Chapter Thirty
"Patience is the art of hoping."
~Luc de Clapiers
Elizabeth looked up from her seat in the back of the saloon and saw Ann leaning over, assisting Rosaleen with a Math problem. Elizabeth tried to hear their conversation, but couldn't as they were whispering and several feet away.
"Miss Thatcher? Is that good?" Sarah, who was seated next to Elizabeth at the table, asked rather loudly as she held up her paper.
Elizabeth studied the paper. She nodded. "Yes," she said in a voice just above a whisper. "Now, let's practice your hs." She wrote an h on the next line on the paper, then handed it back to Sarah. "Show me your hs," she entreated with encouragement.
Sarah smiled and began writing on the paper. Elizabeth looked up again and was surprised to see that Ann was watching her. Elizabeth automatically smiled back. Albert raised his hand and Ann turned away to assist him. However, Elizabeth could swear that, just before Ann turned away, she gave her a brief smile. But, now, she had her back to Elizabeth as she assisted Albert.
"Beeeoootiful!," Sarah announced proudly, getting the attention of some of the older students at a nearby table. Elizabeth automatically flashed them her "teacher look" and they all returned to their Math work. "Isn't it beeootiful?" Sarah asked as she pointed to the hs she'd just made. The first two looked like hs while the rest looked like ns or bs.
"You are doing better," Elizabeth assured her, still whispering. "Let's make a couple together." She clasped her hand over Sarah's and guided her to make a half dozen hs on the paper. "Now, you make three in your one," she directed Sarah. As the girl began to write, Elizabeth looked up again and saw that Ann was now standing near the bar, her hands clasped behind her back, watching the students continue to work. Her gaze shifted to her desk and she saw the time. She looked back to Ann and hoped that she'd be able to get her attention, but Ann didn't look her way. She sighed and turned back to Sarah. "Okay, it's almost time for lunch. So, head back to your seat," she told the girl.
"Yay!" Sarah cheered. "I love lunchtime!" She smiled and happily walked back to her seat at the same table as Rosaleen and Anna.
Elizabeth gathered the paper and pencils before she stood. She walked toward Ann. "Mrs. Thornton?" she sought Ann's attention in a low voice.
Ann looked to Elizabeth. "Yes, Miss Thatcher?" she responded, her face placid.
"Time for lunch," Elizabeth informed her in a whisper.
Ann nodded. "Yes, of course," she concurred as she moved to the front of the room. She took a deep breath, then announced, "Scholars..." She paused for a moment as she surveyed the room, making sure that she had everyone's attention. After a couple moments, satisfied that they she did, she continued. "Please place your Math work in the center of your table. It's time for lunch, so grab your lunch pails and please proceed quietly outside."
Elizabeth cringed when she heard Ann call the students "scholars." One of her least favorite teachers had used that term for students and Elizabeth had vowed that, when she was a teacher, she'd never use it. She closed her eyes and exhaled, letting go of her frustration. She needed Ann to get through the rest of the day. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the children were heading outside for lunch. Ann was standing at Elizabeth's desk, looking at the plan book. Elizabeth walked over to join her. "I thought we'd continue the US History lesson this afternoon," Elizabeth told her in a hoarse whisper.
Ann nodded. "Okay, but your voice sounds rough from you talking so much this morning. So, how should we handle this? Do you want me to teach it using that history book?" Ann asked.
Elizabeth pulled her lips into a straight line as she considered the question. She truly despised not being able to teach her class. After a couple moments of contemplation, she had an idea. "I'll write information on the board and you can read it to them. Then, they can do their projects."
"Projects?" Ann asked, her brow furrowed.
Elizabeth nodded and pointed to the plan book. Ann focused on where Elizabeth directed her gaze and read, "History project: make a drawing of Abraham Lincoln's log cabin."
"Alright," Ann agreed. "Do you want to go get some hot tea from Abigail while I watch the students at lunch?" she offered.
Elizabeth shook her head. "No, thank you. No more tea!" She said in very hoarse voice. She coughed sightly as she reached for her lunch pail and a small bottle sitting next to her desk. She waved the bottle toward Ann. "Lemonade," she told her, smiling.
Ann nodded. She reached for her lunch pail on the other side of the desk and Elizabeth heard her emit a low groan. Ann dropped the lunch pail and stood up straight, her face was contorted with pain. "Are you alright, Mrs. Thornton?" Elizabeth asked, her voice filled with concern. She reached for Ann's lunch pail and offered it to her.
"Yes, of course," Ann answered. "I'm afraid I'm getting a bit of a headache. I have some aspirin in my room. I think I'll go eat my lunch there and try to get over it before the history lesson." She took the lunch pail, turned quickly and marched up the stairs.
