mother and Rainy empty the dishwasher. Their entire conversation consisted of Margaret trying to get Rainy to sit down and rest and Rainy trying to snatch dishes and glasses out of Margaret’s hands so she could put them away herself.
She turned back to Jewel. “No, actually I’m a former swimmer. I haven’t been in the water for years.”
“How come?”
Because I can’t. “Um, no time for it. My job keeps me pretty busy.” She drained her mug, hoping to signal an end to the conversation.
Jewel leaned forward on her elbows, glancing over to the arguing women as if to make sure nobody overheard. “I want to try out for the swim team, but my dad says I need to be a stronger swimmer before he’ll allow it. Maybe you can coach me—in secret.” She held out a hand to stop Caroline’s protest, misinterpreting her objection. “Not because he won’t allow it—he suggested it, actually. But because he’ll be jumping in the water with us, telling me what I can and cannot do and generally making my life miserable if he knows about it.”
Caroline almost smiled. There was something so likable about this girl. Something so familiar. But she couldn’t help her. She couldn’t. “I’m sorry, Jewel. I’d like to help but I just can’t.”
The young girl stared at her with those eyes that seemed a lot older than the face they were a part of. “Okay. Whatever.”
Rainy came to stand by Jewel’s chair and put an arm loosely around her shoulders. “How’s the headache?”
“Much better. I just have those little weird spots in the corner of my eyes, but the pain’s gone.”
Rainy nodded. “Good. We got that one in time. You need to remember to treat your headache the minute you know it’s coming. It’s a lot easier to get rid of that way.” She brushed hair off of Jewel’s forehead, and the young girl closed her eyes and let her head rest against Rainy’s side.
Margaret approached the table and placed two well-manicured hands on the back of a chair. “Did you tell Caroline about Shelby’s memory quilt you’re making for Jewel?”
Rainy kissed the top of Jewel’s head before stepping away. “No, I didn’t. I was waiting until she’d been here for a while before showing it to her.”
Margaret’s brows creased. “Whatever for? It’s a beautiful quilt, Rainy. And Caroline loves quilting. Remember all those beautiful memory quilts she did back in high school? I’m sure she’d love to see Shelby’s.”
Caroline felt a sinking in the pit of her stomach. Shelby and Jude had been so close that any memory quilt of Shelby’s was bound to have a reference to Jude. Rainy was right: She definitely wasn’t ready. She looked at her mother with a flash of anger. How could it be that Rainy Martin knew exactly how Caroline would feel, yet her own mother hadn’t a clue?
Jewel stood and tugged on Caroline’s shoulder. “Come on. I’ll show you.”
Seeing no way out, Caroline forced a smile and stood. “Thanks. I’d love to see it.”
She followed the young girl into what had once been the dining room in the old house and was now Rainy’s workroom, trying not to drag her feet.
Margaret paused in the doorway and turned back to Rainy. “Are you sure we’re not tiring you out? Maybe you should stay in the kitchen and sit down. Jewel can show us the quilt.”
“I am just fine, Margaret. Maybe you should stay behind and rest. You’re starting to show your age.”
“I am not! And just so you know, dressing like a twelve-year-old in baggy overalls does not make you look any younger.”
Caroline rolled her eyes and followed Jewel into the room.
Jewel stood in front of the large worktable in the middle of the room. The old dining room was her favorite, the dark oak paneling and fancy molding around the ceiling still decorating the room long after its final use as a family eating place. Sometimes, when she was alone in this room, she could see the Ryan family—a mother, father, grandmother, and
She turned back to Jewel. “No, actually I’m a former swimmer. I haven’t been in the water for years.”
“How come?”
Because I can’t. “Um, no time for it. My job keeps me pretty busy.” She drained her mug, hoping to signal an end to the conversation.
Jewel leaned forward on her elbows, glancing over to the arguing women as if to make sure nobody overheard. “I want to try out for the swim team, but my dad says I need to be a stronger swimmer before he’ll allow it. Maybe you can coach me—in secret.” She held out a hand to stop Caroline’s protest, misinterpreting her objection. “Not because he won’t allow it—he suggested it, actually. But because he’ll be jumping in the water with us, telling me what I can and cannot do and generally making my life miserable if he knows about it.”
Caroline almost smiled. There was something so likable about this girl. Something so familiar. But she couldn’t help her. She couldn’t. “I’m sorry, Jewel. I’d like to help but I just can’t.”
The young girl stared at her with those eyes that seemed a lot older than the face they were a part of. “Okay. Whatever.”
Rainy came to stand by Jewel’s chair and put an arm loosely around her shoulders. “How’s the headache?”
“Much better. I just have those little weird spots in the corner of my eyes, but the pain’s gone.”
Rainy nodded. “Good. We got that one in time. You need to remember to treat your headache the minute you know it’s coming. It’s a lot easier to get rid of that way.” She brushed hair off of Jewel’s forehead, and the young girl closed her eyes and let her head rest against Rainy’s side.
Margaret approached the table and placed two well-manicured hands on the back of a chair. “Did you tell Caroline about Shelby’s memory quilt you’re making for Jewel?”
Rainy kissed the top of Jewel’s head before stepping away. “No, I didn’t. I was waiting until she’d been here for a while before showing it to her.”
Margaret’s brows creased. “Whatever for? It’s a beautiful quilt, Rainy. And Caroline loves quilting. Remember all those beautiful memory quilts she did back in high school? I’m sure she’d love to see Shelby’s.”
Caroline felt a sinking in the pit of her stomach. Shelby and Jude had been so close that any memory quilt of Shelby’s was bound to have a reference to Jude. Rainy was right: She definitely wasn’t ready. She looked at her mother with a flash of anger. How could it be that Rainy Martin knew exactly how Caroline would feel, yet her own mother hadn’t a clue?
Jewel stood and tugged on Caroline’s shoulder. “Come on. I’ll show you.”
Seeing no way out, Caroline forced a smile and stood. “Thanks. I’d love to see it.”
She followed the young girl into what had once been the dining room in the old house and was now Rainy’s workroom, trying not to drag her feet.
Margaret paused in the doorway and turned back to Rainy. “Are you sure we’re not tiring you out? Maybe you should stay in the kitchen and sit down. Jewel can show us the quilt.”
“I am just fine, Margaret. Maybe you should stay behind and rest. You’re starting to show your age.”
“I am not! And just so you know, dressing like a twelve-year-old in baggy overalls does not make you look any younger.”
Caroline rolled her eyes and followed Jewel into the room.
Jewel stood in front of the large worktable in the middle of the room. The old dining room was her favorite, the dark oak paneling and fancy molding around the ceiling still decorating the room long after its final use as a family eating place. Sometimes, when she was alone in this room, she could see the Ryan family—a mother, father, grandmother, and