imagined.
I'm not the only one who thinks so. As everyone peers into the room with wide eyes and an open mouth, smiles start to emerge. Grandma is the first to speak. “Land sakes, my dear, this is elegant.”
“This is such a beautiful color, Kait,” Maurice says.
Lyndsay gives me a thumbs-up.
“You have impeccable taste,” Faith says as she gives Kaitlin a side hug.
I don’t make eye contact with my mom. I am still terrified of the reaction myself. Knowing she won’t make a scene with company doesn’t stop the possibility of a death stare. Her silence is making me wary.
Kaitlin is speechless. She stares into her room at her bed and the two pillows. She looks at me. “Where did you get the pillows?” she asks with bright eyes.
“Oh,” I say nonchalantly, “I found them at a boutique. One, well, actually, two of a kind. There weren’t any others left.” I didn’t want to lie again but I know if I say I made them, they will want to know when. We don’t have a sewing machine here, and the times I'm at Lyndsay’s are the times I'm supposed to be elsewhere.
“You two sure know how to decorate a room,” Grandma says with a smile. She turns to my mom. “I can see you’re rubbing off on these two, Joy.”
I cringe, expecting the worst.
“You’re absolutely right, Mother. I taught them well.”
My eyes widen as I finally look to my mom. She has a kind smile on her face.
Maurice declares, “Looks like the next step is to pick out new bed-sheets to match the wall and new pillows.”
“Really?” Kaitlin asks with a bounce. Maurice nods. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she says as she hugs him tightly. Then she turns and bolts over to me. Her arms wrap around me just as tight, and she says, “Thank you so much for the pillows. I love them.”
I melt at her words. Who knew how much an insignificant thing such as paint color would affect this? I had imagined her being happy. I had imagined her being grateful. I didn’t imagine this. It's all I can do to hold back the tears.
I squeeze her back and say, “You’re welcome.”
Chapter Seventeen
Wednesday, June 27 th
My mom hasn't said a word about the color switch since the room reveal. In fact, I even overheard Grandma tell my mom later that night that she was proud of her for allowing her stepdaughter to choose her own color. I think Grandma's words may have struck a nerve, in a good way, letting my mom know how important it is to let the little things go. As obsessive as my mom is about her house, I like to believe she has come to terms with it better than I thought possible. Talk about a sigh of relief.
I also haven't heard from Chevy yet. He promised he would call when he got back. He should have been back Thursday night, or Friday if he got a late start. Maybe I shouldn’t be too concerned. He could just be busy with work, or his phone died, or…I don’t know what else. I tried calling him Tuesday but it went straight to voicemail without ringing. I shrugged it off, thinking that maybe he turned it off while working. The same thing happened later when I tried again. I asked Lyndsay what I should do. She told me not to worry and that he'll call me back when he can.
Easier said than done.
As I walk up to Lyndsay’s house Wednesday morning, Faith is standing in the doorway to greet me. “Guess what?”
I look at her apprehensively as I step inside. “What?” I ask slowly.
“A coworker of mine saw your pillows and now she wants some of her own.”
What is she talking about? “Wait, what? How did she see them?”
She deviously smiles. “I snapped a few photos of those pillows before we left last week and shared them with the girls at work. They all thought they were adorable. When I told them my niece made them, they were floored. They kept saying how you are so talented.” She smiles proudly. “One of them is in the process of redecorating her master bedroom. She said a couple of your pillows would be a perfect
I'm not the only one who thinks so. As everyone peers into the room with wide eyes and an open mouth, smiles start to emerge. Grandma is the first to speak. “Land sakes, my dear, this is elegant.”
“This is such a beautiful color, Kait,” Maurice says.
Lyndsay gives me a thumbs-up.
“You have impeccable taste,” Faith says as she gives Kaitlin a side hug.
I don’t make eye contact with my mom. I am still terrified of the reaction myself. Knowing she won’t make a scene with company doesn’t stop the possibility of a death stare. Her silence is making me wary.
Kaitlin is speechless. She stares into her room at her bed and the two pillows. She looks at me. “Where did you get the pillows?” she asks with bright eyes.
“Oh,” I say nonchalantly, “I found them at a boutique. One, well, actually, two of a kind. There weren’t any others left.” I didn’t want to lie again but I know if I say I made them, they will want to know when. We don’t have a sewing machine here, and the times I'm at Lyndsay’s are the times I'm supposed to be elsewhere.
“You two sure know how to decorate a room,” Grandma says with a smile. She turns to my mom. “I can see you’re rubbing off on these two, Joy.”
I cringe, expecting the worst.
“You’re absolutely right, Mother. I taught them well.”
My eyes widen as I finally look to my mom. She has a kind smile on her face.
Maurice declares, “Looks like the next step is to pick out new bed-sheets to match the wall and new pillows.”
“Really?” Kaitlin asks with a bounce. Maurice nods. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she says as she hugs him tightly. Then she turns and bolts over to me. Her arms wrap around me just as tight, and she says, “Thank you so much for the pillows. I love them.”
I melt at her words. Who knew how much an insignificant thing such as paint color would affect this? I had imagined her being happy. I had imagined her being grateful. I didn’t imagine this. It's all I can do to hold back the tears.
I squeeze her back and say, “You’re welcome.”
Chapter Seventeen
Wednesday, June 27 th
My mom hasn't said a word about the color switch since the room reveal. In fact, I even overheard Grandma tell my mom later that night that she was proud of her for allowing her stepdaughter to choose her own color. I think Grandma's words may have struck a nerve, in a good way, letting my mom know how important it is to let the little things go. As obsessive as my mom is about her house, I like to believe she has come to terms with it better than I thought possible. Talk about a sigh of relief.
I also haven't heard from Chevy yet. He promised he would call when he got back. He should have been back Thursday night, or Friday if he got a late start. Maybe I shouldn’t be too concerned. He could just be busy with work, or his phone died, or…I don’t know what else. I tried calling him Tuesday but it went straight to voicemail without ringing. I shrugged it off, thinking that maybe he turned it off while working. The same thing happened later when I tried again. I asked Lyndsay what I should do. She told me not to worry and that he'll call me back when he can.
Easier said than done.
As I walk up to Lyndsay’s house Wednesday morning, Faith is standing in the doorway to greet me. “Guess what?”
I look at her apprehensively as I step inside. “What?” I ask slowly.
“A coworker of mine saw your pillows and now she wants some of her own.”
What is she talking about? “Wait, what? How did she see them?”
She deviously smiles. “I snapped a few photos of those pillows before we left last week and shared them with the girls at work. They all thought they were adorable. When I told them my niece made them, they were floored. They kept saying how you are so talented.” She smiles proudly. “One of them is in the process of redecorating her master bedroom. She said a couple of your pillows would be a perfect
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