The Christmas Quilts

by Olivia Gaines

  Chapter Five – Batting

  It was Saturday night and Bisa was dead on her feet. Carolyn, her best friend of nearly twenty years, was hosting Girls Night In at her place, and the last thing Bisa felt like doing was being social. She knew if she didn’t attend, Carolyn, Regina, and Marylyn would never let her live it down. Three times in a row she’d cancelled on her crew, but tonight she was not in the mood for Antoine bashing.

  He wasn’t the ideal boyfriend, but with her schedule, a new business, and a mortgage that reminded her how much she needed to work, a normal relationship wasn’t in the plans. She couldn’t conceive a means of getting dinner to the table on time, planning a family, or even having a normal date night. Right now, Antoine was simple. The relationship was simple. He didn’t demand anything of her and once a week, she got to cuddle with something other than a roll of batting. Long term, the relationship had no legs and the two it was leaning on were faltering, and in a few months, she would have a long talk with him. However, in less than three weeks, the quilt show in Paducah and book signing would solidify her role in the quilting world. Next year, the quilt she was working on would be entered for judging to acquire the much needed credentials as a Master Quilter. All of the free time for the next nine months belonged to that quilt.

  Cody Richardson was a fly in the ointment. A sizzle was definitely there between them, but he was Antoine’s friend. Starting something with him would not only be bad for business, but bad for her soul. Those twinkling blue eyes with a hint of devilment in them spurned a flirty side of her that she hadn’t employed since her undergraduate years.

  Law school was all about being taken seriously. Dating classmates was a no-no as well as her co-workers. As far as she as concerned, the last ten years of her life had been a blur working towards a dream with no end. Her eyes were on a new prize. A master quilter’s certification would change her world. In a year or two, she could settle down with a nice man, have a few babies, and live a nice life quilting the years away. Tonight, her life consisted of three middle-aged friends who also worked too much, had too little love in their lives, and had reasons to be angry at everyone but their own choices.

  “Girl, what is his name?” Carolyn asked. “I know you are not all zoned out holding that same glass of wine dreaming about that punk Antoine.”

  “I do hope we are not going to start the evening out talking down about my man,” Bisa responded.

  Marylyn, soft spoken but careful with her words, added a powerful punch. “That’s the problem with Antoine, he is not your man. If you checked out his Instagram, every other weekend he is someone else’s man,” she said, sipping on her wine.

  “Antoine and I have an arrangement. He shows up when I need him and is invisible when I don’t have time to have a real boyfriend,” Bisa half-lied.

  “Well, who is it that you are looking all googly-eyed about over there? I know it’s not your “arrangement” as you call him. I doubt if that fool could bust a grape with a balled up fist,” Regina said laughing. “He looks like he is good for two fingers and three humps then he is sleeping.”

  “You give him three humps? Heck, I give that fool half a lick, then he is out for the count,” Carolyn said, slapping high fives with the other two girls.

  “At least I’m getting a lick and a hump. That’s more than the three of you have gotten in the last six months,” Bisa said.

  “I am senior partner in my accounting firm. I have the respect of my co-workers and I manage over a billion dollars in assets annually,” Carolyn interjected.

  “And not one of those dollars will keep you warm at night,” Bisa said.

  “Well, I would rather be alone than have half a man or a shared man,” Carolyn threw back at her.

  Regina sat back in the oversized seat. “I would rather be alone than to have half a man that I am cheating on,” she said.

  “I’m not cheating on Antoine,” Bisa said defensively.

  “You are cheating on him in your mind, which is attached to your heart, so whether or not you have climbed in bed with whomever you are dreaming about, that still makes you a cheater,” Marylyn added.

  “Stop it. I have not done anything with Cody other than stand too close and maybe flirt a little,” Bisa said.

  “Cody, is it? He sounds very white,” Regina said.

  “Hey, a hard man is good to find, white, pink, brown, heck, and even green sounds good at this point. Can he kiss, Bisa? I love a good kisser,” Carolyn said, leaning on the kitchen counter.

