Loaves of Love Page 4

  David shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

  Katie slowly turned her head to face him. “Are you mad?”

  “Nee, nee.” He put his hand on her knee, which caused her to jump a little, but he didn’t move it. “I’m not mad at all.” Grinning, he squeezed above her knee a little until she giggled and pushed him away. “I was just trying to make things easier on you.”

  He spoke with such tenderness that Katie was tempted to accept the offer. But it felt wrong, and she was sure her parents would disapprove.

  When David pulled in at the bakery, he said he needed to come in to use the bathroom before he headed back to work.

  They walked into the bakery, and Ella was nowhere to be found. Neither was her daughter, Susan. David excused himself to the bathroom, and Katie followed him, breaking off to the left when he went to the right down a short hallway to the bathroom. Katie wound around past the wringer washing machine, a worktable, and the sink. Finally, she saw Ella and Susan sitting on the floor. Ella’s daughter was whimpering softly, and Ella was putting a bandage on her knee.

  “Ach, she was running around back here when I told her not to, and she fell and skinned her knee.” Ella put the last piece of tape across the white bandage and helped the little girl up.

  “I’m sorry you fell, sweetheart.” Katie leaned down and cupped Susan’s cheek in her hand. “Is it anything a cupcake won’t fix? Would you like one?”

  Sniffling, Susan nodded, and they headed back toward the front of the bakery just as David emerged from the bathroom.

  “Um . . .” He raised his eyebrows, then whispered to Katie, “That’s another thing you might consider upgrading.”

  Katie didn’t have to wonder whether she was blushing again. She knew she was. “I know.” Her father insisted the bathroom was fine, even though Katie and her mother both felt like something needed to be done about it. It was basically a bench with two roughly cut holes. Most of the Englisch were appalled when they saw it, even though Katie was always waiting for any patrons outside the door near the sink. She pumped water for them to wash their hands and had a warm towel ready. In the end, Katie and her mother quit pushing her father to upgrade to something more comfortable. Their bathroom had become as touristy as the rest of the bakery. More than once, Katie had heard an Englisch person whisper, “And you have to go see the bathroom. You won’t believe it.”

  David told them all goodbye, and Katie walked him to the door. “I’d say I’ll call you soon, but . . .” He grinned.

  “I know. I don’t have a phone.” Katie was tiring of David’s reminders that she was living in the stone ages, as he’d once put it. He was kind, generous, and very handsome, so she tried to overlook some of his comments.

  “But you’re worth it,” he whispered before he winked at her and left. She turned around to find Ella watching David leave, a dreamy-eyed look on her face.

  “Forgive me for staring at your man, but he is easy on the eyes.” Grinning, she lifted her eyes upward. “And forgive me, Gott. I’m a married woman.”

  Katie wasn’t sure she knew a happier couple than Ella and Ben, so not an ounce of jealousy flared up when Ella gaped at David—unlike at the other bakery earlier when Katie’s feathers had been ruffled.

  “How was it while I was gone? Sorry I’m a little late.” Katie glanced at the order pad and then at the dozen or so loose sheets next to it. She scooped them up and quickly began flipping through them. “What . . .” Her heart pounded.

  “Ya, it was busy while you were gone.” She nodded to the table with the fresh pastries. “A few sales, but mostly orders.”

  “This woman wants a dozen pies by Monday.” Katie could have done that without a problem, but there were more orders. “Here’s one for three dozen raisin fried pies, an apple pie, a pecan pie, and four loaves of bread.” She swallowed hard. “By Monday.” Her eyes widened as she looked up at Ella. “It’s after Thanksgiving. Usually there is a lull before the Christmas orders pour in.” She thought about all the hours she’d put in prior to Thanksgiving.

  “Ach, mei freind, I’d come help you, but I have mei in-laws coming in next week for an early Christmas since they will be at Ben’s sister’s house the week of Christmas. I’ve got a lot of cooking to do in preparation for their arrival.”

  As Katie’s heart continued to thud, she worried about disappointing her parents. She looked at Ella, then at the orders, then at David getting ready to leave.

