Amish Cooking Class--The Blessing

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  The cake was the last thing Lisa set up, and everything seemed to be perfect until the unexpected happened. After getting the first three tiers of the beautifully decorated cake in place, she’d just positioned the fourth tier, when one of the front table legs gave out. Thankfully, Lisa stood close to that corner of the table and was able to react quickly enough before it collapsed.

  Now what am I going to do? Lisa steadied the table, praying the cake wouldn’t topple off. I must look silly standing here holding this table up. Of course, there was no one else in the room at the moment, so she only looked silly to herself. The one saving grace, which amazed her, was the cake was still in place, even though the tablecloth had bunched up. Lisa only had one more tier to add, plus the pair of doves at the top, in order to finish this five-tiered cake. But how in the world could she do it while balancing a three-legged table?

  Biting her lip, Lisa came up with an idea. She only hoped it would work. First, she used her one leg, stretching it out under the table. Maybe I can hook the leg of the table and pull it back in place. After she tried a couple of times, and was unable to see what she was doing underneath, Lisa started to sweat. “Whew!” She blew air up over her forehead. “This is going to be harder than I thought.”

  She wondered if she could get on her hands and knees and balance the table using her back. Then she could see underneath and try to figure out what the problem was. But after pondering the situation further, she realized she’d have to pull up the tablecloth to see under the table. Plus, once she was under there, how could she keep an eye on the cake to make sure it didn’t fall? Lisa’s last resort was to call out and hope someone was in the next room and would hear her plea for help.

  “Is anyone there?” Oh, please, Lord, bring someone to rescue me. In less than half an hour, this reception room would be filled with lots of people, and she certainly didn’t want to be standing here feeling ridiculous as she held up the table.

  “Looks like you might need some help over here.”

  Lisa jumped when a male voice came up behind her. “Todd, w–what are you doing here?” Even though he was the last person she expected to see, much less answer her plea for help, she felt thankful someone had arrived to help her with this precarious situation. At Heidi’s cooking class last week Todd had mentioned he’d be attending a wedding soon, but she’d had no idea it would turn out to be the same wedding she’d been asked to cater.

  “I’m a friend of the groom. In fact, he owns a restaurant where I like to eat.” Todd took over and held the table in place, then instructed Lisa on what to do. “Check the leg and see if it’s still connected underneath the table.”

  “Okay, but be careful the cake doesn’t tip.” Lisa got down on her knees and pulled up the white tablecloth. “The leg’s still connected, but I bet it wasn’t locked in place.” Lisa pulled the leg out straight and clicked it into the slot. “I think it’s okay now. Thanks, Todd. I owe you a debt of gratitude.” Heat crept across her cheeks as she crawled out from under the table.

  Grinning, he offered her a thumbs-up before taking a step closer. “No problem. Glad I showed up when I did.”

  Lisa stood and smoothed out the flare of her pretty pink dress. Then she put the final tier on top of the cake, along with the little turtle-doves. Lisa ran her hand over the tablecloth to get out the wrinkles and stood back to look at the cake. “There, that should do it.”

  “Looks like everything’s okay now. The cake looks great, by the way. I assume it’s your handy work?”

  “Yes.”

  Todd took a few steps toward the guest tables, but stopped and turned around. “You look really nice tonight, Lisa. If you’re not here with anyone, would you save a dance for me?”

  “No, I came alone.”

  “No husband or boyfriend to help you out with the cake?” He looked at her curiously.

  She shook her head. “I’m single.”

  “Same here. See you on the dance floor.” He winked before walking away.

  Now what was that all about? Lisa watched as Todd found his name card at the table where he’d be seated, but she stopped wondering about him when, minutes later, the flurry of activity started. Guests began to file in and find their seats, waiting for the bride and groom to arrive from the church. The wedding party was announced first, followed by the bride and groom.

  As all eyes watched the doorway, an older man announced, “And now let us welcome the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Goss.”

