The Amish Baker's Rival

by Marie E. Bast

  “I know, I’m just so excited!”

  “Emily!” Kate, Emily’s friend, squealed as she ran up and hugged her. “You won. I’m so proud of you. Now you can teach me to bake better. My folks are waiting for me, do you want to come and walk around the festival with us?”

  Noah nodded his approval. “If you can’t find me when you’re done, go back to the store, and I’ll be there at six when Jean leaves.”

  “Okay, Noah.” Emily grabbed Kate’s hand, and they ran off through the crowd.

  The microphone squawked, and Connie held her hand up. “Please take your seats. We need to make the presentation for the main baking contest.” She waited for the tent to quiet down.

  Noah found his seat and looked around for Mary. He saw Cynthia sitting next to the tent wall on the opposite side with her husband. She waved and gave Noah a thumbs-up.

  Mary pushed her way past a couple of people waiting for chairs. “Is this seat taken?” she asked him.

  Noah moved his arm from the back of the chair. “I was saving it for you. Did you see Emily win?”

  She slid around Noah and sat down. “Yes, Amanda, Ethan and I were in the back with Jenny. I caught Emily on her way out. She’s ecstatic over her win. I’m so happy for her. It gave her a boost of confidence.”

  “I’ll say. Now she wants to bake for me.”

  “She’s old enough to help. I baked at her age.”

  Connie put her hand in the air, motioning for quiet. When the crowd finally simmered down, she glanced down at the paper in her hand. After a few seconds, she leveled her gaze at the audience. “This year’s contest has turned out to have a very unusual result.” She waved her hand toward the table with the desserts from the three finalists.

  “But first, let me introduce our panel of judges. Magdalena Morgan from Magdalena’s Pastry Shop, Chicago, Illinois. Joel Bélanger from Bélanger French Cuisine, Des Moines, Iowa. And Simone André from MyBaking Channel.

  A round of applause acknowledged the judges.

  A voice directly behind Mary broke through the noise. “Hope one of you two show them how it’s done in Iowa.”

  Mary smiled. “Danki, Frank.”

  Connie motioned for the crowd to simmer down. “Next, let’s have our three finalists come up front. I will call names in no particular order. Cynthia Návar, Mary Brenneman and Noah Miller.”

  She held up a hand for the clapping to stop. “According to the rules, the judges were to select a finalist based on degree of difficulty, originality, presentation and taste. However, the judges have told me there is a clear third place, but two of the dishes met all the criteria and their numbers added up to the same score.”

  Murmurs from the crowd grew louder as she tried to talk. Connie raised her voice. “Please, just give me a few more minutes to explain. Two desserts were so close in taste that it was impossible to tell which was best. In fact, the tastes seem identical. It was brought to our attention that these two dishes are from contestants who are friends and who work together.”

  Mary gasped and turned toward Noah. “You stole my recipe?”

  Her words flamed across the space between them and seared into Noah’s gut.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Mary whirled to her side and faced Noah. “Did you use my recipe without asking? I trusted you.” Her heart nearly fell to the floor.

  Noah gasped. “I didn’t take your recipe. I used mine.”

  “Please,” Connie interrupted, “can either of you explain how this happened?”

  Whispers and voices hummed throughout the tent.

  Connie tapped the mic. “We need quiet.”

  Mary’s legs froze to the spot as humiliation raised bile to her throat. She spotted her stiefmutter and daed with red tinging their faces.

  “I didn’t steal your recipe,” Noah went on. “It’s in my family recipe book. I don’t make it often because it’s time-consuming, although delicious. It’s been in my family for at least four generations, maybe longer.”

  Old Bishop Ropp pushed his way to the front. He stomped up to the dessert table, picked up a spoon and tasted both of the dishes. “Mary, this is the pie I was telling you about that Sarah’s vater used to make when he was in partnership with Miller.”

  Sarah Brenneman rushed up to the front. “What are you talking about, Bishop? My father never had a partner.”

