2. Caleb
2
Caleb
“Can we get an overlocker too?” Vera bounces over to the machines displayed at the farthest wall.
When I heard that we were going to a craft store today, I didn’t know what to expect. Vera is into crafty things, but we usually have to depend on luck to find something good. But I shouldn’t have worried as, within minutes, Riley had a shortlist of the best craft stores to visit in the area, sorted by type of craft.
Apparently, when she heard that Erika was sending her here for a week, she’d made a list of all potential craft stores she could need, because she wasn’t sure her knitting projects would be enough or that she’d want to do something else once she’d arrived. So, when Vera announced she wanted to go on a crafty outing, Riley picked the stores that best fit Vera’s requirements and we were ready to go.
The crafts store we went to didn’t have what Vera or Riley wanted, it was too ‘mainstream’ for their liking —too focused on the most recent social media trend, not enough on everyday crafts— and the two are apparently on the hunt for crafty projects that are also ‘useful’ in some way, not just crafty for the sake of crafting but something where we can use the end result.
Which is how we ended up in a gigantic fabric store with an attached store that specialises in sewing machines, both selling and repairs, and Vera is having the time of her life choosing a machine.
Lugging a sewing machine around while you’re on the run isn’t practical, so the only times Vera was able to use one was when she became friends with someone who had one or the rare few times we spent some time with Erika and her pack.
Vera is a pretty good sewist, and she’s fast too. She would put together a new dress in a day, a new shirt in an afternoon. And she always looked so good in whatever she made. I’m looking forward to seeing what she’s going to make next, once she decides which machine she wants, that is.
For years, she’s had her eyes on a ‘competent but low-budget’ machine, for if we ever settled down somewhere long enough that we could invest in buying things for fun and not only what was strictly needed. But now she’s got an unlimited budget, she’s starting to question if she should maybe buy something more fancy and that seems to have overwhelmed her so much that she’s looking all over the store instead of making choices.
“What are overlockers used for?” I lean to Riley, who’s looking at Vera in amusement.
“They make it easier to sew with stretchy fabrics. If she wants to make clothes for herself, for her changing body, or for babies or little kids, stretchy fabrics are the way to go. There are other uses, but that’s the main reason most people have one.”
“And they’re pricey, right?” Now that she’s explained what they’re for, I think I remember hearing about them years ago.
“Not per se.” Riley laughs. “They’re slightly pricier than a normal sewing machine, but have different functions. If she’s planning to make a lot of clothes, it might be useful to pick one up.”
I look around, finding only the shop’s assistant near the checkout and Miles, one of Derrick’s men who’s tasked with keeping us safe when we’re out in public, standing in the doorway to the fabric part of the store. “Where are the other two?”
“Looking at the fabrics, I think. They were curious if this store sells anything ‘unusual’ that they can have turned into a fancy suit, or something like that. Unless they snuck out and decided to go somewhere else.” She shrugs. “Derrick is with them, he’ll make sure they come back safely.”
Them returning safely isn’t something I’m worried about, I was hoping they could maybe get Vera back on track with what we’re here for, picking out a sewing machine, as Riley and I are failing at it spectacularly. Vera is now looking at other machines, these look bigger than the sewing machines or the overlockers and have multiple spools of thread on top in various colours.
“Do you know what you want?” I eye Riley, who’s reading the technical details of a sewing machine at her side.
“In general or do you mean which model from this store?” She sounds slightly distracted, but answers my question, so she’s paying some attention to what I’m saying.
“Second one. Unless they don’t have something you like.”
“Oh, no, they do. They’ve got a lot of good machines, more variation than they have in most places and all from reputable brands too.” She smiles as she looks at me. She wasn’t immediately interested in buying a new sewing machine, she’s got one at home and argued that if she goes back to pack up her things, she can take it with her. But when Mathew told her she could choose whichever one she wanted and that he’d pay for it, she was all-in.
“These?” I point to the ones in front of us.
She shakes her head and then nods to a table two rows over. “We’ll probably want one from that area, good balance of price and what they offer. We don’t need something fancy, especially if we’re only using them for sewing clothes or other things around the home. And if we’re picking up an overlocker too, we definitely don’t need something with too many options. Only makes it more complicated to use.” She starts walking and I follow her.
