“No, it’s all right. I have to get going this morning anyway. I just hope John didn’t wake you up. I’ve told him a hundred times—”
“No, no,” Annie assured her, laughing. “You know me. I’m usually up with the sun.”
“Yeah,” LeeAnn deadpanned. “I remember.”
“You’re like your daddy. Some mornings he had to be pried out of bed.”
“But he’d stay up half the night and watch movies with me.” LeeAnn sighed. “I sure miss him.”
Annie felt her throat tighten. Did it ever get any easier?
“I know you miss him, honey. I do too.”
For a moment, there was only silence on the line. Then LeeAnn cleared her throat.
“So, how are you?”
“I’m all right, LeeAnn. I’m a little concerned about the kids.”
“Really? Why?”
“John was asking me about coming back there for his birthday, and of course, I will. But I get the feeling he’s upset because it will be just a visit.”
“Well, I guess we’re all getting used to you living up there now.”
“Before I came up here, you told me you didn’t need me anymore, didn’t you?”
“I just meant you shouldn’t feel tied down. I didn’t mean we didn’t want you.” Again there were sudden tears in LeeAnn’s voice. “And I didn’t mean I didn’t need you.”
“I know, honey. Anyway, what’s so bad about having a place that you and Herb and the kids can come visit when it’s a hundred and ten in the shade down there in Texas?”
LeeAnn laughed. “Nothing at all.”
“Now, you have to let me tell you about this key I found up in the attic.”
“Oh Mom!” LeeAnn half scolded, half teased. “Another mystery?”
4
A little before eleven, Annie hurried into A Stitch in Time, glad to see she was the only customer in the shop so far.
“Hi, Mary Beth. I know I’m a tiny bit early for the meeting, but I was hoping you had some new crochet patterns in. Does Kate have any new originals out? Where is she? Organizing your stock again?”
Mary Beth didn’t quite look at her. “She’s not working today, but she’ll be here for the meeting.”
Annie stepped lightly past the topic of Kate’s reduced hours. “Oh, OK. Anyway … I feel like making something really big this time, and I want to make an heirloom. How much of that glorious Two Ewe yarn do you have in stock?”
Mary Beth shook her head, and Annie could see now that her eyes were red-rimmed. “You don’t have to do it anymore.”
“What do you mean?”
“You and the rest of the club, you don’t have to keep buying a lot of expensive stuff you don’t really need. I know you mean well, and it means a lot to me that you’re willing to do it, but you shouldn’t.”
“Mary Beth—”
“It’s no use throwing good money after bad.”
“What do you mean?”
Mary Beth managed half of a smile. “I mean I love you all, more than I can say, but there’s no reason for you to bankrupt yourselves trying to help me.”
The bell on the front door jingled as Alice and Peggy came into the shop.
“Hi, girls.” Peggy’s bright expression faded. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing’s going on.” Mary Beth gestured toward the circle of comfortable chairs that was home to the Hook and Needle Club, all business. “Make yourselves comfortable. Did you finish cross-stitching those Christmas ornaments yet, Alice?”
Alice glanced at Annie who could only shrug.
“Not quite, Mary Beth. I think I want to add some beading to them, just for the sparkle.”
Mary Beth and Alice were looking over the bead rack when Kate and Gwen came in, followed by Stella, and they all settled into the sewing circle. Once Alice had made her selection, she joined them. Only Mary Beth was left standing, looking expectantly at them until their chatter died down.
“I’m glad everybody is here today. There are some things I need to let you all know.”
Everyone looked at everyone else, worry in their eyes, but nobody said anything. Kate kept her head down, and there was an extra touch of color in her cheeks. Had Mary Beth decided to let her go all together?
“As I told Kate yesterday, my landlord, the owner of this building, has given me notice that he wants to sell out when my lease expires at the end of next month. He says he has a good offer for the place, but he wants to give me the chance to match it, if I’d like to stay.”
Still no one said anything. Annie finally asked Mary Beth what they all wanted to know.