The Healing Quilt Page 11

  “Not a whole lot, really. Terry and Cheryl are still going out, and…Well, I probably shouldn’t say anything since nothing’s official, but Terry’s planning to ask Cheryl to marry him.”

  Emma clapped her hands. “Oh, that is good news! I hope they don’t get married this winter, though. We’d love to be there for the wedding.”

  “Since he hasn’t even asked her yet, it’s not likely they’d tie the knot before spring, or it could even be summer or fall.” Jan grabbed a few more chips.

  “What about some of our other quilting students?” Emma questioned as she poured Jan more tea. “Do you have news on any of them?”

  “Yep. Paul and Carmen got married a few weeks ago.”

  “We knew about that, because we got an invitation to their wedding,” Emma said. “I just hope they understood why we couldn’t be there.”

  “I’m sure they did.” Jan swiped his napkin over his mouth where some mayonnaise had stuck to his lip. “Oh, and another bit of news. Blaine got engaged to Sue, and he’ll soon be opening his own fishing tackle store.”

  Emma looked over at Lamar and smiled. “It’s good hearing such happy news about people who have come to our classes, isn’t it?”

  “Jah, it sure is,” Lamar agreed. He pointed to the potato chips. “If you don’t mind passing me the bag, Jan, think I’ll have a few, after all.”

  “Have you heard anything from Stuart and Pam Johnston?” Emma asked.

  Jan shook his head. “But I did see Ruby Lee a week ago, Sunday, when Star and I went to church.”

  “How’s she doing?” Emma asked.

  “Great. Things are going well at her husband’s church, and they’ve been getting even more new people.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.” Emma got up from the table and returned with a plate of raisin molasses cookies. “Are you ready for dessert?” she asked, placing the cookies in front of Jan.

  “Sure thing!” he took three and plopped them on his plate.

  “Did Emma tell you that we’re teaching another quilting class?” Lamar asked.

  Jan’s mouth formed an O. “Really? Here in this house?”

  “That’s right,” Emma said. “This place is much smaller than our home in Indiana, but we’ve been hosting our classes in the dining room, and it’s working out just fine. We’ll be having our third class this Saturday.”

  “Well, I’ll be sure to make myself scarce,” Jan said after he’d eaten the cookies. “Sure don’t wanna be in the way while you’re teachin’.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Emma said. “You’re welcome to join us if you want. You could share your own quilting experience with our new class.”

  Jan shook his head. “Think I’ll pass on that, but I will have another cookie. These are sure good.”

  Emma smiled. “Thanks. They’re one of Lamar’s favorites.”

  Jan thumped his stomach. “I can already see that I’ll have to go on a diet after this trip. You’re too good of a cook, Emma.”

  She felt the heat of a blush on her cheeks. “You’re just being nice.”

  “No, it’s the truth.”

  Emma looked forward to having Jan stay with them over the next couple of weeks. It would be like old times, even if he didn’t sit in on any of their quilting classes.

  Randy had spent the morning job hunting again, this time in Bradenton, with no prospects at all. The longer he went without a job, the more discouraged he felt. Maybe I should call my brother and see if he can help us out, he thought as he thrust his hands into his pants pocket and ambled down the sidewalk. But if I did that, it’d be like admitting defeat. I’ll find something soon; I just have to.

  As Randy turned the corner, heading back to his pickup, he spotted a baby crib in one of the store windows. Pink and blue balloons waved in the breeze, as if welcoming customers inside. A big banner hung above the store’s entrance, advertising a sale, including some merchandise at 50 percent off.

  Think I’ll go in and take a look around, he decided. Maybe I’ll find something nice that’s been marked down.

  Entering the store, Randy meandered around, checking out all the baby things—several styles of cribs, playpens, car seats, strollers, and even some musical mobiles. Their baby girl would need all of those things.

  He walked over to study the cribs. He’d never realized there were so many types. There were convertible cribs in all different wood grain selections. Some even had changing tables attached. There were also portable cribs, mini-cribs, and the usual standard crib.

