while I’m gone?”
“Mom!” Vanessa said. “We’re not five years old anymore.”
“I just never know with you two,” she said, grabbing her coat and purse, and pulling on a pair of brown gloves and a purple hat. “I’ll be back shortly, and woe unto you if the wall is damaged!”
“Mom! Seriously!” she heard as she went out the door to the garage. Then she heard Mackenzie’s voice: “She didn’t say a thing about the carpet.”
****
Kate hated to leave the warmth of the house and face the gloomy, snowy day. But she also knew she could use a little time to herself, and a visit with Mary Beth would do her good. The girls had woken up not long after Harry had called, and she hadn’t had time to really think about his request. She felt awfully irritated with the whole thing. In fact, practically every word that came out of his mouth irritated her. How dare he not take his daughter’s feelings into consideration and act like Vanessa was a dog or a potted plant he could just pick up whenever he felt like it?
She hadn’t yet mentioned the call to her daughter; she knew Vanessa would get upset and unsettled. The girl preferred not to think about her father. His violence had really affected her, and he continually reneged on promises. Kate knew she’d have to bring it up eventually, but for now she wanted her daughter to enjoy her day.
She arrived at A Stitch in Time a little after three thirty. Mary Beth sat in one of the comfy chairs, working on the blanket she’d begun earlier in the week.
“We’re closed,” the older woman said without looking up from her flashing needles.
“Sure you are,” Kate said. “Your sign says you close at four o’clock, so you still must be open. And anyway, I planned to spend a whole bunch of money today. Guess I’ll just have to go down to Finer Things and get rid of my cash there.”
“Guess so,” Mary Beth retorted, looking up. “I don’t need your kind in my store anyway.” They laughed as Kate sank down into the chair next to her.
“So, really, why are you here?” the older woman asked. “I’m pretty sure I gave you the day off, and it’s practically time for me to get out of here.”
“Ah, well.” Kate heaved a sigh. “The girls are working on the flyer and asked if you’d be OK with them decorating a box to put in the store as a place to collect the blankets. I told them I’d ask and then pick up a pizza.”
“And that makes you sigh, because?”
“ That doesn’t. Harry called this morning and wants a weekend with Vanessa, or ‘Scooter’ as he persists in calling her. And he gets under my skin like no one else. I still don’t know why I ever married that man.”
“Aw, honey, I’m so sorry.” Mary Beth put her knitting down and gave Kate her full attention. She knew how much Vanessa hated that moniker, and she really hated to see Kate so upset. “You married him because you loved him, and you got a wonderful kid out of the bargain.”
She leaned over and gave Kate a quick hug. “What does Vanessa say about it?”
“I haven’t told her yet. He says he wants to take her to the Maritime Museum—as if she’d even want to do that, and as if he’d actually take her.”
“He’s not exactly one for keeping promises, is he?”
“No! I’m sick of having to clean up his messes, and I’m sick of him hurting our daughter. Plus, I don’t know what weekend she’s free. She’s always so busy with school and her friends.”
“Have you tried ignoring him?”
“Yes, but that ends up being worse.” Kate sighed again. “He accuses me of keeping him from his daughter when I do that. Never mind that he’s the one who stays away.”
“I think all you can do is tell Vanessa as gently as possible, and then tell him when she’s available and hope for the best.”
“I guess you’re right,” she responded. “So, is it OK if the girls decorate a box for people to put their blankets in? Mackenzie said they might even get extra
“Mom!” Vanessa said. “We’re not five years old anymore.”
“I just never know with you two,” she said, grabbing her coat and purse, and pulling on a pair of brown gloves and a purple hat. “I’ll be back shortly, and woe unto you if the wall is damaged!”
“Mom! Seriously!” she heard as she went out the door to the garage. Then she heard Mackenzie’s voice: “She didn’t say a thing about the carpet.”
****
Kate hated to leave the warmth of the house and face the gloomy, snowy day. But she also knew she could use a little time to herself, and a visit with Mary Beth would do her good. The girls had woken up not long after Harry had called, and she hadn’t had time to really think about his request. She felt awfully irritated with the whole thing. In fact, practically every word that came out of his mouth irritated her. How dare he not take his daughter’s feelings into consideration and act like Vanessa was a dog or a potted plant he could just pick up whenever he felt like it?
She hadn’t yet mentioned the call to her daughter; she knew Vanessa would get upset and unsettled. The girl preferred not to think about her father. His violence had really affected her, and he continually reneged on promises. Kate knew she’d have to bring it up eventually, but for now she wanted her daughter to enjoy her day.
She arrived at A Stitch in Time a little after three thirty. Mary Beth sat in one of the comfy chairs, working on the blanket she’d begun earlier in the week.
“We’re closed,” the older woman said without looking up from her flashing needles.
“Sure you are,” Kate said. “Your sign says you close at four o’clock, so you still must be open. And anyway, I planned to spend a whole bunch of money today. Guess I’ll just have to go down to Finer Things and get rid of my cash there.”
“Guess so,” Mary Beth retorted, looking up. “I don’t need your kind in my store anyway.” They laughed as Kate sank down into the chair next to her.
“So, really, why are you here?” the older woman asked. “I’m pretty sure I gave you the day off, and it’s practically time for me to get out of here.”
“Ah, well.” Kate heaved a sigh. “The girls are working on the flyer and asked if you’d be OK with them decorating a box to put in the store as a place to collect the blankets. I told them I’d ask and then pick up a pizza.”
“And that makes you sigh, because?”
“ That doesn’t. Harry called this morning and wants a weekend with Vanessa, or ‘Scooter’ as he persists in calling her. And he gets under my skin like no one else. I still don’t know why I ever married that man.”
“Aw, honey, I’m so sorry.” Mary Beth put her knitting down and gave Kate her full attention. She knew how much Vanessa hated that moniker, and she really hated to see Kate so upset. “You married him because you loved him, and you got a wonderful kid out of the bargain.”
She leaned over and gave Kate a quick hug. “What does Vanessa say about it?”
“I haven’t told her yet. He says he wants to take her to the Maritime Museum—as if she’d even want to do that, and as if he’d actually take her.”
“He’s not exactly one for keeping promises, is he?”
“No! I’m sick of having to clean up his messes, and I’m sick of him hurting our daughter. Plus, I don’t know what weekend she’s free. She’s always so busy with school and her friends.”
“Have you tried ignoring him?”
“Yes, but that ends up being worse.” Kate sighed again. “He accuses me of keeping him from his daughter when I do that. Never mind that he’s the one who stays away.”
“I think all you can do is tell Vanessa as gently as possible, and then tell him when she’s available and hope for the best.”
“I guess you’re right,” she responded. “So, is it OK if the girls decorate a box for people to put their blankets in? Mackenzie said they might even get extra
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