Ada Unraveled by Barbara Sullivan Read Free Book Online

vertical lines, we’ll rewrap the quilt on the dowels
and sew the horizontal lines. That direction will go much faster
because the materials will have been well secured to each other, so
we’ll be able to use the plastic stretchers on the sides. Don’t
feel intimidated. Victoria sews faster than any of us. We have to
wait for everyone to finish before we can open the quilt further,
but the good news is those who finish earlier get longer naps.
”
    I silently vowed not to be the slowest.
    Eventually every woman was bent to the task,
in silent concentration for the better part of an hour.
    Chairs began scraping across the wooden
floor as each woman reached a place where she could pull back, rest
her shoulders and shake out her hands. Ruth pulled her chair
slightly to one side, freeing up more elbow room for the rest of
us. Andrea followed suit on her side of the quilt. It wasn’t until
then that I realized everyone was right-handed.
     
    Another hour passed. Through the large
windows behind me I could hear the rain and wind battering the
house as if trying to get in. The chill in the room testified to
its partial success.
    Ruth was fussing with the fireplace again.
Elixchel was making the rounds with an old fashioned English
teapot, refilling everyone’s cups. Very Colonial. Very
romantic.
    ”She married badly, her husband is rich. She
has way too much money. Too little to do with it.”
    What? Who was Victoria talking about? I’d
been lost deep in thought.
    “Oh now, you’re not going to pick on me
again, are you Victoria?” Geraldine Patrone whined good-naturedly.
She’d just draped her leopard print jacket on the back of her
chair, revealing a perfect figure. Underneath she wore a black
spaghetti strap cami hemmed with lace that barely reached her
leopard print pants. I wasn’t sure why, but she was getting away
with this outrageous outfit and hair.
    “Gerry, why don’t you share something about
yourself so our newcomer can get to know us?” Ruth said.
    Gerry looked at me and smiled warmly, “Okay,
sure. So I’ll begin with the fact that Victoria is always picking
on me because of where we live.”
    “Rancho Santa Fe, yes. But not just where
you live Gerry, how you live. And take that fool watch off before
you snag something.”
    My eyes went to her wrist. Good grief. The
blond was wearing a pink mother-of-pearl watch with a gold lamé
strap. The light playing on the face of the watch as she removed it
and tossed it casually on the nearest tray, said diamonds. Right.
So the Patrones were rich. Suddenly it hit me.
    “ Marshall Patrone?”
    She looked at me with languid green eyes and
a serene smile. “Yes.”
    “My husband Matt has apoplexy watching your
soccer team. He loves them.”
    “Wonderful.”
    I couldn’t wait to get home to Matt and tell
him who I was sewing with. He’d be green. Emerald.
    I would run to the bathroom and call him on
my cell right this minute, but I didn’t want to violate the rules
within my first three hours of knowing them. And apparently modern
electronic conveniences were taboo.
    Then again, he might be worried.
Wondering if I’m safe. Okay, I must confess at this point that
I broke the rules. That’s me.
    Took a bathroom break. Took my purse. Called
Matt.
    “I knew you’d be worried, honey, so I called
to let you know everything is okay. You won’t believe who’s a
member of this sewing group.”
    “Uh, we’re busy here, Rache.”
    It was his night to host the poker
players.
    “You and the boys. Right. But just in case
you’re bored, can’t think of anything to talk about, I’m sewing a
quilt with the wife of Marshall Patrone.”
    I waited.
    “ The Marshall Patrone?”
    “Yes, the! ”
    “What’s that echo?” He never misses
anything.
    “I’m in the bathroom. We’re not supposed to
use electronic equipment. Don’t ask.”
    “Whatever. Just be sure to get an invite to
dinner….”
    “Rachel?” It was Elixchel at the bathroom
door. “Uh-oh,