by Leslie Gould
The man shook his head as he took a bite of the pie. Once he’d swallowed he said, “Delicious. I’ll be coming by your booth before the day is over.” The man took another bite.
All she wanted to know was why Jesse wasn’t at the market. “Is everything all right?”
The man nodded and took another bite. When he swallowed again he said, “His little girl is sick. He’s taking her to the doctor. He said she’s been out of sorts the last few days, and he’s worried because of some condition she has.”
Noelle thanked the man for the information. No one had said anything about Greta having a “condition.” She returned to her booth, told Holly what was up with Jesse, and then sold her mini selections and pies for the next nine hours. Thankfully Carlos returned to the market midmorning and relieved Holly and Noelle, so they could take a couple of breaks and eat their lunches.
At quitting time, Noelle only had a couple of regular-sized pies left and a few boxes of creamsticks. All of the whoopie pies had sold, along with the half-moon pies. When Steve walked by, she offered him a whole pie again, saying, “I’ve had a really good day. I’d like you to take it.”
“Denki,” he said, a smile on his face. He took the box and then asked about placing an order with her. “My wife was going to make pies for Christmas Day, but then she asked if we could buy them from you. She says yours are much better.” He lowered his voice. “I would never tell her this, but she’s right.”
Noelle wasn’t sure either one of them was right, but she knew how much work it was to put together a holiday meal. It would be much easier for his wife to order the pies.
“We’re having a large group. I think we’ll need five pies.” He grinned. “So there will be leftovers.”
“No problem,” Noelle said. “But can you pick them up on Christmas Eve? I can’t deliver them.”
“That works.” They arranged the details and then Steve put his baseball cap on backward, picked up the pie, and continued on through the market.
Salome had never taken orders for Christmas pies before, and here Noelle had taken two. She wouldn’t put out a sign, advertising the service—not this year, anyway. And she doubted Salome would be in favor of it for next year. But Noelle was pretty sure it was a service worth looking into, especially if she was going to continue doing the baking and the selling. As for the extra money from the Christmas pies this year, she’d put it toward Dat’s new medicines. And pray that he would live long enough to enjoy another Family Christmas.
CHAPTER EIGHT
On Friday morning, Noelle’s heart raced when she arrived at the market. Jesse was back, along with five little rocking chairs, two tiny chests, and a child-sized bookcase. She intended to speak with him. She really did. But she didn’t manage to. Part of the reason was she lost her courage. Her other excuse was that she was swamped.
In the early afternoon, Carlos gave Jesse a break. Again, Noelle lost her nerve in telling him she needed to speak with him. But when he stopped by her booth, she did ask how Greta was doing.
“Better,” he said. “She gave us quite a scare though. I’m grateful I have Aenti Barbara to help me through all of this.”
Noelle gave him a questioning look, hoping he’d continue. When he didn’t, she couldn’t stop her curiosity. “What’s going on?”
“She has a disease. It’s worse than what we’d thought.” His expression grew forlorn.
“I’m sorry,” Noelle said. “How long have you known she had it?”
He swallowed hard and then, when he spoke, his voice was faint. “Since soon after she was born . . .”
She didn’t press him any further. He seemed so sad. Instead, she gave him a box of creamsticks.
“Denki,” he said. “These are my favorite.”
She remembered.
He held the box in both hands. “And I’m grateful for the idea to sell Kinder-sized items too.” He nodded toward his booth. “I’ve already sold four of the rocking chairs and one of the chests. And I have a buyer interested in the bookcase.”
“Wunderbar,” Noelle said. “Too bad it takes so long to make them.”
He shrugged. “They’re not too hard. I have two more chairs I’ll finish up tonight. And a bookcase.”
He held up the box of creamsticks. “Anyway, it’s been good working at the market with you. If I don’t see you before closing, I’ll see you tomorrow.” As he turned to go, a wave of sadness washed over Noelle. Once he returned to Montana, that would be it. Tomorrow was all she had.
