An hour later she stepped out of the doctor’s office. Joshua stood up quickly. “What did the doctor say?”
“He said it’s looking great and I can go back to work tomorrow!” Lucinda was so happy she clapped her hands.
“That’s great!” Joshua said. “I was going to stop at the bakery to talk to Daniel. Do you want to come tell everyone your good news?”
“Jah. That would be nice,” Lucinda agreed. It felt strange that she had been home for so long. She had been thinking all week of the work that she would need to do in the cafe to make up for the time she missed. Perhaps she could ask Daniel if she could leave early a few afternoons. At least she could get the walls painted, and help John clean up a bit.
Lucinda looked up to see John standing outside of the bakery, and her heart fluttered at the sight of him. Lucinda was caught once again by how handsome he was.
“John, hello,” she called as she and Joshua walked across the town square.
“I’m glad to hear that you’re doing so well, Lucinda! I’m so sorry that I haven’t come by to see how you were doing.” John opened the door to the cafe. “I was a little busy.”
Lucinda walked into the cafe and gasped. The walls had been painted the exact shade of yellow that she had imagined. The trim around the windows and the doors had been stained and varnished, bringing out the beauty of the grain in the wood. The cabinets had been placed in each corner and the hutches on top were a perfect match. Several tables and chairs had been set up in the middle of the room. In the back by the door, Daniel and Naomi stood smiling.
“What do you think?” Daniel asked. “We’ve all been helping out when we could—Joshua, Marianna, Elizabeth and Sadie too.”
“It’s looks great!” Lucinda was so surprised, she had no idea that they had all been working on the cafe while she recovered. She looked around at them. “Danke, danke.”
“It’s not completely finished. The rest of the tables and chairs are still being built, but I wanted you to see it,” John said, with a hopeful look.
Lucinda looked around the cafe again. “It’s exactly how I imagined it!”
Daniel spoke up. “John has been working almost non-stop for the last week. It looks like we will be able to open in time for the busy season at the end of summer.”
“You’ll be able to use the seating for the bakery lunch crowd right away.”
“Really?”
“Jah.” He pointed to the glass paned door behind her. “It connects the bakery and the cafe.”
She hadn’t even noticed the new door cut into the wall connecting the bakery and cafe. She could see the bakery counter through the window. “Ach! That’s wonderful!”
“Welcome back.” Naomi came over to Lucinda and took her hand. “We need to get back to the bakery, but I’m so glad that you’re feeling better.”
“Jah, me too.” Lucinda laughed. “Naomi, Daniel, danke.”
They both smiled and went through the new door into the bakery.
Lucinda walked slowly through the cafe, running a hand along one of the new tables. She stood behind the counter and shook her head. “I can’t believe you accomplished so much.”
“Aaron helped. We also had a couple of apprentices from the other side of the valley help build the tables.” John shrugged. “I didn’t want you to exhaust yourself when came back to work.”
“That was very sweet of you.” She gave him a wide smile. “I didn’t get a chance to say it before, but I’m so grateful for everything you did to keep me safe.” It felt like such a small thing to say compared to saving her life, but she needed to let him know.
“I just did what I could.” He looked down at her. “I never doubted that we would eventually get home.”
Lucinda looked away shyly. “I never did get a chance to answer your question.”
John frowned. “What question was that?”
She looked at her hands still resting on the counter. “When we were walking on the road—you asked if I would like to go for a ride with you sometime. Perhaps back to East Hawthorne.”
His smile was warm and broad. “Jah, I did ask that.”
She thought he might say something more, but after a minute she added, “John, I would like that very much.”
“Lucy, that would be wonderful.” John said and then added, “On second thought, maybe not East Hawthorne— I’ve seen enough of that road.”
She smiled and laughed. “Jah, me too.”
They each said a silent prayer to God, thanking Him for bringing them back together, and looking forward to the wonderful future He had for them.
THE END
Book 4
(Elizabeth’s Longing)
Chapter 1
Elizabeth was looking out the front window when the door of the bakery opened. It was a very hot but windy day in late summer.
