The Divine Secrets of the Whoopie Pie Sisters: The Complete Trilogy Read online

  The Divine Secrets of the

  Whoopie Pie Sisters

  The Complete Trilogy

  By Sarah Price &

  Whoopie Pie Pam Jarrell

  The Pennsylvania Dutch used in this manuscript is taken from the Pennsylvania Dutch Revised Dictionary (1991) by C. Richard Beam, Brookshire Publications, Inc. in Lancaster, PA.

  Copyright © 2014 by Price Publishing, LLC.

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the author, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

  Cover photographs by Sherri A. Genung (taken with permission).

  Contact the author on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fansofSarahPrice or

  visit her Web Blog at http://www.SarahPriceAuthor.com.

  Price Publishing, LLC.

  Morristown, NJ

  http://www.pricepublishing.org

  Other Books by Sarah Price

  The Amish of Lancaster Series

  #1: Fields of Corn

  #2: Hills of Wheat

  #3: Pastures of Faith

  #4: Valley of Hope

  The Amish of Ephrata Series

  #1: The Tomato Patch

  #2: The Quilting Bee

  #3: The Hope Chest

  #4: The Clothes Line

  The Plain Fame Trilogy

  Plain Fame

  Plain Change

  Plain Again

  Other Amish Christian Romances

  Amish Circle Letters

  Amish Circle Letters II

  A Gift of Faith: An Amish Christmas Story

  An Amish Christmas Carol: Amish Christian Classic Series

  A Christmas Gift for Rebecca: An Amish Christian Romance

  Gettysburg’s Chosen Sons

  The Adventures of a Family Dog Series

  #1: A Small Dog Named Peek-a-boo

  #2: Peek-a-boo Runs Away

  #3: Peek-a-boo’s New Friends

  #4: Peek-a-boo and Daisy Doodle (2013)

  Other Books, Novellas and Short Stories

  Gypsy in Black

  Postcards from Abby (with Ella Stewart)

  Meet Me in Heaven (with Ella Stewart)

  The Prayer Chain Series (with Ella Stewart)

  Other Books By Pam Jarrell

  Whoopie Pie Pam's Kitchen Collection

  Cookie Exchange Party

  Home For The Holidays

  Delicious Easter Memories

  Sizzling Summer Fun

  Tasty Touchdowns!

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Foreword

  A Note About Vocabulary

  Book One

  Part One

  The Dock

  Earlier That Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Leah

  Lydia

  Susie

  Sadie

  Part Two

  The Porch

  Earlier That Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Sadie

  Lydia

  Leah

  Susie

  Part Three

  The Garden

  Earlier that Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Lydia

  Susie

  Leah

  Sadie

  Book Two

  Part One

  The Kitchen

  Earlier that Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Leah

  Susie

  Lydia

  Sadie

  Part Two

  The Bakery

  Earlier That Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Leah

  Susie

  Lydia

  Sadie

  Part Three

  The Barn

  Earlier That Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Leah

  Susie

  Lydia

  Sadie

  Book Three

  Part One

  The Aftermath

  Earlier That Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Leah

  Susie

  Lydia

  Sadie

  Part Two

  The Back Stab

  Earlier That Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Leah

  Susie

  Lydia

  Sadie

  Part Three

  The Recovery

  Earlier that Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Leah

  Susie

  Lydia

  Sadie

  Part Four

  The Rebirth

  Earlier that Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  Leah

  Susie

  Lydia

  Sadie

  Epilogue

  Recipes

  Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies

  Shoo Fly Pie

  Amish Bread

  Meadow Tea

  Amish Drop Sugar Cookies

  Lyrics to Songs

  Faithful

  Heaven

  One More Thing…

  Excerpt from Plain Fame

  About Sarah Price

  About Whoopie Pie Pam Jarrell

  Foreword

  Writing about the wonderful culture and religion of the Amish people is something that I have been doing for over twenty-five years. As many of my readers may have noticed, my novels, novellas, and short stories present an authentic glimpse into the lives of the Amish, a glimpse that comes from my growing up Mennonite and having lived among the Amish since I was nineteen years old.

  Most of my stories are love stories. Whether you are reading about Shana and Emanuel’s struggle to balance the differences of their upbringing with their love for each other (Fields of Corn) or Amanda and Alejandro trying to find a way to survive the clash of their individual and very different cultures (The Plain Fame Trilogy), there is a degree of love written in the stories.

  This trilogy, however, is a bit unusual. Whoopie Pie Pam and I embarked on this project to take a break from the love stories among man and woman in order to explore the other love, so prominent amongst the Amish: the love of family. In particular, these books explore the love among Amish sisters.

