Alan Fitzgerald had been hired to fill the position vacated by Derek Kettler. When Alan walked into the lab, Martha was aware of his smile and the dark curls loosely falling on his forehead. When he spoke, she expected to hear a British accent and was surprised to hear, instead, a touch of Texas twang. She was taken with this handsome man and caught herself wishing he weren’t married. She immediately admonished herself for the thought and for dwelling on such superficiality.
Alan quickly learned the job and was a bright, efficient researcher. His reports were detailed and precise, exactly what Martha had hoped for in an assistant. He was even able to lessen her own load by quickly assuming many of the responsibilities she had been performing because she didn’t have an assistant she could depend upon. After he had been there a few months, she actually left work at 5:00 p.m. one Friday afternoon, something she hadn’t been able to do for several years. Walking out of the office, she felt like a burden had been lifted and a tentative smile crept across her face.
Not being in the mood to head straight home, Martha decided to call her mother. They hadn’t talked for several weeks, maybe more. Martha wondered if her mother might want to go out to dinner. She thought it would be good for the two of them to sit down, have a drink, and just visit like friends. She never understood the distance that existed between them, yet she was aware how different they were. Her mother was quick to laugh and appeared to be enjoying life, although Martha found it hard to understand. Life seemed so difficult to her, so intense.
“Hello, Mother?”
“Martha! I’m so glad you called. I’ve been thinking about you.”
They exchanged the usual polite conversation and finally Martha got to the point saying, “I was hoping you might be free to go out to dinner tonight. I got off early, well early for me, and I was hoping you hadn’t made dinner plans.”
“I would love that, Martha! I just got home from Stitches. …”
“Stitches?” Martha repeated questioningly.
“Running Stitches, the quilt shop where I took my classes. I’ve been meeting with the owner this week and, wait! If we’re going to have dinner together, I’ll tell you all about it then. Shall I fix something here?”
“I was thinking it would be fun to go out.” Martha thought it would be better for them to be in neutral territory so that, perhaps, they could meet as friends and avoid their parent-child patterns from years past. “How about I pick you up in a half hour?”
“Perfect! I’ll see you then.” Sarah hung up feeling pleased but puzzled. It was so unlike Martha. She hoped nothing was wrong.
Sarah hurried out the front door just as Martha pulled up. Martha admired her mother’s ability to always look so fresh and healthy. Her short blond hair came just below her ears and was sprinkled with gray. She had maintained her figure throughout her life and had a snap to her walk, which pointed to years of healthy living. As she watched her approach the car, Martha wondered about her mother’s relationship with Charles. She had met Charles the previous year and liked him, despite her apprehension about her mother dating. Charles has been good for her, she thought, taking in her mother’s relaxed, happy smile.
“Hi, sweetie,” Sarah said as she slid effortlessly into the passenger’s seat. “Where to?”
“I was thinking we could go to that new seafood restaurant out on Route 39. I’ve heard great things about it.”
“I would love that,” she responded enthusiastically. They both felt a bit self-conscious at first, and conversation was somewhat stilted, but once they were seated in the restaurant, they both began to relax.
“Tell me about your cruise,” Martha said. They had talked briefly right after Sarah returned from her quilting cruise, but Martha hadn’t taken the time to hear the details. Sarah launched into the many stories she had to tell about the trip and Martha found it interesting. “I just might consider taking a cruise someday,” she said thoughtfully.
“We just might consider taking a cruise together some day,” Sarah said with a raised eyebrow and a tentative smile. They both sat quietly imagining, each in her own way, what that might be like. The waiter arrived with their drinks and shrimp cocktails. As they sipped their wine and enjoyed the fresh shrimp, they found themselves actually having a good time. “Where do you suppose they get fresh seafood in the middle of the country like this?” Sarah asked her very knowledgeable daughter.
