All That Glitters

by Lisa Prysock

  “That’s amazing you remember all of those details, Jill. In fact, I don’t even think I knew of Christy’s existence, nor could I remember half of those names.” Aunt Meredith tilted her head in wonder. “Now how did you know this? Heritage is important.”

  Nicole finally managed to stab her thread through her needle. In time, maybe she’d get better at it. She pulled the strand through the needle a long way and tied a knot quickly to keep it on the needle, afraid she’d lose it again if she didn’t hurry the process. Then she went to work making tiny stitches on her square.

  “You remember all of those letters I found in that old trunk in the barn, Aunt Meredith. I read every one of them when I was dating Logan, when we first moved here,” Jill explained. “Since then, I’ve written these names down in our family Bible, the one Sadie gave Logan for Christmas.”

  “I’m glad to hear you like the gift and added your family history,” Sadie said as she made herself a cup of tea from the refreshment table. “I filled in Logan’s history so you’d have it.”

  “We like it very much,” Jill commented as she busied herself with stitching her square. “We read from it to the children several times a week. The illustrations are wonderful.”

  Nicole looked around the table at their progress. Each square was unique from anyone else’s. Her own square would be made up of nine smaller squares, all from different fabrics. A few of the other ladies were working on similar nine-patch patterns, and those who were advanced in technique made more complex designs.

  There were two things they each did in common with the quilt squares. First, they used only fabrics in shades of purples, greens, and white in a variety of patterns. Secondly, they maintained the size of finished nine-patch squares to twelve by twelve inches. Betty Anne would sew all of the completed nine-patch squares together on a machine at the end of the project, but for the most part, each smaller square was stitched to the next by hand with love and prayers.

  “Oh yes, Jill, now I remember when you found those letters in that trunk.” Aunt Meredith reached for the scissors in her sewing basket to trim a tail of thread after making a row of tiny stitches on her quilt square.

  “Reading those letters has given me a number of new book ideas,” Jill said. “They were so interesting and really helped me realize that our relationship with the Lord is the most important thing in life. After God, our relationship with family is most important. I learned about having faith through the hard times, too. Those letters taught me a lot, even as old as they were.”

  “I still don’t understand what caponata is,” Jackie remarked while she handed scraps of cloth to the little girls at her table.

  “Caponata is a vegetable side dish which has chopped eggplant, onions, celery, tomatoes, Sicilian olives, and Italian capers in it.” Betty Anne finished explaining about the dish for her curious granddaughter.

  “Okay, I see.” Jackie smiled at her grandmother, Betty Anne Fontaine. “I think you’ve made it for us once or twice before.”

  Her grandmother nodded. “I have, but I’ll finish my story now. So I had this fancy dinner on the table of caponata and chicken parmigiana. As I said, your grandfather, Maxwell, had gone to our tiny apple orchard to pick some apples for my craving. It wasn’t really an orchard, more like a patch of apple trees. Anyhow, I’d worked very hard to prepare the meal that afternoon. It was some of my best cooking at the time and I had hand-breaded the chicken, made a delicious Italian sauce, and made my pasta and the rugelach pastry from scratch using all of the techniques my mother had shown me. I was exhausted because I was almost nine months along. Your mother, Jill, she was due to arrive any day. My back ached, my feet hurt, and I was as big as a cow.”

  Everyone in the room chuckled.

  “Your grandfather, Maxwell, was so late for dinner, I finally decided to go out on the farm and look for him. Well, it’s a good thing I did. About half an hour later, I found him on the ground beneath one of our apple trees with the ladder on top of him. The ladder had fallen down with him on it and he’d knocked himself out. He was there for a long while after trying to collect apples for me to make those apple fritters.”

  “What happened next, Grandma?” Gracie Anne asked. Nicole had learned at a previous quilting session that she was being raised as Jill’s middle daughter, but was actually Logan’s niece. He’d adopted her and her brother, Micah, when Logan’s sister, Cassie, and her husband, Matt, had died in a tragic car accident. Gracie Anne and Micah were so well adjusted, if they hadn’t explained it to Nicole, she was certain she’d never have guessed they’d been through such an ordeal. It did cause her to think about Jack Colten when Gracie started talking. She started remembering everything he’d said about losing his brother to a hit and run car accident.

