Raising Faith (5 page)

When Morgan got up on the day after Thanksgiving, she discovered Grandma sitting at the kitchen table with her sewing basket and a small pile of colorful polar fleece. “Good morning,” said Grandma brightly.

“Good morning.” Morgan eyed the fleece. “Is that for making socks?”

“Yes. I thought you and I could work on it together. Your mom already went to open up her shop early. You know what they say about today.”

“Black Friday?” asked Morgan.

Grandma chuckled. “Yes, the biggest shopping day of the year.”

“I wish I had thought about that sooner,” said Morgan. “I could’ve had some socks all made up to sell in Mom’s shop today.”

“Oh, well,” said Grandma. “No use crying over spilt milk.”

“Did you have breakfast already?” asked Morgan.

Grandma smiled sheepishly. “Well, I wasn’t very hungry after all that feasting yesterday. I had pumpkin pie and coffee. Are you hungry?” Grandma started to get up.

“No,” said Morgan quickly. “I just want cold cereal. I can get it.”

Grandma held up the paper pattern. “I’ve been reading the instructions. I see that we use this pattern as a model to create several other patterns in various sizes.”

“Oh, yeah,” said Morgan as she filled a bowl with Cheer-ios. “I never even thought about sizes.”

“Apparently somebody else did. While you’re up, do you want to get me that roll of butcher paper out of the drawer?”

Morgan found the paper and handed it to Grandma, then sat down across from her and began eating cereal.

“I’ll just trace these out on the paper,” said Grandma as she adjusted her glasses. “You can cut them.”

By noon they had all the patterns cut, and Morgan was just getting ready to cut out the fabric when Grandma seemed to grow weary. “Why don’t you go have a rest,” said Morgan. “I can work on these.”

“I do feel tired,” said Grandma.

Morgan stood up now. “Come on,” she urged as she helped Grandma up. “You have a little nap and then you can help me later, okay?”

“You and Cleo,” said Grandma. “You’re treating me like an old lady.”

“Because we love you,” said Morgan.

Grandma laughed as she walked, but Morgan also noticed that she put her hand on the counter to balance
herself. That was not like her.

“Come on, Grandma,” said Morgan as she took her by the arm. “Let me walk with you.”

“I do feel a little unsteady sometimes,” admitted Grandma. “A little light-headed when I stand up.”

“Mom said you need to go to the doctor,” said Morgan as she walked her to her bedroom.

“Oh, I don’t know about —”

“And while you’re resting, I’m going to call Dr. Ballister and make an appointment for you.”

“Oh, you are, are you?” Grandma peered at Morgan.

“Isn’t that what you would do for me if I was feeling sick?”

Grandma chuckled as Morgan helped her to her bed. “You’re growing up too fast, Morgan. It seems like only yesterday that I was putting you down for a nap … now you’re doing the same to me.”

Morgan laid Grandma’s crocheted afghan over her legs. “Just rest, Grandma. I’ll see if I can get you an appointment for next week. Okay?”

“Whatever you say, dear.”

So Morgan closed the door behind her and went out and looked up Dr. Ballister’s phone number. She explained the concerns they had about Grandma as well as the symptoms of tiredness and dizziness and the nurse made an appointment for the following Tuesday. Morgan wrote
down the time and date, thanked her, and hung up.

Morgan returned to the kitchen, and instead of going back to her sewing project, she cleaned up the breakfast dishes, washed out the coffee pot, and then went back to cutting out socks. She realized right away that it would be important to pin the pieces together so that the sizes didn’t get mixed up. She also made some mistakes with cutting the fabric with the wrong side out. But finally, she had what appeared to be eight pairs of socks, in various sizes, ready to sew together. It really didn’t seem too complicated.

“How’s it going?” asked Grandma as Morgan was setting up her sewing machine.

“You’re up from your nap,” said Morgan. “Feeling better?”

“I can hardly believe I slept so long. Do you know that it’s after one already?”

Morgan showed her how many pairs of socks she cut out. “I was just about to sew up this first pair. They’re my size, so I thought I could test them out to make sure I’m doing it right.”

“Good thinking. And don’t forget to use the knit stitch. It takes longer, but it’s the only way you can sew a stretchy fabric like that fleece without having the seams pop open.”

“I know,” said Morgan. “I just wish it wasn’t such a slow way to sew.”

