Knit to Be Tied (6 page)

Climbing the wooden steps to the original front door of the café, Kelly paused to notice again the forgotten cement pathway that wound around the side of the sprawling beige stucco red-tile-roofed farmhouse turned knitting shop. Back when her aunt and uncle owned the farmhouse decades ago, there were only two long wooden tables nestled in the greenery. And only her uncle's truck and her aunt's car parked outside the stucco walls surrounding the patio garden. Now several cars were parked along the back and the sides of the café and the Lambspun shop. Customers.

Spotting Jennifer, Kelly waved her mug and placed it on a nearby tray stand. “When you get a chance, can I have an iced coffee fill-up, please?”

“We'll take care of it,” Jennifer said as she balanced a loaded tray on her hip. “Cassie's in the main room putting away a new yarn order that just came in.”

“Oh, good. I haven't seen her in a couple of days,” Kelly said as she walked toward the corridor that led to the center of the shop and the main room with its long library table. She saw Cassie as soon as she entered. A large pile of multicolored yarns were stacked at the end of the library table. “Hey, Cassie, you're helping Mimi with the latest yarn shipment, I hear.”

Cassie turned quickly and gave Kelly a big smile. Kelly noticed again how the young fourteen-year-old girl's face was slowly changing. Subtle changes, moving from childhood to adulthood. Childish plump cheeks slimming down.

“Hey, Kelly. I'm adding this new shipment to the last ones left in these yarn bins. It'll be a little tight, but there's nowhere else to put them.” She picked up two more slender oval-shaped skeins and wedged them into the top of one of the yarn bins.

Kelly settled into a chair nearby and took out her laptop and client files. She intended to finish the almost-completed expense worksheet, but first she wanted to grab this quiet moment when she and Cassie had the main knitting room all to themselves.

Julie appeared then with Kelly's mug. “Iced coffee, Kelly. We'll leave a pitcher for you up front if you like,” she said, placing the mug on the table.

“That'll be great, thank you, Julie.”

“No problem,” the waitress said as she sped from the room. Back to the customers.

Kelly relaxed into the chair and took a long cooling sip of iced coffee. Black and strong. Just the way she liked it, either hot or cold. She waited until Cassie had finished with
the entire pile of yarns before she spoke. “Are you ready for tonight's game? Most of us will be there. Lisa said Greg will be at a student friend's thesis party, so he'll have to miss it.”

“Yeah, we're ready. I think we can beat Arvada this time,” Cassie said as she plopped herself into the chair not far from Kelly's. She dangled one long leg over the side of the chair.

Teenage sprawl. Kelly recognized it from all the years she'd coached teenage girls' sports teams. And from her own memories of herself growing up. Gangliness gradually gave way to coordination. Arms and legs moving together smoothly. Or would be. Everyone matured differently.

“I think you guys can do it,” Kelly agreed, then paused for a moment. “Jennifer told me that your mom, Tanya, wants you to come down to Denver with her for a weekend.” She watched Cassie's face for a reaction.

Cassie glanced down and picked up some yarn fibers from the table. “Yeah. Pete says my mom really wants to see me before the school year starts.”

“Well, the championship games are this weekend, but the following weekend is free. So I guess you'll go then, right?”

Cassie gave one of those inscrutable teenaged girl shrugs. Inscrutable to all except those who remembered their own teenaged years. “Yeah,” she said, fingering the bright red fibers of a silk scarf another knitter had left on the table. Halfway finished, it was still luscious.

“It sounds like your mom wants to have a chance to spend some time with you. You're growing up so fast.”

A partial shrug this time. “I guess,” Cassie said, picking up the red yarn and running her fingers across the stitches.

Kelly paused, then said quietly, “Were you kind of surprised she asked?”

This time Cassie's voice changed. Still examining the red yarn, she said simply, “Yeah.” One word. But Kelly could distinctly hear the unspoken message in her tone.
Well, yeah! It's about time.

Kelly took a sip of iced coffee while she chose her next words. She set the mug on the table and leaned back into the chair. “I don't think I ever told you this, Cassie, but my mother walked out on my father and me when I was five months old.”

Cassie's head jerked up, and her big blue eyes stared at Kelly. “
What!
Are you serious?”

Kelly nodded. “Absolutely. My dad said my mom left a note saying that she didn't think she could handle taking care of a baby anymore. She was afraid of being a bad mother, so she left.”

Cassie stared, then finally said, “That's . . . that's awful.”

Kelly gave an inscrutable shrug of her own. “You know, I didn't think about it much when I was growing up. My dad was great and adored me. And Aunt Helen and Uncle Jim did, too, so I never felt a lack of love. And when I looked around at other friends' families, I saw a lot of divorced moms and dads. So it was okay.”

