by Ruth Reid
Noah tugged his coat collar up higher on his neck. When he left for Sugarcreek, the scattered flurries weren’t blinding, but now the snow-covered road made it difficult to tell the pavement from the gravel shoulder. He had no choice but to go slower. He wasn’t even sure the bakery would still be open when he reached town. But he couldn’t turn around now. Not without seeing Joy.
Noah reached the edge of town, and when he got a block from the bakery, he spotted two women, arms outstretched and turning circles with their faces turned upward. He chuckled, recognizing Joy. She appeared to be trying to catch snowflakes.
Noah maneuvered the buggy next to the curb and sat quietly, enamored by Joy’s simple pleasure in chasing snowflakes. When the elderly woman standing with her looked his way, he sat up straighter in the seat. His great-aunt must have said something to Joy because she stopped making circles and turned to look in his direction.
Noah climbed out of the buggy and crossed the street. “Hiya, Aenti Lavern.”
His aunt peered up at him as if trying to register his face. Then she turned to Joy and smiled. “This is Noah. He’s the one I’ve been telling you about,” she said. “He needs a fraa.”
He turned and coughed into his fisted hand.
His aunt tapped his arm. “You’re Noah, right?”
“Jah, Aenti Lavern. I’m Noah, your nephew. Rachel Esh’s sohn.” Her dull eyes only stared at him. She hadn’t looked this bewildered since the last time she stopped taking her medicine. He motioned to his parked buggy. “How about we get out of this kalt wedder, and I give you two a ride.”
“I should get back to the bakery.” Joy leaned toward his aunt and patted her shoulder. “I’ll see you another time.” She glanced at him. “It was nice seeing you again, Noah.”
“Did you want a ride?”
“Nay, I like walking in the snow.”
He would like to leave his buggy and go for a long walk with her. “Will you be at the bakery for a while?”
“For a little while.”
He smiled.
Joy pointed over his shoulder. “Your aenti is crossing the street. You’d better go.”
“I’ll see you later,” he said, hurrying to catch up with his aunt. He reached for her elbow and kept her steady as she climbed into the buggy.
After the short ride to Aenti Lavern’s home, she turned to Noah, whom she now seemed to recognize. “Kumm inside and have a cup of tea with me.”
He didn’t want Joy closing the bakery before they had a chance to talk, but his mother would be pleased if he spent some time with his great-aunt. He groaned under his breath as he jogged around the buggy to her side.
“Please stay,” she said. “I rarely get visitors.”
“Sure. I’ll shovel your walkway while you heat the water for tea.” He’d tried calling on her two weeks ago only to discover she had gone to stay with family members for a while. Noah helped her off the bench and into the small clapboard house.
Noah cleared the path and returned the shovel to the shed. By the time he entered the small kitchen, Aunt Lavern had the water poured.
“So you were talking about me to Joy?” Had his aunt told Joy that he was a cabinetmaker? Was that why she declined the ride?
“Who?” The lines around his aunt’s eyes deepened.
“The woman who works at the bakery. The person you were walking . . .” His aunt’s short-term memory would cause her to wonder who he was in a few minutes. “Have you been taking your medicine every day?”
“The blue ones make me dizzy and the white ones are too hard to swallow.”
“Have you told your doctor?” His mother would make sure the doctor was aware once she found out about Aenti Lavern’s deteriorating condition.
“I don’t know if I have.” She handed him a cup of warm water.
She’d forgotten to add the tea bag, but he took a sip anyway. “This is gut, danki.”
“Just the way your grossdaadi liked it.”
He wasn’t about to try to explain that her deceased husband was his uncle and not his grandfather. He took another drink and glanced outside at the falling snow. His aunt’s conversation wandered into the past, while his mind drifted to one of the last conversations he had with Joy.
“If this is the last Christmas in the bakery,” Joy said, “I want to make all of mei mamm’s special recipes for the annual sleigh ride.”
