"Okay, but just a small piece for me."
"Here, come sit,” Aunt Beth said and brought another chair to the table, placing it between herself and Harriet. “What would you like to drink? We have punch, tea and coffee."
"Coffee is fine,” Neelie said. Harriet could see the woman was uncomfortable.
"Let me introduce you,” Harriet said. “Ladies, Carla's houseguest is going to join us."
She proceeded to present each Loose Thread, and they, in turn, each said a few words of welcome.
"Phyllis Johnson isn't a Loose Thread. She works for the adoption agency that is placing DeAnn's baby with her.” Harriet looked around. Phyllis had disappeared. “I guess she's in the restroom."
"Welcome,” Robin said. “I hope you enjoy your visit to Foggy Point."
"So, what's Oraba like?” Lauren asked.
"Excuse me?” Neelie said in her lilting English.
"I saw in a video on YouTube that your sister's working in Oraba. I was wondering what kind of place it was."
If Neelie noticed Lauren's use of the present tense in reference to her sister, she didn't show it.
"It is like all of Uganda-hot and dusty."
"Are there problems with the water there?” Harriet asked.
"I don't know,” Neelie snapped. “She had her work, and I had mine. We didn't talk about it."
"What sort of work did you do?” Harriet persisted.
"I work at a bank, just like you have here. I wear a dress. I stand at a window and take people's money or give them their money."
"How about some more coffee?” Mavis said, and refilled Neelie's cup without waiting for an answer. “Pass her the milk,” she told Harriet.
The conversation effectively ended, the group ate cake and chatted.
"I'm going to go check the baby,” Neelie said when she was finished.
She stood and left the room. Phyllis returned to the table when she was gone.
"Are you okay?” Beth asked her.
"I'm fine. I got a phone call I had to return right away, so I stepped outside where it was quiet."
DeAnn looked at her.
"Don't worry, it was good news,” Phyllis assured her. “Your little girl is on her way. This time tomorrow, she'll arrive in Seattle and, shortly after that, in Foggy Point."
DeAnn smiled and sagged back into her chair in relief.
"How about we open some presents?” Connie said and wheeled in the jogging stroller. She and Mavis had set it up and stashed it in the kitchen eating area. The Loose Threads had strapped a baby-sized teddy bear into the seat and surrounded it with smaller wrapped gifts.
"Oh, my gosh,” DeAnn said. “You guys shouldn't have."
"Isn't that the point of a shower?” Sarah asked. “You shower the person with stuff."
Aunt Beth took a package from the stroller and handed it to DeAnn.
Almost an hour later, the last package had been unwrapped, and DeAnn was surrounded by piles of mostly pink pajamas, dresses, pants and shirts as well as more than one little-girl-sized quilt. Harriet had made two nightgowns. Since they didn't know the correct size, she and the rest of the Threads had stuck to flexible, loose-fitting garments.
A knock on the door interrupted the oooh-ing and ahh-ing.
"Am I too early?” Joseph Marston asked when Carla had let him in and escorted him to the dining room. “I found another big quilt that was donated. Mavis said to bring it by here."
"I'll take that,” Mavis said and stood up. “Here-sit down and have a piece of cake."
"I don't want to interrupt,” Joseph protested, but Aunt Beth had already sliced a large piece of the lemon-filled white cake and set it in front of him. Jenny brought a china cup and saucer from the sideboard and put it beside the cake.
"Coffee or tea?” she asked and, when he indicated coffee, picked up the coffee carafe and filled his cup. Carla put the sugar and cream within his reach.
"Thank you, ladies.” he said. “And I hope you know these quilts you're remaking will be put to good use."
"Well, it's a very good cause,” Mavis said. “And we're happy to do what little we can to help those babies get a good start in life."
Joseph looked across the room at DeAnn, who was giggling as she held up a pink tutu and leotard and showed it to Robin and Jenny.
"I've been doing this for almost twenty years now, and that…” He pointed at a smiling DeAnn. “…is something that never gets old."
"Joseph,” Phyllis said from the other end of the table, “do we have a final arrival time to tell DeAnn?"
"Assuming the customs process goes smoothly,” he said, and pulled out his smartphone, clicking buttons as he spoke and staring at the little screen, “they land in Seattle right around noon. Assuming thirty minutes to get through customs, give or take another thirty, depending on how full the flight is, my best guess is between two-thirty and three o'clock."
"Where do we go to pick her up?” DeAnn asked.
"Oh, don't worry, honey,” Phyllis said. “At Little Lamb, we bring your bundle of joy to your home.” She took the last bite of her second piece of cake then hoisted herself up. “Speaking of Little Lamb, I better get back. We don't want any of our new parents to wait any longer than they absolutely have to, to receive their new family member.” She looked over at Joseph. “You take your time, Joe. I can finish up the verifications tonight."
He started to rise.
"I can finish them for you,” he said with a longing glance at his cake.
"Don't be silly. You go home when you're done with these ladies. Thanks to Harriet here, I've got plenty of time to bind my quilt before the wedding."
The expression on Joseph's face said he wasn't comfortable being sent home when the boss was going back to work, but it was also clear he wouldn't argue in front of the assembled women.
"Let me get you some more cake,” Harriet said, breaking the awkward silence.
Phyllis gathered up her quilt, which Harriet had placed under her chair when the shower started, then buttoned her jacket and left.
"Oh, Harriet,” she called, pausing at the front door. “Let me write you a check."
She was holding the invoice Harriet had tucked into the quilt bag with the finished product. Harriet waited in the foyer as she pulled a pink plastic checkbook with a matching pen from her purse and began writing.
Movement on the steps caught her attention, and she looked up as Neelie retreated back upstairs.
"I hope he'll take my advice and go home,” Phyllis said in a hushed voice. “I'm not one to pry, so I don't know what's going on with him, but he looks like a man who hasn't gotten a good night's sleep in quite some time."
Harriet hadn't been in town long enough to know what Joseph Marston should look like, but as she studied him from the foyer, she had to admit the dark circles under his eyes and too-prominent hollow of his cheeks, combined with worn-looking gray slacks that were a bit looser than was fashionable, suggested he wasn't at his peak.
She returned to the dining room and got Joseph a second piece of cake. Aunt Beth and Mavis were picking up plates and cups from the table, while Jenny and Connie helped DeAnn pack up the presents.
"I've got to get back to work,” Sarah announced. “Congratulations,” she said to DeAnn. “Do we have a time to show our next blocks?” she asked no one in particular.
"Since DeAnn isn't going to be doing a block in any case, what about tomorrow?” Lauren suggested.
"Actually, that's not a bad idea,” Robin said. “That will help us all respect DeAnn's request to let the first couple of days with the new little one be immediate family only."
The look of relief on DeAnn's face suggested that plan worked for her.
"I'll check with Carla,” Harriet said. “Anyone see which way she went?"
"She went upstairs to take a piece of cake to the babysitter,” Mavis said.
"I'll see if she's available.” And see how she feels about leaving Neelie here alone for that amount of time, she added silently.