“Did you ever hear from her?”

Kelly shook her head. “Never. My dad didn't mention her again, and neither did Aunt Helen nor Uncle Jim. There
weren't any other relatives around, so they were my entire family as I grew up.”

Cassie glanced out into the room. “Kind of like Grandpa Ben and me.”

“Exactly. That's why I'm telling you. Not everyone grows up in a family that has a mom and dad and the kids. There are all sorts of families out there. Different shapes and sizes.” Kelly smiled. “You had Grandpa Ben as your parent for many years, and now you have your uncle Pete and Jennifer as your parents.”

Cassie looked back at Kelly. “And you had your dad.”

Kelly nodded. “Yeah. And you also have your mom. She may not be there all the time, but at least she cares enough to want to see you.”

Cassie looked out into the room again. “Yeah, I guess.”

“My mother never showed up at all. So you really are lucky, Cassie.” Kelly gave her a grin.

Cassie eyed Kelly. “I wonder if she ever regretted leaving you guys.”

Kelly shrugged again. “We'll never know. Hey, who knows? Maybe I was a really ugly baby,” she teased.

Cassie's eyes popped wide. “Are you
kidding
? You're beautiful, Kelly!”

Kelly threw back her head and laughed. “Ohhhh, such flattery!”

Cassie shook her head. “You couldn't have been an ugly baby. Impossible.”

“Well, maybe I had too many stinky diapers.”

Cassie laughed out loud at that.

“I'm glad you're able to babysit Molly later tonight.
When is your team getting together? You guys need to celebrate your wins.”

“We're going to wait until Saturday night.” Cassie placed the luscious red scarf back on the table.

“Hey, if you guys win against Arvada tonight and then win the Saturday game, you'll be unbeatable going into Sunday,” Kelly said with a grin.

Cassie laughed softly, long leg dangling over the chair arm. “Ohhhhh, yeah. That would be
sweet.”

“Great
game, Cassie,” Marty said as he stepped down from the bleachers. “That was a sharp double to left field. Brought in two runs.”

Cassie smiled over a spoonful of chocolate ice cream that was dripping into the plastic cup in her hand. “Thanks, Marty. Are you ready to head back to your house? Megan will be looking for us.” The spoonful disappeared into Cassie's mouth.

Kelly stepped down from the bleachers and glanced around the darkening sky. The bright lights illuminating City Park ball field had already turned on as the summer sun slid behind the mountains. “Knowing Megan, she's probably pacing the floor right now.”

“Yeah, you're right,” Marty said with a chuckle. “Okay, Cassie, grab your gear and we'll go to the car. Luckily I
found a parking space right across from the swimming pool.” He jangled his car keys.

“Don't worry about her gear,” Pete said, standing behind Cassie. “We'll take it back to our house. We'll be picking Cassie up from your house after we leave Kelly and Steve's tonight.”

“How's your dad doing, Pete? I've been meaning to ask,” Lisa said as she rose from the bleacher row and stretched.

“He's doing about the same, which is always good news. The nurses tell me he's getting physical therapy every week, but we don't really see any improvement. At least I don't see it. What about you, Cassie?” Pete turned to his niece.

Cassie swallowed another bite of chocolate before answering. “Grandpa Ben looks just about the same as he always does when we go down to see him. He sits in his wheelchair and watches television and reads magazines.” She looked away. “It's kind of sad.”

Pete patted her on the shoulder. “Yeah, I know it is, honey. But at least he's still with us. We can be grateful for that.”

“For sure,” Jennifer said from the side of the bleachers, which were rapidly clearing out.

Parents and families and friends of the two local girls' softball teams had spread across Fort Connor's City Park grounds, heading for parking lots or picnic tables where other friends had cookouts going. Kelly could detect the scent of cooking hamburgers floating on the twilight air.

“Okay, guys, Kelly and I are heading back to our place. We've got chips and beer and I think I saw a pastry box
from the bakery on our kitchen counter,” Steve said as he draped his arm around Kelly's shoulders.

“Okay, Cassie, let's move it. The sooner we get you to our house, the sooner Megan and I can find out what's in that pastry box,” Marty said with a big grin as he beckoned Cassie away from the bleachers.

“See you later, guys,” Cassie said with a wave as she caught up with Marty's long-legged stride. Her own long legs were getting longer, growing.

“What's in the box, Kelly? Inquiring minds want to know,” Jennifer teased.

“It's that bakery's specialty. German chocolate cake with a to-die-for frosting. And believe me, they slather it on thick between every layer. And on top, of course.”

“Really?” Steve said, eyebrows shooting up. “Well, let's get a move on, then. I want to get home before Marty arrives. That way, I can snitch some frosting.” Steve headed away from the bleachers, jingling the car keys in front of Kelly.

