pretty much left out of the conversation, so we ended up discussing Carrie’s quilt. The separate conversations continued for more than ten minutes, until a beeping noise from Oliver’s jacket interrupted. He reached in for his phone, looked at it for a moment, and frowned.
“This text messaging is a bother,” he said, and he put the phone back in his jacket. “Doesn’t anyone want to have a conversation anymore?”
“Isn’t that what we’re having?” Kennette asked.
“Well, we’re actually having two conversations,” I corrected her. “You guys are talking sports, and we’re talking about abstract quilt designs.”
“We’re making a quilt for one of the club members who’s opening a coffee shop,” Eleanor explained.
“And it’s abstract in design?” Oliver’s interest was piqued. “What are your influences?”
“No one person, as far as I know. Susanne just drew several designs,” I said. “One is pretty much boxes of colors. It’s kind of a variation on a log cabin design. The second is appliquéd circles and semicircles on squares made up of strips, and the third is an Amish-style quilt with lines of bright fabrics alternating with background stripes of black.
“I like the second,” Kennette offered.
Oliver leaned toward her. “Why?”
I felt suddenly like we were in class, but Kennette was relaxed. “I don’t know,” she said without a hint of insecurity. “I just like it.”
Oliver smiled and leaned back. “You have a clarity of vision that one rarely sees in a new artist.”
Kennette beamed and Jesse winked at me. It was, I had to admit, a nice evening.
“Dessert anyone?” Eleanor jumped up. “I’ve made an apple pie.”
“Let me help,” offered Oliver. The two left the room for the kitchen and were gone for just a little longer than it would have taken to bring in the pie, plates, and a pot of tea. When they came back, they were both smiling. Watching the way Oliver shyly moved around Eleanor, I was a little jealous of their smooth romance. But not for long. I reached out and took Jesse’s hand.
“Well.” Kennette got up from the table. “I think it’s time my date and I went for a walk.” She patted Barney and he jumped up and headed for the door.
“What about dessert?” Eleanor asked.
“I won’t be long.”
“Take my wool coat.” Eleanor disappeared into the hallway and came back with a teal blue coat. “It’s very cold outside tonight. The wind is howling something fierce.”
Kennette was swallowed by the large, heavy coat as well as the scarf and hat Eleanor had brought for her, but she didn’t seem to mind. I think she enjoyed being the center of so much fussing. Once fully enclosed in the winter getup, she patted Barney’s head and he followed her out of the dining room.
“We’ll be right back,” she said.
“We’ll have hot tea waiting for you,” Eleanor called after her.
“And keep a cup hot for me.” Oliver grabbed his coat. He reached into the pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. “Nasty habit. I’d like to tell you I’m giving them up, but I’ve already given up too many delicious cravings. I’m keeping the ones I have left, no matter how ill-advised.”
He opened the back door and stepped outside.
“Stay on the back porch,” Eleanor said to him. “It’s protected from the wind and snow.”
“A smoker,” I chided Eleanor once Oliver was gone.
“A man’s allowed his vices,” she said. “Jesse, you look like you could use a piece of pie.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jesse gave me a look that said he’d noticed what I had. Eleanor was smitten.
Ten minutes later when he came back into the dining room, Oliver’s hands and face were wet.
“See, I told you it was cold outside,” Eleanor said as she gently touched his cheek. Oliver took her hand.
“I washed up a little to keep that nasty cigarette smell from ruining the scent of your pie.” He kissed her finger and she smiled at him, while Jesse and I
“This text messaging is a bother,” he said, and he put the phone back in his jacket. “Doesn’t anyone want to have a conversation anymore?”
“Isn’t that what we’re having?” Kennette asked.
“Well, we’re actually having two conversations,” I corrected her. “You guys are talking sports, and we’re talking about abstract quilt designs.”
“We’re making a quilt for one of the club members who’s opening a coffee shop,” Eleanor explained.
“And it’s abstract in design?” Oliver’s interest was piqued. “What are your influences?”
“No one person, as far as I know. Susanne just drew several designs,” I said. “One is pretty much boxes of colors. It’s kind of a variation on a log cabin design. The second is appliquéd circles and semicircles on squares made up of strips, and the third is an Amish-style quilt with lines of bright fabrics alternating with background stripes of black.
“I like the second,” Kennette offered.
Oliver leaned toward her. “Why?”
I felt suddenly like we were in class, but Kennette was relaxed. “I don’t know,” she said without a hint of insecurity. “I just like it.”
Oliver smiled and leaned back. “You have a clarity of vision that one rarely sees in a new artist.”
Kennette beamed and Jesse winked at me. It was, I had to admit, a nice evening.
“Dessert anyone?” Eleanor jumped up. “I’ve made an apple pie.”
“Let me help,” offered Oliver. The two left the room for the kitchen and were gone for just a little longer than it would have taken to bring in the pie, plates, and a pot of tea. When they came back, they were both smiling. Watching the way Oliver shyly moved around Eleanor, I was a little jealous of their smooth romance. But not for long. I reached out and took Jesse’s hand.
“Well.” Kennette got up from the table. “I think it’s time my date and I went for a walk.” She patted Barney and he jumped up and headed for the door.
“What about dessert?” Eleanor asked.
“I won’t be long.”
“Take my wool coat.” Eleanor disappeared into the hallway and came back with a teal blue coat. “It’s very cold outside tonight. The wind is howling something fierce.”
Kennette was swallowed by the large, heavy coat as well as the scarf and hat Eleanor had brought for her, but she didn’t seem to mind. I think she enjoyed being the center of so much fussing. Once fully enclosed in the winter getup, she patted Barney’s head and he followed her out of the dining room.
“We’ll be right back,” she said.
“We’ll have hot tea waiting for you,” Eleanor called after her.
“And keep a cup hot for me.” Oliver grabbed his coat. He reached into the pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. “Nasty habit. I’d like to tell you I’m giving them up, but I’ve already given up too many delicious cravings. I’m keeping the ones I have left, no matter how ill-advised.”
He opened the back door and stepped outside.
“Stay on the back porch,” Eleanor said to him. “It’s protected from the wind and snow.”
“A smoker,” I chided Eleanor once Oliver was gone.
“A man’s allowed his vices,” she said. “Jesse, you look like you could use a piece of pie.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jesse gave me a look that said he’d noticed what I had. Eleanor was smitten.
Ten minutes later when he came back into the dining room, Oliver’s hands and face were wet.
“See, I told you it was cold outside,” Eleanor said as she gently touched his cheek. Oliver took her hand.
“I washed up a little to keep that nasty cigarette smell from ruining the scent of your pie.” He kissed her finger and she smiled at him, while Jesse and I
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