The Healing Quilt

by Lauraine Snelling

  “That's what makes you such a good client.” Elsie Mae pushed her chair back and stretched as she stood. The two walked back to Mark's office where Elsie Mae kept her massage table set up.

  “I'm wishing for one of those treatments myself. Any reason why one would have to have cancer to be helped by it?” Sue pushed her needle through all the layers.

  “None that I can see.” Beth took up where Elaine left off. “By the way, I have something for each of you. In that box by the door.” She nodded to a cardboard moving box across the room. “They're all different. You'll have to pick and choose.”

  “What?” Kit and Elaine looked at each other with matching raised eyebrows.

  “I love surprises.” Elaine stood and brought the box over to set on the coffee table. Oh, look at these.” She drew out a stuffed pumpkin with alternating sections of white dotted orange and orange with white stripes. The stems and leaves were made of green felt with yarn or embroidery thread tied in the indentations. “They are adorable.” She took them all out and arranged them on the table so everyone could see.

  “Beth, what a neat thing to do.” Kit sorted through and chose one with harvest leaves and plain rust panels.

  “I made them in different sizes and had so much fun. Harriet Spooner came over and helped me stuff them. She is such a dear.”

  Kit studied the pumpkins. “Did you make any of these for sale?”

  “I have some I could sell.”

  “Good. I want to buy three to mail to Jennifer to help decorate her apartment, one of each size.” Kit rubbed her chin. “And if you want to put them on consignment, I'm sure Teza would love them at the farm shop.”

  “Between hats and pumpkins I could sew around the clock, every day of the week.”

  “And what does Garth say about all this sewing?” Elaine looked up from trying to make a choice.

  “He can't get over it. Like me, he's totally amazed.”

  “By the way, what happened with his court appearance?”

  “Everyone's amazed that this judge threw the case out. Said the fine was sufficient, ordered Garth to pay for the window repair, and reminded everyone this is a free country with freedom of speech, and protests come under that provision. He warned about watching out for troublemakers, though.”

  “Well, I'll be.” Elaine shook her head. “Old Farnsworth came through.”

  “You know him?”

  “Of course. He and I served on the planning board together. He upholds the rights of citizens, be they on either side of the law.”

  “Even the unborn?”

  “Looks that way, doesn't it?”

  “That's it, the last stitch.” Kit clipped her thread and put her scissors back in the case.

  “We did it.” Beth spoke in a tone of awe.

  Kit and Sue took two corners and held it up for everyone to see. “We made it by October first. Can you believe it?”

  “And no all-nighters. What a shame.”

  “So we all need to be at the hospital on Monday morning to have our picture taken with the quilt as it is hung on the wall.” Elaine stuck her needle back in her case and zipped it closed.

  “Sorry I'll be in surgery by then.” Teza leaned back in the recliner. “Sure is a pretty piece.”

  “What about Sunday?”

  “You can get a photographer there on a Sunday?”

  “You bet I can. I'll call all of you with the time, most likely around two or so.”

  Sue and Kit matched the corners and folded the quilt, starburst to the inside. “I have a zipped plastic bag that I'll put it in.”

  “Hey, now you can have your living room back.” Beth took hold of one of the clamps. “Shall we take this down?” At Kit's nod, she and Elsie Mae did just that, strapping the frame pieces in a bundle with bungee cords.

  “See you all on Sunday, then.” Elaine gathered her things together.

  “And thanks for inviting me to be part of this.” She went around the room and hugged each of them on her way out the door.

  “You better go over that quilt and make sure there are no pins left in it. Looked to me like all the threads were cut close, but it needs checking.”

  “Yes, ma am,” Kit needled her aunt.

  “I'll be praying for you,” Elsie Mae said, hugging Teza gently. “We're goin to beat this thing. Cancer, get yourself on out of here.”

  After the photo sessions and interviews for print, radio, and the local television station at the hospital on Sunday afternoon, Kit took Teza back to the farm at her insistence.