“I imagine they truck the fish down from Lake Michigan. As for the shellfish, who knows. Maybe they fly it in from the coast.” About that time, the waiter arrived with their meals. The two women sat for another hour, slowly savoring their food and enjoying their time together. They ordered coffee and a scrumptious dessert to share before deciding it was time to head home.
The two women were quiet on the ride to Cunningham Village, neither feeling a need to fill the empty space with chatter. They hesitantly hugged as Martha dropped her mother off, both realizing Martha had shed a bit of her armor.
On her way home, Martha thought about her mother’s request that she spend some time at Stitches while she was managing the shop. As she listened to her mother’s various responsibilities, Martha could tell she was concerned about the computerized accounting system. “I just hope I don’t completely fowl up Ruth’s finances,” her mother had said. Sarah was comfortable with basic computer functions; she had learned to surf the internet and use the word processing and emailing applications, but the shop computer was another thing.
Martha offered to develop a manual recording system that her mother could use during the week. She told her mother that she would come to the shop on Saturdays and update the computer system from the manual records. Sarah had looked visibly relieved, and both women realized it would offer them a chance to get reacquainted.
Although Martha felt she had good reasons for distancing herself from her family over the past two decades, she also knew it hadn’t been that difficult for her to do. Distancing came natural to her. She preferred her laboratory to the outside world and research to personal interactions. However, she had to admit that she was missing a large part of life.
As she drove home, Martha didn’t notice the black car that pulled out behind her, nor did she notice that it remained at a distance until she arrived home.
Chapter 4
Sarah woke up early feeling both excited and apprehensive. It was Friday and her first day managing Stitches. It would be a long day with the Friday Night Quilters coming into the shop that night. She fixed a quick breakfast, straightened up the kitchen and clipped Barney’s leash onto his collar. “Yes, we have a big adventure today,” she said as she led him to the car.
Arriving at Stitches, Sarah turned into the alley that ran along the side of the shop. She parked where Ruth always parked, leaving the street parking for her customers. My customers, she thought with a smile. As she and Barney approached the shop, she saw a precisely printed sign on the door announcing the new hours: OPEN 10–5.
Sarah had assured Ruth she was comfortable with keeping the shop open in the evening, but Ruth had insisted on closing at 5:00. There had been several robberies in Middletown, and she was concerned for Sarah’s safety. All of the robberies had been in the downtown area, and Sarah was not worried. Stitches was in the suburbs and surrounded by a settled community.
As she opened the door, she was struck by the beauty of the fabrics and felt excited as she approached a new line Ruth had just added. Beautiful! She thought as she ran her hand over the colorful bolts. It was only 9:00, and she had an hour to get ready for her first customers. She knew she didn’t need to be there so early, but she was eager for her new adventure to begin.
Sarah went into the kitchenette and got the coffee pot started. She opened a bag of cookies and spread them out on a plate. She made sure all the lights were on, opened the safe and took out the cash box. She arranged the money in the cash register and sat down on the stool awaiting her first customer. She looked at the clock and saw that it was only 9:20. Barney had alr
eady found a corner and had curled up for his morning nap. “Hmm,” she said aloud. “I guess I don’t need to come in this early.”
To pass time, she checked to make sure the door was locked and went into the stock room to look at the fabrics that were waiting to be added to the shop as bolts were emptied. She became engrossed in the array of colors and designs and began thinking about quilts she could make. She decided to rearrange the bolts so they would be easier to get to when she needed them. When she returned to the main shop, she was surprised to see it was now a few minutes before ten. She unlocked the door and noticed a bolt of blue batiks out of place. As she was pulling the bolt out to move it, she heard the tinkle of the bell on the door. My first customer!
Sarah turned and was delighted to see Charles’ smiling face as he came through the door. Barney jumped up to greet him, and Charles squatted down to allow the kisses Barney was so eager to bestow. “I tried to be your first customer,” he said with a big grin as he walked toward her. “I guess I made it.” They hugged and he kissed her gently.
