Patchwork Connections

by Carol Dean Jones

  After their snack, they continued talking about the logistics of being away: who would take care of Barney, what did she need to take with her, and when would she talk to Charles and Martha. Once the details were worked out, Sarah hurried home to call Ruth.

  * * * * *

  “Thanks for coming in so early. Let’s sit down in the classroom and talk.” Sarah and Ruth had agreed to meet before the shop opened on Tuesday to make their plans for the show. “I’ve never been a vendor at a large show like this. I’m thinking about keeping it small this year, just to learn the ropes. I want to use this show to get acquainted and tell people about our shop, but there’ll only be the two of us there. So here’s what I’m thinking. As for fabric, I’ve been thinking about only taking fat quarters and kits. I don’t want to get involved with transporting bolts. What do you think?”

  “I agree. We have a couple dozen kits already put together. Maybe we should plan to make up more. We have the sample quilts already made for all five of our kits, and they’ll make a nice display.”

  “Good idea!” Ruth responded. “And we have those three Civil War throws. Let’s hang those too and take baskets of Civil War fat quarters along with the patterns. Those are all a popular throw size.”

  “Hmm. Now I’m thinking we should take a few bolts of Civil War fabrics so customers can get their borders as well. Will we have room?”

  “If we take Nathan’s van and remove the back seat we can do that. I’ll call Nathan and see what he thinks.” Ruth’s husband had always been supportive of her dream to have her own quilt shop and had been instrumental in making that dream possible.

  Getting up to pour herself another cup of coffee, Sarah looked contemplative as she said, “Do you think Geoff would be able to print up some fliers or brochures about the online business? It would be good to have something to hand out so people can order additional yardage.”

  “Good idea! I’ll call him next.” Geoff was Ruth’s brother-in-law, married to her sister Anna. He created the software, and he and Anna ran the online shop out of their home.

  Sarah went into the shop and prepared to cut the fabrics for a few kits while Ruth was on the phone. Carefully following the fabric requirements on the patterns, she cut the fabrics that matched the samples, folded them neatly and placed them in plastic bags along with the pattern. She set them aside for Ruth to price. When Ruth finished with the calls, she joined Sarah and they worked together to prepare another twenty-five kits.

  “Hi, girls!” Anna hurried into the shop, pulling off her coat as she came through the door. “I’m here to cut fat quarters!” Geoff said you needed me.

  “Start with the Civil War collection,” Sarah instructed. “We’re going to take the five sample quilts that are made with fat quarters, along with the patterns.”

  “How about the borders?”

  “We’re talking about taking a dozen or so Civil War bolts, but I’m still thinking about that. Just start with the fat quarters for now, and I have some nice baskets in the back for displaying them.”

  Although it was always nice to have customers, the three women were pleased that it was a quiet day. At one point, they had so many bolts spread around the shop, they were tripping over them. “I haven’t seen this much mess in the shop since our anniversary sale last year!” Anna said giddily.

  By 5:00, they were exhausted but agreed that they had made a great start in preparing for the show. They moved everything to an area near the back door and agreed to meet the next day to decide on their next steps.

  “Will we be taking your tables?” Sarah asked.

  “No. They provide tables and dividers. I told them we need six of each. We’ll have four across the back and one on each side. Their tables come with white covers, but let’s take a few extra quilts from home to put across the tables as well. And we’ll display our samples on the dividers.”

  “How about displays for equipment and books? Are you taking those from the shop?”

  “I have extra wire racks in the back. We’ll take those. I don’t want the shop to look too empty while we’re away.”

  “We’re going to need a cutting board and ruler if we’re cutting fabric.”

  “Hmm. True. And maybe we need an extra table for cutting? I’m having second thoughts about taking yardage. We’ll talk about that tomorrow.”

  “I have an idea,” Anna said tentatively. “I was looking at the patterns, and most of them call for two yards of border fabric. Why don’t we cut two-yard pieces now instead of cutting fabric at the show? I’m sure we could sell them in the shop if they don’t all sell.”

