––––––––
Freida was forced to wait until there were no more customers waiting to be helped, but as soon as the front of the store cleared, she headed back into the kitchen.
“Katie, please forgive me for upsetting you. You know how mei tongue runs away from me at times.”
“Ach, Freida. Of course I forgive you. I do think about Travis—more than I should, to be sure. Ever since I painted the windows of the bakery last year, I have been fretting about getting in trouble with the bishop. That is why I cannot make any mistakes, like being more than freinden with an Englischer.”
“But you have not been baptized into the church yet. You are still on your rumschpringe.”
“That makes no difference, Freida.”
“Makes no difference? What if Travis is the one for you?”
“Nee, he cannot be the one.”
“Why not?”
“Because I would have to leave the church... the community... mei freinden... mei home.”
“Nee, you will not be shunned, so long as you do not join the church beforehand.” Freida's voice was full of determination.
“But I would no longer belong. I cannot imagine how horrible that would be.”
“Then Travis is not important enough to you; otherwise, you would not hesitate.”
Freida sounded sad, which surprised Katie. She wondered how much her freind had thought about leaving her family—and church—behind.
“Nee, he is not. I do not know of anyone who is important enough to give up mei haus—mei faith. Could you leave everything behind for someone, Freida?”
“Truthfully, I do not know, Katie. I only know if you love someone, you should be able to leave everything behind for them.”
“And I know that you have been spending time in the romance section of the library again.”
Freida blushed before answering back. “It matters not where the knowledge kummes from. It does not make it any less true.”
“Perhaps not, but life for fictional people is far easier than those of us with flesh and blood.”
They were both silent for several minutes while Katie carefully sliced cookies from the long roll of chilled dough.
“In those romance books you fancy, things always work out somehow, typically without anyone having to leave what or who they love behind. It is not that way in real life.”
“I know; you are right.”
“Jah, I am.”
Freida grabbed her in a big hug. Evidently she was willing to drop the matter—at least for the time being. “I do not want to lose you as mei freind. You are mei best freind.”
“I do not want to lose you as mei freind, either. And I do not want to think of leaving mei family or mei church. Ach, why do I have feelings for an Englischer when I know it is wrong?”
“Katie, Gott will work it out somehow. You have to trust Him. If it is His plan for you and Travis—”
“Please, Freida. Do not say that. I cannot. I cannot even talk of the possibility of a future with Travis. It cannot be.”
Both maedels turned toward the front room when they heard the tinkle of bells that hung over the bakery's front door.
“We must have a customer. Do you want to go?”
“Nee, you go. I have a lot more baking to do.”
“We will talk later, jah?”
“Jah, later.”
When Freida left, Katie bowed her head long enough for a quick prayer.
Dear Gott, please show me what to think. Help me to know what to do.
* * *
Freida was waiting for Katie after work. It was a beautiful spring afternoon, with the birds singing and a cool breeze blowing through the trees. As they walked home together, Freida chatted about her day.
“Did you see Mrs. Mueller kumme in? She always seems to manage to be first. Lately, she sits for a while at one of the tables and watches the other customers coming and going. I think she’s a terrible gossip, don’t you?”
Without giving Katie a chance to answer, Freida went on. “And not once did Mr. O’Neal come in. He hasn’t been by for over a week. He used to come in for cookies several times a week, although I always thought it was an excuse to see Mrs. Simpkins. I thought for sure and for certain that they were dating. Do you think they broke up?”
Katie opened her mouth to answer, but once again Freida went on before she managed to say anything.
“Are you going to the singing? I can sit with you some, but I sort of promised someone else I would spend time with them, too. And I have been thinking about you and Travis. If you truly don't think you could never care enough about Travis to date him, is there a buwe in the community that you would be wanting to court?”
“Stop!” Katie laughed. “Ach! That is a lot to talk about, Freida. Where do I even begin?”
“Jah, well you know how I go on sometimes.” Freida looked a bit sheepish, but said nothing else, so Katie took the opportunity to jump in again.
“Well, for one thing, you know I like Mrs. Mueller.” Katie sent her freind a serious look, but Freida only shrugged and gave a half smile in return.
“I try not to talk about Mrs. Mueller or any of our customers in a hurtful way.” Katie paused a moment, before clearing her throat and continuing.
“And as a matter of fact, jah, I did notice that Mr. O’Neal has not been in the bakery for several days. I think the last time I saw him was last Friday. And Mrs. Simpkins hasn’t mentioned him to me. She used to sit at the prep table and chat while I worked, but lately she's been staying in her office. I hope nothing has happened between them. They seem perfect for each other.”
“That’s just what I thought, too. How can we find out if something has happened? And how can we fix it?”
“Look, Freida. I think we need to leave it alone. If something has happened, Mrs. Simpkins and Mr. O’Neal will work it all out.”
“Nee, Katie. We need to help them.”
“Freida, I know how much you want to help,” Katie spoke carefully, weighing each word before she replied, doing her best to be tactful. “But I really think it is for the best to stay out of it. Unless Mrs. Simpkins or Mr. O’Neal asks for our help, we should not interfere.”
“But Katie—”
“Nee, Freida. I will not do anything that might hurt Mrs. Simpkins or Mr. O’Neal. We do not know Gott’s plans for them, so how can we know the right thing to do?”
“Then I guess we must leave it to Gott. You are right, that is the best thing to do. But Katie, you totally ignored mei last question. Are you going to the singing? Do you care about Travis, or is there another buwe that you want to court?”
“Jah, I plan to go to the singing. But nee, there is no one I am wanting to court—at least for now. And I am not saying anything more about it, so please don’t ask again.”
“I guess I have to let it go for now anyway, since I need to get home. But I still think you like Travis...”
And with a smile and a wave, Freida walked away, heading toward her family’s farm.
Katie shook her head, let out a sigh, and continued on her way home.