“Did Matthias show you the bird he is making for his Mamm?”
“For sure, he did. It’s going to be beautiful when he finishes it.”
Rose nodded. “That is exactly what I thought. Our customers would love to buy carvings like that.” Her enthusiasm was contagious.
“You’re right,” Ada said. “But could he make enough to keep the store stocked?”
“I asked him about that. He said he would have to think about it.” Rose smiled. “You should convince him to do it.”
“Why me?” Ada put another ornament on the display rack.
“Because you’re his friend. I hardly know him.”
Ada turned the rack to another spot that was nearly empty. Were she and Matthias friends? They got along all right, but she wasn’t sure he would consider her a friend. She hadn’t spoken to him for almost a week. Besides, what would Amos do if he thought she was friends with another boy?
“Did he seem willing?”
Rose shrugged. “Sure. He didn’t want it to interfere with his job, but he said he can carve a bird in just a few days once he’s done with the Christmas presents he’s making for his family.”
“What would Dat say?”
“I’m certain he’ll love the idea. He might even let Matthias work on the carvings in between projects in the shop.”
“You might be right, but you still need to tell Dat about the idea before making any arrangements with Matthias.”
Rose sighed. “You’re always so practical.” Then she grinned again. “But I know Dat will love this idea.”
As her sister went back to the workshop to finish her lunch, Ada heard a buggy drive into the parking lot. She moved to the counter so she could be available if they had questions, then froze as she glanced out the door’s window. The customer was Amos, and he was with a girl.
The couple came in the door, the girl looking at Amos with the kind of look Ada longed to give him.
“Why did you bring me here?” she asked.
Amos grinned at her, oblivious to Ada’s presence. “I want to show you the furniture I make. You’re going to like it.”
He guided the girl through the doorway to the furniture showroom, his hand resting on her back in a protective gesture.
“It must be his sister or a cousin.” Ada whispered the words to herself, ignoring the pounding in her head.
She looked into the showroom. Amos was showing the girl a chest of drawers, demonstrating how easily the drawers glided. Their heads were close together as they examined the piece. As much as Ada wanted him to, he never treated her like he was treating this girl. Even when she had taken the fresh cookie stars to him yesterday, he hadn’t even glanced her way as he ate them two at a time.
The bell over the door tinkled and Ada was forced to turn her attention to the next customer.
“I’m looking for a wooden rolling pin,” the Englisch woman said. “My daughter wants one for Christmas, although I don’t know why. She doesn’t bake.” She gave a little laugh. “Maybe she wants to use it on her husband.”
Ada smiled even though she didn’t get the joke. “We have some lovely ones over here. They are all made locally by Amish craftsmen.”
She led the customer to the display of rolling pins. From here she could see into the showroom, where Amos and the girl were looking at dining room tables and chairs.
The woman selected a rolling pin, then chose some place mats from another display. Ada took her selections to the cash register while the woman continued to browse through the store. Rose came back from her lunch as more customers came in, and the afternoon became as busy as the morning had been.
Ada tried to be pleasant as she waited on the customers, but her mind was on Amos and the mysterious girl in the furniture showroom. What were they looking at? What was taking them so long? And who was that girl?
Finally, Amos came into the store to find Rose. Ada was busy ringing up another customer and couldn’t hear what he asked, but Rose followed him into the showroom, her order book in hand. Several customers later, Amos and the girl left, and Rose returned, but the store was too busy for her to ask what Amos had ordered.
By the end of the day, when the last customer was gone and Rose had flipped the Open sign to Closed, Ada was exhausted. The store was a mess, with ice melt tracked in and the displays in disorder. Rose leaned on the counter by the cash register, leafing through the order book and recording each entry in her ledger.
Ada glanced at the bakery display, glad that it was empty. Every time she thought of Amos and the girl, she was tempted to eat something. Anything. As long as it was sweet.
Matthias came in from the workshop, pulling on his coat. “You girls were busy in here, weren’t you? It seems like the only thing I heard all day was that bell over the door ringing every time it opened.”
“It’s the Christmas season,” Ada said. “And as much fun as it is to be busy, I’m ready to sit down and put my feet up this evening.”
He walked over to the bakery display. “The cookies are all gone?”
“We sold out by three o’clock.”
“I thought I’d take a couple home for Mamm, but I’ll have to wait until Monday.”
Ada stepped around the counter and straightened the display of rolling pins. “If you let me know that you want some, I can set them aside for you.”
“What kinds will you have?” Matthias untangled some Christmas ornaments on the display.
“I was thinking of making some of those molasses crinkles for the store. It would be something different from our usual.” Ada moved to the place mat display next to Matthias.
“Those were delicious cookies.”
Ada looked up. Matthias was still straightening the Christmas ornaments. “Did