Elizabeth watched her head to her room. "Feel better," she called as loud as she could, but she wasn't sure if Ann heard her because she didn't respond. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders, frustrated once again at Ann's behavior. As she headed outside to have her lunch and watch the children, she thought to herself that she and Jack need to have that talk with Ann as soon as possible. She remembered one of her favorite bible verses from Psalm 30, "Lord My God, I called to you for help and you healed me." Just before she opened the door to go outside, she whispered, "Oh, dear Lord, please give me my voice back!"
When she walked outside, she surveyed the students and found most of them were still eating their lunches. Some of the younger boys were already playing ball in the street. Elizabeth knew it was very likely that they had left their lunch pails untouched on the porch. Elizabeth sat on the bench and pulled out the biscuits, cheese, and orange she'd packed for her lunch. After a few minutes, Rosaleen and Anna walked up to her. "Miss Thatcher, when will you have your voice back?" Rosaleen asked.
Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't know," she answered. "Hopefully very soon!"
"Good, cuz we miss your sweet voice!" Rosaleen pronounced loudly.
Elizabeth laughed. "Me, too!"
Rosaleen and Anna turned away and walked toward a group of girls who were jumping rope. Elizabeth returned to her lunch, sipping her lemonade. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the cool liquid sliding down her throat. She said another silent prayer that her throat would heal soon.
"Napping on the job, Miss Thatcher? I'm surprised at you!"
Elizabeth's eyes flew open and she was staring at a red serge jacket. Her eyes scanned upward and she saw Jack's grinning face. "Not napping. Praying," she countered mildly, a smile tugging at her lips.
He sat down next to her on the bench. "Praying for your voice to come back?" he asked.
She nodded as she offered him some of her lunch. "No, thank you. Although, that is quite a tempting lunch there," he teased.
"I haven't had much of an appetite," she explained. "All I really want is the lemonade."
Jack's expression grew serious. "I was afraid you were coming back to work too soon. Maybe you should head back to the cafe..."
Elizabeth stopped him by placing her hand on his arm and telling him, "I'm fine."
He smiled at her and said in a low voice, "Good." Then, he looked around. "Where's my Mom?"
"She said she had a headache and needed to get some aspirin in her room. She'll be back down after lunch," Elizabeth reported.
Jack looked back toward the saloon and became silent. Elizabeth's hand slid down his arm to his hand and she gave it a squeeze. "You okay?"
"I have a feeling something is not right with her. She's not acting like herself," he told her, clearly worried. "I'm hoping we can talk with her soon. Maybe tomorrow night?"
Elizabeth nodded. "I hope so." She smiled, hoping to lift his spirits and get his mind off his worries about his mother. Jack smiled back at her. They looked into each others' eyes for several moments until Jack realized that he was leaning in to kiss her. He pulled back, knowing that would be completely inappropriate in front of her students. He cleared his throat and straightened his belt. Elizabeth sat back, too, removing her hand from his, and scanned the porch and street, checking on her students. She noticed some of the older girls watching her and Jack, giggling. She felt the color rising in her cheeks and willed it away. She moved her gaze to the boys and noted that there were several more of them playing ball now.
"I should probably go get our lunches at the cafe," Jack finally said.
Elizabeth turned back to him. He noticed that she was blushing and smiled. "I'll see you after school?" he asked
Elizabeth nodded.
As he stood, he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before heading to the cafe. She watched him as he crossed the street and entered the cafe. She then turned her attention back to the biscuits and cheese, her lips curling a bit. She shoved them back into the pail and pushed the pail aside on the bench. She sipped at her lemonade as she watched the students play. She enjoyed watching her students laugh and play in the middle of the day.
After about fifteen minutes, she'd finished her lemonade, grabbed her lunch pail, and left the bench. She walked over to a group of girls talking near the jump rope. "Rachel," she said in as loud a whisper that she could muster. "Rachel!"
Gem heard her and nudged Rachel. "Rachel! Miss Thatcher's calling you," she told her friend.
Rachel looked to Elizabeth and said, "Yes, ma'am."
Elizabeth cleared her throat before asking, "Will you please tell the class that lunch is over and it's time to head back inside."
"Oh, yes, ma'am," Rachel agreed. Then she turned around and yelled at the top of her lungs, "Hey everybody! Lunch is over! Time to go back inside!"
Elizabeth's mouth fell open and her eyes widened as Rachel bellowed her command to her classmates. However, she was pleased to see all the students follow the direction and began to move toward the saloon doors. When Rachel passed her, heading inside, she told her, "Thank you, Rachel." Rachel smiled back. Then, just before she closed the saloon door, Elizabeth glanced over at the cafe. Fortuitously, she spotted Jack exiting the cafe carrying a basket. She watched as he descended the stairs and was pleased that, before he turned toward the jailhouse, he looked back at the saloon. He stopped when he saw Elizabeth standing in the doorway, watching him. He smiled and tipped his hat to her. She smiled at him before closing the door behind her.