A New Home for Lily (13 page)

Lily went downstairs to help Mama prepare supper. Mama chatted pleasantly as she worked at the stove. Usually, Lily enjoyed talking about her day to Mama, but tonight she had too much on her mind. Mama noticed. “Is something bothering you, Lily?”

Out spilled the story about the lunch box and how the boys had called her “elf.” She might have emphasized that Aaron Yoder started the teasing and that he was a horrible boy.

Mama studied the lunch box. “That wasn't very nice,” she said. “But look at how pretty the little elf girl is. I wouldn't feel too bad about it.”

“But he—I mean—they said I'm too skinny.”

Mama was quiet for a long moment. “You are perfectly healthy and have nothing to be ashamed of. I think you look just right for our Lily.”

That evening, Mama took a scouring pad and scrubbed the picture right off the lid of the lunch box. It was still a nice sunny yellow but the picture was gone. All because of Aaron Yoder.

A
s the clock ticked toward eight, Papa stood and stretched. “It's bedtime for little lambs,” he said. Bedtime always came too early. Lily looked forward to being a grown-up. The first thing on her to-do list was to stay up as late as she wanted to, maybe all night long.

As she headed to the stairs, a knock came on the door. Papa opened the door to Grandpa Miller. Lily paused on the stairs to hear why he had dropped by at this time of day. “Grandma passed away,” she heard him say.

No, no, no! It couldn't be. Not Grandma. She burst into tears and ran to Papa's side. “There, there, don't cry like that,” he said, patting her back. “We'll miss Grandma but she was ready to go. She had been wanting to go to heaven for a long time.”

“It's not fair,” Lily sobbed. “Why couldn't God take Great-Grandma instead of Grandma? She was so old!”

Papa and Grandpa exchanged an odd look. Grandpa crouched down so he was face-to-face with Lily. “He did, Lily,” he said. “Great-Grandma passed away this evening. Your Grandma is doing just fine.”

Relief flooded through Lily. She brushed the tears from her eyes. Grandma was fine! Lily brushed her teeth, changed into her nightgown, hopped into bed, and pulled the covers up beneath her chin. Downstairs, Lily could hear Papa and Mama talking at the kitchen table. Lily knew Mama was crying softly. She felt sorry for Mama—she had loved Great-Grandma the way Lily loved Grandma.

But now Lily wouldn't have to worry about shaking Great-Grandma's bony claw whenever she went to visit Grandma and Grandpa. She felt a tiny pinprick of guilt for feeling so happy about it. Death was supposed to be sad. As hard as she tried, as much as she scolded herself, she couldn't stop smiling.

Papa didn't go to work the next morning. Instead, the family dressed up in their somber black Sunday clothes and walked slowly up the road to Grandpa and Grandma's house.

Benches filled the living room, just like a church Sunday, even though it wasn't Sunday. It was Great-Grandma's viewing day. In the corner of the living room, a big black casket rested on several chairs. Papa and Mama led the way over to the casket and they all got a good long look at Great-Grandma. Every hair on Lily's head stood up. She thought Great-Grandma looked scarier dead than alive, if that was possible. She smelled funny too. Lily wanted to pinch her nose. She tried not to shudder as the family sat down on the benches.

Before long, people from their church started to arrive. Slowly, each person shook hands with the family and had a good long look at Great-Grandma, then they sat on the bench to visit for an hour or two. Paying respects, they called it. All day long.

Time passed—lots of it. Lily had never known a day could last that long. All of her friends were at school, having fun, while she was stuck here on a hard bench. Her back and legs grew tired. Joseph and Dannie fell sound asleep. Longingly, she gazed at the door. She would love to slip out the door and run, run, run. She didn't care where she ran as long as it was far, far away from Great-Grandma's smelly casket.

In the kitchen, the women had gathered to prepare large amounts of food to be served after the funeral in two days. For a while, Lily entertained herself by listening to Ida Kauffman order the women around and tell them what to do. She sounded just like Effie did during recess.

