The Package Read online

  The whistling of the kettle jerked her out of her musing. Annie poured the hot water into a teacup and swished the bag back and forth. Anxiety churned in her stomach. Everything was so unsettled and so uncertain. She didn’t know if she would be able to pull the intergenerational project together, and she didn’t know if she ever would be able to return those certificates. She gritted her teeth. The final straw was that silly mouse.

  She remembered something Gram always used to say: “God has a way of working these things out.”

  She brought the steaming cup of tea up to her face, allowing the minty scent to relax her. At least tomorrow she had the Hook and Needle Club meeting. The ladies would know what to do.

  ****

  On Tuesday, Annie rose early, feeling rejuvenated by a good night’s sleep. She spent some time staining the boards Wally had brought in for the new shelving in the library. Then she cleaned up and dressed for the meeting. She’d finished the yellow infant hat and jacket, and had decided to do another set in lilac. Mary Beth would have the yarn she needed.

  She arrived fifteen minutes early and was looking over Mary Beth’s selection of yarn when Stella and Peggy showed up together. While Kate rang up her purchases, Gwen and Alice sauntered in.

  Gwen held up some light gray yarn. “I was so inspired by what I saw at that needlecraft fair that I decided to go all primitive and spin my own wool.”

  “You made that from raw wool?” Alice gathered it into her hands.

  Gwen shrugged. “It’s a little rough, I know, but I had fun.”

  “I got a few ideas of my own wandering around that place,” Alice added with her usual exuberance. “Do you think the girls were inspired?”

  The three of them wandered over to where Peggy and Stella had already found chairs next to each other. Kate and Mary Beth were still busy with customers.

  “It’s so hard to tell with teenagers.” Gwen settled into her usual chair.

  “I think it did make a difference.” Annie said, placing her tote beside her chair. “I’m just hoping it was enough for the girls to be willing to do the project with the Seaside residents.”

  Peggy fidgeted on her chair. “I know I had fun on the trip.”

  Mary Beth, who had been listening to the women talk while she stood outside the circle of chairs, commented, “The indifference and the feet dragging can be a trial, but just remember: when it comes to a teenager, sometimes that is all for show. They might just be dying to be a part of this.”

  “Tomorrow is the final day. We need a clear commitment from them.” Rising anxiety pinched at the back of Annie’s neck.

  Gwen cleared her throat. “Can I be honest with you ladies?”

  The other women nodded. Peggy scooted forward and leaned toward Gwen.

  Gwen rested her hands in her lap and took in a breath. “I have a hard time with Lily. She acts like she knows everything. It’s just … difficult to relate to her.”

  “Maybe she is just not the girl you should focus on,” Annie suggested.

  “She makes me bristle a little bit too.” Alice shifted in her chair. “Since Mackenzie has shown an interest in cross-stitch, I feel like I can build a relationship with her.”

  Mary Beth combed her fingers through her graying hair. “All the girls are very different. Taylor seems able to connect with anyone.”

  Annie pulled some of the purple yarn out of the skein, enjoying the soft feel in her hand. “I think once Erin gains some confidence, she’ll come out of her shell. She’s a really sweet girl.” The problem was she had no idea how to build that confidence.

  “It just seems there must be something we can do for Lily,” Peggy tugged on the collar of her pink uniform. “I know I can’t be there that much.” She flashed her silver fingernails at everyone. “I should take her to my sister, and then we could bond over getting our nails done.”

  “Maybe there is nothing we can do. Some people are just that way.” Gwen pulled her glasses out of the case and placed them on her face. “No matter what you do, they don’t change.”

  Stella let out a huff that she intended for everyone to hear. “All this talk about the trip and the teens.” Her knitting needles clicked. “Maybe I should come to the meeting and straighten this Lily girl out. You are doing knitting for your lesson tomorrow, aren’t you?”

  The room fell silent for a moment.

  “We’d love to have you.” Alice threaded a needle while her cross-stitch lay on her lap.

