Old Maid's Puzzle (26 page)

Kym flitted from person to person, bestowing her hand like she was the queen. She was flying so high, you'd have thought she was going to be on the Jumbotron at the Arena.

Vangie watched her with amusement. She let go of me with one more high kick as though we were still conga-ing and sat herself on one of the remaining classroom tables, swinging her legs like a little kid. I went over and leaned against the table near her.

"I have one word for you. Reruns," I said reverently. The craft channel ran its shows over and over again.

Vangie high-fived me. "Here's one more. YouTube," she said.

I laughed. There wasn't time to fill Vangie in on what I was going to do next, but I knew she'd roll with it. I glanced at the clock. Three minutes until air.

I stood in front of the TV. The chatter continued until I held up my hand for attention. Kym made a shushing noise that was unnecessary as the room quieted.

I said, "Thanks for coming. Vangie's made extra coffee, so after the show is over, please help yourself. I think there's Krispy Kremes, too."

Vangie nodded, and rubbed her tummy and licked her lips. The group laughed. None of us needed sugar to be high this morning. We were one donut hole short of giddy as it was.

I waited for the laughter to die out. "I have an announcement I'd like to make. You know tomorrow is our big anniversary sale. In fact," I said, pausing for effect, "today is the actual date my mother opened the doors twenty years ago."

Applause started with Pearl and the others joined in. Vangie pounded the table next to her and whistled, her thumb and forefinger in her teeth. I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to steal a little of Kym's thunder.

"This date will also be the anniversary of our newest venture." I paused, looking around the room at the expectant faces. I took a deep breath.

The door to the classroom opened. Gussie and Celeste slid in. Gussie looked like she'd slept in her clothes, and she couldn't keep her eyes off her friend. Celeste, in a purple knit that made her gray hair shine, was impeccably dressed and made up.

I waited until they were seated near the front. "Today is the official opening of Quilter Paradiso Online, our new web-based store. Now you can shop twenty-four, seven."

There was silence at first, as people took in the news, then more applause. I looked for Kym's reaction, but didn't see her. Where had she disappeared to?

When the applause died down, I said, "Any questions about how to access the store, ask Vangie. She's the one that made it possible."

Murmuring went through the crowd as I took my seat in the back of the room. The clock was getting close to starting time.

I said, "Let's watch some TV."

I turned on the set. Stamping Special, the show that came on before Wonderful World of Quilts, was showing its ending credits. Jenn's head swiveled. "Where's Kym?" she said.

Sure enough, her seat next to Kevin was empty. I hadn't seen her leave. My future plans were lost on her. Had she even heard my announcement about the online store? Did she even care?

"Where is she? Kevin?" I asked. He shrugged, his face unreadable.

The logo for the production company came on the screen. The show was about to begin. Still no Kym.

Just as the happy sounding, tinkling theme music began, the closet door opened dramatically. I gasped.

It was only Kym. I clutched my chest where my heart was still beating wildly. The crowd laughed nervously.

"Are you ready for me?" Kym asked, batting her eyelashes. I couldn't believe my eyes. She'd changed into the same clothes she'd been wearing on the show. I wondered if this was the equivalent of wearing your Giants T-shirt when the team was playing.

I looked at my brother in disbelief, but he was grinning at her. Kevin patted the chair next to him, and she seated herself slowly, enjoying all eyes on her. Her parents beamed. I thought about apples falling not far from their trees. She'd learned how precious she was at their knees.

Kym said. "All right, here we go. Vangie, would you flip off the lights?"

Vangie dimmed the lights and the Wonderful World of Quilts logo filled the screen. Lark's voice teased that we would be taken to a premiere quilt shop in the next half-hour, learn a new way to applique, and answer viewers' questions.

Gussie approached me, "Dewey, I need..."

"I heard," I said. "As soon as this is over, we'll talk."

Gussie returned to her spot next to Celeste, who was staring straight ahead. I wondered why she'd come. It was obvious Celeste was a million miles away.

A commercial for floor cleaner blasted us, the volume of the strident, stressed-out mom's voice at an eleven. I muted the TV.

A stab of loneliness pierced me. I was surrounded by people, but I felt alone. This was Kym's time. I swallowed an irrational jealousy.

