Christmas in Apple Ridge (38 page)
Read Christmas in Apple Ridge Online
Authors: Cindy Woodsmall
Mattie’s heart skipped. “But a few cakes I made last year are included, up to a few months before the shop burned. How would he know what to tell Aden to draw?”
Dorothy juggled her sleeping baby on her shoulder. “He, uh … used to come by here sometimes.”
Mattie shot a glare at her. “I figured that out before I returned here, but I never saw him.”
James stroked his beard. “He didn’t want to upset you. He always stopped by while you were gone and asked how you were doing. If you left your book here, he’d take a peek at it. He’d do it casual-like, as if he was just curious, but we knew the truth.”
And so did Mattie—Gideon loved her more than she’d ever hoped for. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
James went to the stove and poured a cup of coffee. “You’d been here about a year when he made his first visit. It only took a glance at him to know he was as weak as a kitten. We never talked about it, but when I saw him so sick, I finally understood why he broke up with you.” He took a sip of the hot, black liquid. “You were seeing Sol by then. Mattie Cakes was growing by leaps and bounds. And I respected what he was trying to do.”
“We just want you to find the right man,” Dorothy said. “If that’s Sol, we’re happy for you. He’s a nice guy. We don’t care for him the way we do Gideon, but we’d be honored to have him as a brother-in-law … if …”
“If what?”
James set his cup down hard. “If you haven’t chosen him merely because he’s a great guy who is incapable of breaking your heart.”
With her heart pounding so hard she thought it might explode, Mattie looked through the book again. The fog that’d been so thick for more than a week began to lift. As hard as she’d tried to love someone else, her heart still belonged to Gideon.
But it was too late now.
“Knock, knock,” Sol called as he came in the front door.
And she knew what had to be done. “Excuse me.” Mattie went into the living room. “You’re back earlier than I expected.”
“I know. My watch stopped, and I wasn’t sure of the time, so I came on back. It wouldn’t do to make you angry on the one day we both know belongs under your rules.”
“My rules?” she whispered. Was that all that motivated him to be here for the family Christmas Eve meal and her birthday?
She wondered if he remembered their first date. Or the first cake she’d made him. He probably didn’t think such things mattered. And he’d be right. It didn’t make any difference, because she wasn’t in this relationship to be honored or loved. She just wanted companionship and convenience. Someone to spend a little time with when they finally looked up from the things they were passionate about—cake making and hunting. A man to tell others she was seeing while she kept her heart a safe distance from him. He didn’t even know how to search for it. And she didn’t blame him.
But Sol deserved to find someone who loved him the way she loved Gideon. Her Mamm was right—if she stayed for the wrong reasons, she’d hurt Sol, Gideon, and herself.
She picked up his coat off the couch and hung it on a peg. “Sol, could you sit with me for a few minutes?”
He removed his camouflage-colored toboggan. “Sure.” He sat on the couch. “This doesn’t sound good, so get to the point. Aim for the target and shoot.”
She tried to focus all her thoughts and emotions into one
sentence that would make sense. “I’d rather have one day of giving love and being truly loved than a lifetime of convenient and comfortable.”
He raked his hands through his unwashed hair. “Gideon.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I knew when I came to the hospital and saw him holding your hand that it’d be easy for him to win you back.”
“And you cared enough to come to Pennsylvania to check on me.”
“That should count for something.”
“It does.”
“But not enough?” He searched her eyes, looking for answers.
“I’m sorry,” she repeated, feeling as if she needed to say it a thousand more times.
He sighed. “I’ve learned a lot from being with you. Even figured out how to talk to girls.” He gave a slight chuckle. “Maybe now I can go to singings on my own and carry on a real conversation.”
She touched his hand. “If you do, I’m sure you’ll find the right girl for you.”
“It won’t be Katie King.” He shuddered, and they both laughed. “If it doesn’t work out with Gideon, you know where to find me.”
“Ya.” She smiled. “In a tree stand with a bow, gun, or muzzleloader.” She pressed her apron with her hand. “Can you forgive me?”
He stood. “Maybe next week.” His lopsided smile let her know he’d be fine without her. He grabbed his coat and went toward the door.
“You could stay and eat with us.”
“I’m not hungry. Tell your family Merry Christmas for me.” He gazed into her eyes. “And be happy, Mattie.”
“Denki.” She closed the door behind him, praying he’d find the right woman. Within minutes peace for him removed her concern, and her thoughts turned to Gideon.
T
he cold night air didn’t stir, and the stars shone brightly in the clear sky as Gideon walked from his rig toward the Stoltzfuses’ barn. The lyrics from “Silent Night” reverberated around him. It was the one night of the year that they sang some of the songs in English.
