Unraveling the Pieces

by Terri DuLong

  A huge smile covered her face as she raised her hand in the air to give me a high five. “Well, you go, girl! That’s great.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “This yarn shop is more like a romance club.”

  “Hmm, you’re right. And since I can’t remember the last time romance came my way, I’ll live vicariously through you.”

  She passed me the mug of coffee. “Thanks. Are you just not looking or not interested?”

  “I have to admit, I’m not actively looking. Running the shop here takes up a lot of my time, but I’m not averse to some knight on a white horse charging in here and whisking me away to a land of fantasy and romance.”

  I laughed. “Hey, you never know. Well, I’m going to go knit for a while.”

  “Have a great time tonight, Petra. And remember, we’ll all want the details next week.”

  “Right,” I said over my shoulder as I walked into the yarn shop.

  Chloe had finished with the customer and was arranging a new delivery of yarn on the display table.

  “Oh, that looks yummy,” I said, reaching to finger the soft fiber. “Is it Debbie Bliss?”

  “Yes, it’s the Baby Cashmerino Tonals. Isn’t it gorgeous? Look at the colors. I’m planning to make a sweater for Eliza using this.” She reached for a pattern on the table. “It’s called the Rainbow Sweater and I just love it.”

  I nodded at the beautiful blend of lime, blue, grape and yellow in the sweater photo. “It’s gorgeous and I love the soft pastels. How’s Eliza doing?” I asked.

  Chloe had become a first-time grandmother seven months before, and she was over the moon with happiness. And making her even happier was the fact that her son and his wife had relocated from the Boston area to live in Jacksonville, only a ninety-minute drive away.

  “She’s doing great. She has two teeth now and Treva said she thinks another one is on the way. Eli called last night and he’s on vacation next week, so Henry and I are going to drive up there tomorrow to visit for a few days.”

  “Oh, that’s great, Chloe. You be sure to bring back loads of photos of Eliza.”

  Chloe laughed. “Right. As if I wouldn’t.”

  “How are you this morning, Petra?” Mavis Anne asked as she joined us.

  “Good. I thought I’d knit for a little while.”

  “Oh, before I forget, Petra,” Chloe said, rushing to get her knitting bag, “I’ve decided the new design for the knit-along will be a shrug. What do you think?”

  She passed me a sketch of a very stylish shrug, shorter in the back and falling to two points in the front. Across the top of the page was written Petra’s Past.

  “Oh, Chloe. I just love it! I’m so flattered that you designed this for me.”

  “Good. I’m glad you like it. And here’s a swatch so you can see how it will work up.”

  “Very nice,” I said, fingering the soft yarn in subtle shades of blue, purple, and a hint of green.

  “It’s Malabrigo yarn, which is quite popular with knitters. Okay, now that I know you like it, I’ll begin to test knit it before I release the pattern for our knit-along.”

  “The color is gorgeous. It reminds me of the ocean.”

  Chloe nodded. “I thought so too. It’s called Azules. It’s a DK weight yarn and a superwash, which knitters love.”

  “You did a beautiful job with the design,” Mavis Anne said.

  I sat down to begin working on the baby sweater. I loved doing top-down sweaters because they seemed to go much faster. I was already on the sleeves.

  I looked up as Yarrow joined us and I heard her say, “So. Did you tell them your news, Petra?”

  “What news?” Mavis Anne asked.

  “Oh . . . well . . . Ben called the other evening and he asked me to dinner tonight.”

  Mavis Anne pointed a finger at me. “See! I told you he was interested.”

  “That’s wonderful,” Chloe said. “Where are you going?”

  “To Mario’s.”

  “Oh, a very nice choice. I think you’ll like it.” Mavis Anne nodded.

  “I’m sure I will,” I said, and realized that I was excited about going.

  “I’m very happy for you,” Mavis Anne said. “And of course you’ll give us all the details next week.”

  I laughed. “Right. Of course I will.”

  “How did it go the other day picking up the donation from Elaine Talbot?” she asked.