“Better slowly than holey.”

Morgan laughed as she changed the stitch setting. “Some people might like ‘holy’ socks.”

“Not ones with holes in them. And while you’re doing that, I’ll go put us together some lunch. We have some fine-looking turkey leftovers.”

“Sounds yummy.”

By the time Grandma called her to lunch, Morgan had one sock completely finished in the tiger design. She proudly took it in to show Grandma.

“It looks fine, Morgan. Did it fit okay?”

“I haven’t tried it yet.” Morgan sat down in a chair in the living room and peeled off her shoe and sock. “I guess it doesn’t matter which foot I put it on, does it?”

“Not for socks, dear.”

“Ugh,” groaned Morgan as she tried to force her foot into the sock. “This is not working … not at all.”

“Let me see,” said Grandma.

Morgan handed her the sock. “It doesn’t stretch, you know, to go over my foot. It’s too tight.”

Grandma examined the sock and finally nodded. “I see what’s wrong.”

“What?”

Grandma stretched the fabric. “See?”

“What?”

“The stretch is going the wrong way. You need to cut them out so that the stretch goes widthwise. This one goes
lengthwise. That’s why you couldn’t get your foot into it.”

“Oh no,” said Morgan. “I never thought about that when I cut out the other socks. What if they’re all wrong?”

“I doubt that they’ll all be wrong, dear.”

“But some of them will be.”

“At least it was only remnant fabric,” said Grandma. “Come and have some lunch, and we’ll figure it out later.”

“I can’t believe I was so stupid,” said Morgan as she sat down at the kitchen table. “You’ve told me about the grain of the fabric before.”

After lunch, they went to Morgan’s room to see what could be done about the sock dilemma. Morgan held up a pair of cut-out socks that were neatly pinned together. “I thought I was being so careful,” she said, “and all I did was mess things up.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. I probably would’ve done the same thing. I’ve knit socks before, but making them out of fabric is new to me too.” Grandma sat on Morgan’s bed and examined the pieces that she had cut out, separating into two piles the ones that were going the right way from the ones that were going the wrong way. But the wrong-way pile was getting bigger and bigger.

“This is hopeless,” said Morgan as she flopped down into her beanbag chair.

Grandma chuckled. “Well, it looks like you have two pairs that are cut in the right direction.”

“All that work for just two pairs of socks,” said Morgan sadly. “And I haven’t even sewn them yet.”

“Just consider it a learning experience.”

“But what about all the fabric I wasted?” Morgan looked at the big pile of colorful pieces.

Grandma smiled. “Well, don’t throw these away. I think I might be able to piece them together for a quilt.”

“A sock quilt?”

Grandma laughed. “Maybe so … maybe so …”

“I guess I should be glad that Emily isn’t here.”

“Why’s that, dear?”

“Because she’d probably think I was an idiot to waste all this time and fabric to produce just two pairs of socks.”

“You haven’t even produced those yet,” Grandma reminded her. “Why don’t you sew them up and see how it goes. Then maybe we can make a trip to the fabric store and get some more polar fleece fabric. They’re having a big sale today.”

“You want to go shopping on Black Friday?”

Grandma patted her on the head. “If it’ll help get you out of these doldrums, I do.” Then she winked at Morgan. “Besides, you know me, I’m always happy to go to the fabric store.”

So Morgan sewed up the socks and was surprised that it didn’t take as long as she thought it would. She even tried a pair on — the ones with red and white
stripes — and they fit perfectly. She proudly modeled them for Grandma.

“How do they feel?”

“Great. I think I’ll keep them.” Then Morgan looked at the other pair. They were soft pastel colors. “Hey, these are your size, Grandma. Why don’t you try them on?”

“Oh, I don’t want to —”

“Come on,” said Morgan. “Just try them.”

So Grandma slipped off her slippers and pulled on the fuzzy socks. “Very nice,” she said, pointing a toe.

“They’re for you,” proclaimed Morgan.

“Thank you very much.”

Then Grandma and Morgan went to the fabric store. Morgan only had twelve dollars of her own money, but Grandma offered to help out. “Look at all these colors,” said Morgan as they walked down the aisle of polar fleece fabric. “I don’t know how I’ll decide.” But before long, Morgan had picked out a stack of bolts. Grandma helped her to figure out the yardage, and according to their estimates, Morgan would be able to make about thirty pairs of socks when she was all done. “That’s if I don’t cut them wrong,” said Morgan as they went out to the car.

