Free The Healing Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter Page A

wish to, can stay as long as you need to after class.” Emma motioned to the three sewing machines on the other side of the room. “You’ll have to take turns using the machines.”
    “What should we do while we’re waiting our turn?” Jennifer questioned.
    “You can either visit with the others who are waiting or start cutting out your batting, which is what I had planned for you to do next Saturday.”
    “We don’t want to get ahead of things,” Noreen said with a click of her tongue. “But then there’s not really much for us to visit about, since we barely know one another.”
    “That’s how you’ll get to know each other,” Lamar spoke up. “All of our students in the past became well acquainted by the end of six weeks. In fact, some even became close friends, and last fall one of our students’ friendships turned to romance.”
    “How interesting.” Noreen glanced quickly at B.J. and smiled.
    Emma wondered if Noreen thought there might be a chance for her to find romance in this class.
Now wouldn’t that be something?
she thought, smiling to herself.
    “Actually one of our students signed up for the class just so he could get to know a pretty young woman who’d come to learn how to quilt,” Lamar interjected.
    “How’d it work out?” Kim asked, leaning slightly forward in her seat.
    “It didn’t start out too well,” Lamar said. “Terry was a bit overbearing at first, and Cheryl didn’t want anything to do with him.” He looked over at Emma and grinned. “Eventually, Terry won Cheryl’s heart.”
    “I didn’t come here for love or romance,” Noreen said, “but if by chance it were to happen, I wouldn’t turn it down.” She gave B.J. another quick glance, but he wasn’t looking her way.
    Is something going on here?
Emma wondered.
Could Noreen be interested in B.J.? Or maybe it’s just my imagination, because they barely know each other
.
    “I’m definitely not interested in romance,” Kim said. “With romance comes heartache, and I’ve had my share of that already.”
    “Are we done with all this silly talk about love and romance?” Erika asked, frowning. “I thought we came here to learn how to quilt.”
    “And so we shall,” Emma said. “Why don’t I get Jennifer, Noreen, and Erika started on the sewing machines, and the rest of you can visit with Lamar? I’m sure he’d be happy to tell you more about the quilts he’s designed.”
    Lamar gave a nod. “I’m always eager to talk about quilts.”
    Erika groaned. “I’d like to know how you think I’m supposed to use one of the sewing machines when they all have foot pedals to make the machine go. In case you’ve forgotten, my legs are paralyzed.”
    Emma’s face warmed, and quickly spread to her neck. “Oh dear, I hadn’t thought about that. Perhaps Kim would be willing sit beside you and operate the pedals while you guide the material under the pressure foot to sew the seams.”
    “I’d be happy to do that while we’re here,” Kim said, “but what will Erika do when she’s at home and wants to start another quilt or do some other type of sewing?”
    Erika shook her head. “That won’t be a problem because after I finish this wall hanging, I don’t plan to do any more sewing. As I’ve said, I’m only doing it to please my dad, and when I’m done, I’m done. In fact, if I never see another needle and thread, it’ll be soon enough for me.”
    Emma cringed. With that negative attitude, Erika might be hard to reach.
But I won’t quit trying
, she told herself.
We still have four more classes, and every time Erika comes to our home, I’ll make an effort
.

    “I still can’t believe I agreed to do this,” Mike grumbled as he parked his car in front of a small cream-colored house in Pinecraft, bearing the address his wife had given him. A few other cars were parked there, along with a motorcycle.
I wonder who rides that
, he thought as he stepped down from his SUV.
I can’t believe anyone who