  Randy stood there smiling. He really liked the convertible crib, crafted in a deep cherry, like it was made for a princess. But that one was way overpriced. Another crib caught his eye, with a big “half price” sign attached. It was all white, and he realized it would work just as well as the more expensive one. He could just picture his beautiful baby girl lying in that crib, sleeping soundly and sucking her thumb.

  While contemplating the different cribs, Randy came to the conclusion that a convertible crib would be more cost effective. When needed, the crib could be switched into a toddler bed. That way they wouldn’t have to buy another piece of furniture when the baby was old enough to go from a crib to a bed. It was like buying two beds in one and would save them money in the long run.

  Once he’d decided on the white crib, he spotted a matching dresser that could also be used as a changing table. A pink teddy bear sat in the crib, just beckoning him to buy it. After Randy put the bear in his cart, he wrote the item numbers down for the crib and dresser so he could tell the sales clerk after he’d finished shopping.

  As he made his way around the store, Randy saw many other neat things. He picked out two sets of sheets for the crib—one with teddy bears and the other a plain pink. He spotted a mobile with different animals dangling from the center, and that also went into his shopping cart. Then he found a car seat, stroller, and a wind-up swing to put the baby in.

  What kid wouldn’t love that? Randy thought before he noticed a clerk and told her the item numbers of the furniture he wanted to purchase. He was going to love being a daddy, and no matter how hard he had to work, he’d make sure his daughter wanted for nothing. Of course, that would all depend on him finding a job.

  Randy’s hand slipped into his pocket, and after pulling out his wallet, he removed a credit card and approached the checkout line. I may not have a job or any extra cash right now, but I can charge all the things our daughter will need. Maybe by the time the bill comes, I’ll have found a job.

  C

  HAPTER 17

  For the past hour, Jennifer had been sitting at the kitchen table, going over their bills and trying to balance their checkbook. Even with the small amount they had left in their savings plus Randy’s unemployment check, their money wouldn’t last long. It was a good thing they hadn’t charged anything lately, because their credit card was close to being maxed out. If Randy could just find a job, she thought. This is not a good time for us to be bringing a baby into the world. If I’d only known eight-and-a-half months ago that we’d be going through financial struggles like this…

  “Come see what I bought today, honey!” Randy shouted from the living room.

  Jennifer jumped. She’d been so busy fretting about their finances that she hadn’t even heard him come in. If he’d bought something, maybe that meant he’d found a job.

  When Jennifer stepped into the living room, she halted, barely able to believe her eyes. There was baby stuff everywhere!

  “What did you do, win the lottery?” she asked, with her mouth gaping open.

  He grinned widely. “‘Course not, sweetie. I’m not that lucky. I never win anything.”

  “Then how…”

  “I used my credit card to buy these things for the baby.”

  “What?” Jennifer shouted as her hands started to shake. “How could you do something so foolish? Don’t you care that we’re already in debt up to our necks?”

  Randy dropped his gaze to the floor.
“I want our child to have new things, and I just thought….”

  “Well, you thought wrong. I’ve spent the last hour trying to juggle our bills and pay the ones that are overdue, and we certainly can’t afford to add anything more to our credit card. As nice as all this looks, you’ll have to take everything back.”

  “But Jennifer, the baby will be here in a few weeks, and we need to be ready. Don’t you want to see what all I bought?”

  “No, I don’t, and we can’t afford any of it. As I said the other day, we can look for some used furniture and other baby things and only get what we absolutely need.” Jennifer’s tone softened when she saw the look of disappointment on her husband’s face. “Even if you found a job tomorrow, we wouldn’t have enough money for all this. We have too many bills that need to be paid.” She moved closer to Randy and touched his arm. “I’m sorry, but these things really do need to go back.”

  Randy shuffled his feet a few times, and he finally nodded. “You’re right. I made a hasty decision and got carried away. I’ll load the stuff into my truck and head back to the store right now.”