  “I like that!” Ruth responded. “I think that would make it much simpler since there’ll only be the two of us working. Without having to cut, we’ll have one person to ring up sales and another to help customers and tell them about our shop.”

  As they locked the door shivering from the cold evening air, Sarah noted, “I’ll bet it’s even colder in Chicago!”

  Chapter 26

  “I’m glad you had time to go out to dinner tonight.” Charles held Sarah’s chair as she sat and walked around the table to the seat opposite her. They could both watch the glistening snow drifting softly to the ground. Sarah was leaving for Chicago the next morning, and they had returned to the lodge where Charles first broached the topic of marriage.

  “I couldn’t leave town without seeing you,” she responded with a coy smile. “Actually, I wish you were going. You would be a big help to us. …”

  “I could come,” he added before she even finished her sentence.

  Sarah laughed and explained that she and Ruth had downsized the project and would be able to handle it alone. “We wouldn’t have any time together there anyway. I’ll be working pretty much nonstop.”

  “Have you told Martha you’re leaving?”

  “Yes, and she was fine with it. As she said, there really isn’t anything I can do to help right now. Amanda is checking out Derek Kettler, and you’re dealing with the Montana folks. And, of course, I’m only going to be gone for the weekend.”

  “I’ll miss you,” he said, giving her his lost puppy look.

  They ordered drinks and an appetizer but decided to hold off on their dinner order. “I have something for you,” he said almost reluctantly. “I hope it’s not the wrong time. …”

  “What is it?” she asked curiously.

  “Well, you agreed to marry me someday off in the undefined future …”

  “Okay. Enough histrionics!” she said laughing. “What do you have for me?”

  He pulled a small velvet box from his jacket pocket and snapped it open. A dainty pink gold engagement ring with a lovely arrangement of delicate diamonds sparkled against the red velvet lining. “Will you be my wife?”

  “Of course, I will,” she responded with tears in her eyes. “Charles, it’s so beautiful. It looks like an antique.”

  “It is. I found it at an estate sale in Hamilton last year. I hoped that you …”

  “Last year?”

  Looking sheepish, Charles dropped his eyes for a moment, then looked up and responded. “Yes, last year. I’ve hoped for this for a very long time.”

  Sarah laughed and reached across the table to touch his face. “You are such a good man, Charles Parker! I love you more than you can imagine.”

  “Does that mean you’ll not only marry me far off in the undefined future, but you’re willing to wear my ring in the meantime?”

  “I will wear your ring forever, you silly, silly man!” He reached across the table and slipped the ring on her finger. It exactly fit.

  “It fits!” Sarah exclaimed.

  “I know.” Then he added quietly, “Martha helped me.” They both laughed and awkwardly hugged across the table.

  The waiter who had been waiting in the background came toward their table with their drinks. “Congratulations,” he said, looking somewhat embarrassed to intrude.

  “Thank you,” they replied in unison, both wearing Cheshir
e cat grins.

  Chapter 27

  “How long will it take us to get there?” Sarah asked, once they got the van packed and were on their way. Charles and Ruth’s husband, Nathan, had packed the car for them.

  “Chicago is about three hours from here. We should be there by 5:00. We can get checked in and have some dinner before we set up. The room will be available to us from seven until midnight, but I’m hoping to get to bed long before that.”

  “I agree. The show opens at 9:00, and we’ll surely have some finishing touches before the mobs hit the front door.”

  The drive was uneventful, and the two women were relatively quiet, each lost in her own thoughts. After the first hour, Sarah cleared her throat and casually laid her left hand across the gearshift. Ruth didn’t notice at first but then squealed, nearly running the car onto the shoulder. “Sarah! That’s an engagement ring!”

  Sarah laughed and told Ruth what Charles had said. She already knew they were talking about getting married sometime in the future, but the ring somehow made it seem more real. “I’m so happy for you, Sarah,” Ruth said sincerely meaning it. “When do you think you’ll set the date?”