  “Yes, he did when he first opened before you were born. The partnership didn’t last very long, and the two men weren’t friends after that.”

  Sarah gasped. “My daed never told me any story like that.”

  Anna Miller stepped forward. “Yes, I remember hearing my father-in-law talking about those days. Remember, Noah, Thomas told you yesterday that his daed had a partnership with Joshua Lapp, and that Sweet Delights was the bakery they owned together?”

  Sarah shook her head. “That’s funny because daed never mentioned it. How long were they in business, and why did they split up?

  Anna placed a finger to her temple. “They had some sort of a disagreement. They couldn’t work it out so they split up. Sweet Delights is the bakery they started together. Thomas might know more of the details.”

  “So,” Connie broke in, “am I to understand that these two desserts are from the same recipe?”

  “It appears they are.” Mary glanced at Noah.

  Noah nodded. “It seems the recipes are the same.”

  Connie grabbed the microphone. “To state it for the audience and the news media, there is no stipulation against two people entering the same baked good, although it is usually done as one entry. Do you two want to count your entries as one so we can declare a winner? Otherwise, I’m not sure how we would declare a winner.”

  Noah whispered to Mary, and she nodded.

  Mary stammered and cleared her throat. “Under these unusual circumstances, Noah and I agree to combine are entries as one and accept the check together, but we would like to give Cynthia the trophy and the spot on the cable channel.”

  Connie looked at Simone, who nodded. “Simone agrees to that. Cynthia, if you’ll come forward.”

  Cynthia thanked Mary and Noah as she strolled over and stood by Connie.

  Connie lifted the trophy from the stand and handed it to Cynthia. “The Kalona Fall Apple Festival baking contest presents you with this trophy,” and the invitation to appear on the Simone André Show on MyBaking Channel.”

  After the applauding quieted, Connie motioned to Mary and Noah. “Please come forward.”

  Mary glanced at Noah as they took a step forward.

  “As the winner of the first place entry, I want to award you this check for $20,000.” The tent erupted into a commotion. Connie let it continue for a while then tapped the mic. “I want to thank all who participated in the baking contest and hope to see you next year.”

  Mary grabbed Noah’s arm. “Let’s get Sarah and Anna and go outside and talk.”

  He nodded. “I’ll get Anna and meet you on the sidewalk.”

  When he approached with his grandmother outside, Mary faced him. “So you knew about the joint business all along?”

  He stopped so fast he stubbed his toe on the sidewalk. “I knew that my great-grandfather co-owned a bakery in the beginning. I didn’t find out it was Sarah’s dad until yesterday at the hospital when my grandpa told me. I didn’t have a chance to tell you.” He looked at Anna. “Can you explain more about the bakeries?”

  “Jah, after they had their disagreement, Sarah’s daed bought out Thomas’s father. He didn’t feel there was enough business in Kalona for two bakeries and moved to Iowa City and established his bakery there.” Anna shrugged. “That’s all I know. You could ask Thomas. He might remember.”

  “Why is it that I never knew all this, Anna? No one ever talked about it,” Sarah pressed.

  “It was before you were born
and most have probably forgotten about it. Aaron Miller moved his bakery to Iowa City and was in a different district than us, so you probably never saw him, Sarah. It’s funny your daed never had an occasion to bring it up.” Anna raised a brow.

  Sarah shook her head. “I can’t believe Daed never told me.”

  Noah interrupted. “But, Grandma, if my dad learned baking from Aaron, how did he travel that distance to work in his bakery?”

  “After your great-grandfather’s wife died, he fell and broke his leg, and Jeremiah moved in with him in Iowa City for about a year. He actually didn’t want to go home, but Thomas made him because he wanted Jeremiah to take over the farm. Then Aaron died. After your daed left home, he started his own bakery.”

  Sarah put her arm around Mary. “Congratulations, honig. I’m going to go find your vater and bruder and walk around the festival with them for a while. We’ll see you at home.”