  While many of us who admire the Amish see their culture and religion as idyllic, a step back in time to a place where stress and technology are foreign words, that image is actually quite far from the truth. The Amish are people just like you and I. They, too, struggle with relationships, disappointments, questions of faith, and even temptations, a fact that some Christians might not want to know but, nevertheless, does exist among the Plain people as well.

  I know I speak for my dear friend, Pamela Jarrell, when I say that we hope that you’ll enjoy this trilogy. But, notwithstanding your enjoyment, we feel that it is important to understand that these pages are meant to explore another side of the Amish, a path less travelled: the relationship among the siblings and how they deal with potential problems. I hope it makes you smile, laugh, frown, and perhaps even shed a tear or two. But, more than anything, I hope you continue to love the Amish as much as both Pam and I do.

  Blessings,

  Sarah Price

  http://www.sarahpriceauthor.com

  http://www.facebook.com/fansofsarahprice

  A Note About Vocabulary

  The Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch (
also called Amish German or Amish Dutch). This is a verbal language with variations in spelling among communities throughout the USA. In some regions, a grandfather is “grossdaadi” while in other regions he is known as “grossdawdi”.

  In addition, there are words such a “mayhaps” or the use of the word “then” at the end of sentences and, my favorite, “for sure and certain” which are not necessarily from the Pennsylvania Dutch language/dialect but are unique to the Amish.

  The use of these words comes from my own experience living among the Amish in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

  Book One

  Part One

  My soul and also my spirit

  I commit into your hands.

  Help me out of all tribulation.

  O Lord, do not turn away from me,

  Take away the great strength of my flesh,

  That I might overcome,

  And be victorious in you.

  Ausbund, Song 39 Verse 9

  I lift up my eyes to the hills.

  From where does my help come?

  My help comes from the LORD,

  Who made heaven and earth.

  Psalm 121:1-2

  The Dock

  Sitting on the dock, a sense of relaxation washed over Leah as she let her eyes wander nonchalantly over the water. It was crystal clear and completely calm, the serene glasslike surface barely marred by the occasional ripple caused by a dragon fly fluttering down to dip its legs into the water, from the edge of a water lily. The sun had already begun its nightly descent over the hill, right behind the Millers’ family farm, its orange glow from the perfectly shaped orb casting glittering embers all across the pond. A bird flew overhead, heading toward the woods that bordered the large farm property. It disappeared into the sea of green leaves that clung to the branches, motionless in this breezeless late summer evening.

  Leah sighed and returned her attention back to the pond, contemplating that it wouldn’t be long before the surface would turn into a crystal sheet of ice. It was only late August and she knew that she shouldn’t be already thinking about winter, but she so dreaded that season: cold, grey, dark. No, Leah thought to herself. Winter was not her favorite time of year, that was for sure and certain!

  But, as her grossmammi had always pointed out, “You have to go through winter before you can get to spring!” Wise advice from an even wiser woman, Leah thought. If only Grossmammi Maggie was still around. Leah could sure use her advice and her wisdom right now.

  Instead, Leah felt alone. Even more than alone; lonely. Whenever such feelings overcame her, feelings of worry and fear, she would escape the craziness of her home, even if only for a few moments, to sit on the dock, her bare feet dipped into the cool water as she reflected on the problems at hand. After all, this pond had always been her favorite spot; her place to find solace and to recapture her spirit. And of late, Leah Mast needed a lot of that.

  As she watched two little sparrows play in the branches of a nearby weeping willow, Leah found herself smiling. That was a peaceful moment, she reckoned, one that gave her a sense of tranquility after a long and stressful day. Oh, how Leah loved these sparrows, always thinking of the Bible verse that stated God even took care of the little sparrow! They were her favorite bird and observing them always made her realize that there was more to life than met the eye. Watching those little birds flit and flutter through the branches always made her wonder why life couldn’t be that simple for humans. Their play was as innocent as that of a newborn baby.

  Leah began to shiver. She wasn’t sure if it were the cool northern wind that was now blowing an evening chill through her bones or the acknowledgement that her family’s lives were a mess. From the day that they each entered the world, Leah had felt a responsibility for her siblings. And more so, two years ago, when their parents were killed in a car accident while on their way to a cousin’s wedding in Pennsylvania. Leaving behind the family business, her parents had also left Leah with something else to tend to: their two youngest kinner[1]. Even today, that was not easy for a young woman of 34 years who already had her own growing family of seven children.

  How can I hold it together? She asked herself again, more as a statement than an actual question. Indeed, it was the question that she asked herself every single time she escaped to the pond, just after shutting down the store and before preparing for evening chores. Yet, holding it together was the one thing that Leah was good at doing. After all, she had been given no choice. Her family needed her. Of that, she was constantly reminded. Not only was she the oldest, but she had always been considered the strong one: the one that everyone depended upon in a time of crisis; the one her mother had entrusted with her prize bakery: Whoopie Pie Place.

