Snuggling close to Aaron’s warm body, she quickly fell asleep, dreaming of a bustling bakery.
*****
Myrtle was up wellbefore the sun—and Aaron—the following morning.She needed to start baking bread if she was going to make enough for herself, her friends, and the store.After setting the dough aside to rise, she mixed up a simple cake she’d made dozens of times.She didn’t know if it would be new for the men in town, or if it was something they’d had before.
She baked six of the cakes while the bread rose, and once the first few loaves of bread were in the oven, she fixed a simple breakfast of pancakes.She wished she had some bacon to go with them, but that would have to wait...probably until Sally’s pigs were ready.
After breakfast, she kissed Aaron goodbye and put enough bread for her friends into a basket, planning to deliver all the loaves, but she stopped after the basket was full.She only knew where Maggie lived.How could she deliver to all of them?
She decided to take the bread to Maggie’s and hoped her friends would know to pick it up there.She would certainly tell anyone she saw what she’d done and ask them to spread the word.
The baby was crying when Myrtle arrived at Maggie’s.“Is she all right?”Myrtle asked.
“She’s just fussy.She wants to be held all the time, and I don’t feel like I can do that.”
Myrtle nodded.“You don’t want her spoiled because you need to work on things other than holding her.”
“Exactly,” Maggie said, looking down.“It breaks my heart to hear her crying like that, but I cannot hold her all the time.”
“I understand the conundrum,” Myrtle said.“Why don’t I hold her for a moment, and maybe I can get her to sleep?”
Maggie nodded.“That would be fine.She’s got a clean diaper, and she just ate.She should be sleeping.”
Myrtle took the baby and walked with her, jiggling her up and down, and within a few minutes, the child was asleep.
Maggie gaped at her.“How did you do that?”
Myrtle smiled.“I have younger brothers and sisters, and I was always helping my ma with them.Most babies respond well to being held close and walking and bouncing a little as you walk.”
“Well, I’m definitely impressed,” Maggie said.“I need you to teach me.”
Myrtle put the baby into the cradle off in a corner of the small cabin.“I need to get bread to the store.”
“Everyone is meeting here for lunch if you’d like to join us.”
“I’d love that!”Myrtle said.“I’ll get my store delivery done, and then come back.”She paused for a moment.“I’m thinking of asking Katie if she’ll let me buy a second stove on credit, but I feel guilty even asking.”
“Don’t feel guilty,” Maggie said.“Katie is not afraid to say no when she needs to.”
“All right.I’ll probably think about it for a few days before I ask.”
“Afraid to bite off more than you can chew?”
Myrtle nodded.“Exactly.I could really use a second oven, but I don’t like owing someone money.”
“Understandable.Do what you feel is right, but don’t be afraid to talk to Katie.She makes money off everything we take her to sell.”
“Thanks for the advice,” Myrtle said.“I’m going to deliver bread now.I made twenty loaves for the store.”
Maggie smiled.“So you made twenty-eight loaves of bread this morning?How do your hands and shoulders feel?”
“Like I made a ridiculous amount of bread this morning.I’ll get used to it!”
“You will,” Maggie said.
Myrtle was still thinking about whether she should talk to Katie about a second stove as she gathered half the bread she’d baked for the store into a basket.It would take her two trips.She was certainly going to be able to keep fit with all the walking she’d be doing.Aaron had explained that the cold winters made it difficult to keep horses, and most people walked everywhere, or used the river.It wasn’t going to be an easy life.But it would be a good one.She was determined.
She decided not to ask Katie about a second stove just yet.Perhaps she would later, but she didn’t want to start her new venture in debt.Katie was thrilled with the amount of bread Myrtle took her.“There won’t be as many disappointed lumbermen as I have most days,” the older woman said.