The promise he’d made to Mattie Lane was only half the reason he came to the singings every Christmas Eve. The other half was his hope that she’d return to him.
But it was time to let go. She knew everything she needed to, and she’d chosen Sol. On the one hand, that was what he wanted for her. On the other, he longed to spend whatever time he had left on this planet by her side.
He’d considered not coming to this singing, but he needed a way of saying a final good-bye to the hopes and dreams of sharing a life with Mattie Lane.
He opened the small door inside the huge sliding door and
walked into the barn. Much as they did in church, the females sat on benches on one side, males on the other. This time they were facing each other, and he took a seat on a bench toward the back.
Omar, who came to every singing as part of his responsibilities as bishop, brought him an
Ausbund
, an Amish book of songs written in German. He put one hand on Gideon’s shoulder and squeezed.
Everyone now knew about his battle with leukemia. After his secret was divulged to Mattie, he had no reason to keep living a lie. He confessed his sin to the congregation, and Omar, as the church’s authority figure, forgave him. Gideon had to show signs of repentance, and Omar’s edict said he must be the lead carpenter on a new mission home. Every two to three years, the Amish community collected money and worked together to build a place for a homeless non-Amish family. These mission homes were a way of helping the poor and building good relations with Englischers.
Gideon had intended to help build the house anyway, and Omar knew it. Making him the lead carpenter was an honor—one that would help put the name of Beiler Construction in the news. Omar knew that too.
Gideon closed his eyes, grateful to finally be forgiven for the lie he’d told. Never again would he be so foolish as to think
he could control anyone or anything through false words. He’d speak truth always and pray for God’s strength over those who might struggle under the weight of the truth.
He joined in on the chorus.
“Silent night, holy night. All is calm …”
The girls stopped singing and stared at the back of the barn, whispering. Some of the guys stopped too, turning to see what had their attention. Gideon looked behind him.
Mattie Lane
.
She smiled warmly, and he knew … she’d come back to him. He went toward her, and she opened her arms. He wrapped her in a tight embrace. Tears stung his eyes, and he couldn’t find his voice.
She backed away, caressing his face with her hands. “Mackenzie brought me in exchange for me promising that I’d tell you the full truth.”
“You can tell me anything.”
“I love you, Gideon Beiler.”
He pulled her close, not caring about the unspoken rules of proper behavior. Unable to find his voice, he pressed his lips against hers. He still had no idea how much time he had left—maybe a lifetime.
But whatever God gave them, it was enough.
3-L
AYER
S
TRAWBERRIES
-
AND
-C
REAM
C
AKE
2 cups sugar
1 small package strawberry gelatin
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
2¾ cups cake flour
2½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup strawberries, puréed
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-inch, round cake pans. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, gelatin, and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Mix the flour and baking powder together, and add to the sugar mixture in two parts, alternating with the milk and beating after each addition. Fold in vanilla and puréed strawberries. Divide equally into the three cake pans.
Bake for 25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then remove from the pans and cool completely.
Filling:
1½ cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced
Beat the whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff. Cover the bottom and middle cake layer each with ? of the whipped cream and ¾ cup sliced strawberries. Set aside remaining whipped cream.
Frosting:
½ cup butter, softened
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1½ cup fresh strawberries, halved or quartered
Beat the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread frosting around the sides of the cake. Make a pretty piping of frosting along the top edge of the cake. Gently spread remaining whipped cream on cake top. Decorate top with strawberries.
O
RANGE
C
OCONUT
C
AKE
1½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1¼ cups sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature; separate yolks and whites
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk or coconut milk
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 9-inch, round cake pans,
or
place parchment paper circles coated with flour in the bottom of the pans.
Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly until thoroughly mixed. Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two parts, alternating with buttermilk
or
coconut milk. Beat in the coconut extract and lemon zest.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites until medium-firm peaks form. Fold one third of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.
Divide batter between the pans, and bake on the middle rack of the oven about 30 minutes. Cool in
pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and finish cooling completely. Decorate with buttercream frosting.
Orange Buttercream Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
16-ounce bag powdered sugar
4 teaspoons grated orange zest
orange food coloring
Whip butter and sugar together until perfectly smooth. Add grated zest one teaspoon at a time and blend well. Add orange food coloring one drop at a time until the desired shade is achieved.
R
ECIPES PROVIDED BY
S
HERRY
G
ORE
Sherry Gore is the author of
An Amish Bride’s Kitchen
, the editor of
Cooking and Such
magazine and
The Pinecraft Pauper
, and a contributing writer for the national edition of
The Budget
. She is a member of a Beachy Amish Mennonite church and makes her home in Sarasota with her family.