  Mike stared blankly at the magazine he’d picked up, feeling more nervous as each minute ticked by. He’d called his doctor’s office yesterday, and since someone had cancelled their appointment, he’d been able to get in this afternoon. Now, as he sat in the waiting room, he’d begun to worry. What if something was seriously wrong? What if he couldn’t run his charter boat business any longer due to ill health? How would he provide for Phyllis? But he had to know what was causing him to feel so lousy, and if it was bad news, he’d figure out how to deal with it, just like he always had when he’d been dealt a bad hand. Life was full of ups and downs, disappointments, and unexpected disruptions to one’s plans, but that didn’t mean a person should give up.

  As Mike had learned at an early age from his dad’s example, it was how a man handled situations that proved his worth. A guy could whine about the injustices of life, or he could buck up and make the best of the situation.

  That’s what I’ll have to do if the doctor tells me there’s something seriously wrong, Mike told himself. I will not wimp out on my wife, and I won’t give in to self-pity because that won’t solve a thing. Still, Mike hoped he didn’t have diabetes. How could he possibly give himself a shot if he had to be on insulin? He hated needles, and he liked sweet foods. The last thing he wanted was to be mindful of everything he ate.

  “Mr. Barstow, we are ready to see you now.”

  Mike rose from his seat and followed the nurse into one of the examining rooms. She got his weight, took his vitals, and asked several questions about the symptoms he’d been having. Then she left Mike alone in the room to wait for the doctor.

  Several minutes went by, and Mike grew more fidgety. He’d always hated waiting for things. He figured the doctor was busy, but if that was the case, why did the nurse call him in when she did? If I was missing work on the count of sitting here, I’d be really upset, he fumed.

  Finally, Dr. Ackerman stepped into the room. “It’s nice to see you, Mr. Barstow. I hear you’re having some problems.”

  “Yeah.” Mike quickly explained about the shakiness, sweating, and dizziness he’d experienced, and ended by saying that with each episode, he’d felt better after eating.

  “The first thing I’m going to do is order some blood tests, and I’ll also do a physical today.” The doctor filled out a lab form and handed it to Mike. “Get this done in the morning, and go in fasting. Don’t eat or drink anything but water after midnight tonight. I want to check your blood sugar level, among other things. Oh, and please stop at the front desk on your way out and make an appointment to see me the middle of next week. Your lab work should be back by then.” He motioned to the examining table. “Have a seat up there, and I’ll check you out.”

  Mike did as he asked. No matter how things turned out, he was not saying anything to Phyllis about this until he had to. There was no point in worrying her about something she could do nothing about.

  Sure wish I didn’t have to return all this stuff, Randy fumed as he entered the store. But I know Jennifer’s right; we really can’t afford to get any further in debt. She’s probably still mad at me for doing something so stupid.

  “I need to return everything I bought earlier today,” Randy told the salesclerk who had waited on him earlier.

  “You’re kidding, right?” She squinted, looking at Randy as if he’d said something horrible. “What’s the problem, sir?”

  Randy couldn’t seem to swallow his pride and admit that he couldn’t afford these things. There was no way he’d own up to that. “Uh…well, a funny thing happened,” he stammered, trying to come up with a good excuse. “See, when I got back home, my wife was all excited and said she’d just gotten a phone call from her parents.” Since the clerk didn’t know Randy or Jennifer, or any of their families for that matter, he continued to add to the story. “My in-laws are coming to see us soon, and they said they’d be bringing all sorts of things for the baby, including furniture.” Randy coughed, and then feeling his face heat up, he added, “So, until I see what they’re bringing us, there’s no point in me keeping any of these items. Sorry about that.”

  “Come with me then,” the clerk said in a tone of irritation. “I’ll start the refund process.” Suddenly, the clerk stopped and swung around, causing Randy to almost bump into her. “I hope you remembered to bring your receipt, because we can’t do a refund without it.”