  Everyone clapped, and once the wedding couple was seated, the best man and maid of honor took the microphone to offer short speeches and toasts. Members of the wedding party had food served to them at their table. Then the rest of the guests went through the buffet line, one table at a time. All the while, Lisa scurried about, making sure everything ran smoothly. She wished she could afford to hire an assistant, because by the time she went home tonight, she’d be exhausted.

  After the cake was cut, and everyone had eaten, all the lights were turned low and the dancing started. The bride and groom must have loved country music, for they’d hired a live country-western band to accompany the dancing. Lisa stood off to one side and watched. It was fun to watch the fancy footwork when the line dancing started. Even Todd seemed to be a pro at cowboy dancing, as he clicked his heels and stomped his feet, doing the two-step around the floor with a pretty, auburn-haired woman. Lisa wished she could join the fun, but she still had work to do.

  After taking care of the leftover food, she boxed up the top of the cake for the newly married couple to enjoy on their first wedding anniversary. Glancing up, she saw Todd, wearing a charming smile, walking toward her.

  “I’m here for that dance, if you’ll join me.” He held out his hand. A slow dance had begun, and the lights were dimmed even lower.

  “O–okay.” Lisa’s mouth went dry as she followed him to the dance floor. She thought he’d only been kidding when he’d mentioned dancing with her earlier.

  When Todd took Lisa into his arms, her heart did a little flip-flop. It made no sense. She didn’t even like Todd. At least she’d thought she didn’t. Now, she wasn’t so sure. He had come to her aid in time to rescue the cake, but was that any reason to let her emotions take over?

  As they swayed to the music, Lisa looked into Todd’s vivid blue eyes, sparkling in the low light. He truly was good looking—enough to turn any woman’s head. “Thank you again for coming to my aid earlier,” she whispered, finding it hard to swallow. “If you hadn’t shown up when you did, I would have looked pretty silly standing there holding the table when everyone arrived.”

  “No problem. Glad I could help.”

  At first, they danced at arm’s length. Then Todd pulled Lisa closer.

  “Don’t you just love country music?” His lips were close to her ear now, and he held Lisa’s hand against his chest. “‘I Cross My Heart’ does seem to be the perfect song at a wedding.”

  “I always did like this song.” Lisa found it difficult to think. Todd was a good dancer, as he smoothly swayed to the music. She had no trouble moving along with him.

  “Everyone seems to be having a good time.”

  “Uh-huh.” She caught her trembling lips between her teeth as Todd moved his head closer to hers. Was he about to kiss her? Did she want him to? Her scrambled emotions made no sense. It must be the music.

  “And at least the cake was good.”

  Lisa stopped dancing, no longer hearing the music. “What do you mean, ‘at least?’”

  “Well I didn’t think there was anything special about the food.” Todd’s nose wrinkled, like some foul odor had descended on the place. “I don’t know who catered the food for this reception, but the bride and groom would have done just as well ordering everything from a fast-food restaurant.”

  Lisa backed up, anger flaring in her nostrils. “Is that so?” With no explanation, she spun around and stomped off.

  It was good Lisa had previously packed all the leftover food in containers and
put them in the kitchen’s refrigerator for the family to take later. Her job was done here, and she left in a huff, anxious to get home and out of Todd’s sight before she said something she might regret later.

  Lisa climbed into her van and started the engine. Gripping the steering wheel, she muttered, “Who does Todd think he is, talking to me that way? Didn’t he realize I catered all the food, not just the cake? Didn’t he see me hustling around making sure all the serving platters were kept filled?”

  It was true that the two times Todd had approached Lisa, she was taking care of the cake. First, when she’d been balancing the table while putting the tiers together. Second, when she was boxing up the top of the cake for the bride and groom. Maybe he forgot when we were introducing ourselves at the first cooking class that I mentioned my catering business.