  To Leah, this responsibility gave her a great secret. But that secret came with a weight. It gave her pride, something she would never admit among her peers or family. Pride was one thing that Amish people were supposed to avoid. But Leah knew that she was proud of the bakery and of its widespread reputation as the only place outside of Berlin, Ohio, where one could purchase authentic Whoopie Pies. People ordered them from all around the country, asking for shipments to arrive in time for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas and Easter.

  Yes, the continued success of the bakery gave Leah great pride. But, at times, it made her bone weary as well.

  Indeed, she thought as she started to get to her feet, her eyes scanning the horizon. How long can I hold all of this, the family, the business, and my sanity…together?

  Earlier That Day

  Whoopie Pie Place

  The hustle and bustle of Whoopie Pie Place, the most renowned bakery located just outside of Berlin, Ohio, right off of Route 62, was at an all-time high on that particular morning. It was the peak of the tourist season and that meant the busiest time of the year at Whoopie Pie Place. Indeed, tourists wanted two things when they came to Holmes County, Ohio: to meet authentic Amish people and to enjoy some authentic whoopie pies.

  At Whoopie Pie Place, they were able to do both.

  Tourists flocked to the bakery from every corner of the country. And that meant that summer time was the busiest time of the year. It was time to make Whoopie Pies and sell them by the dozens, day in and day out, five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, from nine in the morning until four in the afternoon. But the baking had to start in the wee hours of the morning. They did close two hours earlier on Tuesdays and Wednesdays so that the sisters who ran the bakery could share time with family during the summer season.

  It was usually Sadie who got up extra early to start the baking and the three married sisters took off one extra day a week each. It was a tiring schedule, with baking and frosting, packaging and displaying, selling and smiling; always the smiling! But, as the owners of the most popular whoopie pies in the entire county, all of them knew that smiling was part of the deal. After all, Leah always explained, it became a whole lot easier to smile when they remembered that whoopie pies kept some…real food on their own tables.

  The bell hanging over the door tingled, announcing yet another visitor and Laverne, the local tour guide and owner of Amish Heartland Tours, escorted in a busload of people. With a warm smile, she waved at Leah and lifted one perfectly manicured hand as she held open the door to let her clients single-file into the store. Leah had been forewarned about this particular tour, a group of Amish-loving women that had met on Facebook, some strange Englische virtual world that none of the Miller sisters were too familiar with. Apparently, this virtual group had weekly book club meetings and had finally gathered in Berlin for an actual face-to-face book club reunion.

  Leah smiled back at Laverne and immediately braced herself for the inevitable questions that would be asked by the tour patrons. Always the questions. If there was one thing that Leah could count on, it was the sun rising in the morning, setting in the evening, and the endless stream of questions from the Englische tourists. She could see it in their eyes as the tourists descended upon the bakery, their curiosity
clearly at peak. One by one, they each took their turn to order whatever their hearts desired from the bakery case. Most came for the famous whoopie pies, others for the fresh homemade bread. But, without fail, they always came with those crazy, silly questions.

  The questions were always the same from each tour group that entered the doors of Whoopie Pie Place. Leah could almost repeat them by heart:

  What Amish order did they belong to?

  Answer: Old Order Amish.

  Did they really not use electricity in the bakery?

  Answer: No.

  Did they actually brush their teeth with ashes?

  Answer: What?

  Is there truly an Amish mafia?

  Answer: Only on your silly television.

  Can Amish people have their photos taken?

  Answer: Not if you want any whoopie pies from this store!

  And many more. There was never a day that the questions didn’t continue to amaze Leah. Where on earth, she often wondered, did these people get their information from? But she knew the answer: the wrong places!

  As the oldest sibling in the family, Leah was the front sister, the one who worked the counter and greeted the customers. She was the only one with the patience to respond without an edge to her voice, despite the intense desire to lean forward and smack the nearest tourist who waved a camera in her face.

  The Miller family was known throughout the Amish community for their scrumptious whoopie pies: chocolate, vanilla, pumpkin, coconut. Anyone could request just about any flavor and, without doubt, one of the sisters could make it. The strangest flavor they had ever made? Pomegranate blueberry with chocolate raspberry filling.

  This particular day, the featured whoopie pie was chocolate-strawberry shortcake. These were seasonal, produced during the time when strawberries were at their ripest. Picking the strawberries was the responsibility of the only Miller son living at home: Tobias. And today, he was running behind schedule. Glancing at the clock over the door, Leah was suddenly distracted from the women filing into the store as she began to worry about what might possibly be delaying him and if they would have enough strawberries today to finish up the orders that they had already received.