Free Dakota Love by Rose Ross Zediker

it.
    Ready to spend the rest of the afternoon working on the appliqué block, Caroline pinned the pattern she’d designed from the drawing to the appropriate material. She carefully cut around the pieces. This block might be an example of time wasted if it didn’t measure up to the candy store owner’s vision.
    Why did Jason pick today to visit? His attitude had her in a dither. First she’d considered canceling dinner. Now her doubts about her quilting business might defeat the project. Caroline fretted as she fused the candy jar and lid to the background block and began the tedious task of machine appliqué. She figured it would take most of the afternoon, but to her surprise she finished in just over an hour. She loved the finished product, but if the candy store owner disliked the block, at least Caroline hadn’t invested much time into the sample.
    With hours left before her efforts were needed in the kitchen, Caroline decided to disassemble Rodney’s Lily of the Field quilt.
    As she snipped the string knots that held the quilt together, she noticed the geometric shape of the blocks—squares, rectangles, and triangles—that formed the pattern. It appeared to be a variation of a Nine Patch. The quilter used the patterned fabric from the flour sacks for the flower petals in the center of the block as well as the corner blocks. White rectangles bordered the sides, and yellow fabric separated the petals. The design of the block and use of fabric colors made the flower stand out.
    A simple lily just being, not working or struggling to grow, trusting God to provide soil, sunlight, and moisture so it can develop into a blooming flower
. Caroline smiled at the thought, no doubt planted with Mark’s quote of the Bible verse, as she continued to clip the strings that held the quilt top to the back. While Caroline worked, her mood shifted. Each time she snipped the thread, it seemed to cut through the hold she had on her anger and hurt. Calm replaced the aggravation left from her confrontation with Jason.
    Caroline checked her watch. Time to start dinner. She caressed the quilt top, then flicked off the worktable light.
    In the kitchen, she prepared the trout, then pushed the roaster into the oven. While the trout baked, Caroline changed her clothes and touched up her hair and makeup.
    She ran into a problem with their place settings at the dining room table. She placed Rodney at the head of the table and her across from him, but even with her small table, passing items would be difficult. Leaving Rodney’s setting at the head of the table, she moved her place setting to his right. She preferred this arrangement, but it seemed intimate. She thought that might make Rodney uncomfortable, so she moved the place mats, dishes, and napkins so they sat opposite each other across the width of the table. Standing back, Caroline viewed the table arrangement. They still seemed far away from each other, but at least they could easily pass the salt.
    The light blue place mats and cloth napkins accented the darker blue in her china pattern. The small flowers that decorated the napkin rings were a close match to the flowers that ringed the edge of the plates. Three small crystal votives allowed them easy view of each other and gave the room a cozy feel.
    Returning to the kitchen, Caroline placed asparagus in a foil packet. She drizzled it with olive oil, sealed the edges, and stuck it in the oven. All that was left to do now was wait.
    Anxious energy kept Caroline on her feet, checking glasses for nonexistent spots and arranging the whole-grain rolls in the basket. Since Rodney ate healthy, she’d purchased healthy groceries for this meal, except for that chocolate cake that had been calling her name since Jason left.
    She was glad she hadn’t canceled dinner. A peaceful feeling had stayed with her all afternoon as she worked at separating the back from the front of the quilt. When she’d completed the task, the serenity lingered