  “I haven’t kissed anyone! Seriously, ladies. I am only helping him with his grandmother’s quilts – nothing more,” Bisa said. “Can we change the subject?”

  “No. We live vicariously through your sex life. We need details,” Regina urged.

  “There are no details. I just met the man yesterday. He and his grandmother came to the quilt show today and he was wearing this cologne that I swear made my pupils dilate and my reproductive clock start to tick,” Bisa said, touching the wooden necklace she wore.

  Regina, Carolyn, and Marylyn all leaned forward, waiting for more.

  “I told him the cologne was like catnip,” she said with a smile.

  “What did he say?” Carolyn asked, nibbling on a celery stick in an almost suggestive manner.

  “He said he looked forward to me scratching up his back,” Bisa said, pressing her lips together.

  “Oh snap! That is some serious innuendo right there, Girl,” Regina said, snapping her fingers. She held up her right hand making an O, and with her left hand, she inserted her index finger in and out of the hole.

  “It is hard to believe you were certified by the State of South Carolina as a doctor. You are so juvenile,” Bisa said.

  “Well, she has gotten better. She used to call sex doing the pussy,” Carolyn said.

  “I’m going home,” Bisa replied. “I can’t tonight with you three. Good night, ladies.”

  “Bisa, why are you leaving so soon? I ordered pizza. We have ice cream and a porn movie,” Marylyn yelled.

  “No, no, and no. I am not watching porn with you three horny women,” Bisa replied.

  “The evening is just beginning. Who knows, we may get lucky. I never got to experiment in college,” Regina teased, looking over the rim of her wine glass.

  “Keys, opening the door and leaving,” she said, waving farewell. The sound of laughter dogged her steps as she made her way to her car. She’d forgotten she left her phone in the vehicle, and she checked it for a message from Antoine. A bit of his late night company would be welcomed at this point. Instead, she found on her phone one lone message, which she read several times.

  I look forward to seeing you on Monday. – Cody

  The dreamy state which transfixed her earlier in the evening had returned. When she thought of him, the weights on her shoulders holding her under the water suddenly felt lighter. She shook her locks, trying to dismiss the idea Carolyn planted in her head. The idea of kissing him didn’t seem like a bad idea. She, too, appreciated a good kisser. Cody Richardson seemed to be the type of man who would be great at anything he set his mind to...she looked forward to seeing him on Monday as well. Bisa responded to the message.

  Get ready to work. See you then. – The Quilting B

  “BABY, DID YOU GO TO church this morning?” Aneta Washington asked her daughter through the phone line.

  “No Mama, I slept into today. I was a bit tired,” Bisa said sleepily.

  “Well, let us hope when it comes time for Jesus’ blessings, He won’t decide to sleep in on you,” Aneta retorted.

  “Even on seventh day God rested, Mama. It is the seventh day. I would appreciate it if you gave it a rest as well,” Bisa said softly.

  “Anyhoo, I didn’t call to fight with you. What are you doing this afternoon, getting out and having some fun with your friends?”

  “No. I spent some time last night with the girls.”

  “Those three numbskulls? Honey, I fear your IQ drops every time you a
re around those women. It is time to get a new crew as the kids say. You must surround yourself with people who understand the plan for your life. Currently, you are surrounded by people who make you feel better about yourself because you aren’t as screwed up as they are. In order to feel alive and moving forward, you need an equal. Bisa, it’s time to get out of your head and get into the world and find your partner in life,” Aneta said.

  “More easily said than done, Mama.”

  “It can be done if you trust in the Lord and let go of those things which are holding you back. Be bold. Be fearless and let life in,” she told her daughter. “I love you, but get out of the house today and do something different. Go see a movie. Get on a dating app or something. Swipe right.”

  “What do you know about swiping right?”

  “I am on Tinder, Baby. I am about to find you a new stepdaddy,” Aneta said.

  “Goodbye, Mama. Enjoy your Sunday,” Bisa said, clicking off the line.

