Love Finds a Home (Anthologies) (19 page)

“‘Mornin’,” Ernie mumbled as Grace and Andy clomped up the steps and slipped past Judith. “Can I … uh … have a word with ya?”

“Certainly. Would you like to step inside where it’s warmer?”

He shuffled his boots across the frozen snow, and it crunched beneath his weight. “Guess it wouldn’t be good to keep ya out here in the cold, but what I got to say probably shouldn’t be said in front of the kids.”

“Why don’t we talk inside the coatroom?” she suggested.

“That’s fine.”

Judith stepped into the schoolhouse and led the way to the coatroom, near the back of the building. “I need to ask one of the older students to keep an eye on the class,” she told Ernie. “If you’d like to wait inside, I’ll only be a minute.”

Ernie shrugged and offered a quick nod.

Judith leaned over Beth’s desk and asked the girl to read a story to the children.

“Sure, Miss King.”

“Thank you, Beth.” She smiled and hurried to the coatroom, where she found Ernie pacing between the coatrack and the shelves where the letter boxes sat.

“What did you wish to speak with me about?” she asked.

He twisted his stocking cap between his fingers and cleared his throat. “Grace told me ya kept her after school yesterday. Said it was ’cause she wanted to make snow angels.”

“That’s true.”

“You got somethin’ against snow angels, Miss King?”

Judith frowned. Miss King? Why had Ernie reverted to calling her Miss King?

“I have nothing against snow angels, Mr. Snyder,” she said, emphasizing his last name. “However, your daughter wanted to make them after recess was over.”

He stared at the floor. “She was wrong to disobey, but she’s only a little girl. Don’t ya think ya could have been a bit easier on her? I mean, forcin’ her to stay after school to clean the blackboard made her think ya don’t like her.”

Judith folded her arms and released a sigh. “I care about all my students, but I can’t make exceptions for anyone who disobeys the rules.”

Ernie looked up again, and the intensity of his gaze sent chills down her back. “It’s been hard for my kids to grow up without a mother. Can’t ya see that?”

She nodded, as tears filled her eyes and memories from the past flooded her mind. “I understand better than you know, for my own mother died when I was ten years old.”

His forehead wrinkled, and he reached up to rub the bridge of his nose. “Sorry. I didn’t know.”

Judith took a few steps forward, bringing herself close enough to the man that she could feel the warmth of his breath. She shivered.

“Ya cold?”

“No, no. I’m fine.” She rubbed her hands briskly over her arms. “Ernie, I’m sure you love your children.”

“Ya got that right.”

“But you can’t baby them. They need to know there are consequences when they do something wrong.”

“I discipline my kids when they do somethin’ bad.” He lifted his chin. “But I don’t think playin’ in the snow a few minutes longer’n you would’ve liked was such a terrible thing. You was wrong, Miss King!”

Judith’s defenses rose higher. Was this man questioning her ability to teach the students right from wrong? He had said he was a Christian and had taught his children memory verses. He’d been going to church fairly regularly, too. So why was he talking to her this way? Maybe Ernie Snyder wasn’t the man she’d thought him to be.

She blew out her breath. “I was hired to teach here, so until the school board says otherwise, it’s up to me to decide when and how to discipline.”

“We’ll see ’bout that!” He slapped his hat on his head and stormed out of the coatroom. Judith heard the front door slam shut and knew he had gone.

What have I done?
She placed both hands against her hot cheeks.
Ernie will probably never speak to me again, and he might even decide to pull his children from school before spring. I’d better spend some time praying about this matter
.

CHAPTER 10

J
udith had looked for Ernie at church the following Sunday, hoping to apologize for their disagreement. However, he wasn’t there, and neither were his children. Grace and Andy showed up for school on Monday morning, and for that, she felt relief.

All weekend she’d been reading her Bible and praying about the situation. She had asked the Lord’s forgiveness for snapping at Ernie, but now it was time to offer an apology to Grace’s father.

While her students read to themselves, Judith decided to write Ernie a note. She opened her desk drawer, took out a piece of paper and a pencil, then wrote the following message:

Dear Ernie:

I’ve been thinking about the discussion we had last week concerning Grace and her refusal to come inside after recess. I’m sorry for our difference of opinion. I shouldn’t have spoken to you in such a disagreeable tone
.