  Then she thought about how Jack had continued to deliver the roses from Drew and more packages she’d ordered for Christmas gifts over the past few days, but he’d barely spoken two words to her since their argument. Each day, he’d made some excuses to Amy about having to get back to the barn. Obviously, he was still upset with her for not breaking things off with Drew Fairchild. Nicole could understand his frustration, but it was a much bigger decision than she could make in mere weeks. She still needed time to think things through. In the meantime, quilting sessions, homeschool lessons every morning, working out, more shopping, and spending time with Amy on the ranch kept her busy.

  Betty Anne’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. She was laughing as she recalled the situation. “Well, I tossed a bucket of water on him and he came to rights again. Then we went home and ate our fancy supper, though I had to put it all back on the stove and reheat it again.”

  The ladies chuckled at Betty Anne’s story and shortly after, a pretty blond girl walked into the ranch library. “Hey everyone. Sorry I’m running late. I guess I lost track of the time while I was checking out the beautiful property.”

  “Hi Annabelle,” Jill said. “It’s no problem. I’m glad you had a chance to look around The Sweetwater and decided to join us. I was hoping you would. There’s an extra seat between Nicole Beaumont and my mother-in-law, Sadie Haven, if you’d like to make yourself comfortable. I put a sewing kit there and I’m sure Sadie can get you started. What we’re doing is very easy. I find it enjoyable, once you get the hang of it.”

  “Thanks,” Annabelle smiled as she sat down between Nicole and Sadie where Jill had indicated. “I don’t sew, but I thought it might be a nice change of pace to hang out with you ladies while Luke takes care of business up at the barns.”

  Nicole nodded and offered a warm smile in her direction. “Welcome. Nice to meet you.”

  “Yes, welcome, Annabelle.” Sadie began threading an extra needle for her. “If you’d like any ambrosia salad or other refreshments, there’s a snack table in the corner with coffee, tea, water, cookies, and fresh veggies. Please feel free to have whatever you like and take breaks whenever you want. This is meant to be a relaxing quilting session. We’re planning to give the quilt away to a needy family later on, closer to Christmas.”

  The pretty blond nodded with a thankful smile. Others said hello or welcome, and turning to the rest of the group, Jill added, “Annabelle and her husband, Luke Dawson, are here for one or two nights on this visit. Luke was kind enough to bring some horses to our ranch. Logan and I are absolutely thrilled to have a few new gorgeous horses for our guests to ride on the trails. I hope you enjoy your brief stay with us.”

  “Thank you so much for the warm welcome. I’m sure we will enjoy our getaway.” Annabelle Dawson paid attention to Sadie Haven’s instructions. In a few minutes, Jill’s mother-in-law had threaded her needle, shown her a few stitches, and given her some squares to begin sewing together. She looked relieved at how easy it was and began stitching shortly after the demonstration.

  Jill continued chatting away. Nicole figured she was trying to be a great hostess for the group. “I should introduce you to the rest of our group, Annabelle. As I mentioned, Sadie, to y
our right, is my mother-in-law, and Nicole is one of our guests, to your left. This is my mom, Betty Anne; our ranch cook, Mrs. Wright; and this is my aunt, Meredith. Beside me is Laina, on a getaway with her husband, Austin.” Each lady at the table looked up and smiled when introduced, returning to their stitching and bending their heads over the work at hand. “At the children’s table, we have Laina’s niece, Emma; Nicole’s daughter, Amy; and my three girls, Jackie, Gracie Anne, and Savannah.”

  “Your girls are so well behaved,” Annabelle remarked as she observed the quiet table. Each of the girls concentrated on their own projects.

  “Thank you,” Jill smiled. “We think so, too. They’re making doll clothes out of our extra scraps.”

  “That’s sweet.” Annabelle accepted a bottle of spring water from Mrs. Wright, who stopped stitching long enough to hand out more refreshments to each of the ladies.

