A New Home for Lily (8 page)

I
t was a beautiful morning in late May. The rain that had swept through last night had left the air sweet and clean. Birdsong filled the trees. Squirrels chattered at each other. Dandelions made pretty yellow splashes of color in the fields beside the road, the grass looked so bright and fresh, and the sun made everything soft and warm.

On any other school day, Lily would have wanted to run and skip and sing with the birds. Today, she felt too sad. Her right hand felt empty on the walk to school with Joseph. It wasn't holding her lunch box with the big rubber band around it. They didn't need to take lunch to school today. Teacher Rhoda was going to dismiss the class before noon because today was the last day of school.

All in all, Lily had liked school. She wouldn't miss Effie Kauffman and she wouldn't miss Aaron Yoder. But she would miss seeing Beth each day. She would miss working in her
books and learning new things. She would miss her teacher. Teacher Rhoda was kind, friendly, and patient. Lily thought she was almost as nice as Teacher Ellen, in New York, had been. Not quite, but almost.

Joseph stopped to collect glittering little stones beside the road to put in his pockets. He didn't seem to mind that today was the last day of school. In fact, he seemed happy about it. He had a long list of things he was going to do this summer, and he hadn't stopped talking about it since they left the house. “First, I'm going to climb every tree in our woods.”

“There are hundreds of trees in our woods,” Lily said. “It would take years and years to climb all of them.”

Joseph didn't pay her any mind. “And I hope Papa buys a puppy for me. Soon. Then I could train it all summer and teach it to do tricks.” He hopped on one leg for a few steps until he toppled over. “I hope Papa and Mama will send us to Wilson's Store every day for ice cream or popsicles.” Now he was jumping with both feet, like a rope was tied around his ankles. “Every.” Hop. “Single.” Hop. Hop. “Day.” Hop. Hop. Hop.

Lily brightened. She doubted they would be allowed to have ice cream every day, but maybe once in a while. For a treat. So that was one thing she could look forward to this summer. Her list had begun:

1. Eat ice cream and popsicles at Wilson's Store.

Joseph prattled on. “I'm going to take wagon rides on the hill behind the house. And help Dannie play in the sandbox. And fish in the spring beside the house.”

“There aren't any fish in that spring,” Lily pointed out. Joseph was always getting carried away with his crazy plans, but this one was impossible. Just impossible.

“I can pretend there are fish there.”

As they came around the bend to the schoolhouse, Joseph saw some of his friends playing softball. He ran ahead to join them, but Lily wasn't in a hurry. She walked slowly the rest of the way. When she reached the schoolhouse, she removed her heavy black bonnet and hung it on one of the hooks in the wall. The shelf above it, the one that held everybody's lunches, was empty. Lily sighed. This was a very sad day.

Teacher Rhoda rang the bell and the pupils hurried to their seats. Usually, she began the day with assignments. Not today, though. They sang a few songs. Teacher Rhoda had a few fun quizzes for them. And then it was time to get their report cards for the last time.

One by one, Teacher Rhoda called each student up to her desk to get a report card. She started with the eldest and made her way down to the youngest. Lily was glad she was no longer the youngest one in school. She didn't have to wait until last any longer.

Teacher Rhoda spoke quietly to each child, then handed him or her a report card and a little brown paper bag. What could be in that bag? The big girls and big boys peeked in the bag but closed it up again. Lily wished one of them would take it out so she could see it too. This was taking a very long time. Aaron Yoder was getting a long, serious talking-to by Teacher Rhoda. Lily tried to listen, but Aaron noticed and scowled at her. Probably, Lily decided, he was being told to behave next year. Or else. She wasn't sure what “or else” could be, but if she were Aaron's teacher, she would definitely think up an “or else” to make him mind.

Finally, Teacher Rhoda called Lily's name. She hurried to the teacher's desk. She hoped the talk with Aaron hadn't put Teacher Rhoda in a bad mood. He was always putting
Lily in a bad mood. But no—Teacher Rhoda smiled at her. “It was nice to have you join us at our school this year.” She handed Lily a report card and a little brown bag.

