“It gives me something to do while you bake,” Josie said, truly not minding.She would rather darn socks than cook any day.
“Do you like my layout for the bakery?”Myrtle asked.She’d sent her design home with Josie on Friday afternoon, and though they’d seen each other since, they hadn’t been alone to talk shop.
“I do.I think it will work well.I doubt if we’ll be able to fill more than four tables at once.Unless you plan to be open weekends.”Josie’s eyes widened.“You don’t plan to be open weekends, do you?”
Myrtle shook her head.“No, I don’t.I promised Aaron the bakery wouldn’t take me away from him more than I already am.”
“Oh, good.I’m not sure how Jack would like that.”
“It was good to see the two of you together.You’ve told me everything is going well, but I had to see it for myself.He looks at you like he cares a great deal.”
Josie wrinkled her nose.“He likes having a wife to cook for him and warm his bed.”As soon as she mentioned bed, she covered her mouth.“I shouldn’t have said that.”
Myrtle laughed.“Aaron likes having me to warm his bed too.Don’t worry about it.We’re both married women.”
“We are.It seems so strange!”
“It does.Do you remember telling me that you’d never marry?That men were evil?”
Josie laughed.“I said a lot of things I shouldn’t have when we first met.”
“I’m sure we both did.I wanted to have my own shop before I even thought about a husband.And now look.I’m married before I get my bakery!”
“Very true...I remember you telling me that you were going to forge a life of your own, and you’d never live under the thumb of any man.”
Myrtle laughed.“Well, I don’t exactly live under Aaron’s thumb, but I do listen to him when he wants me to do something.”
“You would have said that was unacceptable when we first met!”Josie said, shaking her head.“Look at us now.I think we’ve both grown up in many ways.”
“We have.”Myrtle stopped working on the crusts for a moment to watch Josie darn socks.“You’re so fast, and your stitches are elegant.When I darn a sock, it looks like half of it is gone.”
“So, you teach me to cook and bake, and I teach you to darn socks...”
“I think the arrangement we have now is better!”Myrtle said.
Josie frowned.“What arrangement is that?”
“I teach you to cook and bake, and you darn the socks for me!”
“I would do anything for you, I think.”
“Let’s keep it that way!”
At lunch that day, all of the women brought their sewing or knitting.Everyone except Myrtle, of course.
“How do you have time to bake so much and still have time to do all the other chores?”Lula asked Myrtle.
“Well...I get Josie to do my other chores for me!”Myrtle grinned as if she were proud of herself.
Josie shook her head.“She’s teaching me to cook and bake.So, while she bakes in the mornings, I help her with her chores.”
Lula shook her head.“I should have known.”
“Why’s that?”Ella asked.
“Because Myrtle has always had a bit of a sneaky side.Don’t you think?”
When the other women all agreed with Lula, Josie shook her head.“She gives as good as she takes.”
