into a chocolate-and-white puddle.
Aside from her outburst, Fannie had been unusually quiet. Carly had hoped to tell her about her plan to help Martha or maybe even feel her out about Adam. But she wasn’t even talking about the quilt show she’d just attended. “I wish you’d tell me more about Quiltopia.”
“I told you about the Quilted Cottage Tour.”
“I know, but it feels like it didn’t meet your expectations this year.”
“I just got my hopes up over nothing.”
Carly gave Cocoa a final pat and sat upright. “Did you talk to someone about your pattern book?”
Auntie pursed her thin lips, then opened up to Carly. “Two people. First I talked to a woman in a booth. A national quilt designer. She gave me tips on how to organize my work and got my blood a-rushing. She told me she’d introduce me to a man from a Mennonite publishing house on her break. So I brought in some samples from the car, but he wasn’t interested in taking on that kind of project.”
Fannie swiped her hand across her eyes, and Carly’s heart broke. She hurried across the room and knelt in front of her aunt’s chair, placing her hand on her knee. “I’m so sorry. How devastating.”
“Jah, well.” Fannie patted Carly’s shoulder as if she was the one needing support. “Now you know why I didn’t want to talk about it. Didn’t want to go spilling my tears all over you. Now get up and get me a hanky off my dresser.”
Carly quickly did as bid. When she returned, she reassured, “There are other publishers.”
“I know. And the tips I got about organizing will help me for the next time. It’s just that I’m tired. I think I’ll go take a long nap.”
“I wish I was as good at giving pep talks as you are.”
Fannie chuckled. “You are, in your own way. I’ll rest, and then I’ll get up and give myself a pep talk.”
“Good. And the next time I drop in, I hope to see that dining-room table covered again. And you can explain more about the new stuff the lady at Quiltopia taught you.”
Fannie stood and straightened her skirt. “Jah, I’m just too tired today.” She sighed. “But not too tired to see something’s troubling you.”
Carly saw that Auntie wasn’t going to let her go until she confided so she blurted out, “Do you think Adam is like all the other Lapps?”
Auntie’s eyes widened. She dipped her head for so long that Carly thought she might be falling asleep. Then she lifted her gaze. “He doesn’t seem to be. If you’ve got your heart set on a Lapp boy, then there’s something I should tell you. Should’ve told you before. When Bob passed, Roman offered to marry me.”
“What?”
“Like you, I couldn’t help but be attracted. But it had only been a year since Bob and Bobby passed. It was too soon, and I was scared because he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Just like your Dale, he had everything planned out his way. So I went for his Achilles’ heel. I told him I wasn’t the meek type. And that I still loved Bob. Then he left me alone.”
Carly bit her lip, imagining Roman’s reaction.
Auntie shook her head and said in a weary voice, “It never would’ve worked. I’ve no regrets. I’ve had a good life. Especially since you and Jimmy came to me.”
Carly’s heart expanded with love. “Thanks for sharing that.”
“So given both our histories, tread careful.”
“I will.” She kissed Auntie on the cheek. “Get some rest.” Then scooping up Cocoa, she headed outside. The sweet smell of jasmine filled the air, but sadness and disappointment filled Carly’s heart.
Adam played a scenario through his mind: he went home and confronted Dad, told him he was pursuing Carly. He imagined the threats that would follow. Dad would withdraw the partnership offer and dare him to go to Indiana. He wasn’t ready to do that, couldn’t because he needed time to repair the damage he’d caused in his relationship with Carly. To fight for her. He could confront his uncle over
Aside from her outburst, Fannie had been unusually quiet. Carly had hoped to tell her about her plan to help Martha or maybe even feel her out about Adam. But she wasn’t even talking about the quilt show she’d just attended. “I wish you’d tell me more about Quiltopia.”
“I told you about the Quilted Cottage Tour.”
“I know, but it feels like it didn’t meet your expectations this year.”
“I just got my hopes up over nothing.”
Carly gave Cocoa a final pat and sat upright. “Did you talk to someone about your pattern book?”
Auntie pursed her thin lips, then opened up to Carly. “Two people. First I talked to a woman in a booth. A national quilt designer. She gave me tips on how to organize my work and got my blood a-rushing. She told me she’d introduce me to a man from a Mennonite publishing house on her break. So I brought in some samples from the car, but he wasn’t interested in taking on that kind of project.”
Fannie swiped her hand across her eyes, and Carly’s heart broke. She hurried across the room and knelt in front of her aunt’s chair, placing her hand on her knee. “I’m so sorry. How devastating.”
“Jah, well.” Fannie patted Carly’s shoulder as if she was the one needing support. “Now you know why I didn’t want to talk about it. Didn’t want to go spilling my tears all over you. Now get up and get me a hanky off my dresser.”
Carly quickly did as bid. When she returned, she reassured, “There are other publishers.”
“I know. And the tips I got about organizing will help me for the next time. It’s just that I’m tired. I think I’ll go take a long nap.”
“I wish I was as good at giving pep talks as you are.”
Fannie chuckled. “You are, in your own way. I’ll rest, and then I’ll get up and give myself a pep talk.”
“Good. And the next time I drop in, I hope to see that dining-room table covered again. And you can explain more about the new stuff the lady at Quiltopia taught you.”
Fannie stood and straightened her skirt. “Jah, I’m just too tired today.” She sighed. “But not too tired to see something’s troubling you.”
Carly saw that Auntie wasn’t going to let her go until she confided so she blurted out, “Do you think Adam is like all the other Lapps?”
Auntie’s eyes widened. She dipped her head for so long that Carly thought she might be falling asleep. Then she lifted her gaze. “He doesn’t seem to be. If you’ve got your heart set on a Lapp boy, then there’s something I should tell you. Should’ve told you before. When Bob passed, Roman offered to marry me.”
“What?”
“Like you, I couldn’t help but be attracted. But it had only been a year since Bob and Bobby passed. It was too soon, and I was scared because he wasn’t taking no for an answer. Just like your Dale, he had everything planned out his way. So I went for his Achilles’ heel. I told him I wasn’t the meek type. And that I still loved Bob. Then he left me alone.”
Carly bit her lip, imagining Roman’s reaction.
Auntie shook her head and said in a weary voice, “It never would’ve worked. I’ve no regrets. I’ve had a good life. Especially since you and Jimmy came to me.”
Carly’s heart expanded with love. “Thanks for sharing that.”
“So given both our histories, tread careful.”
“I will.” She kissed Auntie on the cheek. “Get some rest.” Then scooping up Cocoa, she headed outside. The sweet smell of jasmine filled the air, but sadness and disappointment filled Carly’s heart.
Adam played a scenario through his mind: he went home and confronted Dad, told him he was pursuing Carly. He imagined the threats that would follow. Dad would withdraw the partnership offer and dare him to go to Indiana. He wasn’t ready to do that, couldn’t because he needed time to repair the damage he’d caused in his relationship with Carly. To fight for her. He could confront his uncle over
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