“It’s half paid for,” Katie said.“Another few weeks, and you won’t have to worry about it at all.”
“That will help ease Aaron’s mind.He doesn’t like being in debt at all.”
Katie shook her head.“It’s a business expense.You can’t make money without spending some.”
“I’ve heard that before.”Myrtle looked down at the empty wagon.“I’ll be back tomorrow, and will have more to sell, unless there are more men on the path here and they buy me out.I keep worrying that’s going to happen.”
Katie smiled.“If it does, it does.Just save a loaf of bread and a dessert for Mr.Johnson and me.”
“I will.”
As she walked home, Myrtle thought about how the spot on the path where the men met her would be a perfect spot to build her bakery.The men already met her there and were used to it.Perhaps she should look into who owned the land!
She made fried whitefish for supper that night, being sure to make enough that Aaron could take some for lunch the following day.When he walked in the door, he sniffed deeply.“I can already taste it.How long til supper?”
Myrtle smiled.“Another five minutes.By the time you get washed up, it’ll be on the table.”
He washed his hands in the basin of water she’d already set up for washing the dishes after supper.He was already sitting at the table when he realized the new stove was there.“Oh!It came!”
She nodded.“I’m so excited to be able to bake double tomorrow!”
“Don’t wear yourself out.Remember you’re here to feed me and not the whole town.”
She laughed.“I’ll do my best.”She put both plates on the table and poured two cups of coffee before sitting down across from him.After they prayed, she asked the question she’d asked everyone all day.“Do you think I should make double of whatever dessert I decide on for a day, or should I make two different desserts?”
He looked pensive for a moment before asking, “If you make two different desserts, will I get one of each?”
Myrtle shook her head.“You would narrow it down to something so simple.Yes, you would get two desserts.”
“Then I’ll need you to start making two different desserts.”He applied himself to the fish.“We’ll have smoked whitefish this winter, right?”
“We will.I’m even trading part of our share of salmon for more whitefish.Belle doesn’t much care for whitefish, so she’s taking some of our salmon, and we’re taking all of her whitefish.”
“I hope Everett doesn’t mind.”
Myrtle shrugged.“I asked Belle if he would mind not having it, and she said he’d be glad not to have it, so she wouldn’t feel the need to cook it for him because he knows she doesn’t like it.”
“Works for me then.”He reached out and squeezed her hand.“Thanks for making my favorite.”
“I’m always happy to make it.I only wish I could serve it fresh all winter.”She looked at her plate for a moment.“Katie told me today that she thinks I should open a bakery in the spring.”
He sighed.“Is that still something you’re thinking about?”
“Unless you really don’t want me to do it,” she said, watching him.
“Would it be more or less work for you?”
“Probably more.Right now, the men bring me their dishes they’ve cleaned, and I put their portion of dessert on them.In a bakery, I’d be washing my own dishes.I really hope to partner with someone, though.Then they could wash dishes and serve customers while I bake and cook.”
He was quiet for a moment.“How about we agree to this?If you find someone to partner with you, and you won’t be doing all the work alone, I think it would be fine.I don’t like the idea of you working even harder than you already do.”
She nodded, pulling something from the pocket she’d sewn onto her apron.“Here’s the extra money it cost you to bring the other women back from Skagway.All four of us pitched in with our own earnings.”
He blinked.“I didn’t expect this.”
“It’s the right thing to do.”She took a bite of her fish.“Oh!Katie told me the stove was already half paid for.And we have a good balance at the store.”She briefly explained that the money she made on the way to the store was put toward the cost of the stove, but the money she made at the store was just added to their account for future purchases.
“So you can’t get the money you’ve earned?We can only have it in store credit?”Aaron asked, not liking that idea at all.
