He slipped the black book across the table to her. “As a loan officer, I consider it only right to go along with an offer that fulfills a seller’s demands. And as a guy who gets a little cagey sometimes, I see this as a way to prevent those two Amish bidders from falling into the same worldly trap they were saving
you
from, Miriam.”
A smile tickled her lips.
“Just maybe,” Derek went on, teasing a little, “this will serve as that lesson in humility Hiram was aiming for, except it’s pointed at him this time. And I will take sole responsibility for handling this highly unusual sale, Miriam. Again, I mean absolutely no disrespect here.”
Miriam chuckled softly. “I like the way you think, Derek! So ... are ya tellin’ me this person’s name, since he’s not Plain?”
“Nope. We’ll let Hiram have that point for a bargaining chip.” He rose from the table and extended his hand. “Trust me a little longer. It’ll all work out just like we’ve talked about.”
As she shook his hand, she nodded. Just knowing she wouldn’t be beholden to Hiram was reason to celebrate.
“Derek?” she called after him.
He turned, holding his pie in both hands, his secretive grin still in place. “Yes, Miriam? How may I help you further?”
“In a couple weeks—August fifteenth—we’re celebratin’ the girls’ birthdays. Cake, homemade ice cream, and we’d like ya to join us!” Miriam hugged her ledger to her chest, feeling that impish impulse that often urged her to overstep or speak out of turn. “Micah’s gonna show off the apartment in the smithy then, as part of the occasion, and well—if we could find out by then who’s buyin’ the buildin’—?”
Bless him, Derek’s smile warmed her. “Absolutely. Perfect day for such an announcement, and it gives me time to see that all’s in order and arrange for the closing.”
The little bell jangled as he left. Miriam stood for a moment in the stillness of the dining room, surrounded by the Brenneman boys’ sturdy tables and chairs ... the Schrocks’ quilted hangings on the walls ... the peaceful sense of well-being she always felt in this room where she fed her friends. Who could’ve imagined this sequence of events, the way Derek’s visit had ended? She didn’t know who would own the building, yet her spirits soared.
She felt their gazes from the kitchen: Naomi, Rhoda, and Rachel had cleaned up and were waiting in a tight row behind the center island. Their expectant faces were the sweetest things she’d ever seen.
“Let’s go home, girls,” Miriam suggested. “It’s been a
gut
day! I’ll be along after I talk to Mary a bit. She’s been hoverin’ in the hall, ya know—and she’ll want to know about our news.”
Miriam waved them on, a bright idea shining in her mind. Their party would be a perfect day for an announcement! When the kitchen door had closed behind her girls and her cook, she quickly passed through the sunlit hall to the other side of the building. Mary Schrock and Zeb’s aunts, Eva and Priscilla, were redding up the shop as though they’d been waiting for her—even if they would deny eavesdropping while Derek was here.
“Well, just that quick,” Miriam said with an emphatic
clap!
of her hands, “somebody snapped up the buildin’! Haven’t heard it from the horse’s mouth, but I’m for sure and for certain we’ll be stayin’ put, here in our shops!”
Eva brightened immediately. “I was so afraid somebody’d be turnin’ us out—”
“Zeb tried
so
hard to talk Hiram out of this,” Mary chimed in. “But the bishop said this was for the sake of your very soul, Miriam. We couldn’t afford to buy the place ourselves, so—”
“My soul’s costin’ him more than he bargained for.” Miriam felt bubblier by the moment as she considered the outcome of her talk with Derek.
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Priscilla, always as starchy as the doilies she crocheted, straightened a stack of quilted place mats with stiff, precise movements. “The way I hear it, Hiram intends to teach us
all
a lesson—especially those of us without husbands,” she added with a pointed look at Eva and Miriam. “It’s no secret he’s been huntin’ up a new mother for his children. Which explains why he eats so many meals in the Sweet Seasons.”
Refusing to have her bubble burst, Miriam blew a new one. “Hiram’s been outbid. But if any of ya breathes a
word
of that and it gets back to him, I’ll know exactly who blabbed.”
The three quilters exchanged exclamations, their thin eyebrows raised. Miriam wondered what it must be like for these women to spend every waking—and sleeping—moment together, because Zeb’s two aunts lived with him and Mary. Eva, a
maidel
who’d long ago given up finding a man—if she’d ever looked very hard—glanced over the top of her rimless glasses. “Don’t suppose you’ll tell us who our new landlord’s to be, then?”