A woman appeared a moment later and wrestled the door closed behind her. “Gosh! I cannot believe the wind today!”
“Jah, it sure is a windy one,” Elizabeth said.
The woman smiled and stepped up to the counter.
“Hello, how may I help you?” Elizabeth asked.
“I came in last week and ordered a birthday cake to pick up this afternoon.” She pulled a piece of paper from her purse and showed it to Elizabeth. “The last name is Nelson.”
“Jah. I’ll get it, just one moment.” Elizabeth went to the refrigerator and returned to the counter with a white cake box. “Here we are.”
“Wonderful. Thank you!” Mrs. Nelson said.
Elizabeth opened the box and turned it so Mrs. Nelson could see the cake, which had written on it, “Happy Birthday Carly.”
“Oh, it’s perfect!” Mrs. Nelson exclaimed. “She’ll love it.”
“I’m so glad that you like it.” Elizabeth said, as she tied up the box with white string. She handed the box to Mrs. Nelson.
“Thank you so much!” the older woman said and stepped toward the door.
Elizabeth moved around the counter to open the door for her. “Come see us again.”
The wind gusted in and Mrs. Nelson called back to her. “I will. Have a good day.”
“You too.” Elizabeth waved and pulled the door shut.
As Elizabeth was walking back to the counter she saw her brother, Daniel, come out of the office “Was that another cake?”
“Jah,” Elizabeth answered.
“How many did you sell today?”
“Three went out today.” Elizabeth looked at the order sheet. “I have five cakes to make and decorate tomorrow.”
“That’s great! I had no idea that the cakes would sell so well,” Daniel said. “I’m glad you suggested it.”
“It was really Mamm’s idea. She said that since I was already making cakes for our friends and family, that I might as well be making them here too.” Elizabeth pointed into the kitchen. “The new refrigerator has really worked out. I would never have been able to keep that many cakes in the old one.”
“We really needed it once we opened the café. The fact that it’s helping to keep your cakes fresh is an extra bonus.” Daniel followed her gaze into the kitchen. “We’ve been really busy the last few weeks.”
Elizabeth nodded in agreement. “Jah. We sure have. I think it’s wonderful.”
“We are about to get busier too.” Daniel looked serious as he watched Lucinda and Tyler working in the kitchen.
Elizabeth nodded. “Naomi said that the restaurant in East Hawthorne has decided to order all of their bread from us.”
“Jah. We have several new orders starting this week.” Daniel ran a hand over his face. “There’s the women’s’ knitting club that meets twice a week. They’ve created a standing order of cookies, croissants and cinnamon rolls. The bank has also asked for two dozen pastries and doughnuts, every day. They’ve already hired Joshua to deliver them.”
“That’s great!” she said, and then frowned. “That does sound like a lot though.”
She didn’t know how the
y would get it all done. The bakery was busy from the early morning until they closed up late in the afternoon. During the day, they had to have someone at the counter almost constantly to keep up with customers coming in to buy pastries, cookies and doughnuts from the front display case. Elizabeth and the others took turns helping at the counter, but it took them away from working in the kitchen.
Daniel nodded and the phone rang in the office. “I need to get that. Naomi is at the coffee shop.”
“Jah, I need to check the store room.” Glancing back at the door to make sure no one was about to walk in, Elizabeth walked through the kitchen toward the ovens.
She paused at the door to the storeroom. “Tyler, can you keep an eye on the front door? If you see anyone come in give me a holler in the storeroom.”
“Sure.” Tyler was standing in front of one of the ovens. He pointed with an oven mitt clad hand. “The croissants have three minutes left.”
“Okay, I should be quick,” she ducked into the storage room. “I just need to check how many cake boxes we have in here, so that Daniel can be sure to order more.” Elizabeth counted the boxes. “Okay, only twenty left. We definitely need to order more.”
“Are you going to make more of your strawberry cake?”
“Jah. I might. Why do you ask?”