  “I’m going back to the festival, too, Noah, unless you have more questions.” Anna turned toward the park.

  “Thanks, Grandma. You were very helpful. Do you need a ride home?”

  “Nein, Cyrus and Lois are here, they’ll take me home. And I have just enough time to visit the quilt tent.” Anna smiled as she headed that way.

  “Noah, I want to apologize for not trusting you.” Mary’s heart ached with regret.

  “No, Mary, it’s I who should be apologizing to you. Trust is a two-way street. It was an important piece of information that you didn’t know, and I didn’t take the time to tell you. I’m sorry. I was busy and going to tell you later. To be honest, I never thought anything like this could happen.” His amber eyes sparkled at her.

  “Yes, it was a total surprise for me, too.”

  He motioned to his SUV parked nearby. “Do you want a ride back to the store to get your buggy?”

  “That would be nice. I’m still shaking from all the excitement.”

  As Mary turned toward Noah’s SUV, Bishop Yoder and Rebecca strolled by on the sidewalk toward their buggy. Jah, he’d be paying her a visit tomorrow and would probably want her confession. But she had his approval to enter for the chance of winning $10,000 and that’s all she won.

  But what would she say about Noah? She’d told the bishop that she knew what her baptism meant. Yet how could she confess from her heart when that meant staying away from Noah? Could she keep that promise?

  She had to, and that meant choosing a man from her faith. No doubt, the bishop would mention Seth again.

  Tears filled her eyes as fast as she could blink them away.

  Gott, You said You would bless me with joy and You would lead my feet on the right path, but where are You? My heart is breaking, and my joy is spilling out. Noah is my joy. I can’t be Englisch, and he’s not willing to become Amish. Where is Your healing balm for my breaking heart?

  * * *

  Noah walked Mary to his vehicle, opened the door and helped her in. As she passed by, he drew a deep breath of her honeysuckle hair. Her fragrance nearly melted his heart.

  He drove to the corral and parked. “I’ll help you hitch King. Then I’m going to Iowa City to pick up my grandpa and take him home.”

  “Are they releasing him?”

  “Yes, but he has to be careful. I told him I’d be out to help him so he didn’t have to worry about the farm.”

  “That’s nice of you. I can hitch King. You can get going.”

  “Nonsense, it’ll only take a few minutes.”

  Noah tightened the girth and finished hitching King feeling Mary’s eyes on his back as he worked.

  “Noah, I can tell you’ve been working at your grandpa’s farm. You hitched King a lot faster than I thought you would.” She stepped into the buggy. “Danki. Just so you know... I’m going to terminate my temporary shop at your store so you can get the space back to normal. Sweet Delights is ready for interior work, and I want to be there and help. Also, the bishop seeing us at lunch and together in your store gives the impression that we have some kind of relationship. I’m a baptized member of our church.” Her voice wobbled before she gained control. “I have pledged my devotion to Jesus and to my community, and it doesn’t look right for me to spend so much time with an Englischer.” She shook the reins. “Giddyap, King.”

  Noah stepped away from the buggy and watched as the only woman he’d ever loved drove out of sight and out of his heart. His stomach did flips when she was near and felt as empty as a rain gauge in the middle of July when she left.

  He swiped his hand down the side of his vehicle. What would make a man give up this type of automation and turn to driving a horse and buggy?

  Staring down the road after Mary, he let a smile stretch across his face. One fine woman that he knew his life would never be the same without. But she wasn’t the only reason.

  Noah started his SUV and headed in the direction of Bishop Yoder’s house. He turned in the driveway, parked and gripped the steering wheel while he said a prayer. Since he had met Mary, he’d relied on prayer and trusted God a lot more.

  Enough stalling. He pushed himself out, marched to the bishop’s front door and knocked. No answer. He knocked again. Were they still at the fall festival? He turned to leave just as the door opened.

  The bishop glared at Noah with a puzzled look on his face.

  “Bishop Yoder, may I speak to you?”

  “What is this regarding?” His words had a tart sound.