  I let out a sigh. “It was interesting.” I went on to explain how I got the feeling that she knew me. And then I mentioned the painting and how she’d invited me back for lunch.

  “That is interesting,” Mavis Anne said. “Do you mean she acted like she’d met you before?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. Sort of. It was the way she stared at me when she opened the door and first saw me. It wasn’t anything she said, but more a feeling I got.”

  “Yet she didn’t look familiar to you?” Chloe asked.

  “No. Not really. But the painting did look familiar, and it finally hit me this morning that my mother had one that was almost identical.”

  “Hmm,” Chloe said. “Well, it could be a copy and not an original by the artist. Where did your mother get it?”

  “I have no idea, but it’s at my house in Jacksonville now. I’m thinking about driving up there tomorrow to get the paintings.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Mavis Anne said. “It might be signed, and you can question Elaine about it when you go to lunch.”

  “That’s my plan,” I said. I recalled my recent dream about paying attention to the clues, and I wondered if this painting just might be a clue of some sort.

  * * *

  I was waiting and ready when Ben pulled up in my driveway at precisely six-thirty.

  He rang the bell, and Lotte raced to the living room. I scooped her up as I opened the door.

  “Hi,” I said. “Come on in. I just have to get my bag.”

  He reached over to give Lotte a pat before I put her down. He looked very nice in gray dress slacks and a navy cashmere pullover sweater. I had chosen black slacks with a white silk blouse and a swingy black cotton cardigan I had knitted.

  “You look great,” he said. I saw the expression of approval on his face.

  “Thanks.” I reached for my bag. “I think we’re all set. Now you be a good girl and watch the house,” I told Lotte.

  “This is a gorgeous place,” he said as we walked to the car.

  “It is. I’m fortunate to be able to stay here.”

  As he headed west on Granada, I asked how Jonah was.

  I saw the smile that covered Ben’s face. “He’s fine. He said to be sure to say hello from him.”

  “He’s quite a special boy. Is he still enjoying the dogs?”

  Ben nodded. “Oh, yeah. Getting those dogs for him was the best thing I ever did. I imagine it can be lonely at times being an only child, so I’m glad he has them for company. And I want to thank you again. You said you were an only child. Did you have a dog growing up?”

  “I did. We had a cocker spaniel we got when I was about eight. She passed away right before I left for college. Being away from the house made the loss a little bit easier.”

  “Yeah, that’s the tough part. When we lose them. But they certainly make all the years together worthwhile.”

  “I take it you also grew up with a dog?”

  “Yes. My brother and I always had a dog. That’s why I feel bad about not giving in sooner to Jonah. I’m really not sure what accounted for my reluctance, to be honest.”

  We had turned onto South Yonge and a little farther along Ben pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant.

  “Well, everything in life is timing,” I said.

  Minutes later we were seated at an intimate booth for two. The waitress came to take our drink order and Ben asked if I’d like red wine.

  “Sounds good,” I said, and he ordered a bottle of red from Tuscany.

  I looked around and liked how a partition separated the
diners, creating a sense of privacy for conversing.

  “This is a nice restaurant.”

  He nodded. “It’s not elaborate or fancy but has a nice atmosphere and the food is excellent. So what have you been up to? Keeping busy?”

  “Yes. I spent some time this week catching up on my work. I volunteered at the shelter on Monday, and on Thursday I went to pick up some donations from a woman named Elaine Talbot. She donates a lot to the shelter.”

  “I know Elaine. She brings her three dogs to me. Very nice woman.”

  “She was delightful. As a matter of fact, she invited me back for lunch next week. I think she’s lonely.”

  “Yeah, it’s not always easy being alone,” he said, and I wondered if he was also referring to himself. “Well, it sounds like you two might become friends. I’m sure Elaine would welcome that.”

  The waitress brought the wine, uncorked it, poured a bit for Ben to test, and then filled my glass.

  When she walked away, he lifted his glass to mine and said, “Here’s to what I hope will be a new friendship for you and me.”