“Because it’s delicious,” he said.
She looked up at him and laughed. Tyler was an Englischer that had started working at the bakery when he was sixteen years old. That was almost two years ago and he had grown nearly a foot in that time. Elizabeth didn’t know how his mother kept him in clothes that fit.
“I’ll add one to tomorrow’s list.” She started nodding. “We can sell pieces in the display case and in the café. I’ll save a few pieces for you too.”
“Great! Thanks, Elizabeth.”
“You’re very welcome, Tyler.”
The timer went off and Tyler was back to work. He really was one of their best bakers.
Just then Sadie came in through the storeroom from the café looking harried. “Ach! We need more rolls.”
“I can help you, Sadie.” Elizabeth crossed the kitchen.
Sadie set a basket on one of the kitchen worktables. “Danke. It is still so busy in the café.”
“I guess staying open later in the afternoon has been worth it.” Elizabeth pulled a tray of rolls off the rack next to the oven.
“Jah. Lucinda is wondering if the café shouldn’t start serving dinner.” Sadie said, as she moved the rolls into the basket.
“Really?”
“Jah. Daniel isn’t sure he wants to do that quite yet, though.” Sadie covered the basket with a white cloth napkin. “I’d better get these rolls back to the café. I appreciate the help. Danke.”
Elizabeth watched her rush off. If the café stayed open later that would be great. It had been a real success in the three months it had been open. Of course, it would also mean even more work though, more hours working in the café plus the extra work cooking and baking.
She pulled out her list of what needed to be done for tomorrow. Five cakes had been ordered; three sheet cakes and two layered cakes. “Ach, I can’t forget the strawberry cake.”
* * *
Isaac Weaver walked through the open door of the café. He wasn’t surprised to see that it was busy. In the few months since it had opened they had expanded their hours from two o’clock to four o’clock. It was past four o’clock and the tables were still full, but it looked like the folks were finishing their meals. He looked around for his sister, Sadie. He finally noticed her coming in from the storeroom in the back of the café. She saw him and held up two fingers. Isaac nodded and pointed at the bakery. Sadie smiled and gave him a ‘go on’ gesture.
The glass-paned wooden door that connected the bakery and café was held open by an antique metal milk can that had been painted white. Isaac walked through and saw Elizabeth at the counter helping a customer who was picking out cookies from the display case.
Isaac sat down at a table to wait for Sadie. His day had been spent at the harness maker’s shop where he worked. He sat at the far end of the counter hoping he would get a chance to talk to Elizabeth.
She smiled and gave him a little wave from behind the counter.
“Please enjoy them.” Elizabeth smiled at the customer and handed him the box of cookies. “So good to see you. Come back soon.”
Isaac watched the man leave and then looked back at Elizabeth. She held up a chocolate chip cookie. “Would you like a cookie?”
“Jah.” Chocolate chip cookies were his favorite—he appreciated that Elizabeth always remembered that.
“I set one aside when I saw you come in,” Elizabeth told him as she handed him the cookie.
“Danke,” he said, and took a bite.
“Isaac, good to see you,” Daniel said, as he walked out of the office.
Before Isaac could answer they were interrupted when Diane, the Englischer woman who owned the gift shop came in from the café.
“Daniel!” Her daughter, Susan, followed behind. “Congratulations on your engagement. My family offers our best wishes to you and Naomi.”
“Danke,” Daniel told her. “We are very happy.”
“It really is wonderful.” Diane tapped her fingers on the counter. “I’m glad that you’re here. I wanted to see about ordering some cookies.”
“I’d be glad to help you,” Daniel said.
Elizabeth pulled a pad of paper from underneath the counter to hand to Daniel. “What kind of cookies would you like?” he asked.
Diane looked at the cookies in the display case. “I’d like to have some of your sugar cookies to have on the counter in my shop.” Diane smiled. I’d like a dozen of them.”
“Okay, great.” Daniel said as he wrote down her order. “And you wanted these tomorrow?”