  Sarah sighed. “I don’t know right now, but I told him we’ll talk about it when I get back. I guess I shouldn’t keep putting him off, but he isn’t pressuring me. Maybe sometime next year. Maybe in the spring …” she added barely above a whisper.

  She noticed that Ruth seemed to have drifted off into her own thoughts. Sarah had no idea that, at that moment, a wedding quilt was being designed.

  * * * * *

  Driving home from work, Martha made an important decision. She realized she was allowing herself to be victimized, yet again, by this crazy black car. Feeling empowered after talking to her mother, she decided she was going to confront the driver the next time she saw the car.

  She was almost disappointed when she arrived home to find there was no sign of the black car. In fact, her neighborhood looked peaceful and serene when she pulled up in front of her house. The fresh snow was essentially undisturbed, and there were squirrels scampering between the old tree in her front yard and her freshly filled bird feeders. She smiled, feeling that her life was beginning to get on the right track.

  As she walked toward her door, a shiny white SUV pulled up to the curb, and a friendly looking man rolled down the window on the passenger side. He leaned across the seat and called to her, “Excuse me, ma’am. Can you tell me how to get to Whippoorwill Court?”

  Chapter 28

  The Running Stitches vendor’s booth looked even better than they had pictured it in their planning sessions. The quilts were pinned to the dividers and below each one were the associated kits and border fabrics. Books were displayed in white racks, and baskets were scattered around on the tables, displaying bundles of fat quarters and assorted patterns. One section was devoted to the Civil War throws and their patterns along with fat quarters displayed by color. Ruth had her wireless tablet that allowed her to process credit cards. The show organizers had provided chairs, but they had little time to sit. A steady progression of quilters came by asking questions, picking up the brochures Geoff had printed, and purchasing kits, patterns, and fat quarters.

  In the early afternoon, Sarah took a short break to grab a sandwich and take it up to their room. She called Charles and told him about the show and their sales. When she returned to the table, she encouraged Ruth to take a break and walk through the show. “Good Idea, Sarah. I want to meet some of the other vendors too.”

  The show was featuring the work of the famous fiber artist, Marsha McIntyre, who lives in Houston and teaches classes to quilters all over the country. When Ruth returned, she excitedly told Sarah that Marsha was planning to have a show at the Quilt Museum in Hamilton the following year. “I think we’ll find a way to offer a field trip for our customers. We can rent a bus and go as a group!” Sarah loved seeing Ruth so excited. It had been a difficult winter for her, and this show was just what she needed.

  Toward the end of the day, it was becoming obvious that they were going to need more fat quarters and kits since there were two more days of the show and possibly the busiest days, Saturday and Sunday. Ruth called Anna who agreed to start cutting and Ruth’s husband, Nathan, said he would drive them up to Chicago the next morning. “Well, Sarah. We’re learning!”

  They both had trouble sleeping that night from excitement. They talked about the day and decided to start a show diary for the next year’s planning. They recorded all the things they had done right and the things that needed to be changed for the next show.

  Finally, they both fell asleep, and their wake up call seemed to come much too early.

  Saturday’s show opened with a bang. The crowds huddled around their table asking questions about the Civil War quilts and about the online store. Ruth passed out her business card, making a note on the back, awarding a 25% discount for customers visiting the shop in the next two months. “I want to get some of these folks coming to the shop,” she told Sarah later. “Most of these ladies don’t live that far from us, and quilters are willing to drive to a nice quilt shop!”

  There was no time for a lunch break on Saturday. At one point, Sarah thought she heard her cell phone ringing but didn’t get to it in time. Other customers were asking questions, and she forgot about it. An hour later, it rang again. This time she got to it in time and saw that it was Sophie. Why would Sophie be calling?

  She flipped the phone open and pushed talk. “Sophie! What a surprise. I didn’t expect to hear from you today. You should see what’s going …”

  Sophie interrupted saying, “Sarah. Martha has gone missing.”

  Chapter 29

  Sarah ran out of the conference center into the parking lot where she could talk without interruption. She was shaking and felt dazed. “Sophie. Start from the beginning. What’s going on and what do you mean missing?”

