Love's Sweet Surrender by Sandy Sullivan Read Free Book Online

she hoped others would come. She knew there were probably several that lived nearby who didn’t attend school.
    As the sun rose a little higher in the sky, she started to hear the chatter of children coming closer. She'd already prepared lessons for the first few days, but she would have to judge the children on their abilities and their ages in order to plan further out. Having met a few of them in church the day before had given her some insight, but there were several she hadn’t met. They would be the challenge.
    When it appeared that there wouldn’t be any more, she rang the bell on the outside of the door to tell the children it was time to start. Bright-eyed faces entered the schoolroom while she stood near the door to greet each one.
    “All right, children. Some of you already know my name, but for those who do not, I'm Mrs. Backman. I am your new teacher, and we will be learning so much together but also having fun while doing it. I want each of you to tell me your name when we go around the room.” Lily smiled to herself at the expressions on the faces of the curious children as each said his or her name, until it came to the three in the back.
    Lily recognized one as the boy, Johnny Sanford. She correctly assumed that the other boy was Jarod and the little girl, Anne. Jarod was a cute boy of about nine years of age, and Anne appeared to be about six or seven, but she Ebook piracy is stealing. It is a federal offense.
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    36
    Sandy Sullivan
    didn’t talk. Johnny told Lily her name while Anne sat silently with her eyes downcast.
    That’s odd.
    She would have to get to know these children, all of them, very well if she was to be able to teach them accordingly. She wanted this job to last for a long time, so she had to do her best, and that’s exactly what she planned to do.
    Lily spent the entire day talking with and learning about each child.
    Many of them were well within what she considered to be their expected learning stage when the day was over. She had made notes on each child to keep it all straight and filed them alphabetically by last name.
    As she packed up her things to head for home, the little girl named Anne tugged at her heartstrings. During the day, Anne hadn’t said a word, and at lunch Lily had pulled Johnny aside and asked him about her.
    “Johnny, I don’t want you to think I’m trying to be hurtful toward your sister, but I need to know so I can teach her. Has she been able to speak before, or has she always not spoken?”
    “Anne used to be a chatter box. Pop could hardly keep her quiet sometimes. She used to tell stories and read to Momma and Poppa when she was even just a little girl. She’s very smart, but since Momma died, she doesn’t talk.”
    “What happened to your mother, Johnny?” Lily was afraid to hear the sad story, but deep in her heart she needed to know.
    “Momma was out riding her horse one day. A rattler spooked the horse and threw Momma to the ground. Poppa said that she broke her neck. It’s been real quiet at home since then. We have Carmen who helps Poppa with the cookin’ and stuff, but it’s not the same.” He sniffed slightly and rubbed his eyes.
    Lily tried to put her arm around the boy’s shoulder in comfort, but he pulled out of her embrace.
    “It don’t matter no more. Poppa says that we’ll be fine.” He jumped off the porch and ran out to meet his friends in the yard.
    Lily sat there for a few minutes before she retreated to the schoolroom.
    It would be difficult to teach the little girl if she didn’t speak, but maybe she could reach her a different way.
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    Love’s Sweet Surrender
    37
    As she slowly walked back toward her house, thoughts of how to reach the little girl raced across her mind. The other children in the school were very independent, and with some encouragement and direction