  “To friendship.” I took a sip and nodded. “Very nice.” I’m not sure why, but I felt the need to tell Ben about Elaine’s reaction to meeting me and about the painting. He had a quality that made me feel I wanted to share things with him, and I realized that as a vet his clients probably felt the same way.

  When I finished telling him about the visit, he said, “But she didn’t look familiar to you?”

  I shook my head. “Not really. And now the painting has me curious. If it was painted by the same artist, how did my mother get one just like it? It’s not like we had money or my mother was an art collector.”

  “Hmm, I see what you’re saying. So you’re planning to drive to Jacksonville tomorrow to get the ones you have?”

  “Yes. I thought I’d bring my painting with me to lunch on Wednesday and maybe Elaine and I can figure it out.”

  He laughed. “Okay. I admit it. I’m a huge mystery buff. You have me intrigued.” He took a sip of wine. “This might be a bit presumptuous, but would you mind if I drove to Jacksonville with you tomorrow?”

  It took me by surprise that he would even be interested in my story, but his question appeared to be genuine. “Really?”

  He shook his head and I detected an expression of embarrassment cross his face. “I apologize if I’m being too forward. It’s just that . . . well . . . I like you, Petra.” He adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, a gesture I was coming to find endearing. “And I guess it was my way of asking to spend some more time with you. I understand if you’d rather go alone. But I really am interested in your story.”

  I reached across the table to touch his hand. “Oh, no. It wasn’t forward of you at all,” I hastened to say as I gave him a smile. “As a matter of fact, I think it’s very nice of you to offer. I would love you to go with me. Will Jonah be coming too?”

  The smile that now crossed his face was definitely flirty as he said, “Ah, no. I think Jonah’s dad needs some time alone with his new friend.”

  And I most definitely agreed.

  Rhonda August 1969

  My time in Jacksonville was racing past. It was hard to believe I’d been living with Sebine and Lillian for three months and I was already almost five months along in my pregnancy. My morning sickness had ended and I was now beginning to show. And not one day had passed that I hadn’t thought of Peter.

  My hand went to my stomach, and I smiled as I recalled my visit to Dr. Doyle the week before. He assured me that the flutters I had begun to feel were perfectly normal—it was my baby beginning to move. The baby that Peter and I had created together.

  I let out a sigh as I finished the last of my coffee and walked to the sink to wash the cup. Today was the day that Cynthia was coming to visit with Earle. Part of me was excited about seeing her again but part of me wondered if seeing her would renew the pain of leaving Peter. She was no longer living at the hotel. When her job assignment ended at the end of May, she and Earle had rented an efficiency apartment. They had both been working at a burger place to make extra money for their trip to Woodstock and then San Francisco.

  I looked up as Sebine walked into the kitchen.

  “Doing okay?” she asked.

  “Yeah. I’m fine. Cynthia will be here in about an hour.”

  She nodded. “Okay. The crabmeat salad is in the fridge for lunch and I made a new container of sweet tea for all of you. I’ll be out in my studio if you need anything.”

  “Can I bring them out to meet you?”

  Sebine smiled. “Of course you can. I’ll see you later,” she said, before walking out the back door.

  * * *

  Cynthia and Earle arrived in a beat-up Volkswagen bus that caused me to chuckle. The word Peace was painted across the front. Huge psychedelic-colored flowers and peace signs were painted on the sides of the bus.

  I walked out front to greet them, shaking my head. “Do you honestly think that thing will get you out to San Francisco?”

  Cynthia came running toward me and pulled me into a bear hug. “Oh, Rhonda. I’ve missed you so much.” She stood back and placed a hand on my abdomen. “And look at you. You’re showing!”

  I laughed as Earle came over and hugged me.

  “And yes,” he said. “The VW might not look roadworthy on the outside, but she’s in very good condition to do a cross-country trip.”

  “Come on in,” I told them.

  Sonny and Cher greeted us at the door. Earle stooped down to pat them while Cynthia gushed about the house as her eyes darted everywhere.

  “Oh, my gosh, Rhonda. This place is so nice. No wonder you love it here.”