At the time, he wanted to ask if that included the peppermint ones, but then realized she’d only invited the cabinetmaker to their district’s celebration.
Joy loitered longer than usual at the bakery. She sprayed and wiped each table down, still amazed at how her heart fluttered when she saw Noah. She’d certainly missed his dimpled smile.
Meredith refilled her own mug. “Are you sure he was stopping by today?”
“That’s what he said.” She had already prepared a box of cookies for him to take home.
The doorbell dinged. Noah stomped his feet on the floor mat. “It’s snowing hard nau.”
“Jah, it is.” Joy set the cleaning rag aside and wiped her hands on her apron. “Can I get you a cup of kaffi?”
“That would be nice.” He nodded at the window. “We should have a white Christmas this year.”
Meredith cleared her throat and pulled her cape off the back of the chair. “Have you invited Noah to the district’s Christmas sleigh ride yet?”
“I, um . . .” Her friend had a way of putting her on the spot. “Would you like to kumm?”
He smiled. “Jah. What time?”
“We meet here at dusk, caravan through the woods for a couple of hours, and then return here for cocoa and cookies.”
“Sounds like fun.”
Meredith swung her cape over her shoulders. “Second Christmas is the highlight of the year around here.” She wiggled her brows at Joy. “Ain’t so?”
Joy nodded, but with the bakery set to close the day after the sleigh ride, she wasn’t sure this year would feel as merry.
Her friend strolled to the door, then paused. “Noah, if you don’t have blades for your buggy, you two can ride with me and Walter. But you’ll have to wear something warm—he has an open buggy,” Meredith said, leaving.
“Did you get your aenti home all right?” Joy asked.
“I didn’t realize her mind was—scrambled. She must’ve stopped taking her medicine again. I’m nett sure she knew who I was.”
Joy smiled. “She thinks you’re one of her kinskind.”
“Who needs a fraa, I know.” He shrugged. “Does she kumm every day?”
“Usually. I’m surprised you haven’t run into her. Although she’s often waiting by the door when I arrive to start baking.”
“So do you walk all your customers home?”
“Only mei faithful ones.”
His brows lifted. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Joy grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee. “I hope Meredith didn’t make you feel obligated to say yes about the sleigh ride.”
“She didn’t. Are you going to make the peppermint cookies?”
“If you’re making a special request, I suppose I will.” She handed him the mug. “I have some treats to send with you nau.” She whirled around and snatched the cookie box from the counter.
“These are for me?” He eyed the top of the box.
“Jah.” She smiled.
Noah reached into his coat pocket and removed his wallet.
“Nay,” she said, holding up her hand. “They’re from me.”
He motioned to the table near the widow. “Do you want to sit and have kaffi with me?”
“Okay.” She didn’t need more caffeine, but she didn’t want to say no to the opportunity to talk. Joy poured another mug and sat with him at the table next to the window. “So how are you doing on your stained glass design?”
“The pattern is tougher than I thought.”
“I’m sure it’s beautiful.” She traced the handle of the mug with her finger.
&nbs
p; “How’s business?”
She shrugged. “Mei bruder-in-law still plans to close the bakery after Christmas.”
“I’m sorry.”
She forced a smile but had to look away. Despite the lengthy prayers for peace, she hadn’t fully accepted Matthew’s decision.
“I’ll pray for you.”
“Danki.” She cringed. “Pray that I don’t harbor resentment. I haven’t been as close to mei sisters since the issue of closing the bakery came up.”
He reached across the table and took her hands in his, then closed his eyes. “Father, we ask for Your perfect will in this situation. You know Joy’s heart. You see her pain. Please mend any differences between her and her sisters, and if there’s a way, please let the bakery stay open. Amen.” Noah squeezed her hand then released it.
Joy dried her eyes with a napkin. In the brief moment he’d held her hand, she had never felt closer to anyone, including Henry. “Danki for praying.”
He smiled. “You don’t have to thank me.”