  “Well, what does it matter what Todd thought? He’s no expert on food.” Lisa backed out of her parking space. The important thing was, Shawn and Melanie where pleased with everything Lisa had prepared to make their reception perfect. Even the parents of the newly married couple made it a point to compliment her. But somehow Todd’s negative remark overshadowed the rest. In fact, it put a damper on Lisa’s whole night. When I see Todd at the next cooking class, I have half a mind to tell him what I think of his rude remark about my cooking.

  She drew a deep breath and tried to calm down. She would play like a duck and let his negative comment roll right on over her. Well, maybe she would—if she could stop thinking about his curt remark and arrogant expression.

  Canton

  When Todd got home that evening, the first thing he did was take off his shoes and flop on the couch. His feet were killing him, and it didn’t help that he’d worn a new pair of shoes to the wedding and spent too much time on his feet, dancing the night away.

  He studied his left foot. “Oh great. I have a blister forming near my little toe. What else could go wrong tonight?” Todd winced, thinking about his dance with Lisa. He realized now why she’d gotten so huffy when he mentioned the less-than-desirable food someone had catered for the reception. She’d left him standing in the middle of the dance floor, staring after her until he got his wits again. Of course, by then, the music had ended and the lights were turned up, signaling that the dancing was over for the night.

  Todd had attempted to find Lisa, but to no avail. After trying to make his way through the people going back to their tables, he’d scanned the room, looking for her. Where had she gone in such a hurry? He’d even run outside to look for her, but Lisa was nowhere to be seen.

  When he headed back inside, Todd was in no mood for celebration. Seeking out Shawn and his new bride, Todd wished them well and said he was heading home. He closed his eyes, replaying the conversation he’d had with the wedding couple before he left.

  “Before you leave,” Shawn said, “have you seen Lisa? We lost sight of her after she danced with you.”

  Todd wasn’t sure how to answer, so he simply responded, “Guess she wanted to head home.”

  “Okay. Melanie and I will get in touch with her later.”

  “You haven’t paid for her making the cake yet, huh?”

  “No, it’s not that. We paid in advance for the cake, plus all the food she supplied. Melanie and I wanted to tell Lisa thanks, and say how much we appreciated everything she did. The food was exactly what we asked for.”

  Todd felt more than a twinge of guilt now that he realized Lisa had also catered the food. She’d done it according to Shawn and Melanie’s wishes, too. Each to his own. Guess everyone’s taste buds are different, he thought.

  He couldn’t help envying the happy couple, their faces gleaming, as they’d looked into each other’s eyes, then turned to face him again. “Anyway, Todd, my wife and I appreciate you coming to help celebrate our happy occasion.”

  “Glad I could be here. Best of luck to the both of you.” Todd gave Melanie a hug and shook Shawn’s hand. “Enjoy your honeymoon in the Bahamas. It’ll be a great weeklong getaway for you.”

  “Yes, we are looking forward to it. We’ll be flying out in the morning.” Melanie slipped her hand into her husband’s. “Our flight time got changed, but that’s okay.”

  “Well, again, congratulations, and have a safe trip.” Todd stepped away from the couple. He wasn’t considering a real relationship at this time, but if there was a special woman in his life, he’d like to be as happy as Shawn and Melanie seemed to be.

  “Thanks, Todd,” the couple said in unison.

  Todd said goodbye, sauntered out the door, and stepped up to his shiny red sports car. He paused to admire how gorgeous his vehicle looked sitting there, freshly washed and polished. “I’ve got good taste,” he said, opening the car door. He climbed into the driver’s seat and checked his appearance in the mirror. “Of course, if it had been my wedding, I would’ve picked out some better food for the reception. What were Melanie and Shawn thinking? Well, at least the band they hired was good.”

  Allowing his thoughts to return to the present, Todd rubbed his sore feet. Since Lisa had mentioned during the first cooking class that she owned a catering business, he should have realized she’d provided all the food for the couple’s reception.

  Todd slapped the side of his head. “I said too much. Open mouth—insert foot. I really blew it, didn’t I?”

