By Any Other Name

Chapter 4

The sitting room was like an indoor garden. There were flowers on the walls and pillows, and in vases on the end tables. Even a few rugs bore flowers. But contrary to what I might have expected with such decorations, the effect wasn't suffocating and busy. It was peaceful and relaxing.

"I'm not sure what you're expecting." Minnie was seated on the opposite side of the couch from me, a small white tea cup in her hand. "But I can't afford to pay much."

"Oh, I wouldn't need much," I said quickly, holding on to my own tea cup. "And I can work hard."

She smiled. "I'm sure you can. To be honest though, we don't need a maid. We need a teacher."

"A teacher?" I asked, confused. "For a boarding house?"

"A boarding house?" Her eyebrows shot up. "Is that what you were told this is?"

"I..." Thinking back, I really wasn't sure what I'd been told it was. "I'm not really sure," I admitted. "Mrs. Hamilton said...I mean, the woman that I met in New York told me about your house, but I don't actually remember whether she said it was a boarding house or not."

"Patricia Hamilton?" Minnie asked.

I nodded. Mrs. Hamilton was the wife of the man who owned the restaurant where I worked in New York.

"Well that explains it, I guess. To her it is sort of a boarding house," she said. "I've known her for years now. Occasionally she'll come for a visit. Always insists on leaving money, though I don't ask for it."

I suppose that made sense, but I was still confused.

"If it's not a boarding house," I said. "What is it?" The building was huge. Much too large for a woman living alone. And despite Levi's familiarity, I didn't think he lived here.

Having rejoined us, Levi exchanged a meaningful look with Minnie that I didn't understand.

"I don't know that I've ever put a label on it." Minnie turned back to me. "It's... I suppose you could say that this is a place for souls who need a place to go. A home for them, even if just a temporary one."

In other words, it was the ideal place for someone like me. Maybe Mrs. Hamilton wasn't so confused after all.

"For a while now, it's been more of a home for children than anything else," she said. "But we've had all sorts of people here from time to time."

It was an orphanage? My heart went out to the little boy who'd since run off to play with his frog.

"There are eight children here at the moment and I've attempted to give them the most schooling I can, but lately my eyes and arthritic joints have had other ideas. Seems like I have less and less energy or willpower to tackle anything new with the children, and they wind up mostly practicing the things they already know. I don't have a problem doing the cooking, and the children mostly clean up after themselves, so that's not too much work for me either, but I can't handle much teaching any more."

Minnie didn't look very old. I guessed that she was a little older than my mother, but I knew it was impossible to know the status of a person's health, just by looking at them or knowing their age. My father's premature death had certainly taught me that.

"I'm not a teacher." I wanted to help her, but I didn't think I could. "I wouldn't know the first thing about it."

"Can you read?" she asked.

"Well yes, but-"

"Can you do basic arithmetic?"

"Yes, I can, but-"

"That's really all we need," she said. "Just someone willing to try."

"But I-" I tried, but was interrupted by the same blonde-headed boy.

"Are you the new teacher?" he said coming to stand in front of me. His frog was nowhere in sight.

"I..." How could I look into those big brown eyes and tell him no? But how could I even think of saying yes? After hearing Charles tell me how stupid and useless I was so many times, I didn't want to take on this kind of responsibility.

"Please say you'll do it," he begged with wide-eyed innocence. "I was s'posed to learn to read this year."

I looked helplessly at Minnie.

She sighed. "My eyes started acting up before we got started."

Everyone watched me, waiting for my answer and I squirmed under the weight of all the pressure. It was such a huge undertaking. Who was I to think I could do it?

"These children know that their lives won't be glamorous," Minnie said. "They'll likely grow up to be farmers or to work in factories or some other menial trade. All they need is a start and some guidance."

I looked down on the angelic little face in front of me, realizing how selfish I was being. Whether I felt adequate or not, how could I not at least try? This boy, along with the seven other children in this house probably had nothing, not even a living parent. At the very least, they should be able to learn.

My mother never had a real education, but she still taught my sisters and I to read and write in a language that was not her own. I could certainly attempt to teach the things I already knew.

I smiled at the boy. "I'll do my best."

With a gap-toothed wide grin he threw his arms around my neck. The unexpected gesture startled me briefly before tugging at my heart.

"Hear that, Levi?" the boy said, going to him. "I'm gonna learn to read!"

"I heard." Levi gave me an appreciative smile. This time I didn't think he was obnoxious.

"Like I said, I can't afford to pay much," Minnie said. "You'll have a room and meals of course, and whatever money we have left over at the end of the month as a salary, though I wish I could garauntee that there'd actually be money left."

"That's just fine," I said. And it was. I'd wanted a place to disappear and start a new life, and this was looking like a better, more fulfilling life than I could have imagined.

"She's awful pretty ain't she, Levi?" the boy had clearly tried to whisper, but his voice still held plenty of volume.

With a slight blush I involuntarily glanced at the two of them. Levi was watching me intently and entirely serious for a change, making something in my stomach dip unexpectedly.

"She sure is," he agreed, not taking his eyes off mine.

My cheeks felt a little warmer and I turned back to Minnie, who thankfully seemed to understand my discomfort.

"Are you hungry?" she asked. "I still have some stew. Levi's been known to eat like a herd of cattle, but I'm sure he won't mind sharing."

"Thank you, but honestly, I'm just tired," I said. "I had a long trip."

"Of course." Minnie stood, placing her tea cup on the end table. "I'll show you where your room is."

Taking her example, I put my own cup down and moved to follow her.

An insistent tugging on my skirt stopped me before I could leave the room and I looked down on the boy.

"You talk funny," he said bluntly. "Am I gonna sound like that when you start teachin' me to read?"

I couldn't help the chuckle that bubbled passed my lips. Apparently my accent wasn't as well disguised as I'd thought.

"Manners Oliver," Minnie scolded turning back. "Miss Annie comes from England. That's how they sound there. It's not funny. It's different. But you won't sound that way just from her teaching you."

Little Oliver pursed his lips and looked off to the side in thought before pronouncing, "Don't think I'd mind if I did. I'd like to sound different from everybody else."

I didn't believe in having favorites when it came to dealing with children, but even without meeting any of the others, I knew that it would be hard not to make Oliver my favorite. A glance at Minnie and Levi told me that they felt the same way.