A moment went by when neither of them spoke.
“So,” she said, fiddling with the corner of the paper napkin. “Do you think we’ll have snow for the sleigh ride?”
“I hope so. I want to see you twirl around trying to catch snowflakes on your tongue again.”
She crinkled her brows. “How long were you watching me?”
He shrugged, then picked up his mug and took a drink.
Two cups of coffee later, he glanced out the window. “I suppose I should head home before I get snowed in.” He slid back his chair and stood. “Did you have a letter you want me to take back?”
“Nay.”
“Oh.” He pushed the empty chair under the table.
“You look disappointed.”
“I thought you two were getting along gut.” He shoved his arm into his coat sleeve. “You always seemed excited about exchanging letters. Are you nett pen pals any longer?”
“I’m just taking a break, is all.”
His eyes steadied on hers. “If you don’t mind me asking, was there something said that offended you?”
“Nay, but why are you so curious? And even if something was wrong, I wouldn’t tell you.” Now she understood why he’d stopped by. It wasn’t to see her—it was to spy on her.
“Why wouldn’t you tell me?” His expression hardened.
True, she had shared just about everything else about her life with him. Still, he was merely the messenger. She picked up the dirty dishes and crossed the room with him following.
“Joy, what’s wrong?”
She set the dishes on the counter and spun to face him. “Those letters are personal.”
“So something was said that upset you.” His eyes bored into hers.
“Noah, don’t pry. This isn’t your business.”
Based on his raised brows, her sharp words had gotten his attention. He opened his mouth as though he was going to respond, then closed it. He turned, shaking his head. When he reached the door, he stopped. “I didn’t mean to kumm across as prying. I was only curious.” He watched her a brief moment, then turned and left.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Guilt pelted Noah’s conscience during the ride home. He had the opportunity to tell Joy that he was her pen pal and he couldn’t bring himself to do it, not when she seemed so adamant about stopping the letter exchange. He dare not think about how she would react when she found out.
Lord, in the short time I’ve known Joy, my feelings have grown. I believe she might be the woman I’ve been waiting for. I can’t keep this farce going. I have to find out why she stopped writing the letters.
Noah’s mind churned over the conversation with Joy the remainder of the ride home, as he completed the barn chores, and even while he worked in his shop on a special project.
The door opened, and his sister entered carrying a plate. “Mamm wanted me to bring you some supper.” Stella set the plate on the worktable. “Is everything okay?”
“Jah, why?” He continued scoring the rose-colored glass with the cutter.
“I think the last time you missed supper you were spending a lot of time with Ruby.”
He set the blade on the table and glanced sideways at his sister. “You can tell Mamm that I’m nett courting Ruby. I’m trying to finish a project before Christmas.”
“Mamm sent me out with chicken potpie, nett to pester you for the name of the girl you’ve been seeing.” Stella leaned closer and smiled. “So what’s her name?”
Noah molded the metal around the piece of glass and soldered the end.
“Is she Amish?”
His sister wasn’t coy, nor was she easily persuaded to mind her own business. He finished joining the pieces together, then held it up to inspect his work.
“What are you making?”
“A pair of glasses.”
“Rose colored?”
He set the glasses on the table, then moved over to the plate of food she’d brought and picked up the fork.
Stella slipped on the glasses. “These are strange. Everything looks different.”
“That’s the point.” Noah took a bite of the potpie. He was hungrier than he thought. A few minutes later, he scraped the last forkful off the plate. “Danki.” He handed his sister the empty dish and walked her to the door. “I have more work to do.”
“You’ve been spending a lot of time in Sugarcreek. She isn’t the motel owner, right?”
“Nay.” He opened the door, and as Stella was leaving, he said, “You can reassure Mamm that I’m only interested in courting a God-fearing, Amish woman.” Who just happened to bake the best peppermint cookies he’d ever tasted. Although his stomach was full, his mouth watered for a taste of Joy’s homemade treats.
