Chapter Three

Daniel arrived at the Islander General Store. He waited patiently to one side, looking at the stock on some of the shelves while Bonita served Lucy Hamilton. He could see Ruby in back emptying some boxes. He wondered if he should go back and help her. Deciding to do just that, he slipped past the counter, stepping over the stray cat they'd adopted. "Hi Ruby, need a hand?"

"Hello, Reverend Cooper. Would you mind getting that carton of Cheerios?"

"Sure." He picked up the opened box and followed her out into the store. Ruby went to re-stock the shelf of canned vegetables. Daniel walked over to the cereal shelf and filled the empty hole of Cheerios. He saw they needed more corn flakes as well and went to the back to get some.

"Thank you, Daniel, but you didn't have to do that," Bonita told him after Lucy had left.

"That's all right, Bonita. We might as well put my day's experience with the store to work." He smiled warmly at the older red-head. "After all, you might want me to mind the store again and I wouldn't want to forget how." He shook his head in mock sorrow. "It would be a shame if I had to learn it all over again."

Bonita laughed at the reminder of the day they'd won Reverend Daniel Cooper at the school's charity auction. "That's true." She picked up a small chalkboard and wrote a note to her mother. We should take another day off.

Ruby smiled and wrote on a pad of paper. Yes. We will need to go shopping for Christmas next month. Perhaps then?

Bonita wiped off her last message. Good idea. "Alright with you, Reverend Cooper?"

Daniel gave a small bow, "Whenever you desire, ladies. Just give me fair warning."

"Of course, Reverend Cooper." Ruby beamed benignly at the young minister. "Now, what can we do for you?"

"Oh, I needed to get some things and I was wondering about the winters here." When Ruby and Bonita just looked puzzled, he continued. "You know, what they were like and how much I should stock up, if I should stock up?"

"Oh that!" Ruby laughed. "You won't have much to worry about, Reverend. We seldom get stuck at home for long. Just every once in a great while."

"I think our last big winter storm was over five years ago," Bonita told him. "Now the rains, that's a different matter all together. They can make a mess for a while, but we always weather the storm."

Ruby nodded agreement.

"Callie's story said that Hope Community was built on the top of the hill because of the flooding that year," Daniel looked at each of the women, full of curiosity.

"Yes, well, we don't get that bad often, but ... It's more frequent than bad winter storms." Ruby nodded knowingly.

"So should I stock up the pantry?"

"Well... It wouldn't hurt to have some canned goods available. Something you can fix on that wood stove." She nodded and looked at her daughter.

"Mom's right, Daniel. Soup and things like that would be good."

"All right, why don't you pick out what you think would handle the worst with some extra, just in case I have company. I'll get what's on my list together."

Mother and daughter nodded and with quick efficiency picked out the things they thought Daniel might need if he was cut off at home. Bonita was ringing up the choices and Ruby moving them to a box when Daniel placed his own selections on the counter.

"If you see something you don't like, just exchange it, Reverend Cooper," Ruby told the young man.

Daniel glanced over their selections and smiled. "No, these are fine, Ruby. Thank you."

Bonita started to ring up Daniel's purchases. "What are you doing? Don't tell me Stella is back." She smiled as she mentioned the minister's ex-wife. No one on the island had expected her to be able to bake, never mind such delicious cookies.

"No, I'm baking cookies for the bake sale Saturday."

"You?" Ruby blurted out in surprise.

"Yes, my specialty are chocolate chip cookies and don't look so surprised. I've never had any complaints," Daniel smiled warmly as he said it, "and just crumbs left over."

"We'll be sure to get some, Reverend Cooper," Bonita answered for both of them.

"I'll give you a lift home," Ruby told him with a knowing smile.

"Thank you, Ruby."

The trip was made in short order, Ruby talking about little things that had happened this week. The minister just listened, occasionally asking a small question so she would know he was paying attention. He was always interested in the stories, because they told him who might be in need of assistance from the church. He made a mental note to visit the Taylors. Their daughter had an ear ache. It was the third one since autumn started. Doctor Watson has been doing a good job clearing them up, but she'd recommended they take her to a specialist. The recurring problem might indicate something more serious than the normal childhood ills. They were worried about their daughter and finances. Maybe he could help them a bit. Daniel knew that Doctor Watson would be fully aware of her clients' financial status. She would find a good, reliable doctor who would help for a minimum or small payments. The couple obviously didn't realize how selfless some of the medical community could be. He could bring comfort, offer babysitting services so they could take a break, food and if he tightened his belt, maybe a little money as well. Maybe he could test his first batch of cookies on them too. He smiled at the thought.

"Penney for your thoughts," Ruby said softly.

"What?" Daniel smiled at her. "With inflation, they're worth at least a quarter, but for you, Ruby, I'll tell for a dime." Ruby chuckled and his smile widened. "I thought that I'd visit the Taylors and see what they think about my cookies after I bake the first batch." He nodded seriously. "You always have to taste the first batch to make sure you got everything just right."