  Mary Beth offered Annie a furtive glance. Mary Beth’s face was etched with concern. They were probably thinking the same thing. They had wanted to include Stella, but was “straightening out” what Lily really needed?

  “Have you had any progress on getting those stock certificates back to their owner since you found Ocean Side Partners?” Alice flipped open a pattern book she had brought with her.

  Annie was glad the conversation had turned to the stock certificates. “I did find out that the certificates have increased a lot in value. But I am no closer to finding Joan or Therese.”

  Alice picked up her cross-stitch, tightened her hoop, and poked her needle through the aida cloth. “You don’t have any leads at all?”

  “Just one. Ian found out that a woman named Joan had stayed at Maplehurst Inn. He thought the inn’s owner might have some insight. He gave me the owner’s name. Linda somebody.”

  Alice perked up. “Oh, I love the Maplehurst Inn. They lay out the nicest Friday brunches.”

  Gwen said, “We should all go. Make a morning of it?”

  “I don’t know, ladies, we are starting to set a pattern. We’re becoming the club that meets two days a week instead of one,” Annie teased as she felt the lively banter improve her mood.

  “I don’t see how that could be a bad thing.” Alice elbowed Annie.

  “I am fond of the Maplehurst brunches.” Stella’s eyes sparkled. “They have the best quiche in town.”

  Peggy rose to her feet and stretched. “I’m afraid I have to work.”

  “Me too,” said Mary Beth. “Kate will be in the shop as well.”

  “The four of us can go anyway,” Gwen suggested. The women agreed to meet at the inn at ten o’clock on Friday.

  The talk turned to the quartet from Portland that Stella had snagged to play at the Cultural Center, and Annie focused on her crocheting. She was glad to see Stella show an interest in participating with the rest of the club on outings, but uneasiness about tomorrow’s teen meeting plagued her. Though Stella had never had any children of her own, she had all kinds of ideas of how children should be raised. Maybe Lily’s know-it-all attitude hid some deep wound. Would Stella be sensitive to that?

  Annie worked out her anxiety with her crocheting. Her hook grabbed the yarn and formed the rows of stitches easily. As usual, the hour flew by.

  Thoughts about Joan played at the corner of her mind. Annie stopped crocheting.

  “You’ve got that look on your face,” Alice said as she leaned close to her friend, eyebrows drawn together.

  “What look?”

  “The I’m worried look.”

  The other women got up from their chairs as the meeting broke up. They wandered around the store, still visiting with each other.

  Annie pulled taut the yarn in her hand and then wound it around her finger. “I was just thinking. Someone broke into my house. We know now that the stock certificates are worth something.”

  Alice put her cross-stitch back in her bag and zipped it up. “I see what you are saying.” She rose to her feet. “You are wondering—if the stock was so valuable, why wouldn’t Joan come back for it after all these years?”

  Annie tensed. “I am starting to think that maybe the reason Joan didn’t come back to Gram’s house was because she couldn’t come back.”

  “You mean—” Alice’s face blanched. “You can’t let your mind go there. We don’t know anything for sure.”

  “I’m just not sure what we are dealing with here anymore,” Annie whispered.


  10

  Wednesday afternoon as she got ready for the teen meeting, Annie felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety. By five o’clock, she would know if they could go forward with the intergenerational project. As she looked in the bedroom mirror and ran a brush through her hair, she told herself that it didn’t matter. The Hook and Needle Club could keep helping with the class without the project, and maybe they could also step in and do something with the Seaside ladies. Even though she tried to convince herself she’d be OK if the girls weren’t on board with the project, her churning stomach told her their participation mattered to her.

  Annie went down to the kitchen. Boots twirled around her legs as Annie poured herself a glass of milk before leaving. She’d found more evidence that the mice had migrated. One of her plastic storage containers had some telltale teeth marks on it. Annie narrowed her eyes at the cat. “Why aren’t you doing your job?” She knew the gray feline was capable of hunting. When the weather was nice, she would go outside and leave little “gifts” for Annie on the porch. “The indoor mice just aren’t interesting to you, huh?”