Lily went back to her desk and sat down. She opened the bag and peeped inside. There was a big chocolate chip cookie and a beautiful brand-new flowery handkerchief. She folded the top back down. On Sunday, she would have a pretty new handkerchief to slip in her pocket to go to church. She glanced over at Effie. Maybe, just maybe, Effie had some extra store-bought cookies that Lily could trade for this cookie. She just had to try one of those store-bought cookies! They looked so good.

Lily noticed that Effie was looking at what was written on the back of her report card. Lily slid her own card out of its brown envelope and turned it. In neat handwriting, Teacher Rhoda had written: “Lily Lapp has been promoted to grade three.” Lily wasn't sure what that meant, but getting promoted must be a good thing.

After each student had been handed a report card, Teacher Rhoda rang the bell for the last time and dismissed them. “School is done for the term. I'll see you all again this fall.”

Lily was pleased to hear that Teacher Rhoda would teach next term. That was something else for her things-to-look-forward-to list:

2. Teacher Rhoda will be back in the fall.

Then came a scramble as all of the children ran to get their hats and bonnets. The air was filled with happy goodbyes as they ran out of the schoolhouse and started for home. Lily hurried after Effie and held up her brown bag. “Would you want to trade for a store-bought cookie?”

Effie smiled and pulled a baggie filled with store-bought cookies out of her pocket. “I happened to have these in my
desk. You can have them all.” She handed the baggie to Lily. Then she took Lily's paper bag and ran off. Lily was so pleased! She could always have a homemade chocolate chip cookie, but she had never tried store-bought black-and-white cookies. And to have a baggie full of them! She bit down on a cookie and felt a tooth wiggle. Then she tasted a little bit of blood from where her tooth had come loose. The cookies were awful! Stale and hard. They tasted like sawdust.

That Effie!
Grrrrr!

Joseph waved a big arm in a circle so that Lily would hurry. She ran to catch up with him. He was eager to start on his summer plans, but Lily wanted to enjoy this walk for one last time. It would be three whole months before she would take this walk again.

Suddenly, she heard loud clopping boy-sounds behind her, then
splash!
Aaron Yoder jumped in a puddle as he dashed
past her, his laughter ringing behind him. Cold, muddy water splattered her dress.

That Aaron!
Grrrrr!

Another thing for her summer list:

3. I will not have to see Aaron Yoder for three whole months, except for church when I can pretend he is invisible.

When they got home, Mama wanted to see the handkerchiefs Teacher Rhoda had given them. Joseph had a big one like Papa used in church. Lily was glad she was a girl and had a nice flowery one instead of a boring men's handkerchief. As Lily went to get her handkerchief, she realized Effie had taken it! Lily hadn't been clear about the cookie trade. No wonder Effie had such a big smile on her face. Lily could have cried. She knew Effie would never give it back.

Oh, this was a terrible day. The worst.

“Let me see your report cards,” Mama said, but Joseph was already halfway upstairs to change into his everyday clothes. He was in a hurry to go outside and start climbing trees.

Lily handed her report card to Mama. She watched her face when she read it. Mama looked pleased. “What does promoted mean?” Lily asked.

“It means you will advance,” Mama said. “You will be in third grade when school starts this fall.”

“Was Joseph promoted too?” Lily asked.

“Yes, he was,” Mama said. “He will be in second grade.” She sighed. “My little children are growing up so fast.” She handed Lily's report card back to her.

Lily went upstairs to change out of her mud-splattered dress. What would she say when people asked her what grade she was in this summer? She couldn't say second grade
because she was already done with that, but she couldn't say third either because that wouldn't start until the fall. Finally, she decided she would have to say she was in grade two and a half.

On top of that thought rushed in a new worry: what if Aaron Yoder hadn't been promoted to grade four? He hardly ever paid attention in school. Maybe that's why Teacher Rhoda had been talking to him in such a serious voice. Maybe that was the “or else.” Aaron Yoder would remain in third grade until he could learn to behave himself. He might be there for years and years.

