Elm Creek Quilts [12] The Winding Ways Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

come of the phone call was that at supper Sarah was able to tell Sylvia that she had fulfilled her filial duty. “What did your mother say?” Sylvia asked, passing Sarah the basket of warm, flaky rolls seasoned with rosemary. “I imagine she was speechless with delight.”
    If Carol had been speechless, that would indeed have been a delight. Sarah didn’t want to spoil her appetite for Anna’s marvelous cooking, so she told Sylvia that her mother had been surprised but happy, and that as a medical professional she was mindful of potential complications with multiple births.
    “Of course she’s going to worry,” said Sylvia, nodding thoughtfully. “Be sure to tell her you’re receiving excellent prenatal care, regular checkups, and all the rest. That will put her mind at ease.”
    “I’ll do that,” Sarah agreed, but since the six campers seated at that table were listening in with eager curiosity, she quickly changed the subject. She didn’t mind talking about her pregnancy, but she had no desire whatsoever to bore everyone with an anti-Carol tirade. Sarah knew she always came off looking like an ungrateful daughter who should be more tolerant and forgiving of a concerned mother who, though perhaps somewhat overbearing, was actually quite harmless.
    No one would find fault with Sarah if they knew the real Carol, or if they knew of her unfathomable dislike for Matt. Carol never failed to be on her best behavior on her rare visits to Elm Creek Manor. As far as the other Elm Creek Quilters knew, she had grown to respect her son-in-law, and she and Sarah could enjoy a warm relationship if only Sarah would stop dredging up slights and mistakes from years long past. They didn’t understand that after all these years, Carol still disapproved of Matt, but she had learned to hide it from people whom she wanted to think well of her. The only real change was that she had come to tolerate Matt as a permanent part of Sarah’s life that no complaining on her part would excise. Although this was a welcome improvement, Sarah longed for her complete, wholehearted acceptance. Matt had done nothing to earn his mother-in-law’s enmity. He was a good man and a faithful husband, and Sarah knew he would be a wonderful father. He was everything Sarah wanted in a husband and a friend. What more could Carol ask of him?
    Although the aromas of Anna’s delicious chicken cordon bleu enticed her to take another bite, Sarah suddenly found herself without an appetite. What if Carol criticized Matt in front of the children? Or worse yet, what if her disapproval of Matt extended to her grandchildren? It was painful enough to have to defend her husband from her mother’s slights. Sarah couldn’t bear it if her mother disparaged the babies.
    Carol’s restrained reaction to the news of Sarah’s pregnancy did not bode well.
    Sarah set down her fork and took a quick drink of ice water, hoping no one would notice her hand trembling as she grasped the glass. Children deserved doting grandparents, but Sarah’s father had died when she was in high school and Matt’s mother had made herself scarce. Matt’s father had raised him on his own, and his sense of humor and patience would make him a wonderful grandpa—but rarely could he take time off from his contracting business, so visits would be few and precious. Of the twins’ two grandparents, Carol lived closer and had the most time to spend with the babies, but would she want to? And if she did, could Sarah trust her to have sense enough not to criticize Matt when they could overhear?
    Surely Carol would muster up the same self-control in front of her grandchildren that she did for the Elm Creek Quilters. She had to know that the twins would only end up resenting her for speaking ill of their father. Then again, Carol did not seem to care how she angered Sarah with her unreasonable hostility toward Matt—or the many other friends and loved ones Sarah had unwittingly subjected to her