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Freida was waiting when Katie walked up to the door of The Sweet Shop, still humming a little to herself.
“Well, it is about time. What has kept you this morning, Katie Chupp?”
The irritation in her freind's voice did not affect Katie's mood one bit. She nearly sang out her “Good morning” as she unlocked the door and walked in, Freida close on her heels.
“It was a wunderbaar gut walk today. The sky is clear. The birds are singing. The trees are blooming. Everything is simply beautiful. Monday is Memorial Day. And there is another singing tonight Gott is gut.” At which point, she turned to smile at her freind.
Freida was not smiling back. Instead, she turned away and walked behind the counter, although there were no customers since the bakery was not yet open.
“What is wrong? Why are you not in a better mood? You will get to spend time with your sweetheart tonight and you will have a very special cookie to bring him—a cookie you helped to create, if I may remind you.”
“I don't know, Katie.”
Katie waited for her usually chatty freind to say something else, but Freida only stood there on the other side of the counter, silent and frowning.
“Was iss letz, Freida? What don't you know?”
“I don't know if I want to join the church or not! I am being silly, I guess. Only... I really want to go on a cruise with Mrs. Simpkins. I want to get out and see the world!”
“Well, but you can “see the world” without leaving the church.”
“Nee, I cannot. Thomas came by for me last night. He wants us to marry in November. If I agree, I will never get to see the world.”
“But you have been wanting to court—wait, Thomas? I thought it was Timothy you were wanting to court. Thomas is so serious all the time. Are you for sure it is Thomas you want?”
“Jah, it is Thomas. You can see why he would not be wanting to do things in the world. Why, he has already joined the church.”
“If you truly care for Thomas, you should be willing to put aside your own desires. Are you sure you care for him—enough to make a future with him? And if you do not... wait, what did you tell him last night?”
“He did not really give me time to answer him. After I got in his courting buggy and we started down the road, he started talking about his family getting hundreds of chickens, then he said something about building a house and that's when he told me he wanted us to marry in November.”
“Well, but why did you not say anything? You never have any trouble talking. Why did you not speak up?”
“Because he kissed me!”
“He—he kissed you?”
“Jah.”
“But, Freida—“
“I am trying to tell you...” Tears were running down Freida's face now, but Katie had no idea if they were tears of joy or tears of sorrow.
Not knowing what else to do, Katie quickly walked around the counter, where she hugged Freida, patting her back in an effort to calm her.
“Katie, it was the most wunderbaar kiss I have ever had!”
Katie's question shot out before she could squelch it. “How many kisses have you had?”
Freida's face turned a warm shade of pink. “Only the one... well, we kissed several times before Thomas took me home, but that was my first time kissing.”
“And you never said anything about marrying him—or not?”
“Nee, after that first kiss, my brain shut off. Katie, I want to marry him... I am in lieb with him. But now you can see why I am upset.”
“Jah, I can. You are in lieb with Thomas, but you still want to leave our community—to go out into the Englisch world.”
“Jah... Nee, I just want to see some things in the world, like what it is like being on a big ship out on the ocean.”
“Freida, did you feel this way before Mrs. Simpkins told us she was going on a cruise?”
“Nee, not really. I mean, I thought about seeing placing and doing things, but mostly I just wanted Thomas to court me.”
“Then why are you upset?”
“I do not know. My brain is still addled by everything that happened last night. I should be froh. When Thomas was kissing me, it felt so wunderbaar; there was nothing else. But this morning, all I could think of was that maybe I will not make him froh. Do you think I could make him froh?”
“I think you already do. Even more important, I think he makes you froh. But Freida, you should not keep your feelings from him. Tell him how you are feeling—about seeing the world. Then tell him Mrs. Simpkins is going to send you both on a cruise after you marry. Ask him if this is something he would like to do... if it is, there is no problem. You can marry—and see the world, too.”
“Katie, you think of everything! I will ask him when he comes for me tonight.”
“But Freida, there is one important thing you must do...”
“What is that?”
“You must ask him before he kisses you... and makes you forget everything but his kisses.”
Freida giggled. “Jah, that is a gut idea.”
Grabbing Katie in a hug, Freida swung them around. “Ach, I cannot wait until tonight!”
Heading for the kitchen, Katie wondered if Freida was more excited thinking about telling Thomas about the cruise... or thinking of his kisses.
* * *
Like any other day, Katie pulled out the ingredients to make nine-grain bread. It was a good thing she was following her normal routine, as her mind was on her conversation with Freida.
Thinking about how Freida went on about how wunderbaar it felt kissing Thomas, Katie found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss Travis...
What am I doing? I should not be thinking about kissing—especially about kissing Travis.
Knowing what she should and should not be thinking about did not stop Katie's thoughts.
What if Freida is right? What if we are meant to be together? What if Travis has the same feelings for me? What would I do if he kissed me? Unfortunately, Katie seemed unable to stop herself from thinking about what it might feel like to be kissed—for the very first time—by Travis Davis...
When the young man himself walked into the kitchen a minute later, Katie felt her cheeks flush.
“Hiya, Katie-girl. Penny for your thoughts.”
Her cheeks stained a deep pink, Katie was unable to answer him. More embarrassed than she could remember being, Katie fled to Mrs. Simpkin's office and closed the door behind her.
Thankfully the office was empty, so Katie didn't have to worry about explaining her presence to her employer.
A moment later, Katie heard Travis placing boxes on the cart, then rolling it outside. After the door closed again, she heard the sound of another door shutting and, a moment later the sound of the bakery's delivery van.
Knowing she had baking to do and orders to fill, Katie slipped back into the kitchen.
Dear Gott, please take control of this. Please help... I cannot entertain thoughts of courting an Englischer—I cannot. I do not want to leave my family to marry someone outside.
Katie felt better and quickly hurried back to her nine-grain bread.
I know better than to think such thoughts. I just got wrapped up in Freida's news. In another minute, my thoughts would have been on something else.
Oh no! What will Travis think of me—running away from him like I did. Now I will have to apologize for my rude behavior.
Determined to keep her mind on her work, Katie set out to make up for the lost time, working even faster than she normally did.
When Freida came into the kitchen a few minutes later, Katie was placing the dough into individual loaf pans. After covering the pans with a clean cloth, she moved back to the shelves to gather ingredients for peanut butter cookies.
Before Freida had a chance to speak, the back door opened again. This time it was Mrs. Simpkins who came into the kitchen.
“Gudemariye, Mrs. Simpkins. How are you doing this morning? Is this not a wunderbaar day?”
“Good morning, Freida. I am well, thank you. Good morning, Katie.”
“Gudemariye, Mrs. Simpkins.” Katie replied, but kept her eyes on her work. Without further comment, Mrs. Simpkins went straight to her office and Freida headed back to the front room.
* * *
“Katie?”
Katie looked up an hour later when her boss spoke to her.
“Yes, Mrs. Simpkins.”
“You have been very quiet this morning. I wanted to make certain you were not upset with me for my recent behavior. Are you all right?”
“Oh no, everything is fine. I just got a bit of a slow start this morning and my mind has been on catching up.”
“All right, if you are sure.”
Turning to head back to her office, Amelia stopped at the doorway and spoke again. “If there is something bothering you, my door is always open to you.”
Katie said nothing, so Amelia went into her office and closed the door.