  “I did; it’s right here.” Randy held up the yellow slip. “Oh, and I’m gonna need some help bringing in the bigger items that are out in my truck.”

  “I’ll call someone to help you with that.” The clerk’s furrowed brows let Randy know she was anything but pleased about this.

  For cryin’ out loud, Randy fumed. I’m sure I’m not the first customer who’s ever brought anything back.

  As Randy headed out the door, he caught sight of a sign telling about a contest to win some free baby things, including furniture. He was surprised he hadn’t seen it before. Could he have walked right past it? Or maybe the contest hadn’t been posted until after he’d left the store earlier today.

  Guess it wouldn’t hurt for me to fill out the form and enter the contest, he decided. Although I don’t know why; I’ve never won anything before.

  Randy stopped, filled out the form, and dropped it into the box. Maybe I should have chewed some gum and stuck it on my entry form, he thought. That way, whoever draws the winning name would be more apt to pull mine out ’cause it’d probably stick to his finger.

  Randy shook his head. Now that was a crazy thought, and it’d be cheating, besides. What’s come over me, anyway? First I made up a lie to the salesclerk about why I returned all the baby stuff, and now I’m thinking of how to cheat my way into winning a drawing. I need to get a grip.

  C

  HAPTER 18

  How about I take you two out for supper tonight?” Jan suggested as he, Lamar, and Emma sat on the front porch, enjoying the sunshine late Thursday afternoon.

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that,” said Emma. “I’m more than happy to fix supper for us here.”

  “You’ve already provided several meals since I got here, not to mention letting me stay in your spare room,” Jan reminded them.

  “We’re happy to do it.” Lamar turned to Emma. “Aren’t we?”

  She bobbed her head. “Most definitely.”

  “Even so, I’d like to treat you folks to a meal out once in a while, and unless you’ve already got something started for supper, we can start by going out tonight.”

  Emma reached over and patted Jan’s hand. “Alright then, if you insist. So, where would you like to go?”

  “That’s up to you,” Jan replied. “I haven’t been here long enough to know of any good places to eat. Do you guys have a favorite restaurant?” He patted his stomach and chuckled. “As you might guess, I enjoy most any kind of food.”

  “We could go to
the restaurant up the street, where Kim and Anna work,” Lamar suggested.

  “Who are Kim and Anna?” Jan wanted to know.

  “Anna is Amish, and she’s from one of our earlier quilting classes—the one your friend Terry was in.”

  “Oh yeah. If I remember right, Anna moved down here with a friend.”

  “That’s correct. She’s working as a waitress at a restaurant nearby. Kim is one of my current quilting students.” Emma smiled. “Oh, and she’s single and drives a motorcycle. She’s also quite pretty, so you might be interested in meeting her.”

  Jan shook his head. “Naw, I don’t think so, Emma. I’m gettin’ along just fine without a woman to complicate my life.”

  “Wie geht’s, Lamar and Emma?” an elderly Amish man asked, interrupting their conversation as he approached, leading a small dog on a leash.

  Lamar waved. “Hello, Abe. We’re doing fine. How are you?”

  “Doin’ as well as any eighty-year-old can.” Abe grinned. “I’ve been meaning to stop by. Thought maybe we could head over to Pinecraft Park for a game of shuffleboard some time.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Lamar responded with a nod.

  “Heard you had a gator in your yard.”

  “Jah. It was quite an experience. When we get together for shuffleboard, I’ll tell you all about it.” Lamar motioned to Jan. “Abe, this is our good friend, Jan Sweet. He’s from our hometown in Shipshewana, and he’ll be staying with us for a while.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Jan.” Abe nodded as his little beagle hound yanked on the leash.

  Jan gave a saluting wave. “Same here.”

  “Don’t blame you for coming down south to get away from the cold weather. My wife, Linda, and I come from Ohio, and we just couldn’t take the cold winters anymore. So five years ago, we sold everything and moved to sunny Florida.” Abe grinned and gave his full gray beard a quick tug. “We’ve never regretted it, neither.”