that’s exactly my point! Why shouldn’t I give the main house to those who really need it? The carriage house has everything I need.”
“Hey, everybody.” Garrett was standing in the doorway. “Where’s Liza?”
“Hi, sweetheart. Did you have fun babysitting?”
He shrugged. “While it lasted. We were about ten minutes into a game of Candy Land when Ivy came home. So, Franklin and I went to the movies. I figured you’d all be done by the time it was over and then I could pick up Liza and take her out for a late dinner.”
He looked around the room. “Where is she, anyway?”
“She went out to look for you.”
“Well, why did you let her do that?” he asked. “How was she supposed to know I’d gone to the movies?” Garrett was the best of sons, but clearly he’d been looking forward to seeing Liza and was irritated to find her missing in action. He looked at the three of us, sitting around an open bottle of wine, drinking and laughing while one of our number was out wandering the dark streets of New Bern, with an expression of disgust. He dug his cell phone from his back pocket, put it to his ear, and headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To find my girlfriend,” he answered in a tone that made it clear he felt that indeed there were such things as stupid questions and then left without saying good-bye.
Yep, I thought. Maternal guilt. It’s yours for life.
9
Ivy Peterman
Monday dawned bright and clear. The weatherman said the high temperature would be in the mid-seventies, with low humidity. The kids ate their breakfast without any complaints. And when we got into the car for the drive to the day care center, the Toyota started up without any fuss. It should have been a great start to a great day.
But I knew it wouldn’t be, not after the way things had ended on Friday night.
I was just putting on my coat and getting ready to leave for the day when I heard the sound of female voices and the hollow clatter of feet on the stairs, several pairs of them. For a moment I thought it must be quilters coming up to take a class, but then I remembered there weren’t any Friday-night classes on the schedule.
The door opened. Evelyn, Abigail, and Margot entered carrying project bags and trays loaded down with platters of cheese, fruit, and other snacks, plus a bottle of wine. Liza brought up the rear carrying a tray with a collection of mismatched coffee mugs I recognized as coming from the break room.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said, remembering what day it was. “I’d forgotten this was your quilt-circle night. I’ll get out of your way.” I zipped my jacket and grabbed my purse.
“Not so fast!” Margot declared cheerfully. “Take off your coat and sit down. We have a surprise for you!”
“You do?”
“Evelyn, you tell her. After all, you’re our official leader.”
“There’s a dubious honor, but all right.” She cleared her throat as if about to make an important announcement. “Ivy, we are all here to tell you that, after about two seconds’ deliberation, you have been voted into the membership of the Cobbled Court Quilt Circle.”
“Hear! Hear!” Margot said. Liza and Abigail put down the trays they were carrying and clapped.
I was stunned.
“Oh. Gosh. That’s nice of you, really, but I can’t. I’ve got to get home to my kids.”
“We’ve already taken care of that,” Abigail reported. “Franklin has volunteered to watch Bethany and Bobby on Friday nights so you can spend your evening with us.”
“He did?”
Franklin Spaulding was a very nice man. The kids were crazy about him, but…“You shouldn’t have asked him to do that. It’s sweet of Franklin, really it is, but watching my rascals every Friday night? It’s too much to expect.”
“Nonsense!” Abigail injected, interrupting me again. “Franklin volunteered to do it, and besides, Bethany and Bobby aren’t rascals, they’re perfectly darling. Franklin loves being with them. After a week at his law office, dealing with the real rascals of the world—bankers, accountants, and, worst of all, other lawyers—your children are an absolute breath of fresh air.”
I tried another approach. “But…I’m not a very good quilter. I’ve only made that one log cabin quilt in Evelyn’s class.”
Liza took one of the mismatched mugs from the tray and filled it. “Okay, now you’re just making excuses. Except for Evelyn, none of us knew a presser foot from a pastrami sandwich this time two years ago. Trust me, our standards of membership are extremely low. I mean, look at us,” she said, raising her cup. “We’re here drinking cheap wine out of cracked coffee mugs. This isn’t exactly the Daughters of the American Revolution you’d be joining.”
“That wine was not cheap,” Abigail corrected. “It’s a 2003 pinot gris. The last of a very good vintage from my personal wine cellar.”
“Well, we’re still serving it out of coffee mugs. So, I don’t see where Ivy is getting the impression we’re such an exclusive club. Heck,” she said blandly, “we’ll take anyone. We need the dues.”
Margot, who was very sharp when it came to marketing and business but was known for being gullible, furrowed her brow. “Liza, we don’t charge any dues, do we?”
She turned to Evelyn. “When did we decide to start taking dues?”
“Liza’s kidding,” Evelyn said.
Liza’s eyes sparked mischief as she peered over the rim of the coffee mug. Margot, realizing she’d been duped again, gave her a good-natured nudge in the ribs.
“Ivy, we’d really love it if you’d join us.” Evelyn smiled, waiting for me to say yes.
A moment passed.
“If you’re put off by the coffee cups, we can get some real glasses,” she joked.
I pressed my lips together, trying to come up with some excuse that they’d buy, but nothing came to mind.
They were all standing there, certain that I would never dream of refusing this gift of time and friendship they were offering me.
With all my heart, I wished I could accept it. But that was impossible.
I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry,” I said sincerely. “You’re so kind to want to include me, but I really can’t.”
Their faces fell.
“But, why not?” Margot asked. “You’re just worried about leaving the children with someone else, aren’t you? I’ve volunteered to watch them for you a dozen times, but you’ve never once taken me up on it. Don’t worry, Ivy. Bethany and Bobby will be fine with Franklin.”
“Of