  Boots meowed a response.

  Annie finished up her milk and went into town. Though she had intended to be early, Erin and Mackenzie along with Stella and Gwen were already picking out yarn and needles for their next lesson. Lily and Taylor were seated and working on their projects. No doubt Lily had purchased the yarn days in advance.

  Erin stood in front of a wall of yarn separated into wooden boxes by color. The girl was so deeply in thought that a crease appeared between her eyebrows. She held up a pair of knitting needles. “Mary Beth said these were the best size for a beginner to start with.” She turned back toward the wall of yarn. “I just can’t decide on what color of yarn I want.”

  “The first time I saw you in class you were wearing a pair of pink high-tops. I liked seeing a little pop of color on you.”

  Erin lifted her head. “You noticed that about me?”

  “Of course I did. I notice a lot about you.”

  Erin shot a glance toward her sister and then stared at the floor, twisting her foot inward. “Sometimes I feel a little invisible.”

  Annie lifted Erin’s chin and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re not invisible to me.”

  Erin’s expression warmed. “Thanks,” she whispered. She turned back toward the wall of yarn. “I still don’t know what color to pick.”

  Annie grabbed a skein of fuchsia yarn and placed it in Erin’s hand. “You could make a nice scarf out of that to match your high-tops.”

  Erin brushed her hand over the yarn. “If I could ever finish anything …”

  “I know these projects have been a struggle for you, but you’ll find something you like, and you’ll just take off with it.”

  Erin shrugged. “Knitting is the last lesson.” Sadness colored her words. “I wouldn’t count on me taking off today.”

  Annie’s heart ached for Erin. “Maybe needlecraft isn’t your thing. Sooner or later, you’ll discover what you are good at.”

  “I don’t know about that. Mackenzie is the one who is good at everything.” Erin stood up a little straighter and looked directly at Annie. “I sure have liked coming to the class though. And the trip was fun too.”

  “We’ve loved having you.” Annie gave Erin a sideways hug, squeezing her shoulder. Erin had such a pure, sweet heart. Something just had to click for this kid.

  “Erin, hurry up.” Mackenzie stood at the register while Kate rang up the purchases.

  The doorbell dinged and Vanessa, Kate’s daughter, stepped across the threshold. Kate’s face brightened. “You came.”

  Vanessa wore shorts and flip-flops, not exactly spring attire. She raised her hands up, palms outward. “My mother would not stop talking about what a fun trip you guys had. She made me feel like I was missing out on a good time. So here I am. I already have needles and yarn.”

  “We are always glad to have you,” Mary Beth said.

  “Hey, I know you.” Vanessa took her needles out of her bag and ambled toward Mackenzie. “You sit behind me in algebra.”

  Mackenzie clearly recognized her. “So is Mr. Simpson an alien or what?”

  “Do you mean the big ears and bug eyes, or the way he is oddly excited about finding the value of x?”

  Both girls laughed. Mackenzie and Vanessa made their way to the circle of chairs at the front of the store.

  Everyone settled into a chair. Gwen sat at the front of the class, knitting needles poised for instruction. “Everyone, this is Stella. She is our other knitter.”

  Stella had found a seat beside Lily. The older woman looked more ready for the opera than a knitting lesson in her brocade jacket, up-do hairstyle, and diamond earrings.

  Gwen cleared her throat and explained to the girls how to cast on. “Stella, you can jump in at any time.”

  Lily lifted her chin, keeping her mouth tight. “I already know how to do this.”

  Turning toward Lily, Stella stiffened a little and raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything.

  Annie took a seat beside Erin. There hadn’t been time to discuss the Seaside project right away. It would just have to wait until the end of class.

  Stella leaned close to Lily. “Oh dear, I think you’ve dropped a stitch.”

  “No, I didn’t,” Lily blurted. “My mom taught me how to do this. I know what I am doing.”