  “Be right back.” She fled the bakery and ran to David’s buggy, her arms shivering since she didn’t even stop to get her coat.

  “You’re freezing.” David rubbed her arms, then started to take off his coat.

  “Nee, nee. Keep it on. I’m going back in, but I wanted to tell you that I’d love to have your mudder’s old propane oven. I just don’t know how I’ll get it here.”

  David smiled, then kissed her on the cheek. “I will make sure you get it.”

  She gazed into his eyes, trying to feel more than she did. He was a gut man. And no one would argue that he wasn’t handsome. Maybe she hadn’t spent enough time with him to really know how she felt. Perhaps her feelings would grow when they knew each other better.

  Or had Henry unknowingly disrupted the natural progression of their relationship when he’d asked her out?

  As David leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips, she forced herself to envision their relationship escalating. Still, she didn’t think such things were meant to be forced.

  5

  LENA INSISTED ON CLEANING THE KITCHEN AFTER SHE told Clara goodbye, leaving Henry to walk their guest to the door and help her into her coat.

  “I had a nice time today. Your schweschder is a wonderful cook.” Clara’s brown eyes met his. “And it was fun spending time with you and reliving our adventure from a couple years ago.”

  Henry nodded. “I enjoyed myself too.” His thoughts had drifted to Katie and David on and off, but Clara distracted him in a wonderful way. He liked how bubbly she was when she talked, and she smiled a lot. He wanted to ask her out, but he knew she would be his second choice, and that felt wrong. Then David’s face came crashing to the forefront of his mind, reminding him that Katie was taken. Maybe he owed it to himself to expand his horizons. Maybe there was an opportunity for more than friendship with Clara.

  “Would you like to have lunch next Saturday?” He held his breath, realizing again how long it had been since he’d had a real date.

  “Ya, I’d like that.” She pulled on thick black gloves, still smiling.

  “What about the Railroad Café in Mitchell?” It wasn’t anything fancy, but the food was good, and it wasn’t far from where Clara lived. They would spend less time in the buggy and cold.

  “That sounds gut.”

  After setting a time for the following Saturday, Henry walked Clara to her buggy and helped her in, thankful the snow had stopped for now.

  When he walked back into the house, Lena was standing in the middle of the living room with her arms folded across her chest, grinning. “Ha. I did gut, ya?”

  Henry looped his thumbs beneath his suspenders and chuckled. “Ya, I guess you did.” He rolled his eyes. “But no more blind dates without asking me.”

  Lena dropped her arms to her sides, her eyes twinkling, as she bounced up on her toes. “Maybe you won’t need any more blind dates. Maybe Clara is the one.”

  Henry wouldn’t have thought it a possibility until the last couple of hours, but he was willing to get to know Clara better since Katie was involved with someone else. “Maybe.”

  Lena clapped her hands before she spun around and went back to the kitchen.

  It had been a gut dinner, but now that Clara was gone, Henry’s thoughts returned to Katie. He hoped it wouldn’t always be this way. Maybe spending time with Clara was just what he needed.

  Katie closed the bakery at three o’clock, as she always did on Saturdays, so she could go home and prepare supper. Even though tomorrow was a day of rest, she would have to
come back to the bakery. Otherwise, there was no way she’d get all the orders completed by Monday. She wished she’d have that fancy propane oven on Monday instead of having to wait until the following Saturday. David said that was the soonest he could get it to her.

  Her teeth chattered on the short ride home, despite being bundled up in a heavy blanket and using the small heater on the seat next to her. As thoughts of David and Henry battled for room in her mind, she tried to tune it all out and focus on what she had to do when she arrived at home—heat the supper she’d prepared late last night, sew buttons on two of the boys’ shirts, and try to get to bed as early as possible.

  It was only a half hour later when she put the large pot of chicken and dumplings on the table alongside two loaves of bread. After she set out the chow-chow, jams, and jellies, she joined her father and five brothers, never wishing she had a sister more than today.