“I think today’s lesson will take care of that.”

“Thanks for your help, Grandma,” said Morgan as she opened the bag and fingered the soft fabric. “Do you think eight dollars a pair is too much?”

“I think that sounds about right for handmade socks,” said Grandma. “I know my feet are nice and cozy right now. And these socks are just perfect for my rain boots.”

By Saturday afternoon, Morgan had sewn up three pairs of socks. She was just about to start another pair when Grandma called her to come out of her room. “Amy is here to see you,” she said.

“Oh, hi, Amy,” said Morgan, wondering why Amy had on a dress. “What’s up?”

“Miss McPhearson’s tea,” said Amy in a slightly irritated tone. “And you do not look ready to go.”

Morgan slapped her forehead. “Oh, man, I totally forgot.” She looked at the clock on the wall. “Do I have time to change real quick?”

“Just hurry,” commanded Amy. “Carlie is in the car. My sister An is driving us over there.”

Morgan rushed back to her room, opened her closet, and pulled out a dark green velvet jumper that Grandma made for her last Christmas. She didn’t really like the jumper because she felt it looked too juvenile. But she figured Miss McPhearson might appreciate it. And it would make Grandma happy. Hopefully it wasn’t too small. She tugged it over her white turtleneck, and fortunately it fit. Then she shoved her feet into her black knee-high boots and added a beaded necklace. She grabbed up her coat and was about to hurry out when she noticed a finished
pair of purple socks on her bed. Would it be too weird to give them to Miss McPhearson? She stuffed them into her coat pocket, and then hurried back to the living room. She could figure that out later.

“Wow, that was quick,” said Amy, peering curiously at Morgan’s outfit as she pulled on her coat.

“Don’t you look pretty,” said Grandma. “You girls have fun now.”

Morgan thought that was probably unlikely. She did like Miss McPhearson, but the old woman could be moody sometimes. And it would probably set her off if her young guests arrived late. But fortunately, they made it on time. Cara, Miss McPhearson’s housekeeper and Amy’s friend, answered the door and took them to the parlor. “May I take your coats?” she asked. As the other girls gave her their coats, Morgan slipped the purple socks from her pocket and rolled them up and hid them in her hand. Maybe it was silly to give Miss McPhearson socks. She didn’t even know if they would fit. But it was too late to put them back in her coat pocket because Cara was taking their coats away.

“Welcome,” said Miss McPhearson as she entered the room. “Please, have a seat.”

The three girls sat down and, as usual, Miss McPhearson directed most of her conversation to Amy. Amy was the one who originally befriended the lonely old woman.
But the other girls had gotten to know her as well. And as odd as it might seem to someone who didn’t get it, they all got along fairly well. At least as long as the girls minded their manners. Miss McPhearson was a stickler for manners. Sometimes Morgan thought the purpose of their visits and teas was so that she could turn them all into little ladies. Still, it was interesting, and Miss McPhearson’s house, set high on a bluff overlooking the ocean, was like a museum full of interesting old stories.

“What’s that in your hand, Morgan?” Miss McPhearson asked as Amy poured the tea.

Morgan swallowed. “I, uh, I brought something for you, Miss McPhearson.”

“Well, what is it?” the old woman said impatiently.

“Something I made,” explained Morgan. “But I’m not sure they’re the right size. I wasn’t really thinking.”

Miss McPhearson held out her hand, and Morgan set the pair of socks in it. “What is this?”

“They’re socks,” said Morgan. “Polar fleece socks. I made some for my grandma, and she really liked them. I thought you might like them too.”

Miss McPhearson unrolled the socks and held them out to examine them. “Very interesting, Morgan. Thank you very much.”

“You’re welcome.”

Then Miss McPhearson set the bright purple socks aside in a way that made Morgan think it had probably
been a mistake after all. “Where are the other girls?” she asked. “Emily and Chelsea?” Amy explained about the ski trip, and Miss McPhearson immediately launched into a colorful story about the first time she and her family went skiing, up at the very same lodge, and how she broke her leg on the very first run. “I never skied again.”

Morgan just hoped that wouldn’t be the case with Emily. Or Chelsea, for that matter. She shot up a little prayer for both of them to come home safely and in one piece.