  Nicole breathed a sigh of relief that the introductions had gone well and no one had made a fuss over her. She kept making tiny stitches, trying hard not to stab herself again with the needle. Either Annabelle didn’t recognize her, or she was being polite, or shy. In any case, it was refreshing to be among a group of friends without having unwanted extra attention about her acting career.

  “It looks as though you timed your trip to The Sweetwater perfectly. You and Luke beat the winter weather headed our way. We’re expecting heavy snowfall tonight and into tomorrow morning, but they usually plow fast in this area. Then you’ll be able to get back on the road whenever you’re ready.” Betty Anne cut a long piece of thread and began threading her needle again.

  “Thankfully, my husband is good with keeping up on the weather reports.” Annabelle looked up long enough to reply and then bent her head back over her work.

  Jill’s Aunt Meredith added, “If you stay through tomorrow morning, you’ll be able to join in on the sled riding after breakfast. They’re saying we’ll have at least a good twelve inches or more. I heard the wranglers say they have a whole shed full of all kinds of sleds. I may close my retail shop for the whole day to build a snowman with my nieces and nephews in the afternoon. I don’t think any roads will be open in the morning.”

  Annabelle paused from her work. “That sounds like fun. Did you know it was snowing when I arrived?”

  “Snowing?” Amy squealed with the other little girls and jumped to her feet. Followed by Emma and Savannah, she ran to the long window nearest the Christmas tree and pressed her nose against the glass.

  “Aunt Meredith, do you promise you’ll sled ride with us and build a snowman?” Savannah turned away from the window and ran to her great-aunt’s side, pleading with a sweet voice and big brown eyes framed by two ponytails of golden-brown hair. “We’d really like it.”

  Meredith Johnston chuckled as she set aside her quilting square and scooped up a spoonful of ambrosia salad. “I can’t promise I’ll get on a sled at my age, sweetie pie, but I might come outside for a few minutes in the afternoon to build a snowman. Then we can drink some hot cocoa.” Savannah seemed satisfied and returned to Amy and Emma at the window.

  Nicole glanced at Amy’s hopeful looks and then bent her head back down over her work. At this point, even if Jack didn’t come through on the sled-riding date, she’d have to take Amy. She wasn’t about to disappoint her daughter because of their disagreement.

  “How’s everyone’s Christmas shopping going?” Mrs. Wright asked.

  “Except for some items we purchased for our sweet niece, Emma, I haven’t even started ours,” Laina admitted. “We’ve done so much baby shopping already.”

  “I knew you wouldn’t forget me, Laina.” Emma grinned and Nicole noticed she went right back to making her doll a pretty red scarf. Amy and Savannah followed Emma’s lead and returned to the children’s table to sit with Jackie and Grace Anne.

  Laina glanced at her charge. “Of course not, sweetie.”

  “Nicole, how’s your Christmas shopping going?” Jill asked.

  Nicole froze as she thought about all of the boxes taking up the space in her foyer and an entire corner in her living room, not to mention some things she’d hidden from Amy in her closet. Maybe she should talk about her shopping problem. Perhaps she’d gain some perspective. Was she simply trying to fill a void in her life with an insatiable desire for material things?

  “Uh, well, uh...to be honest,” she stammered, “I think I have a shopping addiction. I think I was done with my Christmas shopping list a long time ago, but I can’t seem...I can’t seem to stop buying things.”

  There was a pause of silence for a few seconds, and then the library erupted with laughter, chuckles, and everyone talking at once. There were nods of understanding and lots of smiles all around the quilt.

  “It’s certainly the season for giving and shopping,” Jill grinned, nodding merrily with the other ladies. “I have to admit, shopping almost always makes me happy. With Thanksgiving just a few days away, shoppers will be out in full force.”

  As discussions turned to Black Friday sales amongst each other, Annabelle leaned toward Nicole. In a low voice, she admitted, “I think I may be addicted to purchasing books.”