  I nodded as they followed me to the kitchen. “I’m very fortunate. I couldn’t ask for nicer people to live with than Sebine and Lillian. How about a crab salad sandwich and sweet tea?”

  “Sounds great,” Rhonda said. “I’m starved. Oh, look at the beautiful patio and garden out back.” She pointed out the kitchen window as Earle pulled up a stool and joined us.

  “So bring me up to date on your news,” I said, as I began to prepare the sandwiches.

  Cynthia launched into various stories about Earle playing in the band while I listened and marveled how things seemed so different between us now. Cynthia’s hair had grown to her shoulders and she wore it straight in the hippie style. She was wearing cut-off jean shorts with a tie-dyed shirt of purple, red, orange, and yellow. I noticed a bracelet of beads around her ankle. Earle also looked much different from the waiter we had met in January at Broadglen’s. His hair had grown to his shoulders and he now wore it loose and flowing. He had also grown a beard.

  “So Earle is hoping to meet up with this guy, Brad, at Woodstock. He’s very interested in hearing Earle play his guitar in person and might hire him to play his club in San Francisco.”

  “That would be great,” I said as I realized neither one of them had to worry about responsibility or settling down. I suddenly felt much older than both of them, but at that moment I felt a kick in my stomach and knew I wouldn’t trade places for anything.

  I placed the sandwiches and tea on the table as Cynthia was still talking away.

  “Here we go,” I said. “Let’s eat.”

  “So you like it here?” Earle asked.

  “I do. And I love working for Dr. Fletcher and taking my secretarial classes at night.”

  “Right,” Cynthia said. “From what you’ve said, that’s also going well.”

  I nodded. I didn’t want to brag, but my instructor said my speed and efficiency were at the top of the class. “It’s going very well and I enjoy it. I love learning shorthand and my typing is good.”

  “Do you think you’ll stay here after the baby is born?” Cynthia asked, before reaching for another sandwich.

  “I’m not really sure what I’ll do. Of course my mother doesn’t know about the baby and I’m not ready to tell her yet. Sebine and Lillian said I can live here as l
ong as I want.”

  “Well, that’s good,” Earle said. “I’m glad you’re doing okay, Rhonda.”

  “Thanks, Earle.”

  There were a few moments of silence and I began to feel the elephant in the room was about to make an appearance.

  “Do you still think you did the right thing not telling Peter?” Cynthia asked.

  “I do. I wish it all could have been different. But it couldn’t. So yes, I believe I did the right thing.” I waited a second before asking, “Do you ever see him around?”

  Cynthia shook her head. “No. Never. But then, we don’t travel in the same circles, do we?”

  My point exactly, I thought.

  Cynthia helped me clean up after lunch as she continued telling me what it would be like in Woodstock, who would be there, what they would do, until I realized I had little interest in a gathering of rock musicians and their hippie followers.

  “Why don’t we go out to the studio so you can meet Sebine,” I said.

  I had a feeling Cynthia agreed so as not to offend me.

  We walked inside and I made the introductions.

  “I’m glad you could come to visit Rhonda,” Sebine said.

  “Yeah, I wanted to see her before we leave tomorrow for Woodstock. I’m not sure I’ll ever be back in this area again.”

  Sebine was cleaning a paintbrush and looked up. “Oh, are you planning to settle out in San Francisco?”

  Earle had remained silent, but I saw him shrug. “Who knows? Like Bob Dylan says, everything is blowin’ in the wind. If I can get a good gig out there with a club, we’ll stay. If not, we’ll move on.”

  After a few more minutes we went back to the house and I made coffee.

  As I sat on the patio listening to Cynthia and Earle talking, I knew that although she had been my friend since childhood, we would probably now drift apart. Her life was going in a completely different direction from mine. And that was okay.

  * * *

  Sebine, Lillian, and I were relaxing in the living room that evening after supper, and once again that sense of family and love came over me.

  “So the visit with your friends went well today?” Lillian asked.

  I was now working on a baby blanket. I had completed the sweater and was proud of the end result, so I had decided to continue making baby items.