Free Just Shy of Harmony by Philip Gulley

me out. Maybe if we could just pay off our bills and set aside some money for when we getold, we could give the rest away. Maybe give it to the church or something.”
    “I’ve been trying my best to keep our heads above water.”
    “I’m not blaming you. The pigs died, and we’ve had this drought. It couldn’t be helped. But now we can get ahead. We can finish that new barn and buy some more livestock and pay off our debt.” She didn’t tell him about selling her grandmother’s quilts.
    “Maybe this is the Lord’s way of taking care of us,” Asa agreed. “We’ve been praying for help. Maybe this is the answer.”
    They put the check back underneath the punch bowl and went upstairs to bed.
    Asa pulled Jessie close. “I’ve never slept with a millionaire before,” he said. She laughed. It was music to him. She hadn’t laughed in a long time.
    “You know,” Asa said, “if we did keep it, we could do some real good with this money. We could help a lot of people.”
    “That’s what I’ve been thinking.”
    They woke up next morning, ate breakfast, and went to the bank. Vernley Stout waved as they walked through the doors.
    “They talked about you last night on the television,” he said to Jessie. “I think I know why you’re here.”
    “We want to pay off the notes,” Asa said.
    “Well, you just have the one now.”
    “I don’t think so. I believe we still owe two thousand dollars on last year’s note.”
    Vernley Stout looked at Jessie, perplexed.
    Jessie began to weep. “I paid it off. I sold my grandmother’s quilts while you were at work one day. They were gonna put a lien against us. I had to do it.”
    Vernley said, “It couldn’t be helped, Asa. I tried to talk the board out of it, but they wouldn’t listen. They wanted their money.”
    “Your grandmother’s quilts?” Asa asked Jessie. “The ones your mother gave you?”
    Jessie sniffed and nodded.
    They deposited the check and paid off the note. Then Asa drew out four thousand dollars in cash.
    “What’s that for?” Jessie asked.
    “You’ll see soon enough.”
    They climbed into the truck. Asa turned to Jessie. “Who’d you sell the quilts to?”
    She told him. He eased the truck into gear and drove toward the city. Two hours later they pulled up to the shop and went inside.
    Jessie’s quilts were displayed throughout the shop. Asa counted nine.
    “My wife sold you ten quilts. What happened to the other one?” he asked the lady behind the counter.
    “I sold the wedding ring quilt.”
    That had been the oldest quilt, given to Jessie’s grandmother on her wedding day. Jessie blinked back tears.
    “I’d like to buy all the quilts,” Asa told the lady.
    It took the whole four thousand dollars. They had just enough money left for lunch. They turned into their lane in early afternoon, carried the quilts upstairs, and stored them in the chest. As they closed the lid onthe trunk, Asa drew Jessie to him. “Don’t ever do that again,” he told her. “We can’t afford to buy them back again, even if we are millionaires.”
    They did their chores. By then, it was time for supper. They ate leftover Spam kabobs from the night before.
    “I’ll bet no millionaire is eating better than we are tonight,” Asa said. “Could you pass me another kabob, please?”
    They washed the dishes and then sat on the porch, rocking back and forth, talking about their day.
    “I’m bushed,” Jessie said. “It’s hard work being rich.”
    After a time they went in the house, turned off the downstairs lights, brushed their teeth, and went to bed.
    Asa held Jessie to him in the dark.
    “I’m sorry about your grandmother’s wedding ring quilt. If you want, I’ll try to find out who bought it and get it back for you.”
    “That’s okay. That’s what I get for my foolishness. I just hope whoever has it appreciates it.”
    She tried not to cry, thinking about it. It’s an odd thing, how every blessing has its shadow. Their bills were