A/N: Discipline was harsher in the '40s but the toughest is only hinted at here, and is no worse than implied on TV in the '60s (for instance, while I haven't seen an instance I have read that Andy Griffith mentions the woodshed a time or two) at times or in some comics. I can think of it being done in love (where it is more often a single smack). So I handle it here like it might be mentioned back then, and as a last resort. Which is pretty good for 1943, and avoids stuff I can't let into my brain, as I mentioned.
Chapter 7 - Stomping Out Nightmares
"I thought working here was strange, but having that first really mean girl latch on to me…?" Duffy said in March of 1943. She, Annie, and July were meeting with Grace and Rose at a table in the headmistress' suite.
Molly had wanted to tag along with Grace. "Hattie had to latch on to someone," she pointed out while going over paperwork concerning food orders that Grace had given her.
Grace concurred. "Molly's right. Why not you? She seemed to like it when you showed her some dance moves."
"Nothing can totally prepare you for the first one, either," July noted tiredly. After some discussion, mostly from the others, July said she knew what was on Duffy's mind. "She reminds you of Miss Hannigan, doesn't she?"
"It has crossed my mind." Duffy's face became sterner. "A lot!"
"If Hattie's seven and she reminds us of her, what's next?" Molly thought for a second and excused herself. "I'll make sure everyone's tucked in okay." She left.
"I think she knows what we'll talk about. We discussed the possibility of an orphan like Hattie when your dad first had the idea of remodeling and opening this place," Duffy told Annie.
"It's bound to get better," Annie told them. "Remember when Pepper was so excited because three Swedish words sounded like German loan words that became English? She knew if she was invited to a midnight conference in the grass she would understand. Now look at her!"
They all sensed the coming conversation, despite Annie's positive remarks. July said: "I hated to give even a light slap on the rear as the 'house mother' years ago. Even counting the few times I did it to keep Miss Hannigan from being overly harsh, it was really rare. We try hard never to do it if we can help it with any kid, and usually avoid it."
Duffy heaved a deep sigh. "And Hattie's only been here about a week, and already Rose and I have each had to do it once. I try not to think of it as just being mad, like when Miss Hannigan got so mean I'd stomp on her foot. And, did I mention the look Hattie gave me when I told her about that?"
"You did. Always remember, the key is, however you handle any of them, are you thinking more about how mad you are, or about what you should think about - how you love her and want what's best for her." The others heartily endorsed Rose's wisdom.
July recalled a Bible verse. "Be angry and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath. It's okay to be angry, but don't let it make you sin by going overboard. Talk things out, don't go to bed angry, and so on."
"Sure - even when you and Pepper fought, you worked it out. You never stayed mad. There's plenty of things we can do to help Hattie," Annie observed.
Grace had another concern: "She might be testing all of us. To see if we'll still love her at her worst. She might wonder what's the worst we'll do."
"Yes. If she's going to keep treating some of the other girls like slaves, and being that cruel, as much as any of us hate the thought of making someone's backside sting more…" Rose trailed off with the others nodding sadly in agreement. "I understand if you feel like taking responsibility for doing it. Believe me, it helps since I float between the two parts with the manpower shortages."
"I'll stay and work with her," Annie piped up. "I said we should get kids like Hattie. If it has to happen; I'll do it. I'll protect the others just like I always did for Molly."
July looked tenderly at her. "Annie, you're learning to do so much more than this, with all your dad's business…" She began to get choked up. "I hate the thought, but if she really needs…"
Duffy held up a hand. "Stop, both of you. I'm the one she's bonding with. I know she reminds me of MIss Hannigan. But, I can get past that. She might be testing me for a reason."
"Sure. Maybe that look you mention was a sign. She does seem - and I know this might sound strange given how she tests you - but she does seem to trust you. Maybe even identify with you…" Grace trailed off.
Duffy agreed and seemed to mentally prepare a little. "I feel for her. Hattie might wonder what she's in for if get as choked up as I could. I'll just let her bawl in my arms and we'll have a good, hard cry together. But we've still got a ways to go before it would happen. She might still settle down and treat others right like we try to teach her," Duffy finished, reminding herself not to be resigned to it.
"Right; we need a plan so we can say specifically what would lead to it, and how she can avoid it if she wants." Grace shook her head. "I never would have dreamed I'd think like this. I'm glad you girls are here to help."