  He pulled the throw pillow down from the back of the couch and gave it a punch. It wasn’t the best food I’ve ever eaten, but it wasn’t the worst, either. It just didn’t meet my expectations. When I see Lisa at next week’s cooking class I’d better apologize to her.

  Chapter 15

  Walnut Creek

  Lance rolled over in bed and grabbed his second pillow—the one Flo used to lay her head upon. On nights like this when he had trouble sleeping, he found comfort placing her pillow on his chest. It wasn’t the thunder sounding in the distance that kept him from sleeping tonight, however. It was the noise from the TV in the living room down the hall. Lance had always been a light sleeper, and his brother’s constant need to watch television grated on his nerves—especially when he planned to rise early tomorrow morning to get ready for Sunday school and church. The only time Lance missed going to church was when he was sick. Even during the vacations he and Flo used to take, they always found a church to attend. Sunday was the Lord’s Day, and Lance enjoyed fellowshipping with other believers. He wished he could talk Dan into going with him, but every time he brought up the subject, his brother said he wasn’t interested in sitting in a stuffy building with a bunch of hypocrites who used religion as a crutch.

  Lance didn’t see it that way. People, even those who went to church and called themselves Christians, were human and made mistakes. Lance remembered how his dad used to say, “Church is the place for sinners, saved by grace. It’s not a fancy hotel for saints.”

  Lance wondered if his brother thought he was a hypocrite, too, because Dan never excluded him from the select group of people he disliked so much at church. Maybe I need to check my own spiritual walk and be sure I’m setting the proper example to win someone like Dan to the Lord. Lance would pray for God to show him how and direct his life fully, in order to spiritually help his wayward brother or someone else who couldn’t find their way. Sure wish I could make Dan understand the importance of committing his life to Christ.

  Lance, Dan, and their younger sister, Evelyn, had been raised in a Christian home. But Dan strayed from God, and nothing Evelyn or Lance said or did seemed to get through to him. Lance tried extra hard to set a Christian example to his brother, but having Dan living here was testing the limits of his patience. Between the loud TV, dirty dishes in the sink, clothes strewn all over the floor of the guest room, and the laundry fiasco, Lance struggled to keep from losing his temper. At least Dan had started parking his car on the street until Lance came home and put his vehicle in the garage. If the other things that bothered Lance didn’t improve soon, he may be forced to ask his brother to leave. But if he did, Dan might stray
even further from God, believing his brother to be a hypocrite, too.

  Lance hugged the pillow tighter to his chest. If Flo was here right now, what would she say or do? I bet she’d get out of bed, go into the other room, and politely ask Dan to turn the volume down because she couldn’t sleep. Guess that’s what I oughta do, too.

  Rolling out of bed, Lance slipped on his bedroom slippers and padded down the hall in his pajamas. A streak of lightning lit up the hall, and an ear-piercing crack of thunder followed, causing him to jump. This time of year they didn’t get many storms, but with the change of seasons and cold fronts pushing warm air out, some feisty storms developed.

  “Say, Dan,” Lance said when he entered the living room and saw his brother flaked out on the couch, “would you mind turning the volume down a bit?”

  Dan cupped a hand over his ear and scrunched up his nose. “What’d you say?”

  “I said, would you mind turning the volume down a bit?” Lance spoke a little louder this time, making a twisting motion with his fingers. “It’s keeping me awake.”

  “It’s not that loud.”

  “It is to me.” Lance wondered if his brother’s hearing was going bad.

  Dan pointed to the window behind him. Now the late autumn storm was directly overhead. “The thunder and rain are a lot louder than the TV. Are you sure it’s not the weather keeping you awake tonight?”

  “No, it’s the TV. I’m not used to having it on when I’m in bed trying to sleep. Besides, you shouldn’t have the television on when there’s a storm like this. Lightning could strike and blow the whole tube out.”

  Dan got up and turned off the TV. “Okay, okay, I get the point. If my watching television at night is such a big deal, I’ll only watch it during the day when you’re out delivering mail.”