As she reached up to touch her short strands, Lisa couldn’t help staring at his thick, slightly curly hair. What some girls wouldn’t give for a head of hair like that. This man was well-groomed from head to toe, and not a hair on his head looked out of place.
As he approached the porch, he turned again, this time glancing over his shoulder, and gave a stiff nod in her direction. She forced a smile she didn’t really feel, and followed him onto the porch. I hope this fellow, wearing heavy cologne, isn’t here for the reason I am. What would a guy like him be doing at a cooking class anyway? Or maybe he’s not here for that. He could be selling something, I suppose.
Heidi had let Bill Mason into the house a few minutes ago, and now someone else was knocking on her door. She told Bill to take a seat in the kitchen, then stepped into the entryway and opened the door. Heidi shook hands with a young, dark-haired man and a pretty woman with blond hair after they entered the house.
She looked a little closer at the woman, and noticed faint dark circles under her appealing blue eyes. Heidi wondered if the young woman may have had trouble sleeping. She tapped a finger against her chin. One thing for sure, if I can put others ahead of myself, maybe I’ll be too occupied to focus on my own discomfort. I wonder what I’ll learn from this group of students. Teaching her previous set of students had felt like finding hidden treasures, the way some of them shared from their past, present, or what they hoped for in the future. Each session Heidi had taught so far seemed interesting in its own way; especially when her pupils caught on to whatever she was teaching them to make and gained confidence in their abilities. Deep down, Heidi was glad her husband had suggested she teach cooking classes in their home. It had been as meaningful to her as it was to her students.
“I’m Heidi Troyer. As soon as the other students get here I’ll ask everyone to introduce themselves.” She gestured to the door leading to the kitchen. “Please go in and make yourselves comfortable.” Heidi picked up the clipboard from her desk and put a check mark next to the name of each person who had arrived.
“Okay, thank you.” The young woman stepped quickly in front of the man and hurried into the other room, fanning her crimson cheeks with one hand.
The man mumbled something under his breath and followed.
I wonder if these two know each other. Heidi’s lips compressed. Could there be some kind of problem between them? I hope things don’t start off on the wrong foot for this class. I’m not up to dealing with any issues today.
After hearing another vehicle pull in, Heidi opened the door again. A teenage girl with short brown hair got out of a dark blue car. The man driving the vehicle waved and headed out of the yard. With shoulders hunched, the girl walked hesitantly up the path and onto the porch.
Heidi smiled and extended her hand. “You must be Nicole, my youngest student.”
“Yeah, that’s me. Hope I’m not late.”
Heidi shook her head. “Three others are already inside, but I’m still waiting for another woman to arrive.” She opened the door for Nicole, and they both went into the house. Heidi led the way to the kitchen and asked Nicole to take a seat at the table. She was pleased the young lady had signed up. Most of Heidi’s students were a bit older, like the ones who had already arrived.
Glancing at the clock across the room, she realized it was five minutes after ten. Heidi was about to suggest everyone go ahead and introduce themselves, when a knock sounded at the door. She excused herself and went to answer it.
A lovely, dark-haired woman waited on the porch. “Are you here for the cooking class?”
“Yes. I’m Allie Garrett, and I am sorry for being late. I had to drop my kids off at the sitters, and then …” She paused and drew a quick breath. “My GPS wasn’t picking up signals for a time, so until I saw the address on your mailbox, I thought I might be lost.”
“It’s okay.” Heidi placed her hand on Allie’s arm. “You’re only a few minutes late, and we haven’t yet begun.”
“Oh good. That’s a relief.”
She led the way to the kitchen, and after Allie took a seat, Heidi stood at the head of the table. Her stomach quivered with nervous apprehension, which made no sense. This wasn’t the first class she’d ever taught. Maybe it was the students’ somber expressions that caused her nerves to flare up. The teenaged girl avoided eye contact; the dark haired woman picked at her cuticles; the young man dressed in clothes nice enough for church glanced around the room as though checking things out; the blond-haired woman fingered her gold-chained necklace; and the older man with partially gray hair kept looking at his watch. She hoped they weren’t already bored. Or maybe everyone felt as nervous as she did right now.
