want to go back to school when it starts up again in August, and I’m hopin’ Leona might have some idea what I can do to persuade him. Short of me takin’ a board to the seat of his pants, that is.”
Before Lydia could respond, Jacob joined them at the door. “Maybe I should have a talk with the boy. I was always able to get through to my kinner—even Arthur, my headstrong one—without having to resort to physical punishment.”
Abner smiled. “That’d be much appreciated. Since I’m only Emanuel’s big bruder and not his daed, it’s hard on our relationship when I have to discipline too much.”
“I’ll drive on over to your place sometime this week and have a little heart-to-heart with Emanuel then,” Jacob said with a nod.
“Danki.” Abner turned and started down the porch steps. “Tell Leona I’m sorry I missed her,” he called over his shoulder.
Lydia watched Abner climb into his buggy and drive away, and then she turned to Jacob and said, “ Er is en erschtaunlicher mann —he’s an astonishing man. He seems a bit shy, but he’s sure devoted to his family, and in my estimation, that says a whole lot.” She sighed. “I know it’s probably too soon for Leona to think about courting, but maybe in the days ahead, she and Abner will get together.”
Jacob grinned and reached for her hand. “That’s what I’ve been thinkin’, too.”
When Leona opened the schoolhouse door, about to empty the bucketof water she’d used to clean the floor, she was surprised to see Abner Lapp climb down from his buggy. She had been so busy scrubbing that she hadn’t heard him drive up.
“I stopped by your house to see you,” he called, “but your mamm said you were over here.”
She set the bucket on the porch. “Jah, I’m doing a bit of cleaning.”
He stepped onto the porch and removed his straw hat. “I thought a group of parents would be doin’ that.”
She nodded. “Several are planning to come by in the next week or so to help with some other cleaning and repairs, but I thought as long as I was here I’d do a few things on my own.”
“I see.” Abner shuffled his boots a couple of times and stared down at the porch. “Wanted to tell you that Emanuel’s been sayin’ he doesn’t want to attend school next term.” He leaned against the porch railing and folded his arms. “But your daed said he’d have a talk with him, so that might be enough. I sure don’t want to have to force the boy to go, but I will if it becomes necessary.”
If you think Papa speaking to Emanuel will be enough, then what are you doing here? Leona wondered as a sense of irritation rose in her chest. Did Papa send Abner out to the schoolhouse in the hopes of getting the two of us together?
Before Leona could comment, Abner spoke again. “I wasn’t going to bother you with this, since your daed gave his offer to help, but I wanted you to know what’s going on, too.”
She pursed her lips. Emanuel had given her a few problems after his daed died, and though she knew the boy didn’t like to study, she’d had no idea he disliked school so much that he didn’t want to come back for the next term. “Maybe it’s me Emanuel doesn’t like.”
“Now why would you be sayin’ that?”
“I was thinking—if he got in trouble with either you or your mamm because of the ball that hit me in the face, maybe he’s blaming me for whatever punishment he received.” Leona’s pupils were all she had now that she was destined to be an old maid, and the thought of any of them not liking her sent shivers up her spine.
Abner shook his head. “I never really punished the boy, except to give him a lecture on being careful where his aim was whenever he acted as pitcher. Besides, he felt really bad about your naas gettin’ broke, andif he didn’t like you, I doubt he would have kept askin’ me to drive him over to your place so’s he could see you.”
A sense of relief came over Leona as she thought it all
Before Lydia could respond, Jacob joined them at the door. “Maybe I should have a talk with the boy. I was always able to get through to my kinner—even Arthur, my headstrong one—without having to resort to physical punishment.”
Abner smiled. “That’d be much appreciated. Since I’m only Emanuel’s big bruder and not his daed, it’s hard on our relationship when I have to discipline too much.”
“I’ll drive on over to your place sometime this week and have a little heart-to-heart with Emanuel then,” Jacob said with a nod.
“Danki.” Abner turned and started down the porch steps. “Tell Leona I’m sorry I missed her,” he called over his shoulder.
Lydia watched Abner climb into his buggy and drive away, and then she turned to Jacob and said, “ Er is en erschtaunlicher mann —he’s an astonishing man. He seems a bit shy, but he’s sure devoted to his family, and in my estimation, that says a whole lot.” She sighed. “I know it’s probably too soon for Leona to think about courting, but maybe in the days ahead, she and Abner will get together.”
Jacob grinned and reached for her hand. “That’s what I’ve been thinkin’, too.”
When Leona opened the schoolhouse door, about to empty the bucketof water she’d used to clean the floor, she was surprised to see Abner Lapp climb down from his buggy. She had been so busy scrubbing that she hadn’t heard him drive up.
“I stopped by your house to see you,” he called, “but your mamm said you were over here.”
She set the bucket on the porch. “Jah, I’m doing a bit of cleaning.”
He stepped onto the porch and removed his straw hat. “I thought a group of parents would be doin’ that.”
She nodded. “Several are planning to come by in the next week or so to help with some other cleaning and repairs, but I thought as long as I was here I’d do a few things on my own.”
“I see.” Abner shuffled his boots a couple of times and stared down at the porch. “Wanted to tell you that Emanuel’s been sayin’ he doesn’t want to attend school next term.” He leaned against the porch railing and folded his arms. “But your daed said he’d have a talk with him, so that might be enough. I sure don’t want to have to force the boy to go, but I will if it becomes necessary.”
If you think Papa speaking to Emanuel will be enough, then what are you doing here? Leona wondered as a sense of irritation rose in her chest. Did Papa send Abner out to the schoolhouse in the hopes of getting the two of us together?
Before Leona could comment, Abner spoke again. “I wasn’t going to bother you with this, since your daed gave his offer to help, but I wanted you to know what’s going on, too.”
She pursed her lips. Emanuel had given her a few problems after his daed died, and though she knew the boy didn’t like to study, she’d had no idea he disliked school so much that he didn’t want to come back for the next term. “Maybe it’s me Emanuel doesn’t like.”
“Now why would you be sayin’ that?”
“I was thinking—if he got in trouble with either you or your mamm because of the ball that hit me in the face, maybe he’s blaming me for whatever punishment he received.” Leona’s pupils were all she had now that she was destined to be an old maid, and the thought of any of them not liking her sent shivers up her spine.
Abner shook his head. “I never really punished the boy, except to give him a lecture on being careful where his aim was whenever he acted as pitcher. Besides, he felt really bad about your naas gettin’ broke, andif he didn’t like you, I doubt he would have kept askin’ me to drive him over to your place so’s he could see you.”
A sense of relief came over Leona as she thought it all
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