“Yes. Well, I’d like to get a dozen every day, really.”
“Every day?” Daniel stopped writing and looked up.
“Yes.” Diane glanced out the window towards the gift shop. “I’ll probably need more when we have events in the square, also. We can talk more about that when the time comes.”
Isaac looked on and nodded, this was another sign of how well the bakery was doing. Daniel had done a great job turning it all around.
Susan came down to the counter to where he and Elizabeth stood. “Elizabeth! Oh my gosh, I saw the cake you made for Madison Carver’s birthday last week. It was gorgeous.”
“I’m glad you thought it was so pretty. Danke.”
“Yes! She loved it. Everyone did—it was delicious too.”
“Elizabeth has always made the best cakes.” Isaac remembered her bringing cake to school when they were younger. Her cakes were good then and even better now.
Susan held up a finger. “Oh, before I forget, I took some photos of the cake you made for Madison. I was thinking you might want to gather some photos of the different cakes that you’ve made. That way when people want to order they’ll have some idea of what you you’ve done in the past.”
“Hmm…” Elizabeth thought about it. “I have five cakes that will go out tomorrow afternoon.”
Isaac spoke up, “that’s a really good idea. You can set the pictures in a folder on the counter so that anyone could look at it, even people that aren’t necessarily looking for a cake.”
“Exactly,” Susan agreed. “I bet there are folks who don’t even realize that you sell cakes here.”
“I didn’t think of that,” Elizabeth said. “I’ll talk to Daniel about it.”
“Susan, are you ready to go?” Diane asked.
“Time to go. I’ll come by tomorrow and take some photos of the cakes. I’ll bring the photos I took of Madison’s cake too and we can talk to Daniel together.”
“Great! I’ll see you tomorrow.” Elizabeth waved to her.
The door barely closed when Abigail Schrock came in.
“Hello, Abigail. What can I get for you?” Elizabeth asked.
“I need two loaves of bread.”
“We have some fresh loaves I can bag up. I’ll be right back,” Elizabeth said, and stepped away from the counter.
“Danke.” Abigail turned to Isaac. “Isaac, hello.”
“Hello, Abigail. How are you?”
“I’m gut.” Abigail moved to stand beside him, her smile wide and bright. “Are you waiting for someone?”
“I’m waiting for Sadie. She’s been helping in the café in the afternoons.”
“I’m so sorry that I’m late,” Sadie suddenly said, coming in from the café.
“It’s okay, Sadie.” He looked at Abigail. “It was nice seeing you.”
Isaac waved at Elizabeth and nudged Sadie out the door.
* * *
Chapter 2
“Elizabeth, can I talk to you for a moment?” Naomi asked from the doorway into the office.
“Jah, I’ll be right there.” She had just finished decorating the last cake. “I need to set this in the refrigerator first.”
Naomi smiled. “It’s beautiful. I’ll be here.”
“Danke.” Elizabeth opened the refrigerator door and slid the cake onto a shelf. She would let it cool and then box it and the other cakes a little later.
She walked into the office, unsure of what Naomi wanted. “Naomi, is there something I can help you with?”
“Jah. I’ve been looking at the cakes you’ve been making. They are very pretty. I was wondering if you would consider making my wedding cake?”
Elizabeth was surprised. “Of course! I would be happy to make your wedding cake.”
“I was so hoping you would. Danke, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth was already thinking of ideas. “Do you have an idea of what you would like?”
“I’m not sure.” Naomi looked apologetic. “All the cakes you’ve made are different, but they are all beautiful.”
“I can sketch out some ideas tonight and then show you the drawings tomorrow, if you’d like.”
“Jah, if you’re sure you won’t be too busy to make another cake. I know you have other cakes to make as well.”
“Nee.” Elizabeth patted Naomi’s hand. “There will be plenty of time for me to fit in a cake for you.”
AMISH ROMANCE: The Amish Bakery Boxed Set: 4-Book Clean Inspirational Box Set - Includes Bonus Book Page 12