Heidi cleared her throat and moistened her parched lips with her tongue. “Hello, everyone. I’m Heidi Troyer. Welcome to my cooking class. Before we begin, did everyone remember to bring an apron?”
Lisa, Allie, and Todd held up their aprons, but Nicole shook her head. “Didn’t know I was supposed to bring one.”
“Me neither,” Bill mumbled.
“It was on your registration form,” Heidi explained.
“I didn’t see it. Dad filled out the paper for me, since coming here was his idea,” Nicole said.
Bill’s forehead wrinkled. “Guess I missed the part about the apron, too.”
“Well, don’t worry about it. I have extra ones you can both use today.” Heidi opened a drawer and took out two aprons. She handed the green one to Nicole, and the blue apron she gave to Bill. Then she returned to her spot at the head of the table. “Now I’d like everyone to introduce themselves and tell us the reason you signed up for this class.” She gestured to the blond-haired woman. “Would you mind going first?”
“No, of course not.” The young woman sat up a little straighter, as though gaining more confidence. “My name is Lisa Brooks. I have a catering business, and I’m taking this class to broaden my cooking skills.” She turned to the dark-haired man sitting beside her. “You’re next.”
“Yeah, okay. My name’s Todd Collins, and …” He paused and pulled his fingers down the side of his clean-shaven face. “Umm … I enjoy eating different kinds of food, so the reason I’m here is to taste, and hopefully learn how to cook, some traditional Amish dishes.”
Heidi smiled, motioning to the older man who’d arrived first.
He pushed his chair aside and stood. “My name’s Bill Mason, and I’m here to learn how to cook something other than hunter’s stew.” With no further word or explanation, he returned to his chair.
Heidi gestured to the teenage girl. “Would you please tell us your name and the reason you came to my class?”
“I’m Nicole Smith, and like I said before, my dad signed me up for the class. Guess he figured I should learn how to make something other than cold sandwiches and frozen microwave dinners. He and Tonya got a divorce, so all the cooking and cleaning falls on me now.” Nicole’s lips curled, and her tone sounded tart. “I’m also stuck taking care of my little brother and sister.”
“Was Tonya your stepmother?” Lisa asked.
“Nope. Tonya’s my real mom.”
“Oh, I see.” Lisa lifted her gaze to the ceiling, before looking away.
Heidi’s heart went out to Nicole. It had to be hard for her, living without her mother and shouldering the responsibility for taking care of her siblings. It surprised her, though, that the teenaged girl would refer to her mom by her first name.
“I guess that leaves me now.” The dark-haired woman who’d been last to arrive pushed an unruly strand of hair away from her slender oval face. “My name is Allie Garrett, and as a birthday present, my husband gave me a gift certificate to take this class. He said he thought it would be something fun for me to do. I agreed to take it because I hoped I might learn how to make some different dishes for my husband and our two children.” She gestured to Heidi. “Do you have any kids?”
Heidi swallowed hard. She’d hoped this touchy subject wouldn’t come up today.
Every time someone asked if she had children, it felt as though her heart had been pierced with an arrow. “No, my husband and I have not been able to have any children.”
“Oh, that’s a shame.” Allie’s tone was soothing, and Heidi feared if she didn’t change the subject right away, she might give in to her tears, which always seemed to be just below the surface. Crying was certainly the last thing she wanted to do in front of her new group of students.
“All right then, that’s enough about me.” Heidi clasped her hands together. “I hope you will all enjoy the class. And now, let’s begin, as I share with you a few helpful hints about cooking.”
“What are we gonna learn how to cook?” Bill leaned forward with his elbows on the table.
Allie resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. Does the man have to be so impatient? He should at least give the teacher a chance to speak.
“The recipe I’m going to teach you how to make this morning is baked oatmeal. But first, I’d like to give you a few handouts with some tips for the kitchen.” Heidi passed out a sheet of paper to each of them. “Before you all go home today I’ll give everyone a three-by-five card with the recipe you learned to make this morning.”