  “I want to sleep in my house tonight, in my own bed, and I'll be ready on time. I won't eat after six, and I won't drink anything after midnight. I'm planning on a light dinner, and no, I don t want to come to your house to eat.”

  “Okay.” Kit leaned her arms on the steering wheel. “I'll see you at six tomorrow morning.”

  “And you are not to spend the night worrying. This old breast isn't good for anything more anyway.” 1 m worry free.

  “Did you hear from Mark?” Teza asked when she climbed into the van the next morning.

  “No, did you?”

  “I thought I would. We can leave my suitcase in the car, since I won't need anything out of it the first day anyway.”

  “Fine. I'll bring it in whenever you want.” Father God, Idorit want to do this.

  Once at the hospital, a nurse whisked Teza away with the promise that Kit could see her again before surgery “You can wait for her in room 215.”

  Kit made her way up the stairs and down the hall, wishing now she'd accepted Sue's offer to stay with her. God, please, I'm counting on you to pull Teza through this. She checked the numbers and entered a room with two empty beds right across from the nurses’ station.

  After a bit the same young woman wheeled Teza into the room, gowned and finished with the pre-op. “You might want to get up into bed because they'll be along with your shot fairly soon. Then you'll be really relaxed.”

  “I'm about as relaxed as I can get right now.” But Teza did as told and listened while given instructions on how to work the bed. So with the bed raised and a pillow plumped behind her head, she pointed to her bag. “Will you please get my Bible out? I marked some places for you to read while you're waiting for me. And I brought a couple of quilt blocks for you to work on.”

  “Like I didn't bring my own things?”

  “Just in case.” Teza held her Bible between both hands. “I don't know what I would do without his Word to comfort me. You have no idea how glad my old heart is that you have come back to him.”

  “Me, too.” Kit sat on the edge of the bed. “Forgiveness is a big thing.”

  “Yes, it is.” A male voice drew their attention to the doorway.

  “Mark!” Kit slid off the bed and flew into his welcoming arms.

  “Well, it's about time.” Teza held out her arms. “My land, how I've missed you.”

  Keeping Kit tucked against his side, Mark bent over and hugged Teza. “I'm so glad I made it in time. I thought to be home last night but got fogged in.” He kissed her cheek.

  Kit hesitated. “Are you here for a while?”

  Marks repentant gaze went directly to Kits heart. “If you'll let me.”

  Thank you, Lord, thank you, thank you. Kit closed her eyes to hold the tears back. He came home, Mark came home. “No wonder Sue wasn't supposed to be here. God knew you would be.”

  “I'm here to give you your shot,” the nurse interrupted. “Roll over, dearie.” Within minutes, they had Teza transferred to a gurney and ready to trundle down the hall.

  “I love you.” Kit kissed her cheek.

  “I know and I you.” Teza laid a hand on Kits cheek. “You're the daughter I never had, so that makes you the daughter of my heart. See you soon.” She pointed to the Bible on the bed. “Read what I marked. God says it better than I can. Okay, boys, lets get this show on the road.” She waved as she was wheeled from the room.

  Mark clutched Kit's hand in his and looke
d her foil in the face. “Can you forgive me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Will you?”

  “I already have, thanks to some heavy duty interference from our Father.”

  “I don't know how you'll ever trust me again.”

  “Teza always says ‘trust is forgiveness in walking shoes. The two always go together.’ ”

  “Yes. Makes good sense.”

  “Makes a good picture. Ah, my dear, I have so much to tell you.”

  “How about over breakfast? I'm starved.”

  “Leave it to a man to think of the important things.” Kit picked up Teza's Bible and put it into her bag. “Wait until we tell the kids that you are home. They'll be dancing in the streets.”

  “In walking shoes.” They strolled down the hall hand in hand, chuckles drifting over their shoulders like children playing in the comfort of Grandma's old quilt.

  EPILOGUE

  “I can't believe it is really here.” Beth tucked her hand under Tezas elbow.