A second commercial, this time for a local car dealer, had started when the door opened and light from the hall crossed the TV screen. A groan went up from the group, and everyone turned to look to see who'd spoiled the darkness.

Buster. I shot up from my seat and waved him over. I was thrilled to see him. Vangie shot me a look that told me the joy was written all over my face, and I shrugged. I didn't care who knew I was happy to see him.

Kym wasn't pleased. "Hurry up and sit," Kym said. "We're going to miss the beginning."

He dragged a chair alongside me, straddling it, so he was leaning against the back, his arm along the edge. He hadn't shaved this morning, and one lock of black hair dipped over his forehead. He looked so hot. I savored the tingling I was feeling just below my belly button.

"I heard there was a big show this morning," he whispered. "`I didn't want to miss it."

I pushed the hair off his face just to touch him. "Kym's happy you're here," I teased.

He took my hand and kissed it. He pulled my chair closer to his, so only I heard what he said next. "I did not get up at the crack of dawn and drive for five hours, exceeding the speed limit in at least eight jurisdictions, getting crappy gas mileage for Kym."

My eyes filled with tears as his knee bumped mine. "Get it?" he said.

I nodded. I got it. Healy was here for me. Only me. I grabbed his knee and squeezed.

Turning back around, I caught a look from Celeste. She was so miserable.

Kym wheeled her arms and yelled, near hysterics. "Dewey, unmute! Hurry!"

I turned away from Buster's smiling face to see the show had begun.

Without sound. I pointed the remote and pushed up the volume.

Lark was pointing at the brick facade of Quilter Paradiso. I felt a chill run through me. What would my mother think of this? Her quilting business, housed in the store built by her great-grandfather, on national television. I was so proud.

Mom would have been thrilled. A wave of sadness flooded me as I missed my mother. She would have been the first person I'd called to share news like this. I patted Buster's knee again and was rewarded with a smile.

I looked at Kevin's profile to see if he was feeling it, too, but his eyes were on Kym. All of his sense of pride was tied up in her. The lonely feeling threatened to come back. I leaned closer to Buster.

I pushed the mute in time to hear Lark say, "... Kym Pellicano of Quilter Paradiso..."

A cheer went up in the crowd.

"Go, Kymster," Jenn cheered.

Kym said, "Ssssh"

I settled back. Buster left his hand in my lap, and I played with his thumb. On the screen, Lark interviewed Kym about her unique method of applique. Vangie turned and gave me another thumbsup when the camera zoomed in on the palm-tree-handled scissors Kym was using. I returned the gesture.

The camera lingered on Kym's hand and the scissors. I heard the whispering of desire in the crowd. Looks like we had a chance of selling all 144 pairs.

I was having an out-of-body experience, not really hearing what Kym was saying. She and Lark were standing next to each other behind the cutting table as Kym trimmed the back out of her applique piece. Lark was smiling and nodding, the consummate professional, probably bored, but never showing anything but extreme interest.

I stopped listening to Kym. Behind Lark was the wall of cherry drawers that had been installed in the 1920s when the Dewey Mercantile store became Dewey's Hardware. The drawer fronts next to the pulls were worn smooth from years of hands. As the camera panned back to Kym, I saw the Accounts Payable window into my office. This was my heritage. I was so filled with delight seeing it on TV, I almost missed what came next.

The camera panned through the store, resting on a quilt I'd never seen before. Hackles raised on the back of my neck. I sat up straight and tuned into what Kym was saying on the TV. Buster gave a surprised, "Hey," when I dropped his hand. His eyes alternated between the screen and me as I leaned forward, not wanting to miss anything.

In the show, Kym pointed to the unfamiliar rose and blue quilt laid out on the cutting table. "This is my `Joyous Hearts' quilt," she said. Kym's lips were moving along with her image on the television. "Part of the new line of original patterns at Quilter Paradiso. Complete quilt kits are available."

My ears were filled with a rushing noise. I didn't believe what I'd just heard. She'd told the entire viewing audience, potentially a million quilters, that I was selling kits for her quilt. Kits I did not have.

Kym turned, smiling like a cat that ate all the carp in the koi pond.