She sent him into the kitchenette to get them both coffee and cookies and they spent the next half hour talking about the shop. He loved seeing the glitter in her eyes as she talked with excitement. I’m glad Ruth left my girl in charge, he thought. This is making her very happy.
At precisely 10:30, the bell tingled a second time. Sarah looked up eagerly to see her first real customers. Kimberly and Christina came rushing in, their eyes as big as saucers. “Sarah! What are you doing behind the register?” Obviously, Ruth hadn’t had time to let everyone know she would be away. Kimberly and Christina were sisters and were part of the Friday Night Quilters, a group of friends that met in the shop to sew, show off their projects, and generally support one another. They had also purchased a long-arm quilting machine the previous year and did all of Sarah’s quilting.
Sarah caught them up on what was happening with Ruth and asked if she could help them with anything, hoping they would say no. Fortunately, Kimberly spoke up saying, “We know exactly what we want! Ruth has a new line of very brightly colored modernistic fabrics, and I want to make a wall hanging for an artist friend of mine.”
“That sounds like a perfect choice,” Sarah responded. She knew the fabric line and led the two sisters right to it. Charles smiled from the sidelines, knowing about her fear of not knowing the answers. Sarah cut the fabric and rang up the sales without a hitch, considering her hands were shaking uncontrollably. She hugged them both as they left but called after them saying, “Are you two coming to the club meeting tonight?”
Christina looked surprised. “Are we going to be meeting with Ruth away?”
“I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t. Maybe I should call everyone and make sure they know we’re on for tonight.”
“Sarah, I have everyone’s number on that list Ruth made up for us. How about I do that for you in case you get busy?”
“Thank you, Christina. That would be great! I’ll see you tonight.”
As she waved to the sisters and closed the door, Charles asked with a look of concern, “What’s this about tonight? I thought you weren’t going to be working at night.”
“Actually, Ruth and I never really resolved what to do about the Friday night group. At one point, she suggested that Anna might be able to be in charge of it, but she didn’t get back to me. We both just forgot about it, I guess. I think we should go ahead and meet though. That get-together is important to the whole group!”
“Do you want me to come with you tonight?”
“Thank you, Charles, but I’ll be fine.” Charles walked a tight line with Sarah around issues involving her independent nature. His impulse was to be her protector, but she often saw that as smothering. She had an independent streak that was hard for him to understand after many years of being married to a woman who enjoyed being looked after. Of course, his wife had been sick, and Sarah was a healthy, vital woman eager to take care of herself. He let the subject drop, but it was difficult for him.
As he was getting ready to leave, Charles asked, “Would you like for me to take Barney for a walk before I go?”
“Oh my! That’s something I completely forgot about. I can’t leave the shop to take him outside. Would you please?”
The two returned a half hour later, and Charles saw that there were several groups of women busily pulling bolts down and asking Sarah’s advice. He was pleased to see she was chatting away, pointing toward other bolts, and appearing to be completely comfortable in her new role. He smiled to himself and threw her a goodbye kiss when he caught her eye.
A couple of hours later, Sarah realized she was getting hungry. “That’s another thing I forgot to plan for,” she said aloud to no one. She called the café across the street and ordered a sandwich. Meanwhile, she made a sign to hang on the door saying she would be right back. She locked the door, hung the sign, and crossed the street with Barney in tow. She tied his leash to the newspaper dispenser outside the café and went in to pick up her lunch while keeping a close eye on the shop.
Later in the afternoon, the shop began to fill up with customers. Sarah could barely keep up with cutting fabric, ringing up sales, and explaining why Ruth wasn’t there. She was thrilled to see Anna crossing the street heading for the shop. “Anna! I’m so glad to see you,” she gushed as Anna entered the shop.