When Papa stood and said it was time to go home for chores, Lily had never felt so relieved. But the happy feeling quickly vanished when Papa said they would return tomorrow for more sitting and visiting.

Those two viewing days were the most miserable days of Lily's life. She was so happy when the day of the funeral arrived. School was canceled for the day, and that meant Beth would be at the funeral too. Lily was amazed that Great-Grandma had so many friends. Vans and buses arrived in Cloverdale, filled with people from other communities. Buggies rolled in from four neighboring church districts. There wasn't enough room at Grandpa's house for everyone, so the men put benches in the basement and in the barn. Even
in the new sawmill. A minister would preach a sermon in each spot.

Only the families who were related to Great-Grandma stayed in the house. It felt like a church day, except that Papa and Mama sat next to each other, with Lily, Joseph, and Dannie beside them. Lily wished they could sit like this every Sunday.

Unlike church, there was no singing at the funeral. Only preaching. Long, long preaching. Just like church. When the minister was finally done, he sat down and everyone rose to file past the casket for one last look at Great-Grandma. Lily cringed. Not
again
.

Finally, it was time to fasten the lid to the casket. Several men carried it outside to a waiting buggy. Then a long line of buggies started for the graveyard, ever so slowly. The buggy horses weren't even allowed to walk fast or trot. Lily felt so sorry for Jim.

Mama stayed at the house instead of going to the graveyard and told Lily she could stay too. The kitchen was bustling with noise as women hurried to prepare the meal for everyone to eat as soon as they returned from the graveyard. Ida Kauffman came into the living room to start setting up the benches to make tables. Her bespectacled gaze grazed over Lily and Mama. “I would think a person would like to be at her grandmother's burial.”

Mama smiled in her sweet way. “Daniel thought it would be a good idea if I stayed here and rested instead of standing at the gravesite too long in the hot sun.”

Ida Kauffman lifted a disapproving eyebrow, giving off a look that suggested she did not agree with Papa. Then she bustled off to the kitchen, peppering other women with instructions about how to set things out properly.

An hour later, everyone returned from the graveyard. People were laughing and joking and visiting, as if it were just an ordinary church day and not a boring funeral day. How strange. Lily hoped she would never have to go to another funeral as long as she lived.

B
efore the sun rose on a Saturday morning, Papa woke Lily from a sound sleep. Lily blinked a few times, sure she was dreaming. “Wake up, Lily. Wake up.” She saw Papa standing by her bed. “I need you to take your brothers to Grandma Miller's right away. Give her this note and stay there until I come to get you.”

Lily scrambled out of bed and hurried to dress. She could hear Papa talking to Joseph and Dannie in the next room, trying to wake them up. He helped them get dressed and ushered them down to the kitchen where Lily was waiting. Papa handed them their thin coats and told them to be good while they were at Grandma and Grandpa Miller's. He helped them out the door, waved goodbye, and closed the door behind him.

Lily, Joseph, and Dannie stood on the porch, wondering what in the world was going on. Why didn't Papa want them to stay at home on a Saturday morning?

A wisp of a memory floated through Lily's mind. There had been another time, back in New York, when Papa had woken her up in the night and taken her to stay at Grandpa and Grandma Miller's. When she returned home, she discovered that God had brought baby Dannie to Mama. Maybe . . . maybe that's what was going on! God was bringing them another baby today. How exciting! And this time, Lily was sure He would bring a baby girl. He knew she needed a sister much, much more than she needed another brother. After all, God knew everything.

Lily tucked the note Papa had given to her into her pocket. She took Dannie's hand as they made their way down the porch steps and started walking slowly up the road. Faint pink streaks tinted the eastern sky. The gray dawn was starting to look a little more cheerful. A baby girl was getting delivered to their house today!

She tugged at Dannie's hand. “Let's walk a little faster.”