  “I understand it is up to you to decide if I’m sincere in my request to become Amish, and I ask for your permission.”

  The bishop’s eyes widened. His back straightened with a startled jerk. “Come in.” He stepped back. “We just returned from the festival and my feet are tired, so I hope this won’t take long.” He led the way to his office, closed the door and motioned to a chair. “So what is this all about?”

  “I want to join the Amish church.” Noah firmed his shoulders and spoke decisively.

  Bishop Yoder fell back into his chair and stared at Noah. “Why do you want to join our community? Is it because you want to wed Mary?

  “We aren’t seeing each other, no matter what you think. I do love her and would like to court her. Whether she says yes or no, I still want to join and be part of my family’s community.”

  The bishop leaned back in his chair. “You would need to study the church rules, learn Pennsylvania Dutch and dress like the members of our community.” He nodded. “I have some clothes here that might fit you. Tomorrow is Church Sunday, your grossdaddi and his family are hosting.”

  The bishop stood and walked briskly to the door. He opened it and stepped into the hall. “Rebecca, would you bring that extra suit from the closet?” His voice lowered. “The one that fits me a little snug. There is someone here who needs to borrow it.”

  With suit in hand, Noah followed the bishop down the hall to the front door.

  “We’ll talk later, after you’ve had time to see if this is what you really want. There will also be classes. And don’t forget, you’ll need a horse and buggy.” His tone at the end told Noah he enjoyed saying that immensely.

  Noah turned, smiled at the bishop and nodded. Yes, it would be worth it to be part of his Amish family and try for the chance to win Mary’s heart.

  He certainly hadn’t expected this turn of events. But weren’t God’s surprises the best kind? Had God told him His plan earlier, Noah might never have come to Kalona. But he was sure glad God had set his feet on Route 218.

  * * *

  Mary followed her stiefmutter into Thomas Miller’s new barn on Church Sunday, and slid onto the bench next to Sarah. She caught sight of a man entering the building. He walked to the men’s side and found a spot on the bench. He looked familiar, but his hat shaded his face.

  When the singing started, the man took off his hat, leaned over, placed it under the bench and straightened back up. Mary ga
sped and threw her hand over her mouth.

  “What’s wrong, Mary?” Sarah whispered.

  “Look straight across, last row. It’s Noah Miller.”

  Sarah glanced over and smiled. “He’s been seeing quite a lot of his grandparents and helping Thomas on the farm, jah?”

  “Did you know about this, Mamm?”

  “Nein, but Anna did say how helpful and wunderbaar the bu was and said they were becoming fond of him.”

  Mary’s mind wandered to Noah during the introductory message, but when the preacher started the main sermon, he dwelled on two points, the ones they often emphasized for a new member.

  The first, “be not conformed to this world,” Romans 12:2; and the second, “be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers,” 2 Corinthians 6:14. This one, the preacher explained, forbade an Amish person from marrying or entering a business partnership with a non-Amish person.

  Mary’s throat welled with a lump. She’d hadn’t expected to see Noah in Amish clothing. What had made him decide to take such a big step?

  She looked for Noah after service but couldn’t find him. She’d caught sight of him at the table but there wasn’t time to talk. After the common-meal cleanup, Mary started across the lawn to meet her parents at their buggy. When she crossed the driveway, there sat Noah under the tree sitting on a swing. He stood and met her halfway.

  “Hello, Mary.”

  “Noah, what a surprise. What changed your mind?”

  “Emily has been going out to our grandparents’ farm with me. She has met several Amish girl cousins, and they have become friends. Together, we made the decision.”

  Mary glanced at her daed waiting in the buggy. “I need to go.”

  “Mary, I have one thing to ask.” He paused. “I would like to court you. You’ll probably want to think about it.”

  Tears blurred her eyes. She pressed a fingertip against each one. “Nein, I don’t need to think about it.” A smile brewed deep in her stomach and burst across her face. “Jah, I would like that very much.”