Oh, that was a terrible worry for Lily.

N
ot a leaf stirred during the first week of June. The sun beat down on Lily as she crawled beside a long row of strawberry plants. She paused at each plant to pinch off all the blossoms, leaving only one to ripen into a strawberry.

Mama and Joseph and Dannie were doing the same thing in the row next to her. Joseph was working on the other side of the row. Lily felt sorry that the strawberry plants were losing their pretty white flowers. Mostly, she felt sorry for herself. It was tiresome work to pinch off all the flowers. Worse still, it meant that each plant would give only one strawberry. This year there would not be many berries to eat. Lily loved to eat strawberries.

Next year, though, Papa and Mama said that they would have thousands of strawberries. There would be so many that they could sell them and still have plenty to eat fresh and can for winter. This year, the plants needed to put their energy
into growing big and strong. That was why they could not allow them to produce a lot of strawberries this year. They were too small and young.

As Lily came to the end of the row, she stood and stretched her arms high above her head. “Do you want me to go bring some water out for everyone?”

“That would be nice,” Mama said. “But hurry back out so we can get done before it gets late.”

Lily ran to the house. Almost anything was better than working in that big strawberry patch.

She found the water jug and opened the faucet to let the water run until it was as cold as could be. As she waited, her mind drifted off to the beautiful books that Grandpa Miller had given to her for her last birthday, when they still lived in New York. Those books were extra special because they used to belong to Grandpa. Their covers were made with glossy leather-like material with little swirled patterns engraved all over them. On the inside were pretty, old-fashioned-type pictures and charming short stories. Lily thought they were the most beautiful books in the world. It had been awhile since she had had time to sit and read them.

She stuck her finger under the faucet to see how cold the water was. It was getting cold, but not too cold yet. She would have plenty of time to get those books upstairs.

Lily ran to her dresser and opened the top drawer. She looked through each book, trying to decide which one she wanted most to read. Finally, she grabbed both of them. She slammed the drawer shut and ran downstairs. She placed the water jug under the faucet, filled it to the top, and hurried outside with the books tucked beneath her arm.

Lily stopped at the big spruce tree beside the house and tucked both books next to the tree trunk. After the strawberry
plants were done, she would sit here in the cool shade and read her books.

Mama, Joseph, and Dannie were happy to see Lily come back to the strawberry patch with the water. They each took a long drink. Then Mama closed the lid and set the jug at the end of a row. It was time to get back to work.

Lily started on another row of strawberries. Her back ached from bending over. She was hot. Her fingers were getting sore from pinching so many flowers off. She wished that Mama and Papa had never planted so many strawberries. An acre of strawberries was too much work! Thousands of plants that needed to be cared for. No matter how many blossoms she had pinched off already, she could hardly see a difference when she looked across the field and saw how many more were left to do.

Mama drew her watch out of her pocket and looked to see what time it was. “It's almost time to start making supper. We can work again tomorrow. You all helped me so much that I think we all deserve a treat for supper. Lily and Joseph, you can go to Wilson's Store and buy a box of ice cream.”

Suddenly, Lily didn't feel as hot and tired as she had a moment ago. Joseph was excited too. They jumped to their feet and ran to the house to wash their hands.

After Mama was satisfied that they had scrubbed enough, she counted some money and handed it to Lily to buy the ice cream. She gave her a thick comforter. “Use this to wrap up the ice cream to keep it from melting,” she said. “You can take the wagon so you don't have to carry it.”

Lily put the comforter on the wagon. She and Joseph both held the handle of the wagon and started up the road to Mr. Wilson's store.

Mr. Wilson was always pleased to see some customers
come into his store—even little ones. He got up from his chair behind the counter. “What can I do for you today?” he asked.

“We need a box of ice cream,” Joseph said before Lily had a chance to answer. As usual. Lily thought he should have let her talk to Mr. Wilson. After all, she was older than Joseph and she was the one who had the money to pay for the ice cream. Her little brothers were getting very bossy. It was a continual worry for Lily.