  Annie tensed, preparing for Stella’s straightening out.

  The older woman’s lips pursed. “Your mom taught you how to knit. What a wonderful gift. My mother died when I was little.” A gentle quality permeated Stella’s voice.

  The movement of Lily’s fingers slowed. “I guess it is a neat thing.”

  “You really are doing a nice job.” Stella examined the six inches of knitting Lily had completed, stretching it out in her hand so she could look at it closer.

  Lily examined her work. “I guess maybe I did drop a stitch here.”

  “It would be nothing to go back and start over from that point. You completed your rows pretty quickly, and they are so perfect.”

  Lily lifted her head and held her work out at arm’s length. “Probably, I could do that. I could fix it.”

  “I know you could,” Stella encouraged.

  Lily turned sideways to look at Stella, and an expression of warmth passed between them.

  “Yes, I can.” Lily unraveled a row with the softest of smiles on her face.

  Mackenzie held up her two rows of knitting. “I’m really slow at this. It could take me like a million years.”

  Vanessa leaned close to her friend and whispered something that made her laugh. Erin watched the two girls and then wiggled in her seat before she hung her head.

  “Usually your sister sits beside you.” Annie leaned toward Erin, speaking in a low voice.

  The two older girls continued to giggle, heads bent close together, cupping their hands over their mouths and whispering.

  “Not today, though.” Erin stared at the floor.

  “I’m just not getting this.” Taylor held up her tangled mess. Her stitches were all different sizes.

  “Why don’t you come sit beside me?” Gwen suggested. “I’ll walk you through it.” She looked at the work Taylor had done. “You’re probably going to have to unravel all of that.”

  Taylor laughed. “That bad, huh?”

  “I like the way you can laugh at your mistakes,” Gwen said.

  “Win some, lose some,” Taylor said with a shrug. “Can’t be good at everything.” She undid the knitting she had started. “So, ladies, what’s the scoop on the project with the old people?”

  Annie’s breath caught. She chose her words carefully. “Four women at Seaside are interested. I was just waiting for all of you to tell me yes or no. Either we can make arrangements for all of you to get together, or we can forget the whole thing.”

  “You know I’m in.” Taylor continued to pull out her knitting. “I thought it was a
great idea from the start.”

  “I’ll do it if Vanessa does it,” said Mackenzie, hugging the arm of her new friend.

  A puzzled look crossed Vanessa’s face. “Does what?”

  “Annie wants us to make some stuff for the new babies at Stony Point Hospital,” Mackenzie explained. “I can’t remember what it is called. A bassinet, I think.”

  “A layette.” Gwen seemed amused by Mackenzie’s explanation.

  “We would work with the residents at Seaside. They know way more than we do about this kind of stuff.” Taylor grimaced at the spider’s web of yarn she had created. “I think it would be neat, but I doubt I’ll be knitting anything.”

  Erin said, “I’d like to do it.” She shrugged. “I don’t know how much help I would be. The older ladies would probably have to do most of the work. But I would like to help.”

  Lily’s shoulders stiffened. “I still say old people—” Her eyes darted to the side where Stella sat with her hands folded in her lap. “It might be an OK thing to do.”

  “That settles it then.” Annie tried not to gush, but inside she was dancing like Snoopy. “All five of you are in.” Yes, yes, yes, this is all going to come together.

  Alice’s expression took on a glow as well. “So when will the girls be able to meet with the Seaside women?”

  “The ladies at Seaside have a regular meeting on Thursday evenings at seven o’clock after dinner, and they are open to having you come,” Annie said. “I know it’s kind of short notice. Can everyone make that time?”

  All of the girls but Lily nodded.

  “I’ll have to ask my mother,” Lily quipped.

  Annie turned her head to hide the laugh that threatened to escape. Lily always had to put up some protest. That was just who she was. The kid grew on you. All of them did.

  The rest of the meeting passed quickly. Erin and Taylor never got very far past their home row of knitting. Annie basked in positive feelings as parents came to pick up teens.