“What are you going to bake on Monday?”Belle asked Maggie.“Other than bread, of course.”
“I thought I’d make some thumbprint cookies.The matron at the orphanage was Swedish, and she made them all the time.Of course, she called themhollongrotter.They’re still a favorite of mine, and I haven’t had them since I left the orphanage.”
“I’ve never had them.Make a dozen extra for Everett and me?”Belle grinned.“I’m craving sweets.It’s all I want to eat when I’m not sick to my stomach.”
“I’ll make a dozen for the two of you and six dozen for the store.Lingonberry jam should be delicious in them.What about you?What will you bake?”
“I think I’m going to do bread and cinnamon rolls with frosting.I can already taste them.”
Maggie pursed her lips as she studied her friend.“Do I need to start making extra of everything so you can have some?”
“That would be good...”
Everett sighed.“I hope you’re not going to stop cooking and just feed me sweets.”
“I wouldn’t think of it!”Belle said, grinning at her husband.“I get all the sweets, and you get the real food.”
James laughed, looking between the two of them.“Maggie, I’m not certain it’s a good idea for you to have a baby...we’ll find one in an orphanage.”
Maggie wrinkled her nose at James.“Oh, I’m having babies.Many.At least a dozen.”
“Where will we put them all?”he asked, eyes wide.
“No idea.That’s your job.”
They all laughed as they finished up the work.“Do you want to stay for supper?”Belle asked.
Maggie looked at James, who shook his head.“Not tonight.And we’d like you both to come over after church in the morning.
“I guess I need to come up with something to feed you!”Maggie said.“Oh, I know!”
“What?”Belle asked.
“You’ll see when you get there.It’s another favorite from the orphanage.Mrs.Gustafson made the best meals!”
“Write out the receipt for me then.I’m sure I’ll want it.”
“I will do that!”
On the walk home, James held Maggie’s mittened hand in his own.“What are you making for lunch tomorrow?”he asked.
She smiled.“Mrs.Gustafson used to make a stew, but she’d serve it in bread.She’d take a loaf and cut it in half lengthwise, small loaves for the younger children, and then she’d stuff it full of the stew.The flavors would meld into the bread, and we’d eat it that way.I don’t know if that was a receipt she got from Sweden, or just something she enjoyed cooking.Either way, we all loved it.”
“Sounds interesting.I’m certainly willing to try it!”
“And I’m going to make some of the jam thumbprint cookies for us tomorrow.I don’t think Belle is going to be happy if she has to wait for them.”
He chuckled.“She did seem very excited at the idea of having sweets.Any and all sweets.”
“Yes, she’s been crazy about them.I wish her stomach wasn’t so upset.I’d bake her more.”
James nodded.“I hope you don’t get sick when you’re expecting.Do you know if your mother did?”
She shrugged.“It’s not something I ever remember talking about with her.But I remember very little about her except she had the most beautiful red hair.”
“Like you?”he asked.
She shook her head.“No, hers was much prettier.”