  “Only Gods grace brought this whole shebang together.” Teza patted Beths hand. “Brought the whole town together.”

  “I know.” Beth pointed to a couple walking in the door. “Mark made it home again just in time.”

  “In more ways than one.” The two shared a conspiratorial grin.

  “All right you two, what's going on here?” Kit let go of her husband's arm long enough to give them each a hug.

  “You three ladies look like the belles of the ball, far as I can see.” Mark glanced around the decorated hall, the revolving mirrored ball above them flashing shards of light in all directions. Restaurants from the surrounding area had food pavilions at one end of the hall, their decorations exceeded only by the quality of their food. Tables with pink cloths invited guests to bring their samples and sit to enjoy them. Musicians played from the raised platform, everyone donating their services for the evening. At the other end of the long building, chairs were set up theater style for the auction, with the quilt serving as the backdrop for the program.

  “Come on, lets go look at all the items for auction.” Garth joined the group, carrying a plate of handmade truffles from the The Choco-latier. “Here, I brought enough for everyone.”

  “Why, Garth, we thought you were going to eat them all.” Teza shook her head, the jewel-studded turban she wore throwing back the glitter from the ball overhead.

  “I would if they were chocolate-covered cherries like the ones you made.” He held the plate out for the rest to help themselves.

  “You just want to ogle that Chevy, I know.” Beth put her other hand through the bend of his elbow.

  “My dad had one like that. The stories he could tell, why…if I won the bid on that baby, he would turn green and purple with envy.”

  “I'd rather have the Caribbean cruise.” Kit closed her eyes in bliss at the smooth chocolate. “But chocolate like this takes a close second.”

  “Leave it to a woman.” Mark locked his free arm with Teza's.

  “Yes, a woman in menopause like your wife is entitled to all the chocolate she needs.” Teza tugged on her two escorts. “Lets make sure we get in the front row. All the women who worked on that quilt are to be honored, and I don't want to have to walk too far in these shoes.”

  The group made their way forward, greeting others and teasing Garth as he used his suitcoat sleeve to rub a spot off the front fender of the 1957 Chevy Impala.

  Volunteers in black tuxes handed out programs and ushered guests to seats.

  The band ended their set with a flourish and announced that the auction would be starting in fifteen minutes. Folks were invited to finish up their voting for the food entries.

  “There you all are.” Elaine stopped at their row. “Isn't this the best crowd? Who'd have dreamed we'd have this kind of attendance?” She glanced at Teza. “I know, you and so many others have been praying, and we should give God the glory.” She winked at Kit. “See, I've been listening.”

  “Never doubted it for a minute.” Kit pointed at a seat on the other side of Mark. “We saved you a place.”

  “Maybe later. I want to make sure everything goes smoothly backstage.” Elaine nodded toward the eight-foot thermometer off to the side. “Can you believe how much has already been earned for our mammogram unit?” Red paint filled in the bulb and registered at thirty-five degrees. Ninety-eight point six meant the $90,000 needed for the unit was theirs.

  “The grant you earned helped with that.”

  “I know, but I'm amazed it came through so quickly. Usually those things can take a year or more.”

  Someone called her name, and Elaine fluttered a hand at them as she hurried off.

  “Things sure changed a lot while I was gone.” Mark laid an arm across the back of Kits chair and leaned closer so she could hear above the buzz of conversation and bursts of laughter.

  Kit nodded. And even though he'd been home for almost six months, minus three short business trips, he still didn't realize how much he'd missed.

  His homecoming had been her most important Christmas present, and while they were still working out some problems, the Bible study they were involved in at Garth's church was helping.

  “Ladies and gentlemen.

  The drums rolled, and a spotlight hit the man at the microphone.

  “Welcome to the Spring Gala, Jefferson City's own community bash. Tonight you have the opportunity to bid on dream vacations, services, entertainment, a hot rod to call up the days of your youth, and our pièce de resistance.” The spotlight moved to the quilt that glowed like jewels in the brightness.