“Oh, brother. I'm in big trouble,” Jennifer said as she and Pete strolled across the grass.

“We all will be. I'll be running five miles farther tomorrow morning,” Kelly said with a laugh, joining her friends as they walked across the grassy sections beside the fields.

•   •   •

“When's
Greg coming?” Megan asked after she licked some frosting from her fork. A half-eaten slice of German chocolate cake sat on her plate. Not for long.

“I texted him when we were leaving the ball field and told him about Kelly's dessert. I figured that would bring him back right away.” Lisa scraped the last of the cake frosting from her plate as she sank back into the sofa cushions.

“Where is he again?” Pete asked, taking another bite of the rich cake.

“He's at a thesis acceptance party for one of his graduate student friends at the university,” Lisa replied.

Kelly glanced around the great room. Her friends were sitting or sprawled on the comfy chairs, sofa, and love seat that she and Steve had combined from her cottage and his Denver apartment. She and Steve had moved into one of the last houses in Steve's housing development on the northeast side of Fort Connor. The same development where Lisa and Greg had bought a home several years ago. Megan and Marty had followed suit a couple of years later, as had Kelly and Steve. Jennifer and Pete had joined them the following year. Now, whenever the gang wanted to get together, all they had to do was walk around a few corners.

Kelly checked her watch. “Yeah. I'm surprised Greg isn't here already. He's usually the first one to line up whenever food is mentioned.”

“Don't worry. Greg will show up any minute and immediately accuse Marty of having two slices and leaving him only one,” Steve joked, his plate already scraped clean. Not a fleck of cake or frosting visible.

“Well, then, I should get another slice now. I don't want to make a liar out of him,” Marty said with a grin and jumped up from the love seat he was sharing with Megan.

“Mar-
teeeeee!
Take a teeny slice. Everyone else will want another taste,” Megan warned her husband.

“I'll text Greg and tell him what kind of cake it is. Better yet, I'll send a photo,” Pete said, slipping his cell phone from his pocket as he rose from his chair beside Jennifer's.

“And tell him that Marty's circling it right now,” Jennifer added with a laugh.

Pete walked over to the kitchen counter and snapped a photo with his phone. He scrolled through different phone screens, then clicked. “Okay. There it goes. Now, Marty, come over here and lean over the cake.” Pete beckoned.

“Absolutely,” Marty said obligingly. He leaned over the cake, holding his plate in one hand and his fork hovering directly over the scrumptious dessert.

“Perfect,” Pete said with a grin as he clicked his mail program again. Electronic messages traveling through the ether faster than a single breath.

The chorus of an old bluesy jazz song sounded. “That's mine,” Lisa said as she reached beside the sofa for her purse.

“Did Molly go to sleep okay?” Kelly asked Megan as she perched on the edge of Steve's favorite overstuffed armchair.

“Pretty much. She plays so hard during the day that she usually falls right to sleep at night,” Megan said, sinking back into the love seat.

“Most of the time,” Marty added as he returned to the love seat with only a small slice of cake. “Other times, she cries. It's hard to figure out.”

Kelly glanced over at Lisa, who was talking on the phone.

“I'm Greg Carruthers's wife. Who is this again?” Lisa was sitting up straight now.

“I've heard that babies do that—” Jennifer started to say until Kelly waved her quiet.

Kelly was watching Lisa, whose face had gone white in seconds. All color drained away.

“What? But . . . but how—” Lisa blurted out, her voice higher.

“Something's up,” Steve whispered to Kelly as he put his plate on a nearby end table.

Kelly just nodded as she and all her friends had their attention riveted on Lisa.

“Oh, my God . . .” Lisa said, her voice breaking. “Where is he?”

Kelly and Steve both stood up at the same time, as did their friends, one by one. Standing silently.

“I'll be right there. Fifth floor. I'm coming.” She snapped her phone closed and looked up at her friends with a blank expression. “Greg's been in an accident. A car hit him while he was cycling home,” she said, voice wavering. “I've gotta go now. They're getting ready to take him in for surgery at the hospital.” Her hand clutched at her chest. “Oh, God.”

“Come with us, Lisa.” Pete went to her immediately, lifting her up from the chair by the arms. “Jen, take Lisa in the backseat with you.”

“We'll follow you,” Steve said, striding toward the front door. He held it open for Pete and Jen and Lisa as they passed through.

Kelly grabbed her shoulder bag and snapped off a couple of lights. “We'll all be right behind you, Lisa,” she called out
as she watched the rest of her friends file silently out the door.

•   •   •

Kelly
moved her folding chair closer to Lisa, who was sitting in the midst of her friends who had clustered around her in a semicircle. Kelly reached out and placed her hand on Lisa's arm. It felt cold. The hospital air-conditioning was quite efficient, and cold air was pouring out of a nearby vent in the ceiling above.