When Vera notices that we’re moving, she comes over and grabs our arms, holding us both, her eyes bright and excited. “Do you know what we’re getting yet?”
I shoot her a look. “ You’re supposed to choose one. I have no idea what you need or want.”
She shrugs, unbothered. “One that works and can handle a lot of different fabrics is good enough for me. I’m not that picky. They all look good.”
I feel like this might turn into a very long day...
Well, it’s keeping us out of the house, which is good, and it’s quiet here, which Vera wanted, but it might be more tiring than planned.
“We should have brought the bigger van.” Derrick stares at the back of the car, which is nearly full with the sewing machine, overlocker and two boxes of fabric, and we’ve got two more boxes at our feet. And that probably won’t be all, since Vera, Jorge and Riley have disappeared into the yarn store next to the fabric store. They’re clearly on a shopping high...
Mathew leans against the side of the car, staring at me, smiling. “We can see if someone can bring over the van. That should solve the problem.”
I glare at him. “I don’t know if I like the feeling of having to get a van to transport some ‘crafty shopping’.” Though, he’s probably right, depending on what they’re picking up at the yarn store.
He comes closer, smiling broadly as he nods to a store across the street. “We probably should, as that looks like a store where we might be able to pick up some storage solutions, tables, chairs and other things we’ll need once the contractors are done.”
I let out a deep sigh. I’d seen the store when we arrived, they sell wooden furniture and I had a suspicion that it would be hard to leave without at least one person wanting to check it out. “You want to go in without the others?”
He grins. “You don’t think that’s the safest idea? If we let the others in there, we won’t leave for another week.”
“Very true.” I turn to Derrick. “You heard the boss.”
He glares at Mathew, then looks at the store. “Let me know if you find something for kids. We’ve got a birthday coming up and could use some bigger furniture.”
That makes Mathew laugh. “I’ll check. You wait here for the van.”
“I will.” Derrick pics up one of the boxes and puts it nearer the car.
It feels strange to go to the store without Derrick or anyone else of the security team, but I guess since I’m technically Mathew’s bodyguard too, this should be fine.
We cross the street and as soon as we’re inside, we’re surrounded by the scent of wood and my eyes fall on a large table made from a thick piece of wood. Like a slice made from the middle of a tree.
“Hey, do we have a dining room? I don’t think I’ve seen one yet.” I turn to Mathew, who’s eyeing a bookshelf with doors on the bottom half but where the shelves on the top half are open.
“Yes, technically...” He eyes me. “I turned it into the library. Actually, according to the original plans, what’s now my office was supposed to be the dining room, but the previous owner had already moved his office in there. The library was supposed to be a ‘meeting room’ of sorts.”
“There’s no dining room? Or a living room, for that matter?” Not that I would be surprised, the house is a weird mess anyway. That the previous guy decided he didn’t need a living room wouldn’t surprise me, from what Mathew told me about him.
“The large room next to the library was supposed to be a living room, but it was never finished. When I moved in it was used for storage. I use it for the same.” He thinks for a moment. “I should still have the plans for it. It was actually going to look pretty nice with a fireplace, and doors that open out to a deck, where you can enjoy the evening sun. But it lacks everything you’d need, from proper flooring to getting the walls finished and all of that.”
“Well.” I put my arm around his waist, suddenly excited. “I think I can make something of it. And I’d like that to be our dining table.” I point to the table I’d seen before. “We’re going to need a real living room, we can’t keep living out of your office and our bedroom.”
Mathew eyes the table and nods. “Sounds good. Let’s see if we can find chairs to go with it and I need to pick up a few presents for Derrick’s kids. I promised their eldest a new desk for her birthday, she’s outgrowing her current one.” He smiles.
“Mathew...?” I don’t know if I should do this, or if it’s a bad idea.
“Yes?” He eyes me.
“Can we get some woodworking supplies? Oh, and also, a few welding bits and bobs.”
“You’re planning on making the room yourself?” He gives me a curious look.
“No.” I laugh. “Okay, maybe just a few things.” So that they’re exactly as I want them to be.
And maybe I can even make a few other things...
Their excitement for starting new projects seems to have caught me too. Uh, oh.