“Can’t tell ya what I don’t know.” Miriam headed toward the racks of fabric in the back of the shop. “But with the girls turnin’ twenty-one in a couple weeks, I’m thinkin’ new dresses would be a nice touch for the party we’re throwin’. Hope ya can come.”
“Twenty-one? How on earth did that happen?” Mary mused aloud. Her gaze followed Miriam’s progress past bolt after bolt of calico, gingham, and other specialty prints for quilts. “On beyond that rack you’ll see the new shipment of twill and chambray that’s right nice for dresses. Don’t s’pose you’ll be sewin’
three
alike?”
Again Miriam’s lips twitched. How was it these Schrocks never ran out of gossip and speculation? “Invited our Rebecca to the party already,
jah
. And I’m thinkin’ she’ll come, too! Don’t even care if she’s wearin’ those black jeans with her tattoos showin’.” She grinned at the three quilters watching her. “Her last visit was a real joy, on account of how she’s tryin’ to know us and our ways without any finger-pointin’ or makin’ fun of us.”
Miriam ran a hand over the twill, glanced at the price, and then ignored her usual impulse to go for something cheaper. She skipped over the black and the navy, too, grasping a bolt of deep orchid and one of dusty blue that would complement the girls’ eyes. “Twelve yards of each,” she said when she’d carried them to the counter. “Gonna have my own little sewin’ frolic—but not a word about this to the girls! It’s a surprise for their big day.”
Chapter 26
The days flew by, filled with tour buses at lunchtime and extra orders for pies, rolls, and cakes for family reunions and weddings. Miriam found herself humming most of the time, just knowing the little secret about the building’s new owner and her own fate, which looked bright indeed.
Lord, help me learn that lesson in humility—Hiram was right to point out that I can be outspoken and mighty proud of the work I love to do,
she prayed. When the bishop came into the Sweet Seasons most mornings for his breakfast, she added:
And Lord, I thank You for Derek and his forthright way of doin’ business, and for givin’ me the what-all to keep my life runnin’ along. Keep me on the path You’d have me follow.
“You’re lookin’ mighty perky this mornin’, Mrs. Lantz,” Naomi remarked as they added raisins and dried apricots to day-old bread cubes for bread pudding. “Hiram’s out there smilin’ like the cat that got the canary, too. Any connections there I ought to know about?”
Miriam chuckled. “Not connections like
you’re
thinkin’,” she said in a low voice. “Two sides to a secret, ya know—them that knows, and them that don’t—and I can’t tell ya how
gut
it feels to be on the knowin’ side of this one. Can’t promise a hundred percent that we’ll be here come fall, but we’ll be all right, Naomi. You and me’ll still be cookin’ and bakin’.”
“Des gut, jah,”
her cook murmured gratefully. Then her brown eyes sparkled. “About time to be bakin’ the birthday cakes for your girls? If they want the strawberry cream cake—”
“
Jah
, that’s still their favorite.”
“—it’s even better comin’ from the freezer. And we can stick them away, outta sight.”
“
Gut
idea! Rachel and Rhoda’re goin’ to a birthday party for two of Leah’s girls tomorrow night, so I’ve already told them I’m gonna stay late to bake pies.”
Naomi thought about this as they poured scalded milk over the bread cubes and raisins. “Need to be home for dinner tonight, but I’ll put the cakes in the oven for ya before I leave. How many ya think we’ll need?”
“It’s a big birthday and we’ve got lots to celebrate. And there’s no such thing as too much strawberry cream cake, come the next day’s lunch menu.” Miriam calculated quickly and then felt a surge of happy gratitude. “I’m thinkin’ we oughtta invite
everybody!
And have it here! Folks’ll want to see the apartment Micah’s designed—”
“And it saves ya all that reddin’ up at home.”
“—and we’ve got tables and lots of chairs here,” Miriam finished. “And ya know what? I feel like life’s ready to jump forward like a big ole frog! And that’s somethin’ to be thankful for no matter what we hear about the café sellin’, ain’t so?”
Naomi set down her mixing spoon to wrap her arms around Miriam. “Ya look happier than I’ve ever seen ya, dearie. And for that, I’m mighty thankful, too!”
“Now promise us ya won’t be on your feet bakin’ all evenin’,” Rhoda insisted as they hung the damp towels from the morning’s dishes. “Hate thinkin’ Rachel and I’ll be eatin’ a
gut
dinner and then enjoyin’ our friends while you’re here workin’, Mamma.”
Miriam smiled over the piecrust she was rolling out. “Won’t be bakin’ all that long, really, on account of how you girls kept the food movin’ today so’s I could fill all the special orders.