“It's going to be all right, Lisa,” Kelly reassured her friend, repeating the same words others in the group had said. She had nothing else to offer. Simply words.

“They've got fantastic doctors and surgeons here, Lisa,” Megan offered. “Marty's cousin in Loveland was in an awful car wreck last year, and these doctors were able to repair everything. Even facial surgery. They're wonderful.”

Lisa didn't answer. She just sat hunched, her arms clasped around herself, staring at the door from the waiting room into the hospital. She gave a little shiver.

Kelly looked over at Steve. “Steve, why don't you bring that old jacket in from your truck. Lisa's cold as ice. She needs to warm up.”

“You got it. Be right back.” Steve turned from his pacing the floor and headed for the waiting room door.

“They sure have their air-conditioning cranked up,” Jennifer said, rubbing her arms. “I know it's August, but temperatures drop at night. Don't they adjust those thermostats?”

“I think part of it is we're all worrying,” Pete said beside her.

Marty popped up from the folding chair for the fourth time in fifteen minutes. Seemingly unable to sit still. He started to pace. “I'm going to call Cassie. See if everything's okay and Molly's still asleep. Then I can tell her we'll be back later tonight.”

“Good idea,” Megan said. “Don't tell her anything else. We don't want to worry her.”

“Yeah.” Pete nodded. “Jen and I will explain everything to her when we pick her up tonight.”

“Be back in a minute,” Marty said, pulling his cell phone from his pocket as he hurried toward the door.

“You guys don't have to stay,” Lisa said in a quiet voice.

“We want to,” Kelly said, giving her friend's arm a Mother-Mimi-reassuring squeeze before withdrawing her hand.

Lisa looked around anxiously. “It's been an hour already. The doctor said it would be an hour. How come they're not finished?”

This time Jennifer reached over and placed her hand on Lisa's arm. “The doctor said about an hour, Lisa. Don't worry. You don't want them to hurry.”

Kelly decided a little humor couldn't hurt. “You don't want them to leave anything undone. That would be like leaving dangling yarn tails on a scarf. They've got to tie off everything. Make sure everything looks pretty.”

“Dangling yarn tails,” Megan repeated with a smile. “Yeah, Lisa. We want Greg looking good when they finish.”

Jennifer kept her hand on Lisa's arm. “It'll be all right, Lisa. Like Megan said. These are wonderful doctors and surgeons. They'll take care of Greg.”

Lisa's face puckered. “He looked awful when they took him in. I didn't even recognize him. He was all beat up. His face was black and blue . . .” Her voice choked.

Marty walked back into the waiting room. He glanced at the far end of the room, where an older man sat in a chair reading a magazine. Clearly waiting to hear on some other patient's progress. He leaned over toward the group and spoke in a lowered voice. “I told Cassie we'd be home a little later than usual. She said everything was fine. Molly hasn't made a peep. She's checked on her a couple of times already, and Molly's just snoozing away.” Marty glanced above. “Thank gawd.”

“Amen,” Megan said, nodding. “Some nights, Molly will wake up and start to scream. I think it's indigestion or something. Mimi told me they used to call that ‘colic' when babies did that. They'd cry and cry and all you could do was to walk them back and forth. Then after a while, they'd just simply stop crying and fall asleep again.”

“We've worn a path through the living room carpet,” Marty said with a rueful smile.

Steve strode into the waiting room then, a Colorado State University jacket in his hand. “Here you go, Lisa,” he said, walking up behind her chair. He draped the jacket around Lisa's shoulders.

“Thanks, Steve,” Lisa mumbled, pulling the jacket around herself.

“No problem,” Steve said, settling among his friends again.

Just then the waiting room doors swung open and an older man in green hospital scrubs walked into the room, glanced around, then headed toward the group.

Lisa sprang from her chair. “Doctor! Did you operate on Greg Carruthers?”

“Yes. I'm Dr. Manchion. Are you his wife?” the doctor replied as he approached.

“Yes. Well, we've been together for years,” she blurted out. “I'm the family contact.”

The doctor glanced down at the paper-filled clipboard in his hand. “Yes, you're Lisa Gerrard, then?”

“Yes, yes!” Lisa bobbed her head. “How is he? How's Greg?”

“He came through surgery just fine. He's a healthy man in really good shape.” Dr. Manchion shoved the clipboard under his arm. “His left leg was broken, but it was a clean break and was easily set. The same is true for his left arm. No problems there. Of course, he was bruised all over. It looks like he was first hit by the car on the left side, and the force of that threw him on top of the car. Then when the car braked suddenly, he slid off onto the ground.”