I care about all of my students. When I kept Grace after school, I was only doing what I felt was best. But as her parent, you had the right to ask me about it
.

Your children speak highly of you, and I’m glad you’re teaching them God’s ways, for His Word is our best teacher
.

I realize it must be difficult for you to raise your children without a wife. From personal experience, I know it’s hard for them to be without their mother. Grace and Andy are fortunate to have such a caring, loving father
.

I hope you will accept my apology, and I look forward to hearing from you soon
.

Sincerely,
Judith King

Judith folded the paper and set it aside. When school was dismissed, she would give the note to Andy and ask him to deliver it to his father. By tomorrow morning, she hoped to receive a reply from Ernie.

Long after his children went to bed, Ernie paced the living room floor, thinking, praying, and worrying. He’d read and reread Judith’s letter so many times he knew some of the phrases by heart—or at least the easier words he could understand.

He stopped in front of the stove and added two more chunks of wood—not because he was cold, but because he hoped the action would take his mind off Judith King. It wasn’t bad enough he was an ignorant canaler who was at a loss for words whenever he was with the woman, but now he’d lost his temper in front of her. He should go to the school and apologize in person, but how could he face her after the things he’d said?

“I sure can’t write the teacher no letter,” Ernie mumbled as he shut the door on the stove. “She’d really think I’m a dunce if I did somethin’ like that.”

He moved to the window and stared out at the night sky. Several inches of snow remained on the ground—he could see it glistening in the moonlight. Soon spring would be here, and then he could return to the canal. Things would be better once his kids were out of school. He’d have less chance of running into Judith and getting all tongue-tied and squirrelly.

Ernie hadn’t known Judith very long, but during the time they had spent together, he’d seen her patience and kindness toward his children. Andy and Grace often came home from school with stories of the interesting things their teacher had said or done. It was evident that Judith cared about her students and enjoyed being a teacher. He knew that included disciplining when it became necessary.

Whenever Ernie had taken his children to church, he’d watched Judith from a distance. She listened intently to the preacher and always had her Bible open during the reading of the scriptures. There was a look of peace on her face as she sat in the pew singing praises to God. It was a look he could get used to seeing on a daily basis.

Ernie groaned. “I need to apologize to her.”

“You got a letter for me to give the teacher?” Andy asked his father the following morning.

Ernie shook his head. “Nope.”

“But she wrote you yesterday, and I thought—”

“This ain’t none of your business.” Ernie gave Andy a pat on the head. “I’ll handle things with Miss King in my own way.”

“I could sneak the note into the letter box, so the other kids wouldn’t know, and then—”

“No.”

“Okay.” Andy grabbed his lunch pail and turned to face his sister. “Ready, Grace?”

“I’m comin’.” Grace gave Ernie a hug and scampered out the door.

“Have a good day at school!” Ernie called to his children.

A few minutes later, he donned his coat, hat, and gloves, then headed out the door. He still hadn’t decided how to go about apologizing to Judith, but he’d worry about that later. Right now there was some ice waiting to be cut.

Judith stood at the front door as her students filed into the room. She smiled at Andy and waited expectantly to see if he would hand her a letter. When the boy headed for the coatroom without a word, she began to worry. Maybe Andy hadn’t delivered her note to his father. Then again, maybe he had, but Ernie hadn’t sent a reply.

Judith didn’t wish to embarrass the boy in front of the others, so she waited until morning recess to broach the subject. Andy made it easy for her when he was the last one out the door.

“May I speak to you a moment?” she asked him.

He turned around. “What about? Have I done somethin’ wrong?”

She shook her head and motioned him back inside. “I want to ask you a question.”

Andy leaned against the nearest desk and stared up at her.

“I was wondering if you delivered my letter to your father yesterday?”

He nodded.

“Did he write me a note in return?”

Andy shook his head.

“Did he ask you to tell me anything this morning?”

“Nope. Just said to have a good day at school.”

Judith sighed. If Ernie hadn’t sent a note or given Andy a verbal message, he must still be angry with her. Was he planning to speak with the school board about the rules she’d made? Would he try to get her fired?