  Good grief. Even my Mama is getting more time with a man than me. Using an app wasn’t Bisa’s way. Building relationships took time but more importantly, it took two souls committed to each other. When the time came, and it would, the soul meant to enlighten her own would come.

  “BABY, WHAT ARE YOU doing today after church? Maybe you should take a lady friend to a movie or something,” Rona Richardson told her eldest son, Cody.

  “Mom, I am relaxing today. I have a busy week ahead of me,” he told her.

  “Sweetheart, one should never be too busy to cultivate the company of an enchanting young lady. Besides, of my four children, you, the eldest, are the last to make me a grandmother,” she chided him.

  “I need a wife first, Mom,” he said.

  “Well, you are not going to find one sitting in the house with your Grandmother talking about quilting. At least find a young woman to discuss quilts with if that’s your thing,” Rona said chuckling.

  “I do know one of those,” he said, thinking of Bisa.

  “Good. Call her up, use some pretense to get her to get out with you, and then maybe take her to see something neutral and energizing like that Wonder Woman movie,” Rona said.

  “Mom, I don’t need dating advice,” he told her.

  “Oh no! Are you gay like, Amos? There’s usually at least one boy and one girl in every family. I just never expected two in the same generation. If so, I will accept your life choices, Cody,” Rona said.

  “I am going to hold you to that,” he said, thinking of Bisa’s cocoa skin.

  “Oh dear Jesus, you are gay!”

  “No Mom, stop being so dramatic. I am developing an interest in someone who is not white, though. It’s new, and I am uncertain about how to proceed,” he said.

  “Oh my goodness,” Rona said. “Oh! Oh! Oh! An Asian lady? Maybe a black one. If so, is she really dark-skinned?”

  “Why Mom?” He asked growing alarmed by her overzealous mind.

  Rona was beside herself. “Evelyn McCarthy’s daughter joined the Army and went overseas. She came back married to this really dark-skinned black man and I swear, her grandbabies look like little brown angels. I would love some little brown angels,” Rona said, almost giggling.

  “I really question your reasoning sometimes, Mom,” he told her.

  “Go get that woman, Cody. Take her to the movies, then let’s plan to have dinner once you figure it all out, so we can meet her. This is so exciting. Wait until I tell your father,” she said. “Bart! Bart! Cody is dating a black girl. We are going to get pretty little brown-skinned grandbabies!”

  “What in the hell are you talking about, Rona?” Cody heard his father say in the background.

  “Love you, Mom. Goodbye, Mom,” Cody said. Before his courage ebbed, he dialed Bisa’s number. She answered just as he was about to hang up.

  “Hello, Cody,” she said in the line. Her voice sweet as a fresh peach on a summer’s hot day.

  “Got any plans this afternoon? I need some help picking out a sewing machine. Turns out, the one my Nana has is foot powered, as in you have to pump your foot to make it sew,” he told her.

  “I would be honored to help you pick a machine,” Bisa said, laughing.

  “Half hour? I will pick you up?”

  “I’ll be ready,” she said.

  “See you in a few,” Cody added, hanging up. Shower. Cologne. Theater times. Maybe dinner? Too much? Play it by ear.

  Chapter Six – Cutting Up

  The man walked through her front door smelling like sin on a stick gyrating in a northerly gust of wind. Bisa waited impatiently for him, almost forgetting to put on her shoes when she dressed. Grateful he had called to say he was pulling up, she asked him to park in the rear of the building since access to her home above the shop had a separate set of stairs. Initially, her mind told her to come downstairs to meet him, but decided instead to allow him entrance into her home.

  “This is a pretty cool living space,” he told her. “I love the openness of it. Nana has furniture on top of furniture in her house. Everywhere you turn there is a little table or chair or something.”

  “You live with your Grandmother?” Bisa asked, bending to find her shoes. The scent of Cody’s cologne was driving her to distraction.

  “Yes, but it is to make sure she is safe. I moved in with her, sold my place and all, after Pop-Pop passed. I did it mainly to keep my cousins from moving in and robbing her of her sanity and bank accounts. This way, she keeps her independence and gets to live out her days in her own home,” Cody said.