Mr. Wilson didn't seem to understand how wrong it was for Joseph to pipe up like that. Maybe, Lily thought, Mr. Wilson didn't have any older sisters. He walked over to his freezer and slid open the lid. “What kind do you want?0”

Lily and Joseph both peered into the freezer to see what flavor of ice cream they wanted. Joseph wanted chocolate, but Lily didn't like chocolate. Lily wanted vanilla, but Joseph
said he didn't like vanilla. Finally, they compromised on an ice cream with cherries in it.

Lily handed Mr. Wilson the money and he counted out the change. After wrapping the ice cream in a paper bag, he went outside and helped them tuck it beneath the comforter. “Wait just a minute,” Mr. Wilson said. He hurried into the store and came out with two green popsicles. He handed one to Lily and one to Joseph. “This will help you stay cool on the way home.”

What a nice surprise! They thanked Mr. Wilson and started for home. Lily had planned to scold Joseph on the way home for speaking up in the store, but as she started to lick her popsicle, she decided it could wait. Then she forgot.

When they got home, Mama carried the big bulky comforter into the house. She covered it with another blanket before turning her attention to preparing supper.

Papa and Dannie came in from doing the chores, and everyone sat at the table to eat. Lily took tiny helpings of potatoes, meat, and vegetables. She wanted to save room for ice cream.

When everyone was finished, Mama dug the box of ice cream out of the comforter and placed it on a plate in front of Papa. He opened the box and spooned a big pile of ice cream onto everyone's plates. They would have to eat the whole box tonight before it melted away. How wonderful!

Lily savored every bite. Joseph gulped his down and asked for a second helping. Papa gave him another spoonful and then scooped the rest on his own plate.

When they were done, Lily helped clear the dishes away. Everyone sat in the living room while Mama read several stories out loud in her clear, sweet voice. When she closed the book, Papa said, “Bedtime for little lambs,” just like he
did every night. Lily wished Mama would read another story. They would have to wait until tomorrow evening to find out what was going to happen next in the story.

Lily snuggled under her thin summer cover on her bed. It had been a good day. They had worked hard, but the ice cream and green popsicle had been a happy treat. Maybe if she worked extra hard tomorrow, they could have more ice cream. And maybe Mr. Wilson would give them another green popsicle.

Just as Lily was drifting to sleep, she heard the distant sound of thunder as it rumbled across the sky. Then she heard raindrops patter against the window.

Rain.
Rain!
Grandpa's books! Her beautiful birthday books! She had left them under the spruce tree.

Lily wondered what she should do. Should she go wake Papa and tell him her books were out in the rain, or should she wait until tomorrow morning and hope that the branches had kept her books dry?

As Lily listened to the pitter-patter of the rain, she couldn't wait any longer. She slipped out of bed and tiptoed over to knock on Papa and Mama's bedroom door. She heard Papa stir. Then the door opened. “It's only a gentle thunderstorm, Lily,” he said kindly. “You don't have to be afraid.”

“I'm not afraid,” Lily said. “I took my birthday books outside today and put them under the spruce tree. I forgot to bring them back inside.”

“I'll run out and get them for you,” Papa said. He picked up a flashlight and headed down the stairs. Lily followed him and stood inside the door to wait while Papa dashed out into the rain to find her books.

When he came in, he handed the books to Lily. They were soggy and the pages stuck together. Some of the pages tore as
Lily tried to turn them. The inscription Grandpa had written inside the front cover was blurred so that Lily couldn't read it any longer.

Lily's eyes filled with tears. Papa took the books and laid them on the kitchen counters and said, “We'll leave them here until they have dried.”

“But they'll never be nice again,” Lily sobbed.

“No, they will never be as nice as they used to be,” Papa said. “But you should still be able to read them.”

They went back upstairs. Papa tucked Lily into her bed before heading to his room. Lily lay in bed and listened to the rain. It didn't sound nice and soothing to her like it would have on any other spring night. All those little raindrops had ruined her beautiful books.