  After they bowed their heads in prayer, Katie’s brothers dug in. Emanuel and Jonas were still in their work clothes, which consisted of overalls covered in paint, and she smelled the stench of hard work on them even from the other end of the table. Her mother never would have allowed them to gather for a meal looking and smelling that way, but Katie was too tired to enforce a rule her father had obviously chosen to overlook.

  Katie’s youngest brother, Reuben, wasn’t a very good eater, and he was tiny for ten. She knew to keep a close eye on him and encourage him to eat enough. Mahlon and Vernon, twelve and fourteen, could eat almost as much as their older brothers, although Emanuel and Jonas ate faster and were usually the first ones to leave.

  When the commotion of supper was over, Katie carried a plate of food up to her mother.

  “Mei maedel, you look exhausted.” Her mother positioned the tray on her lap, then looked up at Katie and frowned. “I hate being laid up like this. Maybe in another week or so I’ll be able to get back to the bakery.”

  Katie caught a glimpse of herself in the bathroom mirror earlier. She had dark circles below her eyes, and several strands of hair had slipped out of her prayer covering.

  “Nee, remember what the doctor said about staying in bed until Christmas?” Katie picked up the tray from her mother’s lap and set it on the nightstand while she helped her sit up a little more.

  “Ach, that’s too long.” Her mother flinched as she tried to lift herself up even more. Once she was settled, Katie placed the tray back on her lap, then sank onto the chair by the bed.

  “Nee, it’s not too long. You don’t want to have another setback.” Katie waited as her mother prayed silently, then she said, “The dumplings aren’t as gut as yours, but the boys didn’t seem to notice.”

  “I’m so proud of you.” Her mother smiled. “You’ve taken over the duties here at home, and you’re running the bakery by yourself. You’ll make a wonderful fraa someday.”

  Katie tucked her chin, feeling undeserving of the compliment. She was tempted to tell her mother about the propane oven that would arrive Saturday, but she decided to wait until the new appliance was already in place before she said anything. It would make it more difficult to return it if it was settled and in use.

  “A lot of orders came in today. More than normal after Thanksgiving.” Katie searched her mother’s eyes for advice, but her mother was focused on her meal. Katie was glad to see her eating more than she had been lately.

  “Can your cousin help you?” Her mother reached for a glass of water on the nightstand.

  “Nee. I mean, I know Ella would if she could, but she has her hands full running her own household. Susan is a bit hyper, and they have Ben’s parents coming for a visit.”

  “Ya, I remember that now.” Her mother took a bite of the chicken and dumplings, and Katie waited, wondering again if she should tell her about the new oven.

  “I can send your younger bruders to help you when they get out of school for the Christmas holidays.” Her mother lifted an eyebrow.

  “Nee. Absolutely not. Mahlon and Vernon fight when you and Daed aren’t around, and Reuben would be bored silly and make me ab im kopp.”

  Her mother nodded. “True. I often catch them arguing with each other. It’s the age. Twelve- and fourteen-year-olds don’t believe themselves to be kinner anymore, but they aren’t grown yet either.” Pausing, she stared at Katie with sad eyes. “I don’t like to see you so tired, but the Lord will surely reward your efforts. Just remember, don’t try to rush the process by baking things too quickly. You’ll end up with overcooked pastries and pies that aren’t done in the middle.” She took another sip of water. “Cutting corners won’t produce the quality products we’re known for.”

  Katie hoped she wasn’t choosing quantity over quality, but there was no way to know until she tried the propane oven.

  Even though it wasn’t their way to discuss dating and relationships until things were serious, Katie was tempted to talk to her mother about David. Then she saw her mother flinch in pain, and decided not to. Mamm had enough on her mind—worrying about her household being run the way she liked and worrying that Katie would be able to keep the bakery going without losing business.

  Katie thought again about the propane oven. She couldn’t wait to see it. I won’t disappoint you, Mamm.

  Henry stopped by the bakery on Wednesday afternoon while his boss had him out running errands. He wanted to casually slip in the fact that he had a date on Saturday to see if Katie would have any kind of reaction to the news. Not that he wanted to use Clara to make Katie jealous. He really liked Clara.

