“Everything is peaceful when I quilt.” Nessa neatly folded the fabric to make a perfect ninety-degree angle, pinned it, and blind-stitched the last few inches of each side and then the corners. “It seems like my troubles and worries just fade away.”
“My job at the shelter does that for me,” April said. “Those animals love me. They don’t care about my past. The puppies wag their tails and the kittens start to meow when I walk in the door. They’re happy to see me, and that brings me peace.” She left her chair, turned a rocking chair around in the living area to face the table, and sat down. “Oh, I forgot to tell y’all that Kent Wallace brought his little girl, Callie, in today for another kitten. She was determined that he would invite me to his house for a playdate with her.”
“How did that make you feel?” Nessa asked.
“Scared,” April answered with a single word.
“That’s weird. What would you be scared of?” Flynn asked. “You’ve practically lived on the streets, or at least in your car, and you dealt with men who were pretty low down.”
April covered a yawn with the back of her hand. “I don’t know why I felt fear. Kent is a lawyer. He seems like a great guy, and Callie is a precious child. Maybe I’m still afraid to trust myself around people—we’re pretty isolated out here. But I don’t have to worry about any of that. He told Callie that two kittens was the limit, and we don’t get many repeat customers at the shelter. She’ll start school in the fall and forget all about me.”
“We’ve all proven that sometimes the unexpected happens,” Flynn said. “As far as my work, we need the repeat business over at Jackson’s. Which reminds me, April and I probably won’t be here tomorrow when they come to look at the quilt, Nessa. Will you text me when they leave?” Flynn asked.
“Yes,” Nessa answered. “I’m a little nervous about the whole deal, but I wouldn’t be any less if y’all were here. So I will let y’all know when it’s over.” Nessa didn’t look up from her work.
“Thanks. When are we going to take that one down?” April pointed to the quilt behind the sofa.
“Tomorrow after y’all get home from work,” Nessa said. “Maybe we should have champagne or at least a beer when we hang the new one up.”
“I’ll stop by the store on my way home and pick up a six-pack.” April pulled the sofa cushions off, stacked them by the door, and popped out her bed. “I’ll be in town every day, so if we need anything, I can pick it up.”
“All done!” Nessa said. “Three weeks and we’ve got it done. I can’t expect to finish one on my own in that time, but it gives me an idea of how long it will take. I’d thought I could do four this summer. Boy, was I dreaming big!”
April stopped straightening the sheets on her bed and yawned again. “Awww, come on now. If you quilt all day while we’re at work, I bet you can get more done than you think.”
“You’re right. I should treat this like you treat your jobs,” Nessa said. “Thanks for the encouragement.”
“You are so welcome, but I’m not just whistling Dixie. I believe what I said. You are good at what you do, girl. I’m going to bed. Y’all can stay up and talk all night if you want to, but I’m tired and sleepy.”
“Just one thing before we all turn in,” Flynn said. “I’m glad that we did this quilt project together. This has been an emotional night to end a lot of days of work that has brought us all together. I’m going to bed before I get all weepy again. Jackson has agreed to let me work full-time, so I’ll be getting up and around earlier than usual.”
“Good night,” April and Nessa chorused.
“Night to you both,” Flynn said with a wave as he walked away.
“Are you going to be all right going over to Jackson’s tomorrow when we open the hope chest?” April whispered.
“I’m a grown woman. I’ve made man mistakes before. This isn’t the first and it won’t be the last. I’m sure it will be awkward, but I’ll live through it. Besides, tomorrow evening we’ll find out what’s in that hope chest. I won’t let Jackson take the fun out of that.” Nessa folded the finished quilt neatly and carried it to her room.
The truth of the matter was that she absolutely dreaded going over to Jackson’s place. She shoved the quilt onto the trundle part of the bed and stripped out of her pajama pants and oversize T-shirt. She opened the bottom dresser drawer, took out Jackson’s button-down shirt, and put it on. Tomorrow she would wash the garment and take it back to him, but tonight she wanted to feel his arms around her again—even if it was just a shirt.
The next morning Nessa had taken a pan of chocolate chip cookies from the oven when someone knocked on the door. Expecting it to be Stella and Vivien, she raced across the room and opened the door to find Jackson barely two feet from her. She forgot to breathe, and her chest tightened. Her pulse raced, and her hands got all sweaty. Then she remembered that she was still wearing his shirt. She really had intended to put it in the wash that morning. A blush rushed from her neck to her cheeks, coming close to setting them on fire.
“May I come in?” Jackson asked.
She stepped to the side and motioned him inside. “Of course. Is Flynn all right? What are you doing here in the middle of the morning?”
Jackson stood just inside the door. “Flynn has gone to town to get more sandpaper. I thought I had enough to last until the first of the month, when a new shipment comes in, but with two of us working, we’re down to the last piece. But that’s not why I’m here. I’ve gone over the night that we slept together a dozen times in my mind, and I can’t figure out why you’re so angry.” He took a step to the side and eyed her from head to toe. “You’re wearing my shirt. If you are so mad at me over something I did or didn’t do, then why would you be wearing my shirt?”
Her cheeks turned so red that they burned. “I was on my way to the garage to throw it in the washing machine. See?” she stammered. “Can we please talk about that night later, even this afternoon or evening when we come over to open the hope chest? Stella and Vivien are coming over to inspect the quilt. They’ll be here in five minutes.”
“I can’t leave. Miz Lucy’s lawyer says that I have to be here when the ladies check out the quilt. That will keep everything aboveboard and legal. If they say y’all did it right, then you can open the hope chest. If you didn’t, I guess I’m stuck with the thing forever, and no one will ever know what’s in it.” Jackson’s tone was downright icy. “I would appreciate it greatly if you would bring my shirt home tonight when you come over to my house.”
“I can do that.” Nessa felt like someone had sucker punched her in the stomach. “Have a seat. I’ll change into a different shirt and put yours in the washing machine.” She whipped around and went to the garage.
“Sweet Lord, why didn’t I think about him being here for the judging?” she muttered as she removed his shirt and put hers on. She tossed his into the machine and added detergent. Then she turned her back and slid down the front of the washing machine with her back to it. She drew her knees up, wrapped her arms around them, and closed her eyes. She hadn’t really prayed in a year, but that morning she did.