On Saturday morning, the last day of the Christmas Market, Noelle had almost worked up the courage to venture back to Jesse’s booth when Holly called across the aisle, “Can you believe this is it?”
Noelle shook her head.
“I’m really going to miss you, Twin.” Holly grinned.
“I’m going to miss you too.” Noelle’s voice quavered, and she couldn’t manage even the smallest smile.
Holly took two big steps across the aisle and wrapped Noelle up in her arms. “Ahh,” she said. “It’s been such a gift from God to spend time with you this last month.”
Noelle hugged her friend back. Behind Holly, three of her five candles of Advent glowed. Hope, joy, peace. Tomorrow was faith, the last Sunday of Advent. She was thankful for her friend and what she’d taught her. She’d gradually realized throughout the month that the verses she read each day had touched her soul. The friendship, the scripture, the encouragement—all of it had helped lift her out of her grief. How odd that even with Jesse close by, she’d grown stronger.
“I have something to tell you.” Holly pulled away. “But later. When we have a few minutes.”
“All right.” Noelle didn’t expect it was anything serious. Hopefully, Holly would suggest they get together sometime in the next couple of weeks. Noelle would like that.
“Hey!” Holly let go of Noelle. “Did you find a place for your Family Christmas?”
Noelle shook her head. “I don’t think we’re going to have it.”
“Oh, that’s horrible. Why not?”
“I couldn’t find a place big enough. The school was already booked and the churches near us as well. The church wagon has already been claimed, so we wouldn’t have enough seating if we used the shed. It just didn’t work out.”
Holly tilted her head. “What about here?”
Noelle wrinkled her nose.
“In the dining room. You could use the kitchen too.”
“Does Steve rent it out?”
“I don’t know, but you should ask him. He likes your pies so much. Maybe you could—”
“Make his Christmas pies for free? And offer him an extra one every week for the next year.”
“Not that many.” Holly laughed. “But it’s a good idea. How about one a month though instead of one a week?”
Noelle pondered the idea.
“But you have to actually ask him.” Holly glanced back toward Jesse’s booth. “You seem to have a habit of wanting to talk to someone but then not actually doing anything.”
“Is it that obvious?” Noelle whispered.
Holly crossed her arms as a sassy expression landed on her face. “Actually, it is.”
Before Noelle could protest, the first group of customers entered the market. They kept coming—wave after wave after wave. Over and over, Noelle was grateful that Moriah had helped her mix up batter and fillings on Wednesday so all Noelle had to do was bake on Thursday evening and Friday evening too. She could barely restock and wait on customers.
She’d realized, over the last couple of days, that she’d finally gotten a handle on sales. With each request for a pie, Noelle asked if the customer would be interested in a box of mini whoopie pies too. “They’re one of a kind.” She would smile. “Minis are the new big thing.”
Box after box sold.
Then, when young customers asked for a box of the minis, Noelle would suggest they pick up a pie for their mothers, saying, “It’s the best gift you can give her.”
/> She even found herself joking with customers. But mostly she found herself smiling more and more and saying, “Have a wonderful Christmas.” And she meant it. She’d learned to care about the Englischers.
All of her positive interactions had increased sales.
For the first time, Noelle could imagine Salome at the market. Maybe she spoke cynically about the Englisch at home, but Noelle guessed at the market that she had to be outgoing and personable to sell as much product as she did. Maybe there was a side to Salome that Noelle didn’t know. Maybe she gossiped about others because she didn’t feel that positive about herself. For the first time, her heart ached for her sister, instead of just for herself.
Carlos floated between Holly’s booth and Noelle’s, and a couple of times he went to check on Jesse. Noelle noticed some people carrying the small rocking chairs and one man carrying a small chest. Another man carried a large rocking chair. It seemed that even Jesse was doing well.