"If you say so, Reverend Cooper." She pulled to a stop in front of the small church. They unloaded the supplies, storing things in their proper location in the kitchen. Ruby made sure to check the refrigerator and the pantry. She clucked a bit at their bareness, but now knew better than to fuss. Besides, the 'emergency' supplies went a long way to filling the bare shelves. "You know, Reverend Cooper, you should get a bread maker."

"A bread maker?" Daniel straightened up from the storage under the kitchen sink in surprise.

"Oh my yes! Fresh bread is so much better than this stuff." She waved the loaf in her hand at him, being careful not to squish it.

Daniel chuckled. "You just sold me 'that stuff'!"

"I know, but fresh is much better. I've been thinking about getting one. I miss the fresh bread I got from Jo."

The minister nodded. He missed the bakery too. He missed the help that the owner had given in organizing the food bank. Father Mac had stepped in to assist, but it wasn't the same. "I pray she'll be home soon." He missed Jo, but knew that she had to pay for the actions she'd taken when she was younger. Her sentence was lighter than she had feared, thanks in part to the testimonials of most of the islanders, but it was not short by any means. Still, she would return home in five to seven years if things went well. This was one of the things he prayed for each night. The last time he had spoken with her, she had felt at peace. It was a relief, knowing she didn't have to hide anymore, knowing her daughter, Kara, knew the truth and still loved her.

"Oh well, time to get back to the store. I'll see you at the bazaar, Reverend."

"Good-bye, Ruby. Thank you!" Daniel called after the woman. He reached once more for his apron. Ingredients were sifted and mixed, all in accordance with the family recipe. He knew it well enough to not need to look at it. Satisfied with the results, he placed the bowl in the refrigerator to chill. He moved to the couch in his living room, sitting down to read P. B. Shelley's poems while he waited. Peace filled the small house.

About an hour later, Daniel stood, stretching, and walked into the kitchen. He turned on the oven and pulled out the bowl of chilled cookie dough, placing spoonfuls of dough on the cookie sheet. Once he had a dozen, he slid it into the warmed oven. He settled into a chair at the kitchen table, watching the cookies bake with pleasure slitted eyes. He let his thoughts drift as he waited. He knew he should be working on his sermon, but didn't want to do it yet. Later would be time enough. Soon, the wonderful aroma of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies filled his tiny kitchen. He smiled as he removed the sheet from the oven, remembering the last time someone had baked cookies in it. Stella's had been, well, stellar! He'd been surprised by that. Stella had never struck him as the housewife type. It seemed this oven was destined to be the source of surprises. Ruby and Bonita hadn't known he could bake too. He transferred them to a rack for cooling, manfully resisting the urge to taste one. He went rummaging around in the closet for something to put them in. Finding a stack of small, unfolded white boxes on the shelf, he brought them to the table. Examining one thoughtfully, Daniel tried to make it into a box. It took him a couple of tries to get it right. Pleased, he lined it with wax paper and put the cookies inside. He tied it with a bit of string from the junk drawer. Grabbing his coat, he set off again, this time heading away from town toward where the Taylors lived, the box swinging by its string in his hand.

Daniel knocked softly on the door, not wanting to disturb Katie if she was asleep. He remembered ear aches from his own childhood and they were definitely not fun to have.  He smiled warmly at Toni when she answered the door. She looked tired, like she had been up all night.

"Why, Reverend Cooper, good afternoon!" Toni was surprised to see the young minister.

"Good afternoon, Toni. I just thought I'd stop by and see how things were."

"Please, come in." She looked around a little flustered, hoping that things weren't too big of a mess. "It's pretty good today. Kate's ear ache is much better. Oh!" Her hand flew to her mouth. "I doubt if you came to talk about ear aches though."

"Nonsense, if you want to talk about ear aches that's fine with me, Mrs. Taylor," Daniel answered. "I remember having them when I was a kid. They're not any fun."

"No, no they're not." She sat down with a tired sigh. "And it seems like one after the other right now. Doctor Watson is recommending a specialist."

"Doctor Watson is a very good doctor. I'm sure she wants what's best for Katie."

"Yes, I guess so. It's just..." She smiled wanly. "I'm not sure if we can afford a mainland doctor," she looked around for a moment, "but if it's best for Kate, we'll cope somehow." The last came out with firm determination.

Daniel smiled at the housewife. She was just a few years older than he was and already her hair was laced with a single streak of gray. "I'm sure you will and if you need help with anything at all," he reached out and patted her hand, "that's what the church is here for. I even have experience babysitting if you and Mister Taylor would like a break."

Toni laughed at that and touched her hair. "Thank you, Reverend Cooper. We just might take you up on that one." She looked around, then leaned forward to whisper. "Our anniversary is in two weeks. I don't know if Josh has remembered it yet or not with everything happening lately."

