"Unlock the door," Eleanor directed me from her spot at the register.
"It's not seven o'clock yet."
"Are the girls out there?"
I lifted up one of the quilts that blocked the picture window. Outside I could see Maggie, Natalie and Susanne. Bernie was holding a plate and chatting with someone I couldn't see.
"They're out there."
"Then open up the door." I did as I was told, opening the door of the new Someday Quilts for the first time.
"Finally," I heard Maggie say.
Each woman walked into the shop in single file. After they had all entered, Jesse walked through the door. He smiled shyly at me and I smiled back, just as shyly. Then he looked around the room, just as the others were doing. After the initial wows, everyone turned in a complete circle to take in all the changes. Gone were the overstuffed shelves and baskets of quilt tools. There were now three aisles of fabric, arranged by color, that made a sort of rainbow effect. On the back wall books, tools and threads were organized and hung securely.
I led them through the opening into what had once been the run-down diner. Now it had specialty fabrics, an office, a bathroom and classroom with a large rectangular table. On the wall above the table were three quilts-one made by Eleanor, one by Nancy, and the repaired quilt made by Grace, the woman who had taught my grandmother to quilt.
"Just as it should be," Susanne said, almost in a hushed tone.
"This is where you can have your meetings," I said, waiting for the applause.
"But we won't be in a circle," Bernie frowned. "Why can't we meet in the other room like we always did?"
Each woman mumbled something in agreement and then dragged a chair from the classroom into the original quilt shop. After they had arranged the chairs in the same circle as they had in the old shop, everyone sat down. Barney took his place in the middle, going from woman to woman for a pat on the head.
"Change is good," Maggie said sternly. "But tradition is good too."
"Well, you'll have plenty of both with Nell helping to run things." Carrie smiled at me.
Jesse looked at me and I shrugged. "She's signed up for art school over in Peekskill," Eleanor explained.
"Part time," I explained. "I'll help out at the shop the rest of the time."
"Well, it's cause for celebration." Bernie unwrapped a plateful of pecan squares and set them on the counter. "God knows we need a little something to celebrate."
Eleanor looked at Jesse. "We're having the meeting for the Friday Night Quilt Club," she said. "Are you staying?"
"No ma'am," he said. "I'll leave you to it." He grabbed a pecan square and nodded toward me. "Can we talk a minute?"
Outside the shop Jesse stared at his feet. "I'm sorry about, you know…"
"Our fight? Me too. I was out of line," I acknowledged. "I just was having so much fun working with you."
He looked into my eyes. They were warm and kind, and a little unsure. They were nice eyes. "I was too," he said. He took a few steps away from me. "If you'd like to get dinner sometime, when you're ready…"
"I'd like that." I smiled. "I just can't get into a new relationship until I'm over the things that happened in the last one."
He nodded. "You let me know." Then he turned and walked away and I headed back into the shop.
Inside the ladies were sitting in their circle, with Barney in the middle wagging his tail.
"Are you staying?" Eleanor turned her eyes on me.
"I'm staying."
"Well, then, sit down."
So I sat, pulled out the small squares of fabric I'd painted and started my first quilt.