to go,” he snapped.

  Mose grinned from ear to ear. “So she is prettier than any of the girls around here?”

  “I drove Mary home from the bus station,” Marcus retorted. “That’s all you need to know.”

  Mose reached for the bridle. “Let me take Rowdy into the barn for you. After such a dramatic experience you must need time to rest and
recover in the house.”

  Marcus handed over the horse and didn’t protest. He was to blame for the teasing Mose gave him, and for the further ribbing he would receive at the Sunday services. Mary was beautiful, but she was not for him. He could mention that fact in response to the teasing, but no one would believe him. They would think he had used the ride home from the bus station to work his charms on the community’s new schoolteacher.

  What charms? He didn’t have any, and didn’t need any. Charms weren’t necessary with the kind of wife he wanted. People would have to draw the conclusions they wished. He should have thought of that sooner and resisted the temptation Elmer had offered him. That’s what Mary was, a temptation. He would not succumb. Mary was here to teach school, and that was where his interest in her began and ended. He would see her frequently, since he was the janitor at the schoolhouse and five of his siblings attended classes, but he would harbor no further fancy ideas about her being his future wife. The Lord had better ways in which to work His will.

  Visions of Mary’s shimmering suitcase floated in front of his eyes, and Marcus pushed them away. There was no way he wanted a wife who traveled with such outlandish luggage.

  Marcus determinedly lifted his chin before he entered the front door of the Yoders’ house and headed towards his bedroom to change. Before he reached the stairs, his mother stopped him with her appearance in the kitchen doorway.

  “How did it go?” she asked with wistfulness in her voice.

  Marcus winced. He had not mentioned a word to Mam about anything romantic when he left the house to pick Mary up at the bus station. “Mam,” he chided.

  “Is she decent?”

  “All schoolteachers are decent,” he said. Mary would likely be very competent and well-mannered in the classroom. He would grant her that much.

  “It is not right, the way you sacrifice your life for this family,” Mam said. “It is time that you began one on your own.”

  “I do what is right,” he said. “I’m not complaining.”

  “Was she at all . . .” Mam hesitated. “Suitable? Did you feel an interest in the girl? A little?”

  Marcus forced a laugh. “What do you expect? An angel to fly in from heaven and sweep me off my feet?”