  When he got a look at Katie, he changed his mind. Walking toward the counter, he picked up the pace until he was on the other side of the glass enclosure. “Are you okay?”

  Katie’s kapp was lopsided, she had dark circles underneath her eyes, and there was something red all over the front of her blue dress. For a moment he wondered if it was blood, but after studying it for a second, he thought about Clara and if it might be chili. Although, he didn’t think he’d ever seen Katie or her mother making chili in the bakery.

  “What is that?” Henry pointed to the red splotches.

  Katie rubbed a sleeve across her sweaty forehead, even though it was below freezing outside and not as warm as usual inside. “I caught my apron in the wringer earlier when I was washing towels, and when I tried to get it out, it ripped.” She eyed her dress. “Then I spilled all the red food coloring I had left.” Her voice cracked before she cleared her throat. “And I have an order for two red velvet cakes. I’m going to make two chocolate cakes and hope the woman will accept them for free.”

  Henry took off his hat and scratched his head, trying to figure out a way to take off the rest of the day so he could stay and help Katie. But even the hardware store was busy, and one of his errands was to pick up some Christmas tree stands from the warehouse in town. They’d already sold out.

  Katie’s bottom lip trembled, and Henry wanted to pull her into his arms, but he was afraid he’d never let her go. “Maybe you should try to hire someone to help you get through the holidays. It’s clearly a two-person job, and you look worn-out.”

  Katie raised a hand to her chest and lifted her chin. “I can handle it. I’m just having a bad day.” She rubbed her temples with both hands as she took a deep breath, then lowered her arms and blew it out. “I just have to make it until Saturday.”

  Henry narrowed his eyes. “What happens then?” Besides another date with David probably. Clara or no Clara, Henry’s stomach lurched when he thought about the possibility.

  “David is bringing me a propane oven that his family doesn’t use anymore. I’ll be able to bake more than just two pies at a time, and I think he said it has six burners, so I can add some other items to our menu too.” She placed her hands on top of the counter and leaned forward. “I’ve been getting up at three o’clock in the morning so I’d be able to get all the orders filled.”

  Henry rubbed his chin. “What does your mamm think about bringing in a propane oven?”

  Katie avoided
his eyes as she began fumbling through a stack of orders on the counter. “I haven’t told her yet.”

  “Doesn’t your boyfriend know we don’t use propane?” Henry folded his arms across his chest. He couldn’t even bring himself to say the guy’s name.

  “We don’t use it, but it’s not forbidden.” She finally looked up at him, her lip trembling. “I can’t do this by myself, and I can’t afford to hire anyone.” She went back to shuffling through the orders.

  Henry realized she had let the boyfriend comment slide. He waited, hoping she would correct him and say David wasn’t her boyfriend.

  When she didn’t, Henry told her bye and left.

  6

  KATIE SAT ON THE STOOL BEHIND THE COUNTER, TEMPTED to throw all the order slips in the air, then fill the ones that landed right side up. She didn’t know how she was going to have everything ready for customers, and she didn’t want to disappoint them. She didn’t even have a phone to let anyone know their orders wouldn’t be ready on time.

  As tears threatened to spill, she watched Henry untether his horse, then climb in the buggy and drive off. He never said why he stopped by, although Katie hadn’t really given him an opportunity to say much. She’d avoided his comment about David being her boyfriend. After replaying the question over in her mind a few times, she still wasn’t sure. It seemed as if David had slipped into the role of boyfriend without her knowing. He’d even gone from kissing her on the cheek to kissing her on the lips. Katie had been kissed before, but it usually didn’t happen after three dates.

  Fretting and worrying weren’t going to get pies in the oven, so she added another log to the firebox and began rolling dough. She reminded herself that Henry had plenty of opportunities over the years to ask her out, and he hadn’t until recently. At least David was making an effort to help her during this difficult time. Could she fault Henry for not offering assistance? He had a job, and he’d already watched the bakery once so Katie could go to lunch with David.