Daniel smiled in delight. "I would be happy to give you that day or night off. Should I, ahm...?"

"No, no!" Toni flashed a very wicked grin at the minister. "I want Josh to do it himself. He may be a few days late, but he hasn't failed me yet."

Daniel felt a faint blush creep up his neck. "Ah, yes, well," he looked for a way to turn the conversation, then smiled as he remembered the cookies. "I brought a batch of cookies for you. It's the first of this one. They need to be tested to see if I got them just right. The rest are for the bazaar."

"Oh yes!" Toni smiled. "I'm really looking forward to the bazaar. Kate needs some new games and puzzles. This is just the perfect time for her to get some. But you didn't have to bring cookies, Reverend."

"Nonsense, as I said, they need to be tested. A dozen cookies aren't part of my usual diet." He patted his flat stomach, which made Toni laugh again.

"Now, Reverend," she accepted the little box of cookies and sniffed. "Yum, that smells good anyway. Why don't I get some milk and we'll see how you did."

Before Daniel could protest, she was up. He heard the rattle of kitchen cabinets being opened. A slight sound distracted him and he turned to see Katie, dragging a teddy bear by one arm. "Hello, Katie, remember me?"

Katie nodded a bit shyly, then grinned at him. She walked over and settled on the couch beside him, snuggling up against the young preacher. "This is Moss," she told him in a serious voice, introducing her bear to their visitor.

"Why hello, Moss, it's a pleasure to meet you." Daniel reached out and gently shook the toy bear's free paw.

This caused Katie to giggle, because none of the other adults had ever paid the least bit of attention when she introduced her to them. She pulled Moss up close. "Moss, this is Bearand Cooper. He preaches at our church." She paused to listen to what the teddy had to say. "Moss says she's pleased to meet 'cha. She wants to know if she can come to church sometime."

"Why certainly! Moss, you're welcome anytime." Daniel paused, but just had to ask. "Why is Moss named Moss, Katie?"

Katie giggled again, but before she could answer, her mother was back. "Hello, Kate. Did you and Moss have a nice nap?"

Kate nodded, "Yes, Momma. We did."

"Look what Reverend Cooper brought us." She placed the tray with glasses of milk and a plate of cookies on the table.

"Cookieeees!" Katie squealed in delight. "Can Moss and I both have one?"

"Katie, that's May I, not Can I." Toni gently corrected her daughter.

She nodded, "Yes, Momma. May Moss and I both have one?"

"Yes, you may. Here, let me pour you a glass of milk. You'll have to share that."

"That's okay, Momma. We don't mind." Her daughter smiled brilliantly as her mother poured the milk into a child's safety cup and placed two cookies on a napkin.

"Now, what do you say to Reverend Cooper?" She prompted as she placed the milk and cookies in front of her daughter.

"Thank you, Bearand Cooper," Katie told him. She immediately knelt on the floor and grabbed a cookie, offering Moss the first bite.

"You're welcome, Katie, Moss." Daniel answered as he accepted the milk and his own cookie from her mother. He took a bite and smiled. Yes, this batch had turned out just fine. He waited for Toni to taste one, before asking, "So what's the verdict?"

"Very good!" Toni assured him.

"They're delick-delick-de-lick-ous," Katie informed him. "Moss says she thinks so too."

"Thank you, Mrs. Taylor, Katie, Moss. I can now bake the rest of this batch with the knowledge that they'll do well at the bake sale, Saturday."

Katie clapped her hands. "Are we going Saturday, Momma? You promised I could get something new to play with."

"Yes, Katie, we're going."

"Can Moss come too? Pleeease!"

Toni laughed. "Yes, Moss can come too."

"Goodie! Maybe we can get more of Bearand Cooper's cookies, Moss!"

Daniel smiled at the glee in the little girl's voice. Maybe he'd make sure there were a few extra, just for her, and for Dylan too. Or maybe he'd set aside a dozen for the children to nibble on. Yes, that was a good idea. "I'm glad you like them, Kate."

They all had a nice visit. Katie and Moss seemed disappointed when Daniel stood and said good-bye. He reminded her that he had to bake the rest of the cookies for Saturday, adding in a whisper that he still had to write his sermon for Sunday too. She brightened at the thought of the cookies and Saturday. She nodded solemnly about the sermon. She knew about homework. She had her own to do for preschool. "Bye bye, Bearand Cooper!" She pulled Moss up to her ear. "Bearand Cooper? Will Father Mac be there too?"

"Why, I don't know for sure, Katie, but I expect so."

"Good." She smiled at him, not saying anymore. Her smile reminded him a bit of the Mona Lisa. Surely, Katie was too young to be mysterious... But she was obviously up to something. He'd have to wait and find out what it was. He waved good-bye to his hostesses, walking quickly up the hill toward his home. He turned up his collar as the wind was blowing strongly. He hoped the weather stayed nice for just a few more days.