“I was thinking you might need me,” Anna responded. “Fridays can be very busy. Geoff told me that two online orders came in today, and I came over to get those in the mail, but I can stay if you need me.” Anna was Ruth’s sister. They had been estranged for many years due to their father’s strong Amish beliefs. After their father’s death and when they were expecting their first child, Anna and her husband, craving a family connection, moved to Middletown to be near Ruth and her daughter, Katie. Geoff, a computer consultant, offered to set up an online shop for Ruth. Anna worked in the shop until Annabelle was born and afterward continued to process the online sales.
As predicted, the shop was busy all afternoon. Sarah and Anna worked together, keeping up with the customers and getting the online orders packaged up. With a deep sigh, they locked the door at precisely 5:00. As they were leaving, Sarah asked, “Are you planning to come to the club meeting tonight?”
Anna looked confused by the question, and said, “Ruth asked me to run the meeting on Friday nights. Has that changed?”
“No! It’s just that Ruth forgot to get back with me about it. She said she was going to ask you, but she never let me know what you said. I’m delighted that you are going to do it! I’m feeling just a bit overwhelmed.”
Anna reached into her pocket and pulled out a scrap of paper. “Take my number. Friday and Saturday afternoons can get very busy. Just give me a call and I’ll pop over. In fact, anytime you need me, call. Geoff is working from home and Annabelle loves sitting in her bouncy chair next to him at the computer. She’s daddy’s little girl.” Changing the subject, Anna asked, “Will you be coming tonight?”
“Absolutely! I’m going to relax with a hot bath, eat some dinner, and I’ll be ready for the meeting by 7:00.” The two women hugged, and Sarah headed for her car with Barney trotting along by her side.
“That was an excellent day!” she said to Barney as they drove home. He smiled and wagged his tail enthusiastically.
Chapter 5
Over the next two weeks, Sarah settled into running the shop as if she had done it for years. Her worries were unfounded in that either she knew the answers to her customers’ questions, or they would figure the problems out together. She was having a fantastic time and was thinking about asking Ruth if she could work part time after she returned.
Martha came in for a few hours on the first two Saturdays, and they worked on the temporary account system she had developed. Sarah was able to keep track of the various data pieces on paper during the week, and Martha entered it all on the computer when she came in. “Ruth will be overjoyed,” Sarah had told Martha when the first entr
ies were completed, and a sample report had been run. “She expected to have this whole thing to sort out when she returned.”
“How’s her mother?” Martha asked. Sarah told her that her mother was barely conscious, and Ruth felt she needed to be in the hospital, but of course, she was honoring her mother’s wishes to remain at home. The doctor had been visiting as was common in the Amish community, and she was being kept comfortable. Ruth called every few days with updates so Sarah could respond to the customers who were asking about her.
Martha and Sarah’s relationship was improving. Now that they had a common interest around which to relate, they seemed to be getting closer. They had a particularly meaningful experience one Saturday when they encountered unexpected demands at Stitches.
Sarah had invited Martha to come for dinner after work that day. She had put a pot roast meal in the Crock-Pot, and they were looking forward to a relaxing evening. It was Saturday and, again, was a very busy day. Anna had come in for a few hours in the early afternoon but, once she left, a busload of quilters had stopped at the shop on their way to Hamilton. Renee, who was clearly the leader of the group, said that she had told Ruth the previous month that they would be there. Ruth had promised a special reception for them. Obviously, Ruth had forgotten to share this information with Sarah.
“I’m sorry, Renee,” Sarah apologized. “Ruth had a family emergency and I’m sure your visit slipped through the cracks. But we can certainly make this work!” She asked Martha to hurry across the street to the café and purchase refreshments and, turning to the busload of women, she announced a 25% sale effective immediately. The group was overjoyed, and twenty-five or thirty women crowded into the shop. Martha returned with a tray of assorted sweets and hurried into the small kitchen to make coffee.
It was a very busy afternoon, with Sarah cutting fabric and Martha running the cash register nonstop. When the bus pulled away, Sarah took a deep breath and with a chuckle said, “Well, that was really exciting!”
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