Denki
for that! Go have a
gut
time with your cousins and friends!”
A few minutes later the two girls were out the back door, striding down the lane to the house. “
Gut
to see those two chatterboxes so happy,” Naomi remarked as she entered the pantry. “Thought they’d never leave, though!”
“
Jah
, they have a way of frettin’ over how I’ll spend my time without them!” Miriam fetched eggs from the refrigerator along with the defrosting strawberries she’d hidden. She set out the canola oil and then took three big sheet-cake pans from the shelf. “
Denki
for startin’ these birthday cakes, Naomi. Meanwhile, I’m gonna cut out their new dresses so’s I can sneak the pieces home to sew while I’m by myself.”
The longer tables in the dining room were perfect for laying out the fabric, which she’d hidden away in the pantry. Miriam grinned as she slipped her sewing scissors and pins from a package she’d tucked behind big bags of flour. By the time Naomi put the cakes in, she’d nearly finished cutting cape dresses and aprons from the blue twill.
“I’ll be headin’ home to Ezra now,” her cook called out. “I set the timer so’s ya won’t forget the cakes. Say—that color’s right perty! Rachel and Rhoda’ll like it—but they don’t dress the same, ain’t so?”
“Got this orchid, too,” Miriam said as she nodded toward the other fabric. “A nice color for near summer’s end, I thought.”
“
Jah
, I like that one even better! See ya tomorrow mornin’.”
“Same time, same place,” Miriam quipped. Then she grinned, listening for the closing of the back door. It was rare to keep a secret from her best friend, but Naomi didn’t realize she was cutting
three
new dresses from each color! As she smoothed the deep orchid twill along the length of a table, her pulse thrummed ... she recalled kettle cloth in a pretty shade of clay on Mary’s shelves, as well as a dark fawn that had caught her eye. Could be, if all went well at the party, she’d be sewing up a few more dresses ...
When the timer buzzed, Miriam took the four big sheet cakes from the ovens. She inhaled their heavenly strawberry fragrance. The edges were just pulling away from the pans and the tops were a rich, golden overlay on the pink cakes. By the time she finished pinning the pattern pieces, the cakes would be cooled enough to hide away—
“Say, gal, smells a lot better in here than where I’ve been workin’!”
Miriam glanced up to see a male form highlighted in the back door. “Tom, I believe you’re right!” she teased the dairy farmer. “These’re for the girls’ party next week. I sure hope you’ll come!”
“Why would I miss a party?” His smile looked downright shy as he held up two gallon-size ice-cream pails. “Was thinkin’ ya might want some fresh cream to make your ice cream, so I brought it on over. And if you’d like a hand at crankin’ that freezer—”
“And why would I turn down help like that?” she teased. “Told Naomi we’ll be invitin’ anybody who wants to come, so we’ll be makin’ up several batches.
Denki
for thinkin’ of us, Tom.”
Why was he here, really? Miriam took the cream to the refrigerator, sensing this man had more than homemade ice cream on his mind ... and that he hadn’t come here in his role as a preacher, either. “Your boys doin’ all right these days? Don’t see much of Pete nor Rudy now that they’re makin’ carriages—and I’m thinkin’ Lavinia and Sarah must be doin’ well with their families, too?”
“
Jah
, my girls’re puttin’ up the corn and green beans—got big gardens, ya know—and helpin’ their men with the hayin’ and chorin’,” he replied quietly. “Sundays they bring over dinner and enough for me to eat on awhile, and they change out the clothes they’ve washed for what I’ve dirtied. Perty quick to notice I’m not one for keepin’ a real tidy house, but, well—” He shrugged ruefully. “Never figured on havin’ to do that. Got a letter from Lettie’s lawyer this mornin’ ... tellin’ me about divorce proceedin’s.”
The poor man looked like he’d lost his last friend along with his wife. His shoulders sagged and his sigh stumbled over a lump in his throat. Divorce was unheard-of among the Amish: she didn’t know of a single couple who’d cut their ties. It meant, for sure and for certain, that Lettie would be excommunicated, while Tom would be unable to remarry until she passed on. And who knew when that might be?