When they arrived at Grandpa and Grandma Miller's, everything was quiet. Only the soft glow of an oil lamp showed faintly through the kitchen window. Lily knocked on the door. Knocked and knocked, a little louder each time. Finally, Grandpa opened the door. Grandma was behind him and invited them inside. She read the note that Lily handed to her. Lily hoped Grandma would tell her what was written on the note. Was God on His way with a baby sister? Oh, she hoped so! But Grandma didn't say a word. She simply folded the note and put it into her pocket. Her eyes twinkled, though. Lily took that as a good sign.

She started to think up names for her baby sister. Priscilla would be her first choice. Or maybe Isabel. She had never heard of Amish girls with those names, but she thought they were pretty names. She wondered what her baby sister would
look like. She hoped she would have ringlets of red hair. Or maybe blonde. Either one. Just not mousy brown, like Lily's own hair.

And maybe she would have snapping green eyes. Big pink cheeks. Oh, wasn't it going to be wonderful to meet her baby sister today? This was the best day of Lily's life. The best one ever.

Grandma was already bustling around in the kitchen. Joseph and Dannie were hungry now and eagerly watched her break eggs into a bowl. “Looks like I will have helpers to make breakfast this morning,” Grandma said.

Lily took Grandma's hint and started to set the table. It seemed strange to be at Grandma's home so early in the morning. Strange, but nice.

Lily handed Joseph and Dannie the silverware to place next to the plates. She went into the living room to find some of their favorite toys to play with while they waited for breakfast to get ready.

Grandpa came in from feeding his horse in the barn. He washed up at the sink, then sat in his creaky rocking chair. He took a piece of paper from the little table next to his chair and folded it into an airplane. The paper airplane sailed in the air and landed at Joseph's feet. Dannie's eyes were glued on the airplane as Joseph picked it up and sailed it back. He had never seen such a thing. “Looks like we need more than one airplane,” Grandpa said.

Soon, the living room was filled with paper airplanes, soaring through the sky. Aunt Susie came downstairs and wanted to play too, so Grandpa made one more. They laughed and laughed, until Dannie sent his airplane sailing again. This time, it got stuck in Grandpa's thick, wavy white hair. Grandpa pretended he had been hurt and he slid
off the rocking chair and onto the floor, as if he were dead. As Dannie rushed to his side, Grandpa let out a roar and everyone squealed in laughter. They helped Grandpa get to his feet just as Grandma came into the room, shaking her head at the loud noises. She put her hands on her hips and said, “Breakfast is ready, if you think you can all act your age.”

Grandpa reached for his little black prayer book on the table as everyone found a place to kneel. Lily loved to listen to Grandpa's deep, rumbling voice as he read the prayer out loud. She tried not to think about that airplane stuck in his hair—but it was so funny! Each time she thought of it, she felt a giggle start in her belly. Oh, and wouldn't it be awful if she burst out giggling in the middle of Grandpa's solemn prayer? She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

After breakfast, Uncle Jacob walked up the driveway and Grandpa went outside to join him. They had a lot of work to do in the sawmill, and Lily knew she wouldn't see Grandpa until the end of the day. He was firm about that rule: no grandchildren were allowed near the sawmill. Lily knew that rule was given because of Joseph and Dannie. They were curious boys. Knowing them, they would try to saw wood when Grandpa was busy and end up cutting off their little fingers. Too dangerous.

Lily helped Grandma and Aunt Susie with Saturday cleaning while Joseph and Dannie played with wooden blocks and toy animals. Lily thought the boys should help too. Grandma seemed to think they would be a bigger help by playing instead of getting in her way while she worked. That made no sense to Lily. No sense at all.

By noon, the cleaning was done. Grandma said that Lily and Aunt Susie could have the rest of the day to do whatever they wanted to do—as long as they stayed away from the
sawmill. Aunt Susie ran to find coloring books and dolls. Lily glanced at the clock. Why hadn't Papa come back by now? Maybe God was running behind on His delivery schedule today. After all, heaven was far, far away.

It was late afternoon before Papa drove up the driveway. Lily rushed out the door to meet him as he climbed out of the buggy and hitched Jim's reins to the rack. She had to know! “Did God bring us another baby?”

Papa was grinning from ear to ear. “He sure did!”

