The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstetter

never have known what it felt like to be loved at all. Maybe if Mom could have been at home more with Star, things might have been different. Then again, she doubted it.
     
    After Mom married Wes, Star had thought that her mother’s days of working as a waitress would be over, but the lazy bum never held a steady job, so Mom had been forced to continue working full-time in order to pay the bills.
I never liked that man
, Star thought bitterly.
He was abusive to Mom and treated me like I wasn’t even there. He probably wished I wasn’t so he could have Mom all to himself. The two years he lived with us were horrible, and I hope Mom never gets married again!
     
    “Well, would you look at that!” Ruby Lee shouted. “Paul almost has that ornery goat eating right out of his hand.”
     
    Star turned her gaze to the window again. Paul stood near the edge of the yard, holding several pieces of grass, and Maggie the goat was moving slowly toward him. When Maggie drew closer and took the grass in her mouth, Paul put his hands around the goat’s neck and led her easily to the pen. Meanwhile, Stuart stood near the porch holding his battered-looking baseball cap and shaking his head. So much for the great white hunter!
     
    When the men returned to the house, Emma, still chuckling a bit, apologized to Stuart for the rumpled cap. “I think maybe we all need a little break,” she said. “Let me go to the kitchen and get some refreshments.”
     
    “I’ll go with you,” Ruby Lee said, quickly following Emma out of the room. Star figured their teacher probably needed a break as much as those in her class did right now. Hopefully after some refreshments, everyone would calm down and relax.
     
    Jan seemed reluctant to give the baby back to Paul, but when Paul sniffed the air and said the baby’s diapers needed to be changed, Jan scrunched up his nose and quickly handed Sophia to her father.
     
    “Babies will be babies.” Pam nudged her husband’s arm. “Isn’t that right, Stuart?”
     
    “Huh?” He was fooling with his phone again.
     
    “I said, ‘Babies will be babies.’” Pam glared at him and pointed to the phone. “Would you please put that thing away? I suppose you’re checking the scores on some stupid sporting event.”
     
    Stuart shrugged and put his phone back in his pocket. Star hadn’t expected him to give in so easily. Was he always so compliant or merely trying to avoid a fight?
     
    “So what do you do for fun?” Star asked, turning to Jan.
     
    “I ride my Harley.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “Well, I did before I lost my license.”
     
    “I’ve never ridden a motorcycle,” she said.
     
    “You oughta try it sometime. It’s really a lot of fun.” He frowned as he slowly shook his head. “Sure beats ridin’ a beat-up bike that you have to pedal everywhere.”
     
    “Well then, maybe you ought to get one that’s not so beat-up,” Stuart interjected.
     
    Star held her breath, waiting for Jan to make some wisecrack, but he just ignored the man. Didn’t even glance his way. It was probably a good thing, because if he’d said something derogatory, the two men might have ended up going toe-to-toe again.
     
    It would serve Stuart right if Jan punched him in the nose
, Star thought.
He’s got a big mouth and oughta know when to keep quiet. Maybe Mr. High and Mighty needs someone bigger than him to put him in his place
.
     
    Paul returned from the bathroom, where he’d gone to change the baby, just as Emma and Ruby Lee entered the sewing room, bringing with them a plate full of peanut butter cookies, a pot of coffee, and a pitcher of iced tea. They also had cups, glasses, and napkins, which they set on the table. The atmosphere in the room seemed more relaxed after everyone had been given a treat.
     
    Emma smiled at Paul and then Stuart. “I want to thank you both for rounding up my goat, which I’m sure saved my garden.”
     
    “No problem,” Paul said.
     
    “Yeah, I