The Quilter's Daughter by Wanda E. Brunstetter Read Free Book Online

but there was something about Beth’s gentle voice and compassionate expression that prompted her to reveal what she had.
    “Didn’t your husband want to be a father?”
    Linda’s gaze came to rest on her child, happily sharing the teeter-totter with his new friend. “I thought he did. In fact, he seemed as excited about going to Maryland to get our son as I was.”
    “You went all the way to the East Coast to adopt a baby?” Beth’s uplifted eyebrows revealed her surprise.
    “Jim’s attorney set it up with a lawyer he knew in Maryland. Since Jim’s folks live in Ohio, we turned the trip into a vacation.”
    “I see.”
    “Everything seemed to be okay until we got home. Then Jim started accusing me of being overprotective of Jimmy.” Linda’s vision clouded with tears, and she sniffed. “Jim looks for excuses to be away from home, and to tell you the truth, I think he would rather be at work than with me or Jimmy.”
    Beth offered her a supportive smile. “Do you and Jim attend church anywhere?”
    “No. Jim’s opposed to anything religious, and I haven’t been to church since I was a girl.” A sharp throb cut across Linda’s forehead, and she inhaled deeply, hoping to drive away the pain. She hadn’t had one of her migraine headaches for several weeks, and she hoped she wasn’t getting one now.
    “Maybe vacation Bible school would be good for both you and Jimmy,” Beth said.
    “I—I don’t see how it could do anything to help my stagnant marriage.”
    Beth gave her arm a gentle squeeze, and Linda felt comforted. “God can work miracles in people’s lives.”
    “I think it would take even more than a miracle to fix my broken marriage.” Linda paused, willing herself not to break down in front of Allen’s mother. “I’ve asked Jim several times if we could go back east for another vacation, but he refuses to take us there.”
    “Has he said why?”
    “No. He just reminded me that his folks have been out here to visit a couple of times and said there’s no reason for us to make the long trip to Ohio.”
    “Men can be so stubborn,” Beth said with a shake of her head.
    “My husband can be downright obstinate. He says he loves Jimmy, yet he refuses to adopt another child. It makes no sense at all.”
    “I’m glad you’ve shared your concerns, Linda. It helps me know how to pray for you.”
    “I appreciate that, and I will think about letting Jimmy go to Bible school.” Linda sniffed and swiped at the tears trickling down her cheeks. She’d given in to her unstable emotions and insecurities again, but at the moment, it didn’t matter. Beth hadn’t condemned her the way Jim always did, and she actually seemed to understand. Maybe this new friendship was exactly what Linda needed.

T he mail’s here, Abby,” Deborah called as she stepped into the quilt shop the following day. “I put it on your desk. Is that okay?”
    “Sure, that’s fine,” Abby replied. She was busy placing some quilts on one of the shelves near the back of the store and would take time to go through the mail later on.
    “Looks like there’s a letter from your mamm.” Deborah stepped up beside Abby and reached for one of the Tumbling Block quilts. “How’s Fannie doing these days?”
    “Her last letter said she was still having some morning sickness and felt awfully tired, but she’s managed to work in her quilt shop a few afternoons a week.”
    “Bet she wishes you were there to help out,” Deborah said as she straightened the corner of the quilt closest to her.
    Abby sighed. “I wish I could be in two places at once, but it’s not possible for me to run two quilt shops at the same time. Especially with one of them being in Pennsylvania.”
    “I’m sure Fannie will hire a maad to help out at home if she needs to.”
    “I suppose Mom could hire a maid, but she does have Abraham’s two youngest daughters. Nancy is fifteen, and I’m sure she’s capable of cooking and cleaning. Even Mary Ann,