“A girl baby?” Lily just had to know.

“No. Another little boy. We named him Paul.”

Lily was shocked. Thoroughly shocked. She had been confident that God would bring them a baby girl. He brought baby girls to a lot of other people. Why not to them? Disappointment covered her like a heavy blanket.

Papa didn't notice. He was already up the porch stairs, talking to Grandma. Joseph and Dannie were getting their coats on. She knew she shouldn't be so sad about this new baby brother. Her friend Beth would love to have a baby in her family—even if it was a boy.

Maybe having a baby brother wouldn't be so bad. Still, Lily had prayed for a baby sister. But maybe God was out of baby girls and that's why He didn't bring them a girl. Maybe, if she prayed hard enough, God would save a baby girl for her. With that thought, Lily cheered up. She hurried to find her bonnet and coat. She might as well go home and see the new baby.

Papa asked Grandma if she would come back with them to stay with Mama for a little while. He was going to pick up a girl who would help Mama for several weeks.

Another worry. What if the helper turned out to be like the helper who came after Dannie had been delivered? Lily hadn't
thought about cross Frieda Troyer in a long, long time. What if the helper
was
Frieda Troyer, all the way from New York? Oh, this was terrible news to Lily. Two disappointments in one day. It was too much to bear.

Grandma plucked her bonnet and shawl off the wall peg and soon they were on their way. When they reached home, Papa tied Jim to the hitching rack and went inside with them. Everyone went to the bedroom where Mama was lying in bed. She looked very tired and very happy. Right beside her was a little bundle, wrapped in a blanket. Lily could see some wispy black hair and wrinkled red skin.

No.
Oh no.
Not another ugly baby!

Papa picked the baby up and placed him in Lily's arms. He was the ugliest baby she had ever seen—even uglier than Dannie had been. Red and wrinkled and blotchy. And he was squalling. He was a squalling, ugly baby. She quickly handed the baby back to Papa and ran upstairs to her room. She flopped on her bed and started to cry. It wasn't fair!

She had wanted a beautiful little baby girl with long red ringlets—not a red, wrinkled baby boy with black wispy hair. And Papa and Mama gave the ugly baby a horrible name. What kind of name was that for a baby? And he was so especially ugly!

Lily heard Papa leave in the buggy. She sat up and peeped out the window. She saw that Joseph and Dannie were going with Papa to get the helper.

Joseph and Dannie were lucky to be boys. They didn't mind that the baby wasn't a girl. They didn't care what his name was or what he looked like. And on top of that, they got to go on an errand with Papa and meet the new helper before Lily did.

Lily buried her face in her pillow, weeping. The day had
started out so nicely, so filled with hope, and it had ended so badly. Every hope was dashed. She felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. She lifted her head and saw Grandma by her bed.

Gently, Grandma asked, “Lily, what's wrong?”

Lily wiped away her tears and sat up to face Grandma. “I never wanted a baby brother!” she blurted out. Soon, everything else poured out too. “And he's ugly! Paul is a terrible name for a baby. I wanted a baby sister . . . and instead, I have an ugly baby brother with a horrible name.” Was it asking so much to have one of these little babies be a girl? That was the worst disappointment of all.

Grandma listened patiently. She didn't seem to be shocked or horrified by what Lily confessed. She even smiled. “All newborn babies look a little funny. He'll start looking better
in a few days. And you'll learn to like the name Paul. It's a good name for a little boy. He's going to need you and love you in a special way, you know. You're the only sister he has.” Grandma rose to her feet. “Why don't you go wash your face and then come downstairs and help me start supper?”

Lily went into the bathroom and washed her face. She hoped Grandma was right—that Paul would stop being so ugly soon. She was terribly disappointed that he wasn't a girl, but maybe having a baby in the house would be fun. It was nice to think that Paul might need her and love her in a special way. She hadn't thought about the fact that she was Paul's only sister. Dannie and Joseph's too, but they needed reminding of that. Like she often did, Grandma turned everything around. Lily dried off her face and hurried to the kitchen.