Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
O ver a piece of toast for breakfast, and still slightly sore from therapy, Ava took it easy and sat at the kitchen table, searching sewing shops on her mother’s laptop and making a list of leads in a spiral notebook. She’d called three shops so far and left messages.
Martha, who’d been busy organizing the project, came from the office and into the kitchen with a large piece of paper.
“My favorite part of the process is conceiving the ideas for the different bags. So late last night, I drew up a more formal pattern so we can give it to a seamstress if we find one. That will allow me more time to come up with designs.”
“That’s a great idea.”
“How’s the hunt for help going so far?”
“I’ve left a few messages at various sewing shops,” Ava replied as she dialed the fourth number on her list. This time, someone picked up. Excitedly, she waved at her mother to let her know.
“Hello, Seam & Stitch. How may I help you?”
Ava explained what she was looking for .
The person on the line said, “We don’t actually complete projects outside of the company, but one of our employees, who happens to know how to quilt, is looking for additional part-time work. She could possibly be interested in taking on the job. Let me put you on hold and ask her.”
Ava put her hand on the receiver and mouthed to her mom, “They might have someone.”
When the person returned, she said their part-time employee would be happy to take the project and then passed the phone to her.
“Hello, this is Cammy Schwartz. I heard you have a quilting project?”
Ava offered Cammy details about the work and they agreed on a price for a sample to make sure the quality was in line with her mother’s work. Thrilled, Ava arranged for her mom to drop off the fabric at the shop in Nashville, along with the dimensions and pattern, later that day.
When Ava got off the phone, she giggled, giddy, and stood up, grabbing her mother’s hands and spinning around, inwardly tightening her muscles to avoid the dull pain, but too blissful to worry too much about it.
Martha gave a little squeal. “I wouldn’t have even known to do that. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to call anyone.”
“As part of my job, I’ve had to help start-ups with pulling in subcontractors who can carry their branding.”
“You’re invaluable.”
Ava had been able to use her talents to benefit her mom. She’d never been able to do that before. She was so thankful for this new bond with her mother.
“Tell me you’ll still help me with all this after you go back to New York,” her mom said.
“Definitely.”
Ava made a promise to herself that, no matter what her work schedule became once she was healed, she’d take an hour a day to find out how her mom was doing and help her with anything she needed.
By evening, when her mother returned home from dropping off the pattern and materials at Seam & Stitch, Ava had organized all the supplies they’d need to fulfill the large order, and she’d cut more squares to allow her mother to get started on sewing the first few bags.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving a trail of bright orange in the sky, her mother showed her how to sew them.
“You pair the two squares together, with the batting in the center, and pin them,” her mother explained.
“Once you’ve got them all pinned, you lay them out to determine your pattern, like so.
” She arranged the squares on the coffee table.
“I use about a one-fourth seam allowance and hand-stitch them together—just tacking them lightly—until I can use the machine to make a perfect seam.” Martha demonstrated how to hand-stitch the squares.
Ava slipped the thimble onto her finger and followed her mother’s lead, driving the threaded needle into the fabric and back out. “Like this?”
“That’s perfect,” her mother said. “Take it all the way down the side like that.”
They’d settled into a routine and were finishing up, working on the floor, their supplies spread out around them and on the coffee table, when there was a knock.
Ava got up and stretched her sore body. “Who’s that?” she asked.
Martha shrugged as Ava went to find out.
She opened the door.
Lucas dangled an old pair of keys in front of her, a strange grin on his face .
“What are those?” she asked.
He stepped aside, revealing an old, faded green farm truck.
Ava stepped onto the porch to get a better glimpse of the vintage paint. “That looks like the one from your farm.”
“I thought so too. I took a drive to clear my head and saw a ‘For Sale By Owner’ sign on it. I bought it on the spot. I still had my car, so the guy had to drive the truck to my apartment.”
She laughed. “What are you going to do with it?”
“Well, right now, I’m going to give you a ride in it. You busy?”
“I’m never too busy to go for a spin in a farm truck. Let me tell Mom.” She went into the living room. “Lucas just bought a truck and wants to take me for a ride.” She shrugged and shook her head with a chuckle.
