Page 23 (1/2)
Not anymore I had a continuous stream of customers and I was intermittently busy most days I needed to thank Jacqueline the next time I saw her She’d spread the word about the store, and two of her affluent friends had recently stopped by Despite all her threats to quit the class, she showed up each and every Friday And Jacqueline’s country club friends had purchased four hundred dollars’ worth of yarn With big sales like these I didn’t need to worry about est concerns when I opened h to paythe rent and after less than three y was to live simply and believe in myself
When I arrived upstairs, I left the sentle breeze filtered through Whiskers was all overbetween my feet in an effort to attract my undivided attention I love my cat and he’s excellent company, but there are days I’d like a few moments to myself to unwind Whiskers’s demands come first, however
I opened a can of his favorite tuna and set it down He’s terribly spoiled, but I can’t help it While Whiskers chowed down on dinner, I sorted through the day’s aret
I hesitated before I tore it open Inside were two thank-you notes, one fro me for the sweaters I’d recently knit It was the first tiifts In the past I’d often suspected Margaret hadn’t given thes I made them
In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have reacted by phoning my sister Except that our strained relationship showed recent signs of ie my , I nearly did changeup But I knew she had Caller ID and would immediately contact me and ask why I’d phoned
Hailey answered on the second ring
"I got your thank-you note," I told her
"Mom said we should write you, but I would have anyway It’s a cool sweater, Aunt Lydia I love the colors"
"I’reen yarn and accented the cuffs and button bands with bright orange It turned out to be really cute, even if I do say so myself
"Mom’s here," Hailey said and before I could tell her it wasn’t necessary to interrupt Margaret, ht?" she deruff unfriendly tone she holds in reserve for irls today and I--"
"You only ever phone if soorically untrue but I didn’t want to argue with her Noraret because the experience was so often unsettling
"I’h but it sounded phony
"Have you seen that handsome UPS driver lately?"
I could feel my face heat up at the mention of Brad I hadn’t phoned her to talk about him "He was by the other day" Instantly I tried to think of so to distract her from the subject of Brad Goetz, and couldn’t
The UPS driver was as friendly as ever but he no longer asked me out He knew about rateful he didn’t forceexcuses But when he’d left after his ret That slight but unmistakable sense of loss stayed with est the two of you get together?" Margaret pressed
"No I…" That was all I got out beforeme this shop of yours is an affirmation of life"
"Yes, I know, but--"
"Well, why don’t you put your money where your mouth is"
It distressedaret"
"Life?" She said it scornfully "What life? All you do is work and knit, which is your work Oh sure, you visit Mom and have a couple of friends, but--"
It was my turn to cut her off "I aret acted as if she hadn’t heard me "Ask him out for a beer," she insisted
"No!"
"Why not?"
I wasn’t sure why I was so adaht, I’"
"Get over it"
"Oh, Margaret, youseeain until you do"
"Are you serious?" I couldn’t believe she’d say anything like that to me
"Dead serious" She disconnected the phone
I stared at the receiver a full aret could be so dictatorial My own sister refused to speak to me until I contacted a man she’d only seen once, and briefly at that? Well, she could forget it; I wasn’t giving in That decided, I went to find so decent for dinner
Because I feel diet is so i a healthy body, I avoid processed foods as much as possible On occasion I microwave a frozen entrée, but only rarely I did that evening, however, because aret had said I should invite Brad out for a drink Okay, so maybe she had ht, and it was time forclass seemed to think so, too But I had no idea how
At nine, I phoned her back
Knowing my sister, I half expected her to slaive her the chance "What do I say?" I asked "I’ve already turned him doice Now that he knows I’ve had cancer, he probably isn’t interested He ht And I wouldn’t blaearet laughed Generally not even a stand-up coet a response out of my sister She’s one of those deadpan wo
"Ime for help?"
"Yes If you refuse to talk to me until I make a fool of myself over a o about it"