Read Online A Wild Goose Chase Christmas: Quilts of Love Series by Jennifer Allee - Free Book Online

hand.
    “You’re a sweetie. Even if you only love me because I give you treats.” As she hugged him to her side, she set down the note and picked up the box from her pillow. Several layers of light pink tissue paper were carefully folded, covering something. She looked at Bogie. “I’m almost afraid to see what’s under there.”
    The dog lifted his nose as if trying to see what she was holding, and kneaded her thigh with his paws.
    “OK, OK. I’ll look.”
    Carefully, as though the tissue might fall to pieces in her hands, she peeled back each sheet of paper until she revealed another bit of wrapping.
    A piece of white seersucker with bold stripes of pink, yellow, and green was wrapped around something small and hard. Unfolding the fabric, she found it was cut in the shape of a triangle. She had barely noticed that it was the same shape asthe pieces of the Wild Goose Chase quilt when the actual gift fell from it and plopped in her lap.
    “Oh my.”
    It was Gran’s favorite necklace. She lifted it up by the delicate chain, sending the pendant of three interlocked rings—one of clear stones, one of red, and another of green—swaying and sparkling.
    When she was about ten, Izzy had asked her grandmother if the stones in the rings were real. They had been in the kitchen, making cookies. Gran answered without looking up from the batter she was stirring. “They might be diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. Or they might just be colored glass. What difference does it make? I love it because it reminds me of your grandfather.” She’d rubbed the rings between her fingertips, and her eyes took on a far-off look. “Even though he’s gone, in a way, he’s always with me.”
    There was no note to explain why Gran had given her the necklace, but she didn’t need one. Gran was always with her, and this was her way of making sure Izzy never forgot.

8
    T his hospital food is terrible. Why would they give a chicken breast to someone with her arm in a sling?”
    It had been nonstop complaints from Janice since Izzy arrived at the hospital, but she was trying very hard to be empathetic. She tried to imagine how much pain her mother must be in and how frustrated she must be. Watching her jab at her food with her left hand drove the point home.
    “Let me help you with that, Mom.”
    Izzy took the fork, half expecting Janice to shoo her away, but she didn’t.
    “Thank you,” she almost whispered.
    “No problem.” Izzy picked up the plastic knife and began sawing at the tough piece of chicken on the tray. It likely tasted just as bad as it looked. Maybe some chit-chat would distract her mother from her inedible lunch. “I put your name on the prayer list at church today.”
    Janice snorted. “Oh fine. Now everyone will know my business.”
    “Not everyone. Just the people who pray the most. And they’ll keep it between themselves and God.”
    “Sure they will.”
    Izzy leaned forward, concentrating on cutting the chicken into bite-size pieces. Why did Mom care if anybody knew she’d fallen down and hurt herself? She didn’t even know those people. You’d think she’d be grateful that perfect strangers were willing to pray for her recovery.
    “How did you get that?”
    If the plastic knife were as sharp as Janice’s tone, Izzy could have cut through that rubbery chicken like butter. Her eyes darted to her mother. “How did I get what?”
    “Your grandmother’s necklace.”
    Izzy’s hand moved to her neck, fingers closing around the three rings. When she got ready for church that morning, she’d proudly put the necklace on. But she forgot she’d be going straight from church to the hospital. Izzy didn’t want her mother to see it before she could tell her, so somewhere between the parking lot and the hospital entrance she’d tucked it underneath the scoop neck of her sweater. It must have slipped out while she tackled the chicken. “Gran gave it to me.”
    Janice’s lips pressed into a thin line, the skin