  “That must put a damper on your love life,” she added, looking up at him. The blue eyes following her every move.

  “When there is a will, there is a way, but no, I do not entertain in Nana’s house. An occasional friend may join us for dinner, but her home is mostly for family,” he told her. “You can never figure out people’s intentions. I couldn’t live with myself if someone I brought into her home took it upon themselves to come back and take the family silver.”

  “Are you really this thoughtful and giving?”

  “I am who I am,” he said. “I have no reason for pretense.”

  “We shall see. I’m ready,” she said, leading the way to the door. She had dressed comfortably in a flowing maxi- dress, with a peach colored sweater and slide in flats. Cody waited outside the door as she secured the entryway, setting the alarm. As he did with his Nana, he held her elbow as they walked down the stairs. He even opened the car door for her, waiting for her to get comfortable before closing it. The cabin of his SUV seemingly saturated with the scent of his cologne, flipped the switch on for every hormone in her body. It took mental restraint to not reach over and jump him in the seat.

  “I want to go to this one shop in downtown Aiken and a sewing and vacuum center to see if I can get a good deal,” Cody said, shifting the vehicle into gear.

  “Or we can go to the one shop where I know you will get a great deal, loads of selection in every price range,” she told him.

  “Sounds good– point the way,” he said.

  Bisa had a load of questions for and about him, but held her tongue as they rode in silence. A silence which was not uncomfortable or needed to be filled with awkward small talk. The drive to the shop only took twenty minutes. Cody’s shopping time took even less.

  “This machine by Brother does the same thing that machine does and costs almost $1,000 less,” Bisa told him.

  “Yes, but this one comes with an embroidery attachment, will self-load the needle, has an auto drop for the bibbon, and everything,” he said smiling like a kid with a new bike.

  “Bobbin, it is a bobbin,” she gently corrected touching his arm.

  “Yep, what you said. It will do that automatically, so my time and attention can focus on sewing and creating pretty stuff,” he said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

  “And the embroidery?”

  “I can make cool shirts with my favorite football team and cool sayings and save a bunch of money on my car insurance,” he s
aid with a sly grin.

  “Aren’t you cute?”

  “You think so?” he asked, the blue eyes asking more than the simple question.

  “No, not really,” Bisa said, letting the sales agent know which machine they would purchase.

  “Oh, that’s too bad, because I was going to tell you that is a very flattering dress on you. Peach is your color,” he said, the blue eyes intensifying.

  “Nope. Not working,” she said, twisting her lip.

  “What?”

  “The charming southern gent act is not working. You are a wolf disguised as a blue eyed sheep. You are hiding behind your Nana, ready to sink your needle in some easily pliable fabric,” she said.

  Cody removed his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. With the swipe of his credit card, he was the proud new owner of a Janome sewing machine with all the bells and whistles. He’d heard her statement, taking his time to carefully measure his response before saying anything. Bisa was waiting on a comeback.

  “I am not interested in anything easily pliable. Easy is boring. Life is too short to spend it with boring people with nothing to add or to enhance my life. If I want boring, I can watch Jeopardy every night with my Nana. At least some of those questions pose a challenge,” he said, lifting the box with ease.

  “See, for a minute there, I was wondering why some lucky woman hadn’t snapped you up. Now I know,” she said.

  “The day is young, the night is long, and there is still plenty of time to sink in your teeth and get to snapping,” he said.

  Bisa stopped short of his SUV, “How do you know Antoine again?”

  “We are co-workers,” Cody said, feeling like a jerk for being a bit forward.

  “Aren’t you friends as well?” Bisa wanted to know. If they were, he was walking a tightrope. Cute and sexy didn’t matter if he would make a move on his friend’s girlfriend.

  “No, we are not. He is my co-worker,” Cody said. “Are you asking because I am testing the waters with you?”

  “Yes. You are flirting with me, which is weird,” she said.