Her mother’s eyebrows bounced in interest.
“Is it okay if we pick all this up when I get back?”
Her mother waved her off. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be just fine. Go, go.”
Ava blew her a kiss and went to her room, popping around the corner to tell Lucas she’d be right there. She pulled her hair into a ponytail and slipped on her sneakers. Then, she went out to meet him.
Lucas was already at the truck, standing next to the open passenger door.
Ava climbed in, sat on the worn vinyl bench seat, and buckled up as Lucas shut her door and went around to his side.
He got in and turned the key, the timeworn engine clicking and growling in response.
Then, with his elbow leaning out the open window, he drove them through the leafy lanes that snaked around the lake.
The cool breeze blew wisps of hair from Ava’s ponytail, tickling her face, just like the old days.
She glanced over at Lucas. His shirt rippled in the wind.
For an instant, she was that girl again, riding with her boy.
In this truck, Lucas looked so much more like the young man he’d been, and she could hardly take her eyes off him.
A part of her hoped he’d have a change of heart and move back to New York, but watching him driving this truck told her otherwise.
His shoulders were relaxed, his face set in a pleasant expression.
Could she convince him that he could be happy in New York?
And even if she could, was it reasonable of her to expect to be a part of his life there?
What would the dynamic be like if he and Elise were together? It occurred to her that mending his relationship had been God’s motivation in sending Ava to find Lucas. Maybe now Ava’s work with him was done, and it was time for him to get on with his own life.
The roads opened around them as they entered the city.
They continued through the busy downtown streets until Nashville’s bustling atmosphere gave way to quieter lanes once again, and Ava found herself in the rolling hills outside the city limits.
With every mile they drove, she felt more like the girl she’d been.
“It’s meant to be that I found this truck,” Lucas said.
She held back the runaway strands of her hair. “Why do you think so?”
“Well, I took a drive because there was something I wanted to see.”
He slowed down next to a dirt road leading into the woods.
Posts on either side marked the path, and a metal bar with a latch stretched between them.
He put the truck in park and jumped out, unlatching the bar and swinging it outward.
He got back in and drove them into the trees.
They bumped along, and he cranked up the radio, just like old times.
After they drove through the woods for a while, the tree line gave way to an open field—meadows as far as she could see.
At the very end of it was a little white farmhouse.
Lucas pulled up outside of it and cut the engine .
“Where are we?”
“Nowhere,” he said proudly.
“Who lives here?”
“It’s empty.” He walked up to the wide wooden front porch and sat down on the step. Then he patted the spot next to him.
Ava went up the three steps and sat. That was when she took in the view from the porch: round hills of green leading to the forest that seemed to stretch on forever.
“It definitely does feel like we’re out in the middle of nowhere,” she said.
“But we’re only twenty minutes outside the city. Pretty cool, right?”
She took in a deep breath of untainted air. “Yeah. It reminds me of the farm.”
“Exactly.”
She looked over at him.
“It’s for sale,” he said.
A twinge of disappointment filled her, but she’d known deep down he wasn’t meant for New York. He’d been right there in the city with her that whole time. Why hadn’t things lined up for them then? Because they weren’t supposed to.
“Are you going to buy this place?” she asked.
“I’m thinking about it.”
“Have you talked to Elise about your decision to stay in Nashville? What does she think?”
“I haven’t told her yet. She loves to remodel, though.
I’m sure she’d jump at the chance to help me.
She renovated her apartment and, before we split, we were trying to decide if I should move in instead of getting a new place together—just because she was struggling to part with all the work she’d put into it. ”
Ava nodded, their reality crashing down upon her.
“Do you like it?” he asked .
“Hm?” She swam out of her thoughts and landed in those emerald eyes.
“What do you think of this property?”
“It’s incredible,” she replied.
He smiled. “I think so too.”
Was all the nostalgia and seeing him again giving her feelings she wasn’t meant to have for him?
Ava was pretty sure she’d been tasked with finding him to give him the message about death, and she’d needed God’s help to open him up to hear it.
Lucas had come around, for sure, but now they were so connected she didn’t know how she’d manage leaving him. Had God done his job a little too well?