The day passed in a blur. At one point, Carlos managed the chocolate booth and Holly came over to restock Noelle’s products while she waited on customers. When they had a lull, Holly said, “You’ve really gotten the hang of selling.”
Noelle agreed. “And I’m actually enjoying it,” she whispered to Holly, who laughed. Noelle would miss the market and wondered if, when it opened again in March, she might continue doing the selling. Perhaps if Noelle offered to do it, her sister would welcome being done with it. But before she had a chance to ask Holly if she’d be back in the spring, another wave of customers appeared at the booth.
Around five, Steve came by with his baseball cap already turned around. Holly quickly scooted over to Noelle’s booth and squeaked, “It’s now or never.”
Noelle took a deep breath and then said, “Steve, I have something to ask you.”
He smiled. “If it’s to take a pie off your hands, the answer is I’ll buy one.”
“Actually, it is.” She handed him a peach one. “But I won’t take your money because I’m hoping to bribe you. Do you ever rent out—or barter for—the kitchen and dining area?”
“When?”
She grimaced, imagining what his reply would be. “Christmas Day.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Honestly, no one’s ever asked. But it’s definitely available.”
She quickly explained the trade she had in mind. When she finished and he didn’t answer right away, she wished she’d offered him one a week.
But then he said, “I think we can work that out. I’ll give you the key when I pick up the pies on Christmas Eve. I’ll give you the security code then too.” He went on to explain that the oven in the kitchen was gas, and that there was a checklist to close up the kitchen and dining hall. “I’ll give you my phone number in case you need it,” he said. He grimaced. “Oops, you probably don’t have a cell phone, right?”
“Oh, I have plenty of nieces and nephews who haven’t joined the church who do,” she said. “We’ll be fine.”
As Steve walked away, joy flowed through her. She’d been bold enough to ask for something she needed—because she’d developed a relationship with Steve.
Grateful for Holly’s prodding, Noelle gave her friend a thumbs-up.
They had a place for Family Christmas! She couldn’t wait to tell Dat.
At six, the melodic ringing of the bells signaling the end of the day—and the end of the Christmas Market—brought tears to Noelle’s eyes. She’d miss Holly most of all, but also the vibrancy of the market, including the customers. Jah, something had definitely changed inside of her. She enjoyed the chaos, the masses of different people, and the unique creativity that each vendor brought.
It took another half hour before all of the customers finally made their way out. Noelle didn’t have much product left, so she decided she’d give the rest to Holly as a happy birthday gift. Although she’d save one pie for Jesse as a goodwill gesture before she talked with him. If she actually could. Perhaps she’d waited too long.
He passed her, pushing two large rocking chairs, a hope chest, and a bookcase on a cart to load in his wagon. She held up the pie, trying to get his attention, and then waved with her free hand. But he didn’t see her.
She set them down and crossed the aisle with two other pies and a box of creamsticks for Holly. “Happy birthday, Twin.”
Holly’s hand went to her chest. “Denki.” She took the baked goods and placed them in one of her crates. “I have something for you too.”
She handed Noelle a box marked Advent wreath.
Confused, Noelle shook her head. “I can’t take this.”
Holly bit her lip. “Do you mean you can’t have it in your house? That it’s too Englisch?”
Noelle shook her head. “No. It’s yours. It means so much to you.”
“That’s why I’m giving it to you. Because I want you to have it.” The girl licked her lips and then said, “Now is when I need to tell you our news.”
Noelle clutched the box of candles, dreading what Holly might have to say.
“We’re leaving tonight for Mexico.”
Noelle gasped.
“Our grandmother isn’t doing well. We’ve tried to get her a visa to come here, but we haven’t been able to. That’s why my mother went down there. But now we need to go also.”
How had Noelle missed that her mother had gone to Mexico? She lowered her voice. “Can you come back?”
“Of course. We’re US citizens. So is our mother. Mama got her green card through our dad, and then became a citizen.”