  Nicole giggled, relieved to find common ground with another woman in the friendly group. “Me too, especially books for my daughter, but we’re both avid readers and I can’t seem to stop myself from buying her things I think she’d like and need. I seem to be able to rationalize every purchase.”

  “Books are the best,” Laina added to their conversation since she was seated on the other side of Nicole next to Jill. “Oh, man, I’m so clumsy. I sewed the wrong sides of the fabric together. I guess I have to start over.”

  “I’ve had to start over a few times, too. I completely understand,” Nicole sympathized.

  The library door opened and three more ladies joined them. Jill introduced the lady using a cane as Buck’s wife, Ella Maxheimer; one as Tory, Bronson’s fiancée; and the other as a neighbor and new church member, Mrs. Frances Evans. Jill mentioned Frances had been attending the chapel on The Sweetwater with her son, Jared. They said hello to everyone as Mrs. Wright brought more chairs to the table. The group gathered in the pleasant room lined with bookshelves and long windows had become a talkative bunch. She, Laina, and Annabelle were free to converse amongst each other.

  “I guess I have learned a few ways to ease my obsession with books. I’m really money conscious since my folks put all of their faith in money. I tend to shop at resale shops and thrift stores for books and clothes instead of going to the mall and expensive stores.” Annabelle accepted a dish of ambrosia salad when Mrs. Wright brought a tray of refreshments around on one of her sewing breaks.

  “That’s a great idea,” Nicole stabbed herself with the needle and winced, but managed to recover quickly. “Especially for children’s clothing. Amy is in a new size every few months it seems.”

  Laina offered a tip as well. “I really struggle when I see books, blue jeans, or a new pair of boots. I’m a tomboy at heart, so I’m drawn to western wear. I try to avoid having more than three of anything. If I buy new, I try to give away something from my closet right away.”

  “That’s a good idea, too,” Nicole agreed. “I need to give more things away soon to keep things streamlined.”

  “We have a thrift shop ministry in Tipton and I like to give to them first if my friends or family don’t need anything,” Laina explained. “That way, I know anything I give is going to a really great outreach.”

  “I’m all for that,” Annabelle agreed.

  “Yes, that’s a wonderful idea. If I could just stop buying hats. I seem to have a weakness for hats, and boots, and shoes, and purses...” Nicole looked up, a faraway look in her eyes as she considered the many possibilities.

  Annabelle and Laina nodded and laughed.

  Nicole returned to her sewing and accidently stabbed herself with the sewing needle again and yelled, “Ouch!”

  A few ladies chuckled at her outburst with understanding. They�
�d all done the same thing at one time or another. Ella Maxheimer leaned forward from her seat and asked, “Have you tried the thimble in your sewing basket?”

  “Brilliant idea,” Nicole stammered. “I seem to be all thumbs. I may need ten thimbles.”

  Chapter 14

  This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

  I John 5:14-15, NIV

  Nicole and Amy headed back to the cabin after the rewarding quilting session to freshen up for dinner in the main house dining hall. They’d made more new friends and strengthened friendships with others. Amy clutched her doll, happy to have several new outfits she’d designed herself. It didn’t matter they were a little crudely finished and somewhat crooked. The only thing that mattered to her was the fact she had enjoyed time with other children now counted as friends, and had accomplished something enjoyable. They exited the library, crossed the sunken living room, and paused at the front desk in the foyer to see if any other packages had arrived. A clerk handed her a manila envelope.

  “Thanks.” Nicole smiled as she accepted the mail. Then they continued along, crossing the front porch, and caught a ride on the ranch wagon pulled by a fancy team of mules wearing holiday bells and blinders. The mules, driven by wrangler Jed, gave them a ride along winding Sadie Lane and then took a right turn onto Bridge Haven Road toward the long row of cabins. Nicole shivered as the temperature had dropped, glad she and Amy had worn their puffy winter vests and long-sleeved flannel shirts. It had stopped snowing, but she knew more would be coming soon. Cabin number eight was the last one in the zig-zag row. They’d need to wear scarves, gloves, and maybe coats on their way to dinner.