“Good thing, ’cause with the way my brain’s been workin’ lately, I’d probably forget everything you told us by the time I got home.” Grinning, Bill’s gaze traveled from person to person sitting around the table.
Allie studied the first handout Heidi gave them. It listed everything from how to keep hot oil from splattering out of the frying pan, to the best way to store dried pasta, rice, and whole grains. There was also a tip about how to get onion odor off your hands, but with the exception of that, most of the other things she knew already, since she’d been cooking since she was a teenager.
While Heidi offered some measuring tips, Allie shifted in her chair as an unexpected image of Steve flashed before her. He’d worked all night, and by the time she left for the babysitter’s, her husband still hadn’t come home. Is he okay? Has Steve been hurt in the line of duty? Allie was accustomed to Steve not always being able to get in touch with her. Many times his duties became hectic, and he often came home late. It was difficult not to worry about him.
She squeezed her eyes shut. Get a grip; you’ve had these worrisome thoughts before, and Steve’s been okay. Just relax and keep your concentration on learning how to make baked oatmeal.
Chapter 5
Baked oatmeal? Eyes narrowed, Todd tugged at his shirt collar. I signed up for this class to learn about Amish cooking, not bake oatmeal of all things. Besides, who ever heard of baking oatmeal? It’s supposed to be cooked on the stove in a kettle or even microwaved in a bowl.
He glanced at the others as they looked expectantly at Heidi while she told how to combine the eggs, sugar, and butter in a baking dish, and then add the oatmeal, baking powder and salt, stirring until blended. Everyone but Allie seemed interested. She sat rubbing her forehead while staring at the kitchen table. Maybe she’s as bored as I am. Hopefully the recipes Heidi shares during the next five classes will be more interesting than today’s.
Todd looked across the table at Lisa. She glanced at him briefly, then looked away. Since she was in the catering business, she’d obviously come here to get some new meal ideas. It was nice to know he wasn’t the only one with an agenda.
He studied Lisa a few seconds—shiny blond hair, vivid blue eyes, and deep dimples in both cheeks. Her only flaw was the dark circles encompassing her eyes. Todd tried not to stare at Lisa; he didn’t want to appear nosey, but he’d like to know a little more about her. Other than an interest in food, he didn’t know if they had anything in common. I wonder if she’s married. He glanced at her left hand and saw no wedding ring. She’d made no mention of a husband or children, either.
“Mr. Collins, did you hear what I said?”
Todd’s head jerked as he turned his focus back to the Amish teacher. “Uh … no, I guess not. Would you mind repeating it for me?”
“I asked if you’re ready to start mixing the ingredients for your baked oatmeal now.” Heidi gestured to the bowl and mixing spoon sitting on the table in front of him.
Todd noticed the others had also been given a bowl and large spoon. He figured from their impatient expressions, they were all waiting on him. “Yeah, sure. I’m ready to begin.” Todd slid his bowl closer to Lisa’s, hoping to engage her in conversation. He hoped she wouldn’t think he was being too forward. Todd watched as the others began measuring and putting the ingredients in their bowls. Lisa did the same, appearing confident and happy with the pleasant smile she wore. Todd tried to copy what she did, but ended up bumping her arm, causing Lisa to add too much oatmeal.
“Oops, sorry about that. I’m not used to sharing a work space like this.” Todd’s face heated. He wasn’t off to a good start this morning—at least not with Lisa.
Her eyes narrowed. “Well, if you weren’t sitting so close.”
He moved to one side, pulling his bowl with him. “Don’t worry. It won’t happen again.”
“It’s not a problem, Lisa,” Heidi spoke up.” Since you haven’t added any liquid yet, you can just scoop out the excess oatmeal.”
“Okay.” Lisa did as Heidi suggested, giving Todd a sidelong glance. He wanted to say something more to her but figured it’d be best to keep silent for now.