  “Tim has been trying to reach her. They had a date scheduled for Thursday night and she didn’t answer the door when he arrived to pick her up.” Sophie was talking fast and stopped to catch her breath.

  “Go on, Sophie,” Sarah pleaded, wrapping her arms around her body in an attempt to control the trembling. She was cold, scared, and desperate to know what had happened to her daughter. “Please, Sophie, go on.”

  “He called her and left a message, but she didn’t call back. He called her at work Friday, and they said she hadn’t come in and hadn’t called. He went back to the house, but still no answer.”

  Sarah began to cry. “Sophie! Where’s my daughter? I need to talk to Charles.”

  “Wait!” Sophie demanded. “Just wait. Let me tell you the rest. I decided to tell Timmy about Martha’s stalker. He was frantic, and we called Charles. Charles called Amanda, and everyone is doing what they can to find her. We have no idea where she might have gone. We were hoping you might know?”

  Shaking almost too violently to speak, she responded, “She wouldn’t have gone anywhere voluntarily if she had a date with Tim and then work on Friday. Oh, Sophie, what’s happened to her? I’ve got to get home. Let me go see Ruth and …”

  “No! Stay on the phone, Sarah, until I finish. Nathan is bringing Anna up to Chicago to take your place at the show, and he’ll bring you back. They left several hours ago and should be there soon. Go tell Ruth what’s happening and pack your bags. … Sarah? Are you still there?”

  “Yes,” she responded in a faint voice. “Sophie, thank you. You’ve been …”

  “Amanda and Charles will find her, kiddo. Just get home safely.” They hung up, and Sarah went to their room to pull herself together before she talked to Ruth. She tried to wash her face and put on lipstick, but her hands were shaking so bad she couldn’t control them. She threw her clothes into her suitcase, grabbed her coat, and headed downstairs, trying to control her emotions in the hallway and lobby.

  As she approached the Running Stitches booth, she saw Nathan and Anna talking to Ruth. She was relieved to see t
hey were already there. When Ruth saw Sarah, she ran to her and they clung to one another. “It’ll be okay,” Ruth said repeatedly. “It’ll be okay.”

  Sarah was eager to get back to Middletown and Nathan seemed to sense it. “Are you ready to leave?”

  “Yes, please. Let’s leave. I want to go home.”

  * * * * *

  Once they were on the road, Sarah began to sob silently into her hands. Nathan reached across the gearshift and patted her arm gently. “I’m so sorry, Sarah, but I truly believe she’s okay. Charles and Amanda are doing everything …”

  “I know, Nathan. I know. I’m so sorry to behave this way. I’m just so worried.” Sarah was embarrassed to have become so emotional, but she knew Ruth’s husband to be a kind and caring man.

  “Ruth said you would want to talk to Charles. Would you like to use my cell phone?”

  His words pulled her away from her terrifying thoughts and brought her into the present. She immediately knew she had to stop wallowing in her fears and take some positive steps to help her daughter. First of all, she needed to talk to Charles and see what he had discovered. She wiped away her tears and tried to smile.

  “Thank you, Nathan. That’s exactly what I want to do, but I have my phone.” Still shaking, she pulled her cell phone out of her bag and hit the button Charles had set for reaching him.

  “I was hoping you’d call,” he said as he picked up the phone. “I’m so worried about you. Are you on the road?”

  “Yes. Nathan is right here and I’m okay. We left about thirty minutes ago. Tell me what is happening. Have you found her?”

  “No, hon. We don’t have any leads yet. I’ve contacted Greyson’s parole officer and I’m waiting to hear back from him, and Amanda went to Derek Kettler’s apartment but he wasn’t home.” He didn’t tell her that Derek Kettler hasn’t been seen for several days. He didn’t want to upset her any more than she already was. “We’ll find her, sweetheart. I promise.” He was immediately sorry he had added his promise. He had a very bad feeling about Martha’s disappearance.