Free A Thread of Truth by Marie Bostwick

wear clothing that got attention, mostly of her own design, like the black jean jacket she was wearing today, embellished with a line of bottle caps she’d grommeted to the shoulders like epaulettes on the uniform of a four-star general. It was an original, just like Liza.
    â€œI didn’t have a chance to call him,” she said, hugging me back. “My Friday sculpture class was canceled, so on a whim I just hopped the next train headed north.”
    â€œ And she forgot her cell phone in the dorm,” Abigail interrupted. “Thank heaven there was a pay phone at the station and that I was home when she called to ask Franklin and me to pick her up. Otherwise, she’d have spent the weekend standing on the platform at the Waterbury train depot. Really, Liza, you must start planning ahead a little. What if I hadn’t been home? What if I’d decided to go out of town for the weekend?”
    â€œThen I’d have called a cab to take me to New Bern, found the spare key you have ‘hidden’ under the flowerpot even though everyone in town knows exactly where you keep it, let myself in, and spent the weekend eating your food and swimming in your pool. Oh. And I’d have called Garrett to come over and spend the weekend with me so we could do a little passionate necking on your sofa. Right before we emptied out your liquor cabinet.” Liza rolled her eyes. “Really, Abigail. Do you think I’m ten years old or something? If you’d been gone, I’d have worked something out. Besides, I knew you’d be home. It’s Quilt Circle night. You wouldn’t miss out on that unless you’d gotten a better offer, like dinner at the White House.”
    The look on Abigail’s face told me she was ready to launch into a full-scale argument with her niece but, thankfully, Wendy interrupted. “Evelyn, I’ve got to get back to the office and I can’t find that silly card anywhere. It must be in my other pocketbook.”
    â€œThat’s fine,” I said. “Save the receipt and when you find the card, bring it in and I’ll punch it for you.”
    Wendy scurried out the front door just as Garrett came out of the back office. “I was on the phone with a customer, but did I hear somebody say something about passionate necking? Count me in.” He winked at Abigail before crossing the room to give Liza a kiss. “I didn’t think you’d be here until next weekend. Why the surprise? Did you miss me? So much you decided to come up here to buy me dinner?”
    Smiling, Liza reached up, grabbed a piece of Garrett’s hair, and yanked it playfully. “You wish. Actually, I came up here to come to my quilt-circle meeting. I may live in Manhattan, but I’m still an affiliate member, you know. However, if you play your cards right, I’ll let you buy me dinner on Saturday night.”
    â€œHmmm. What about the passionate necking part? Do we still get to do that?”
    â€œMaybe,” Liza said casually. “If you play your cards right.”
    â€œAll right, you two,” I said. “Enough flirting. Go tell Margot it’s quitting time. If she hasn’t been able to get the accounts to balance by now, it’ll just have to wait until Monday.” I walked to the front, turned the closed sign face out, and opened the door. “Franklin, Garrett, nothing personal, but—clear out. This meeting is for members only.”
    Franklin kissed Abigail on the cheek and then turned to Garrett. “They want us to leave.”
    â€œDo you think?” Garrett looked at me as I stood holding the knob of the open door.
    â€œWell, fine,” he harrumphed. “I can take a hint. I’ve been thrown out of better places than this. Come on, Franklin. Let’s go to the Grill and have a beer. I’ll buy.”
    Franklin shook his head. “Sorry, but I can’t. I’m headed over to Ivy’s to babysit.