Before Allie began mixing the ingredients Heidi had given her, she pulled her cell phone out of her purse. No voice mails or text messages, so everything must be okay with Steve. No doubt she’d conjured up the earlier vision of him unnecessarily, believing he might be in some sort of trouble. Worry was a difficult habit to break.
Determined to keep her focus on the job at hand, Allie returned the phone to her purse, picked up the first egg, and cracked it into the bowl. If the baked oatmeal turned out good, she would make it for her family someday.
As she mixed the ingredients, Allie’s thoughts went to Nola and Derek. I hope they’re behaving for Mrs. Andrews today.
Allie was about to pour the runny oatmeal mixture into the small baking dish Heidi had provided, when Bill bumped her arm. Everything in her bowl spilled onto the table. She gasped, then glared at him. “I see Todd’s not the only one sitting too close to someone at this table. I hope you’re planning to clean up this mess.”
Red-faced, Bill gave a quick nod. “Sorry about that. You’re right; I shouldn’t have been sitting so close.”
“I guess not.” Allie glanced down at her white blouse and peach-colored maxi-skirt. “It’s a good thing none of it got on my clothes.” A trickle of perspiration rolled down her cheek.
“Not to worry.” Heidi hurried to the sink and grabbed a sponge, as well as a dish towel. “Bill, while you are cleaning the table, I’ll get out some more ingredients for Allie to mix.”
Allie almost said, “Don’t bother, I’m going home,” but she wouldn’t waste the money Steve had spent for her to take the Amish woman’s cooking classes. So she forced herself to smile and said, “Thanks, I’ll try to hurry mixing the ingredients so I don’t hold up the class.”
Heidi glanced at the clock before handing Bill the towel and sponge. “We have plenty of time left before our class ends, so don’t worry about holding us up, Allie.” She hoped nothing else went awry today. Her nerves were already jangled, but for the sake of her students, she had to remain calm and keep a positive attitude. When the class was over, and everyone went home, she planned to check their phone shack for messages, then lie on the couch and take a nap. Lyle wouldn’t be home until suppertime, so she had all afternoon to relax and do whatever she pleased.
Once the table was cleaned, and Allie’s ingredients were mixed and poured into her baking dish, Heidi explained the baking process. “Since the oatmeal mixture needs to bake for thirty minutes, and I only have one oven, three of you can put yours in now. While we wait for them to bake, I’ll answer questions any of you may have.”
“Sounds good to me.” Bill lifted his hand. “
I have a lot of questions.”
After several attempts to ask Heidi questions, and Todd putting his ‘two cents’ worth’ in, Bill gave up. If this Todd guy knows so much, why is he taking this class? Maybe he should be the one teaching the class, instead of Heidi.
Bill turned his attention to Nicole, who had been rather quiet during the class so far. A few times, he had caught her staring at him, but when he made eye contact with Nicole, she quickly averted her gaze. She was obviously the youngest in this group, perhaps even high-school age. There was something familiar about the girl, but Bill couldn’t put his finger on it. Could it be that she attended the high school where he worked? Maybe she was a student there. But after working as a maintenance man all these years, the students became a sea of faces walking down the halls.
For almost thirty years Bill had been working at the school in Millersburg. He’d started out as a janitor, but along with that, he was taught other duties as well. This enabled him to be promoted to the position of managing maintenance. Of course, the men under him weren’t the ones doing all the work at the school. Bill worked right alongside of them, and sometimes alone, when the need arose.
Manager … humph … a lot of good that title has done for me. His wife, Mona, now his ex, left him for someone else—a man she considered better.
Bill remembered how, during all the years they were married, his wife had been embarrassed about his job. When someone asked what her husband did for a living, she would answer, “He works at the school.” This evasion succeeded for a while, especially when their son, Brent, was young. Most of his wife’s friends assumed he was a teacher, until their own kids grew up and attended high school. Then they caught on. Some of Mona’s acquaintances teased her about it and drifted away from the friendship, while others remained loyal and didn’t seem to care what Bill did for a living. Still, when anyone turned their nose up, Mona had been affected deeply.
Amish Cooking Class--The Blessing Page 4