Molly re-entered a while later. "Everyone's fine. Lucy and Nancy were awake whispering about Hattie. I could tell they were bothered. I rubbed their backs a minute and helped them get to sleep. I said how proud I was that Nancy and Lucy have become good friends since Nancy came." Nancy was white. Annie and Grace both grinned proudly at how Molly took after Annie. "I told them you were making a plan to deal with Hattie. Did she really get kicked out of a government orphanage? They said another girl said that."
"No, but I see how it could look like that. They were glad when we offered to take her once her parents lost custody. We've got a plan," Rose said, hoping it worked.
Pepper sat in a Swedish home reading Duffy's letter and pondering how to reply yet keep her mission a secret. As she did, one of the children came asking for supper.
"Sure. It's almost time." Pepper rose and smiled at the girl she had rescued some weeks back. When asked when she had learned, Pepper explained as she prepared. "It was before the Depression. I looked for stuff to do and was encouraged to hang around the cook. She was the first layoff. Eventually if Miss Hannigan was busy or just didn't feel like it, she'd asked if we wanted supper and when we said 'yes' she'd crack: 'Well, get it yourself!'"
"Wow. Did you have nightmares there?"
"Yeah. I wasn't as good then at comforting kids. I'm a little on edge yet. Back then, I really thought I had to be." She beamed as the girl, joined by two other children she'd rescued, begged for a story - her Swedish and German were very good now. "Okay. We'd had this four-year-old, Molly, for a few months…"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Pepper, almost eleven, tossed and turned. It was one of those… oh. As she woke up, she realized that someone crying in real life had entered her dream. "Molly…" she spouted in frustration.
"I've got her, Pepper," Annie, nine, said as she rocked the little one. "It's okay, Molly. Annie's here. It's all right."
As the little one began to explain her dream through sniffles, Pepper felt torn. On the one hand, she understood nightmares. On the other hand, Pepper had worked diligently on hiding her true fears, using the LIttle Orphan Annie comic strip and her imagination in general.
And here came the reason for Pepper's anxiety. Miss Hannigan had been up yet, probably drinking. They didn't know exactly, but it was close to midnight. "What's all the racket?" Miss Hannigan clamored.
When Annie said matter-of-factly that Molly had had a nightmare, Pepper became defensive. This caused Miss Hannigan to sound even more flustered. "If you can't keep that rotten orphan quiet, I'll make her catch birds for food!" She saw some anxiety in the younger kids' faces. "Well, she crawls around in the laundry like a cat!"
'You got Tessie so scared once she thought you'd turn her into a cat," Pepper shouted.
Annie stood up resolutely. "Pipe down, all of ya!" She glared especially at Pepper, who had been mad at Molly for no reason, then looked at everyone as she spoke. "You can sleep with your teeth inside your mouth… or out."
"And you say I'm threatening?" Miss Hannigan ranted. "Get that rotten orphan under control."
"I'm not an orphan-"
""Oh, yeah," Miss Hannigan said as she pointed at the sky, "I forgot, there's your parents, the man and woman in the moon!"
She noticed Duffy was about to say something, but Annie and July shushed Duffy. Then, she stomped off.
Tessie spoke to Pepper once Miss Hannigan was far away. "She scares you too, huh?"
"Nah. What scares me is if I'd have to fight her. But I would!"
"Sure, we could win, Pepper!"
"I would," Pepper declared loudly as Annie went back to comforting Molly. "I will not let a nearly nine-year-old join me - you leave with the others if you have to!" She caught herself - Annie was right about one thing. "If it comes to that. Maybe we won't have to; you're right about that, Annie."
July sometimes scolded Pepper with it, but now she said it jokingly. "You think you're Jack Dempsey, huh? I could see her face. You and Duffy both intimidate Miss Hannigan. Annie, you're growing, but Pepper's right; you're way too small to fight her."
Annie ignored the comment and spoke kindly to Molly, but July knew Annie would listen. Annie knew July would order her not to fight if she had to - but she didn't want to have to do so.
"But Pepper, Duffy, you need to hear this." July rubbed Kate's back a little as she stirred. "Remember Miss Kathy said to pick our battles? I can see in MIss Hannigan's face that she doesn't want to fight. But I think if she's backed into a corner, it could get nasty. Stepping on feet, fine, you only do it a little. But, when I'm quiet I'm praying or watching. And Pepper, I think she knows you would fight tooth and nail to protect us."