In two steps, I crossed to the room to where Kym sat. Kym ignored me. As I walked, I muted the volume. That had the desired effect.

"Hey!" Kym said. Kevin watched me warily.

I was toe to toe with Kym now. I said, "Are you fucking kidding me?'

The obscenity flew out of my mouth. I heard the room gasp. I was finished holding my feelings in. "Tell me you did not just do that. You have got to be kidding me, Kym."

Kevin and Buster exchanged a look. Kevin moved closer to Kym. Buster headed my way. I heard noises from the crowd, but the words did not reach my brain for comprehension. All I could hear was Kym's voice.

"Problem, Dewey?" She was smug.

My throat hurt from the giant lump that had taken up residence there. "You just told a national audience that we had a pattern and kit we don't have. How am I supposed to sell that?"

If Vangie's predictions were right, the phone and Internet orders would be coming in soon. Only now it was for quilt kits we didn't have.

Kym was unrepentant. "Just print out the instructions that Kevin emailed the other day."

I put my hands on my hips. "Those instructions have to be tested and corrected. Vangie has to put in our graphics, the store's contact information..." My voice trailed off. I was exhausted from having to explain this to her again. I was done. I couldn't do this anymore.

"Kevin, get her out of here, please," I said.

He pulled out her chair as she protested. "I didn't do anything wrong," she said, looking around the room for support. Her parents and applique group frowned in my direction. Gussie looked confused. Ina was explaining things to her. Pearl looked angry. Celeste had remained seated. Her face was unreadable.

"I know, Kym," Kevin said. "Let's just go."

Even Buster's face had turned dark. He shook his head at me slightly, as though warning me Kym was not worth the trouble.

Kevin held the classroom door open for her. Her parents, her friends, the Stitch 'n' Bitch group were all watching. I couldn't let that stop me from doing what I needed to do. They might not understand, but this was the time. I had the grounds and I had the opportunity.

Vangie turned on the lights, and the fluorescents put us under a harsh glow.

"Kym," I called.

She took a step back in the classroom, hopefully. She was sure I'd called her back to make amends. Kevin let the door shut and moved behind his wife. He was looking at me like the day I'd overfed his fish.

Anger coursed through me. Every procedure not followed, every suggestion ignored, every directive scoffed. Every insinuation that she was better at running a quilt store than I was flooded into my brain. I was through with torturing myself with my sisterin-law.

"Don't bother to clock in. Get your things out of the cubbie and go home. You're fired."

Kym stared at me. Kevin's face tightened. He put an arm around his wife. I felt Buster behind me.

"It's time," I said. "Kym, your tenure at QP is over."

She turned on her heel and ran out of the room. Kevin didn't look back. I waited until I heard the back door clear before I turned to the room. No one had moved.

"Thanks for coming," I started, but the words didn't get out, before the stampede started. The room emptied, Kym's friends moving angrily past me.

When the dust cleared, Buster, Vangie, and the Stitch 'n' Bitch group were still in their seats. To my surprise, so was Jenn.

I smiled weakly. "Okay, I guess we're going to be a little shorthanded today. Do the best you can."

Pearl said, "We can help."

I looked around the room. "I've got to make some calls."

Firing Kym was so big, I couldn't get my mind around it yet. I could only think about what I needed to do to get through the next few minutes.

But Saturday was another story. I needed every hand I could get. I'd probably lose Kevin, despite the fact that he'd worked more of these sales than I had.

I needed to get on the quilt guild e-mail list and ask, no, beg for help. I was so far behind now, I didn't know how I'd break through. Kym's little trick meant we'd all be spending time making Joyous Hearts quilt kits or excuses.

Vangie had left the safe door open, and I shoved it shut. It wasn't very satisfying as it closed silently, slowly, laboriously, like a lumbering old man.

Buster followed me in the office. He was looking at me as if I might break. I took a deep breath. I wasn't that easily defeated.

"You going to be okay?" Buster said.

I nodded. "I need to get to work."

"Me, too," he said. He kissed my cheek, squeezed my hand, and he was gone to the police station.

I stood in the middle of my office, trying to decide what to do first. I rubbed my forehead, hoping to conjure up a plan.