A Surprise for Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger

church.
    She hoped she might be the first in the schoolhouse, but Effie Kauffman was already there, sweeping the room. Effie gave Lily a sweet-as-pie smile when she saw her. “Well, look here, Teacher Judith,” she said, very prim. “Lily Lapp has finally decided to come to school.”
    Typical Effie.
    Teacher Judith was at her desk. She looked up and gave Lily a smile. “Welcome, Lily. Don’t you have a brother?”
    â€œJoseph. He’s out on the playground.”
    â€œEffie, show Lily where her desk is so she can put her things away.”
    Effie dropped the broom and sailed across the room to adesk against the wall. “This is where you sit, Lily.” She opened the lid for Lily. As Lily put her pencils and crayon box into the desk, Effie whispered, “Don’t you wonder where Aaron is sitting?”

    â€œNo,” Lily said. As long as he wasn’t next to her.
    â€œHannah sits right next to you, then Beth, then Malinda, then me. Right behind me is . . . Aaron!” Effie was delighted to be near Aaron, all year long.
    Lily was just as delighted to be far, far away from Aaron. She was on the other side of the room. How wonderful! Fifth grade was looking promising.
    â€œTeacher Judith is giving a big prize to the student with perfect attendance,” Effie said. “But you—” she pointed to Lily—“have already lost it.”
    Lily was so disappointed! She would have loved to win aprize for perfect attendance. She had never won a prize at school, as hard as she tried.
    Effie traced a finger around the back of Lily’s seat. “I suppose you heard that Hannah’s farm sold and that she’s moving in a few weeks.”
    Lily’s eyes went wide. She had pushed the whole thought of Hannah’s move out of her mind. Effie could see this was news to Lily. “Oh, I thought you knew! I thought Hannah told you everything.” She gave Lily a fake smile. Then she spotted Aaron and Sam on the playground and flounced outside. Aaron saw Lily through the window and made monkey ears at her.
    Lily’s happiness over the first day of school popped like a balloon. Effie and Aaron had that effect on her, many times. She finished organizing her things in her desk and went outside to wait for her friends to arrive.
    Beth and Malinda were coming up the road and ran to greet Lily when they saw her sitting on the schoolhouse steps. “Welcome home!” Beth said.
    Malinda peered anxiously into Lily’s face. “Was the funeral for your grandfather very, very sad?”
    â€œIt was a little sad,” Lily said. “But it was fun to visit with my cousins.” The three girls sat on the steps, warmed by the morning sunshine. “Teacher Judith seems nice.” She was older than Lily thought she would be, and much bigger than she had expected. Low in the backside and high in the front side and rather bunched up in the middle.
    â€œShe is nice,” Beth said. She looked behind her to make sure the schoolhouse door was closed. “She doesn’t have any rules.”
    â€œNone?” Lily said.
    â€œNot a one,” Malinda said. “She said she’s sure we’ll all behave because we want to, not because we have to.”
    Lily squinted her eyes in disbelief. “Didn’t anyone warn her about Aaron Yoder and Sam Stoltzfus?”
    Beth snorted. “She’s living with Effie Kauffman. Teacher Judith probably heard the sun rose and set by Aaron.”
    Hannah and Levi came around the bend. Hannah broke into a run to join the girls on the steps. “Lily! I’m glad you’re back! I have news.”
    â€œI already heard,” Lily said glumly.
    Beth, Malinda, and Hannah exchanged a look. “Effie,” all three girls said, at the same time. Effie Kauffman liked to be the first to know everything, often before it happened.
    â€œWhen do you move?” Lily asked.
    Hannah sat down