Annie smiled at Pepper. "That's right. She knows. Just be nice to kids with bad dreams."
Pepper promised to. She just wished they didn't remind her of her own fears.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Back in the present, Pepper stirred the pot as she explained: "I learned to control the dreams somewhat, but it took a while. Later I'll share some of my strategies." The situation that Duffy had shared was probably resolved by now, but until she really improved, Pepper hoped Hattie didn't cause too many in the meantime.
What Duffy shared had indeed been resolved by the time Pepper read it. But while Hattie would slowly improve, she'd been nasty enough that, days after Duffy had written to Pepper, Hattie's actions, threats, and general attitude had been so bad, it ended with Duffy hauling Hattie away and, as predicted, the two of them having a good, hard cry as they hugged afterward.
"Feel better?" Duffy asked gently as Hattie finally sat in Duffy's lap after a few minutes of hugging and discussing what had happened.
The girl thought for a moment, then leaped up and wrapped her arms around Duffy. "Yeah, I just need another hug."
"I'm always here for that," Duffy declared less tenderly than July would yet still with care in her voice."We teach love and respect for others in this place, don't we?"
"Yeah. Miss Duffy?" Hattie looked down as she spoke "Why are you nice to me?"
After what Duffy had had to do, even if she'd only used her hand,, the question seemed odd, but she knew Hattie was comparing it to her parents. She wasn't sure what to say, and was glad July had come in with Lucy. Still, July gave Duffy a look that told her to at least try to answer.
"When we teach you to be nice," Duffy said, lifting Hattie's face up to look her in the eye, "we know we have to show it ourselves. Even when we have to get really tough."
"So I don't go screaming at the little ones." The others nodded. "And kicking people and telling Nancy I'd whip her like a slave if she didn't listen to me. And calling Lucy that word you don't like when she stood up for her. And…" Hattie sniffled and threw her arms around Duffy again, thinking about how badly she'd behaved that morning. She knew they'd given her every chance to be nice to others like she had been told to do. And when she refused to heed their warnings…
"It's over now. And you are going to do what we tell you and let us help you practice being kind and respectful, right?" July asked. Hattie nodded.
Lucy piped up: "Miss July always says you don't have to be perfect. Just work on it. Like I'm trying hard not to rub it in by repeating what July was proud of me for coming up with."
"Hattie probably heard Miss July starting to compliment you. DIdn't you, Hattie?" Duffy asked.
Hattie agreed. July had praised Lucy's creativity - and the fact she listened well in the integrated school they did - when Lucy had compared Duffy with General Sherman and Georgia.
Hattie blushed and said: "'Cept you used your hand, 'stead of marching like you would on Miss Hannigan's foot," Hattie muttered as her cheeks grew bright red. "Will you always love me?"
"Of course I will," Duffy promised truthfully. "But, part of loving you is teaching you how to be kind, and how bad it is when you're not. Right?"
"Yeah. You'll make a nice Mommy. 'Cause you hug nice no matter what," Hattie proclaimed as they embraced again and Nancy joined the gtoup.
"That's right. We'll always be there to help you. And we want you to learn to be friends with others, too," Duffy insisted.
After the hug, as July spoke gently with Lucy and Nancy both in her lap, Hattie decided to jump into the group, and turned it into a group hug.
"That's what we like to see. You're a good hugger," July complimented her. "We won't have to get this tough again, will we?" she asked with confidence. Hattie promised they wouldn't; and she would improve, though with her issues she would struggle. Still, she would only ever need anything near that harsh one other time - when Hattie kept deliberately giving the younger kids nightmares stories like from Hansel and Gretel.
Duffy not only beamed with pride but wondered in a whisper: "A nice mom?"
July heard Duffy muttering, though the others didn't. She whispered into Duffy's ear: "I had to be kind of like one at 11. Trust God - if He wants you to do it, He'll give you the skills."
Duffy thanked July. As rough as the last few days had been working with Hattie, if July thought she could do it, maybe it was possible. As Duffy told her later, that was one of July's strengths, just like Annie's - believing in others. Because she'd dared to believe in herself, or rather what God could do through her.
It was ironic given what Pepper had written them about in a way that made it sound like she was just a live-in nanny or something talking about children she , while they wouldn't kow till after she came home what she'd been doing, she, to, would see incredible growth.
Hattie, meanwhile, also became nicer even with her issues. Especially in how she cared for those who were hurting, thanks to how DUffy and the others had done that for her.