Miriam put her hands on his shoulders, keeping a proper distance between them. “That’s gotta be awful hard, Tom, and I’m sorry this has gone so wrong for ya,” she murmured. “If there’s somethin’ I can do—or if the girls can come by and redd up for ya, or—”
“Nah, didn’t come to cry on your shoulder, Miriam, but
denki
for the kind thoughts.” He stepped away self-consciously. “Just saw you were workin’ a little longer today, and ... well, I wanted ya to know I put in an offer on your buildin’. No sense in a
gut
cook and shopkeeper like yourself worryin’ about who’s gonna keep ya—I mean—”
What
did
he mean? Miriam’s pulse skittered while the man before her composed himself. Bless him, Tom looked a little the worse for wear in trousers and a blue shirt that could use a pressing, but his pink cheeks told her he’d gone beyond what he’d intended to say.
“Probably best if ya don’t mention it to the bishop,” he continued in a low voice, “and I don’t want ya thinkin’ I’ve got ideas about takin’ care of your business or—I mean, what man in his right mind
wouldn’t
want to look after
you
, Miriam? But I—” He stopped to shake his head in exasperation. “Mostly I’m makin’ a mess of this. But if I have anythin’ to say about it, ya won’t be tossed outta your café. With all due respect to Hiram and the will of the Lord, I just didn’t like it when he told me he was buyin’ the buildin’, sayin’ it was for your own
gut!”
Closing her eyes, Miriam thought fast. Tom was baring his soul—his intentions, perhaps, for the day when he was free to look for another wife—even though Lettie was a healthy sort who’d live a long while yet. The fact that Tom was an elder among them made this situation sting even more. But knowing what she knew ...
“Can’t thank ya enough for doin’ that, Tom,” she murmured. “And in the same spirit of respectin’ the bishop’s intentions, I’m gonna tell ya a third fella’s made an offer, too. So now you and I have our own secret, on account of how Hiram’s amount has been topped twice.”
Tom’s eyes widened. “Who else would—?”
“Don’t know the particulars, except he’s not Amish. And the banker seems mighty happy about the whole thing—which tells me the mystery man intends to keep my bakin’ business here, too.”
“Ah. Well, then ...”
Miriam smiled. The relief around his eyes and forehead was a sign she’d done the right thing, telling him. “That was a fine favor ya did for me, Tom. Just didn’t want ya left hangin’ when so much money’s involved, and you’ve got your herd to manage and barns to maintain and whatnot.” She squeezed the sturdy hand that still held hers. “I feel real
gut
havin’ ya for a friend, Tom. And I’ll say it again: if there’s anythin’ I can do for ya, you let me know.”
“I’ll do that, Miriam. Appreciate ya tellin’ me straight-out about this. You’re a
gut
woman and a fine friend.” With a grin, he bussed her cheek. “Better be gettin’ on home before I stumble over my tongue any more today.”
“Appreciate that cream, and”—she snatched a carryout box from the stack on the counter and then cut a big square of bread pudding to go in it—“I’ll be here Saturday evenin’ while the girls are at a quiltin’ frolic, so if you’d like to crank the ice-cream freezer—”
“Count on it! Bless ya, Miriam, this bread puddin’ll be a real treat.” He smiled as he pushed on the door. “Ya turned around a day that’s laid me mighty low. It’s another of your gifts, doin’ that for everybody.”
And wasn’t that a fine compliment? As Miriam covered the cake pans with foil to freeze them and then carefully folded the dress pieces she’d pinned, her heart sighed with contentment. As she was leaving, Micah pulled up with several cans of paint and a roll of vinyl flooring in the back of his wagon.
“Thinkin’ I’ll be finished upstairs in a couple more evenin’s,” he remarked with a sly smile. “Appreciate your havin’ that banker fella take a look, too. He’s hired us to refurbish some apartments usin’ my new wall systems, so we’ll be gettin’ right on that project.
Gut
money—and more jobs to come, I’m guessin’.”
“Can’t wait to see it, Micah.” Miriam grinned and glanced at the materials in his wagon ... soothing natural shades of blue and green and pale yellow. “Sounds like we’re all gonna be busy and happy. I’m likin’ that!”
“
Jah
. Gonna be real
gut
for all of us. You have a fine evenin’ now, Miriam.”
She knew a dismissal when she heard one. It was a fine thing to know this young man was as eager and enthusiastic about his work—and his shop’s future—as she was.
As Miriam started up the lane, sewing supplies tucked into her large canvas tote, she beamed back at the sun, just now setting behind the rows of sweet corn at the back of her garden. She spotted three fat striped watermelons and several acorn squash among the fan-shaped leaves near the smithy where her Jesse used to work at his forge. Maybe ... just maybe another farrier would want to ply his trade there someday ...
Thank ya, Lord, for more blessin’s than I can count—more than my heart can hold. It’s gonna be a wonderful-
gut
birthday for my girls ... and I thank ya for that, too.