Noelle finally felt bold enough to ask more. “Where’s your father now?”
“He passed away a few years ago. He worked construction and was suffocated when a ditch collapsed.”
Noelle gasped again. “How horrible.” She realized that was most likely why Carlos and Holly had come up to the hospital to be with her when Dat was in the ER. They knew her fear. Again, she felt remiss that she didn’t previously have that important piece of information about Holly’s life.
A sad expression fell over Holly’s face as she continued speaking. “Our Mennonite church sponsored us after he died so Carlos and I could take classes and Mama could build up her business.” She tried to smile. “But now we need to go be with our family.”
Noelle agreed. “Will you come back?”
“Of course.” Holly sighed. “Maybe not here though. I’ll let you know.” She handed Noelle a piece of paper. “This is my grandmother’s address and my cell phone number. I’d love to stay in touch.”
Noelle took the paper, put the box of candles in one of her empty crates, and pulled a scrap of paper and a pen from her purse. She quickly wrote down the phone shed number and her address too.
As Holly took it, she said, “There’s one more thing. Our truck is stuffed and ready to go, which means we can’t give you a ride.”
“Oh.” Noelle wasn’t sure how she’d get home then, but she figured she’d start by calling Pamela. “May I borrow your phone?”
“No,” Holly said. “I already arranged a ride for you.”
“What?”
Holly grinned. “Jesse said he’d take you home.”
Noelle walked out of the market with Holly, bundled up in her coat, bonnet, scarf, and gloves. The two hugged good-bye and promised to keep in touch as Noelle held Jesse’s pie in one hand and Jesse and Carlos loaded Noelle’s empty crates into the back of the wagon and then covered them with a tarp. The two draft horses that would pull the wagon snorted in the cold.
Noelle reached up and put the boxed pie on the wagon bench and then Jesse helped her up. There was a wool blanket waiting for her to spread over her legs. Three years ago, she would have sat close to him to keep warm. Instead, she spread the blanket over her lap and then pulled it up to her chin, holding it with her hands.
Once Jesse was on his side of the wagon, he turned on his battery-operated lantern and hung it from the hook. The wagon also had the required orange triangle on the back and a string of
LED lights too.
“I thought I’d take the back roads,” Jesse said. “To avoid traffic.” He glanced over at her. “I just wanted to let you know.”
She nodded. Jesse might have broken her heart—for a reason she now understood—but she wasn’t afraid of him.
“Denki for giving me a ride.” She nudged the pie closer to him. “This is for you to take home.”
“I appreciate it,” he said. “I’ve never had a pie better than yours. . . .” His voice trailed off and they rode in silence.
The wagon bounced along, slower and rougher than a buggy. The light from the lantern bounced along the ribbon of a shoulder and off the snow. A cradle moon rose over the trees at the edge of the field. Noelle couldn’t help but smile at the beauty of the landscape.
Finally Jesse spoke. “Holly said you had something you needed to speak with me about.”
Noelle cleared her throat as the wagon bumped along and managed to croak, “She did?”
He nodded.
There was a reason Noelle needed a friend like Holly. God had brought the girl into her life at exactly the right time. Still, she could pretend she didn’t know what Jesse was talking about . . . or she could do the right thing. The choice was hers.
She cleared her throat again and then said, “Jah, I do have something I want to say. I’ve been putting it off the last few days.” She tightened her fists around the edge of the blanket, determined to communicate what she needed to. “For the last three years, I thought you’d rejected me. And then I thought you were lying to me about it when you returned to Lancaster. But after you told me what Barbara had said, I found out it was true. Someone did say I didn’t want you to come home.” She exhaled. “It was Salome.”
He glanced at her, his face pale in the lantern light.
“Jah, I was mad that you left,” she explained. “But I fully expected you’d come back, that we’d patch things up. But then I heard you were dating an Englisch girl.”
He quickly interjected, “Only because you were done with me.”