Read Online Yarn to Go by Betty Hechtman - Free Book Online Page B

Lucinda pointed to the lidded cup at my place. “It’s a cappuccino. I can’t seem to stop with the restaurant stuff,” she said with a smile. “I figured you’d need a little jolt to start the day.” Bree had a plate of untouched food. She looked drawn and tired as she clutched her cell phone to her ear. Not that it made any difference in their ability to fuss, but Melissa and Sissy were on either side of her. Sissy seemed unhappy with her mother’s food choices. Lucinda explained that Kris was off getting her food.
    Scott was sitting at another table talking to the person next to him. At least he was dressed more casually than the business wear he’d had on the day before. Lucinda leaned in close to me. “I think Kris has her work cut out for her. It’s pretty obvious those projects she handed out are supposed to evoke a change in the person who works on them.” Lucinda chuckled. “Except for me. I’ve just avoided purling because it feels awkward.”
    “Good luck with me, then,” I said, rolling my eyes. I’d be the first to admit that I had a problem sticking with things. My job history was proof of that. Did she really think that doing a little work with a pair of needles and some yarn was going to change that?
    Kris set her plate down across the table. “Where are the others?” she said, noting the empty seats.
    “Here’s Olivia,” Lucinda said, pulling out the chair on the other side of her for the new arrival.
    Olivia still had the distracted stare. The soft gray warm-up suit went better with her mood than the happy shade of pink had. She did give Lucinda a small forced smile as she accepted the seat. “I need coffee,” she said, reaching for the carafe on the lazy Susan in the middle of the table and pouring herself a cup.
    I asked how she’d slept and Olivia shook her head. “The good thing about sleeping pills is that they knock you out. The bad thing is you feel out of it in the morning.” She picked up the coffee and began to drink it as her eyes half closed.
    “Everyone is here but Edie,” I said. “Well, Scott’s here, but not exactly here,” I said, giving him a wave when he looked up.
    “Maybe she decided to sleep in,” Bree said. She’d finally gotten off the phone and had begun to eat her breakfast. At first it was stop and start while she kept asking if anybody needed anything, then finally she settled in to eating. “This feels strange,” she said. “At home, it seems like I’m always jumping up to get something or wipe up something that got spilled.”
    Kris smiled. “Enjoy, Bree. No guilt, either. I’m sure your boys are fine.” Kris turned to me. “We didn’t get a chance to talk yesterday. What do you think of knitting now that you’ve had a little time for it to sink in? When I handed you the bag you had that deer in the headlights look.”
    “I wasn’t expecting to be a participant,” I said. Kris’s smile broadened.
    “That was obvious.”
    “It would be great if I could make something like that,” I said, touching the kimono-style knitted sweater she was wearing. It was a tweedy-looking brown and flattered the blond highlights in her wavy hair.
    Kris laughed. “Don’t defeat yourself by taking on more than you can handle. For now just stick to practicing knitting and then work on the scarf. There’s nothing like finishing your first project to give you confidence.” She turned her attention to the rest of the table. “Joan always said these small retreats were life changing because you were pushed out of your comfort zone.” Kris glanced toward Scott at the next table. “With some people it’s harder than with others.”
    I finally went to get my food, but the entire time I ate my pancakes, I kept looking toward the door expecting Edie to come in and make a stir.
    “I’ll just call her and ask if she wants me to make up a plate for her,” I said, taking out my cell phone and the list of numbers. There might not be phones in the rooms,