The Amish Teacher's Dilemma and Healing Their Amish Hearts Patricia Davids (best self help books to read TXT) 📖

“Me, too,” Otto added, but he didn’t bother trying to sound sincere.

“Put some happiness in Otto’s food, please, Eva,” Maddie said in a tiny voice sweeter than the maple syrup she was pouring over her toast.

Eva saw Willis struggling not to laugh. She covered her mouth with her hands in an attempt to stay quiet but lost the battle as soon as her eyes met his. A second later everyone was laughing.

Willis couldn’t remember a time when he had enjoyed a meal more. Eva was unfazed by the arrival of four hungry guests first thing in the morning. She turned out piece after piece of golden-brown French toast with a smile and some funny comment. Willis even liked her brother. He was an unassuming fellow with the same honey-brown hair and gray-green eyes. It was how a family meal should feel.

Maddie enjoyed being the center of attention. She didn’t mention her friend Bubble for the entire meal. Even Otto and Harley seemed to come out of their shells when Danny started discussing baseball. He occasionally attended a Chicago Cubs game and was able to discuss batting averages and the Cub’s up-and-coming pitchers with the boys. Harley followed the Cubs in the newspapers and on the radio when he was able to listen to a game. The local feed store back in Maryland broadcast baseball games over their sound system for their Amish customers and in the process sold more feed.

“What are your plans for today?” Eva asked him.

“The same thing I have planned every day. Take a piece of iron, get it real hot and then bang on it until it looks like something.”

“Don’t let him fool you,” Eva said to her brother. “He’s very skilled at what he does.”

“What will you do with my siblings while I’m working?” Willis asked.

“I have plenty to keep me busy at the school. I’m making folders for each of my scholars in case I need a substitute teacher for any reason. That way another teacher can quickly see each child’s strengths or challenges. I was hoping that Maddie could give me a hand.”

“Will I get to color again?” Maddie asked.

“Absolutely,” Eva replied. “I have colored chalk you can use on the blackboard.”

“Danki. Can we go now?”

Willis shook his head. “No one goes anywhere until the dishes are done. Eva was kind enough to cook for us. The least we can do is clean up after ourselves.”

Eva gave him a sweetly grateful look. It made him realize how much more he would like to do for her. A little voice in the back of his mind told him he was becoming too attached to her, but he ignored it for now.

It only took a few minutes to get the plates washed and put away. Although Willis had work to do he tagged along as they walked to the school to hear what Danny had to say.

The first thing Eva’s brother noticed was the boarded-up window. “What happened here?”

“Otto broke it,” Maddie said, earning a sour look from her older brother.

Willis could tell that Otto was embarrassed, but he chose to own up to what he had done. “I hit a rock through it.”

“Line drive or high fly foul ball?” Danny was trying to look serious.

“Line drive,” Otto said quietly.

“On purpose or was it an accident?”

“It was sort of an accident.” Otto looked up to judge Danny’s reaction.

“How much did that set you back?”

“Enough. Your sister said I have to work after school for two months.”

“The time will go by quickly enough.”

“Danny is an expert on broken windows,” Eva said, a sly grin curving her pretty lips.

“That was a long time ago, Eva.” A wave of red crept up Danny’s neck.

“He and some friends broke four windows in Arthur, Illinois, one night.”

“Four? This many?” Maddie held up the correct number of fingers. “Did you get in trouble for that?”

“Lots and lots of trouble,” Danny admitted.

Otto looked impressed. Willis thought he saw a gleam of hero worship in his young brother’s eyes.

Danny must’ve noticed it, too. “Three of my friends came up with the idea to scare a couple of bully boys who picked on us whenever they could. They were older and they ran with a tough crowd. We didn’t mean any harm but one of the rocks hit a boy in the head. He ended up in the hospital and almost lost the sight in one eye. It turned out okay, but that was the last time I followed a stupid suggestion from one of my friends. Now I think of the consequences before I act. God gave us a conscience for good reason. I would’ve saved everyone a lot of grief if I had listened to it back then.”

Willis could see Otto mulling over Danny’s comment. If even a little of it sank into the boy’s head, Willis would be grateful to Eva’s brother. Willis caught Eva’s eye and she winked. It was exactly why she had wanted him to tell the story.

Inside the school, Eva happily showed off her desk, the supplies that had been donated and the chair that had upended her dignity the first day she arrived. Willis hung back near the outside door. Danny took a closer look at the cabinetry. He opened and closed the doors and drawers and gave Willis a thumbs-up sign. “Someone put a lot of care into this work. It should last a long time. I really like the heavy hinges and the big cabinet pulls. Are they your work, Willis?”

“Jesse Crump and Bishop Schultz made the cabinets. I did all the hardware.”

“From scratch?”

“That’s what I do. I hammer on a piece of hot metal until it makes something.”

“Do you sell these?”

“If someone orders a set, sure.”

“Do you have a few lying around?”

“I don’t but I will be happy to make you some.”

“Go ahead and make me a sample of a dozen different styles. I know someone who might be interested in purchasing