Read Online Sister's Choice by Judith Pella - Free Book Online Page A

three times.
    “I know you can do better, Maggie,” Grandma said, her patience stretched nearly to its limit. “I thought you wanted to do better. I’ll let this work pass if you are satisfied with it.”
    But Maggie knew this was mock leniency and that her grandmother expected her to reject the work. She looked at the puckered, crooked stitches and sighed. Her chances with Colby were slimmer than ever, so her stitching might be all that stood between her and happiness. With resignation she picked out the stitches.
    “Follow the line we drew on the square,” Grandma reminded Maggie.
    “You have been in a hurry all morning,” Mama put in. “Are you going someplace?”
    Maggie had purposely not said anything about Evan’s visit because she wasn’t certain how her mother would respond. Mama had never had a problem with Mabel Parker or even with Mr. Parker, but then, Maggie and Ellie had never been close to Mabel, and Dad was not a close friend of Nathan Parker. Therefore, little socializing had taken place between the families. But more than that, Maggie didn’t want to answer any questions Evan’s visit might raise. Nevertheless, she probably should say something before her silence was perceived as suspicious.
    “Didn’t I tell you?” Maggie said as casually as she could. “Evan Parker is stopping by later. I wanted to talk to him about Tommy’s legal case.”
    Mama set down the dish she was drying and picked up another. “Why would you want to do that?” There was a slight edge to her tone.
    “Well, I think it could be handled better. Do you know his lawyer from Portland hasn’t even come to see him yet?” As Maggie spoke, she realized this visit with Evan was a good idea for more than one reason. Maybe he really could help Tommy.
    “Do you think that is your place?” Mama asked, but it wasn’t really a question. “Isn’t it Mrs. Donnelly’s concern?”
    “I thought it would be best to talk to Evan first. If he can’t help, then it won’t raise Mrs. Donnelly’s hopes.”
    “Well, I guess if you have already invited Evan, it can’t be helped. But just remember, Maggie, Tommy may be your friend, but it would not be appropriate for you to get too involved in these matters.”
    “Ouch!” Maggie had been trying to talk while she sewed and now stabbed her finger with the needle. “This is hopeless!” she grumbled, tossing the nine-patch onto the table.
    Grandma picked it up, turned it over, and examined it. “This is actually very nice, Maggie,” she said of the new stitches. “Don’t give up so easily.”
    Appreciating the encouragement, Maggie took the item back in hand and looked at the seam she’d just sewed. It did look rather good with straight, even stitches. She only had seven more patches to go to finish the block! At this rate she and Evan could say good-bye to happiness with the mate of their dreams. They would probably be stuck with each other. But she was making progress, so maybe there was some hope yet.
    Maggie laid the next patch against the ones she had just finished to make a row. She knotted her thread and, with intently pursed lips, began sewing again. In the background Mama was putting away the breakfast dishes and humming a little tune. Grandma was working on her own sewing, a six-inch patch consisting of a curved piece in blue, topped by a muslin piece. It was a pattern she called Drunkard’s Path. Maggie could hear a dog barking outside. She thought Gypsy had gone with Dad to the potato field. Normally, she would rather be outside playing with the dog or following some other more active pursuit. Today was Ellie’s turn to help Dad. They were giving Maggie some leeway for her sewing lesson, which only proved where Mama’s priority was and how much influence she wielded in the family. Maggie would have to help Dad later, though.
    It surprised Maggie to find she was rather content at the moment sitting in the kitchen, listening to the common household sounds, and