Noah closed the door behind his sister, then returned to his worktable. He inspected the glasses once more, then slipped them on. His sister was right. Everything did look different.
Noah installed the cabinet’s last stained glass window, then stepped back to admire his work. It still amazed him that he was able to finish the motel job a week early.
“The stained glass matches the quilt perfectly,” Mrs. Paddock said.
“Thank you. I’m glad you’re pleased.”
“I’m more than pleased.” She bit into a cookie and her eyes widened. “This is good.”
“It’s called a snowball surprise.”
“I have to say, I’ll miss the baked goods you always bring.”
“Stolzfus Bakery is local—and Amish,” he said, watching her brows rise. “I’m sure your guests would enjoy Amish breakfast muffins or desserts.” He wouldn’t try to sell the Amish lifestyle to anyone if it wasn’t to help Joy.
Joy normally didn’t like working with sticky substances, and she wasn’t fond of the flavor of maple syrup, but the candy recipe had a star next to it in her mother’s cookbook.
“These are gut.” Meredith licked her fingers.
“Danki.” Joy scrubbed the maple syrup off the counter, then set the dirty pan into the hot, sudsy water to soak. Every day this past week, she worked hard to prepare a large assortment of sweets for the Christmas get-together. But mostly she worked hard to push her feelings for Noah aside and to tame her lingering thoughts about the cabinetmaker. How could she have allowed herself to fall for them both?
“You never answered mei question,” Meredith said. “What are you going to do when Noah and the cabinetmaker both kumm to the sleigh ride?”
“I doubt that will be an issue.” Joy shrugged. “I never heard any more from the cabinetmaker, and Sarah waited on Noah two days ago when he came into the bakery. He didn’t even ask if I was here or stay for kaffi. He just paid for his order and left.”
“I’m sure he knows you’re busy. Didn’t you say he had a project due by Christmas?”
Joy nodded even though she was sure Noah’s avoidance meant something more. “The last time we talked, Noah pressed me about why I stopped writing to the cabinetmaker. He isn’t intereste
d in me. He was on a mission for someone else.”
The back door of the bakery opened and Lois entered, holding baby Stephen in one arm and leading Philip on her left. “Gut mariye.”
“Hiya.” Joy lifted Stephen out of her sister’s arms so Lois could remove her cape. “What brings you to town?”
“Someone wants to talk with us about the bakery.” Lois tugged on Philip’s coat sleeve and released his arm.
“Who?”
“Sarah didn’t get her name. Apparently a woman stopped by the other day asking to see the owner. She expressed interest in buying the bakery.”
“But Matthew said he wasn’t going to advertise it until after the sleigh ride.”
“He didn’t. I’m nett sure how she found out about the sale.”
“So where’s Sarah? She’s part owner.” Stephen fussed and Joy tried to soothe his crying by bouncing him in her arms.
Lois reached for her son. “She said she would go along with whatever we decide.”
“You mean whatever Matthew decides,” Joy muttered.
Lois glanced at her older son, who was eyeing the maple candy, then glared at Joy.
Meredith took Philip by the hand. “How about we go see what’s in the display case.”
Lois thanked Meredith and waited until they were out of earshot. “We couldn’t have kept the bakery open this long if it wasn’t for Matthew managing the finances. He’s done everything—”
The front doorbell jingled. A moment later, Meredith poked her head into the kitchen. “There’s someone asking to speak with the owner.”
Joy and Lois looked at each other, then went out front.
The salt-and-pepper-haired woman glanced up from the display case.
Recognizing the woman as the one who bought the heart of roses quilt at the Quilter’s Corner, Joy and Meredith exchanged glances while Lois greeted the woman.
Mrs. Paddock introduced herself as the owner of the Scenic Hill Motel and mentioned how one of her workers had supplied them with baked goods from their shop every day. “When I inquired about your bakery, I was told it might be for sale.”
The air left Joy’s lungs in a whoosh.