  “The Healing Quilt! Sewn and quilted by citizens of Jefferson City who cared enough to dream enough to bring a state-of-the-art mammogram unit to our hospital. Right now I'd like all the women who worked on this quilt to come forward so we can give them the hand they so richly deserve. Come on, ladies, right over there, stand in the spodight.”

  A spotlight made a circle on the floor, which was quickly filled with the women who'd helped. As he called their names, each of them raised her hand, and the applause kept on rolling.

  Kit felt an arm come around her waist and smiled at Beth, who stood between her and Teza.

  “We did it,” she mouthed, and Kit nodded. In spite of all the illnesses and treatments and family emergencies, they'd finished the day before the October first deadline. Just as Elaine had promised, the quilt had hung first at the hospital right as folks came in the front doors, then several banks, a restaurant, the country club, and the medical center. It had been featured on television, radio, in newspapers, and even several magazines. The quilt had done its job long before it came here for the auction.

  They filed back to their seats, half-blinded by the spotlight but laughing all the way.

  “Now I know what a star feels like. I can't see a thing.” Teza took her seat.

  Kit watched her carefully to make sure she didn't get too tired. When she'd mentioned taking it easy, however, Teza shook her head.

  “I can always sleep tomorrow. Tonight is a victory, and I wouldn't miss it for all the tea in China.”

  “Oh, oh, the wonder boy.” Mark crossed his arms over his chest as Winston Henry Jefferson IV strode across the stage. “How come he can still look young enough to be carded at restaurants, while the rest of us…” He smoothed a hand over his ever-extending forehead.

  “Genetics.” Kit knew that her husband and Winston had competed for the captainship of various teams through much of their growing-up years. Rumor had it that Winston's father had bought good will for his son by treating the teams to pizza and ice cream or even a night or two at the movies. She'd been a couple of years behind them in school, but that didn't matter much in a town their size. She returned her attention to the stage where Winston had been talking about the inception of this event.

  “…We see the purchase of this state-of-the-art diagnostic tool as the first step in our plans and dreams to build the Angela Jefferson Women's Oncology Center right her
e in Jefferson City. And we hope you good folks open your pocketbooks tonight to create a brighter future for our community. Thank you, and have a marvelous time.”

  Teza leaned forward around Mark to give Kit a rolled-eye look, along with a slight shake of her head.

  “Winnie is at it again.”

  Kit hid a chuckle behind her hand. Teza often told tales of boyhood pranks of the group Mark and Winnie hung out with, stories that made Mark invoke the old “Do as I say, not as I did” proverb with his children.

  Kit applauded along with everyone else as Winston left the stage, mostly because she was glad he hadn't been more long-winded.

  The auctioneer stepped up to the podium. “And now, what we've all been waiting for…who is going to take home this stunning quilt? Am I bid a thousand?” He went into his auctioneer patter and the price kept climbing. Two thousand, twenty-five, twenty-five hundred, three thousand.

  “Come on now, folks, we've just begun here.”

  “Five thousand.” A voice from the back brought a smile to the auctioneer's face. “Now that's what I like to hear. Give me ten.”

  Kit locked her folded hands under her chin. “Keep it going, dear God, keep it going.”

  The bids climbed to twenty thousand, and another of the bidders dropped out.

  “This is going for a good cause now. Do I hear twenty-five?”

  Kit twisted to see who it was still bidding from the back.

  “You better sit still or we may end up buying a quilt.” Mark spoke without moving his head.

  “No, we don't have a card.”

  “Neither does that man up there, but they are catching his bids.”

  “Oh, who is he?”

  “Got me, but he's sure helping the bid along.”

  “That's right, twenty-five, twenty-five, come on give me twenty-six.”

  “Thirty-five thousand dollars.”

  Who bid thatiYlt kept herself still by steel will.

  “Do I hear thirty-six? That's thirty-five to the man with the silver hair in the back. Anyone? Thirty-six.”

  “Too rich for my blood.”