Chapter 9
Joci spread the Thanksgiving tablecloth she'd received from her mom years ago on the table.
It was so old now, she took great care with it, but every year she wondered if she'd have to retire it soon.
If she did, what would she use? She could buy a new one, of course, but it wasn't the same as a family heirloom.
Standing back to admire it, she sadly saw the signs of wear.
The edges were beginning to fray. She'd sown it up in a few places here and there over the years, but this year she'd been so busy with everything she'd forgotten to look in her book to see that she should have taken it out of the drawer to inspect it. She wanted today to be perfect.
She blew out a breath, and her shoulders dropped.
There wasn't any time to run to the store now.
If you could find one open. Her phone pinged, and the doorbell rang, and she glanced at her watch.
It was too early to be family. As she strode to the door, Jeremiah hurried from the office. "Joci, wait."
She stopped, remembering their security and their threat, and took a deep breath to not let it all overwhelm her. Jeremiah peered through the window at the top of the door and grinned. He flung the door open to his mother standing on the front porch.
He hugged his mom as she entered the house. Emily glanced at her and gave her a warm hug. "I know you're likely busy getting things set up, I promise I won't stay long. I wanted to bring this to you."
She held a white box in front of her. Her smile was warm and genuine, and Joci's brows furrowed slightly.
"You're bringing me a gift?"
"Open it. You'll see. Then we'll talk about it."
Joci sat in her favorite chair in front of the window and opened the box. She pulled out the cloth that was inside to stare at it. Emily came toward her, sat on the ottoman in front of her, and helped her open the cloth.
"It's a tablecloth. I've debated giving this to you because Gunnar said you had a special tablecloth, but I made each of the girls one the first year they hosted Thanksgiving. I had no intention of leaving you out."
Joci swallowed the knot in her throat as her eyes watered.
The tablecloth was lovely. It had a tan background with cut-out leaves sewn on all around the perimeter in a rich array of fall colors and shapes.
Acorns were dotted here and there, though they were uniquely colored.
Emily chuckled as Joci smoothed her finger over the fabric of one of the acorns.
"That is from one of Gunnar's t-shirts."
"Oh!" Joci gasped. Tears formed and fell from her eyes.
Emily smiled. "This one here is from one of Ryder's shirts.
This one here," she pointed to another, "is JT's favorite t-shirt when he was about fourteen.
" Emily looked up at Jeremiah. "Do you remember?
He would wear it for days until we both scolded him.
Finally, I had to sneak into his room while he slept and take it from the floor to wash it. "
"Oh...my..." Joci stopped, tears filling her eyes. She swallowed. "I don't know what to say."
Emily smiled at her and took both of her hands in hers. "How about we put it on the table and look at it?"
Sniffing, Joci stood, holding the box with shaking hands. She followed Emily to the table, where Emily lovingly brushed her hands on the old tablecloth she'd just put on the table.
"That's the tablecloth my mom gave me so many years ago.
But..." She swallowed the knot of emotion that stuck in her throat.
"I was just looking at it, wondering what I should do.
It's fraying again in places..." She pointed to the breaking threads and fringes.
"But I didn't have anything else to replace it with. Until now."
She held the box close to her chest. Emily turned to her. "You don't have to use the tablecloth I just gave you if you prefer this one, Joci. But I wanted you to have it."
Joci shook her head. "No, I want to use this new one. It'll be our new family heirloom. I'll find a way to preserve this old one."
Emily smiled. "I can help you with that. I can use it to make up a quilt. If you don't mind that I cut it up."
Joci's eyes grew round. "I'd love that. Are you sure?"
Emily laughed. "I'm sure."
Joci sucked in a deep breath and nodded. "I'd be so appreciative if you could find a way to preserve it."
"Done." Emily carefully lifted the ends of the tablecloth and nodded to Jeremiah. "Honey, come and help me, please."
Jeremiah took the other end of the tablecloth and lifted it.
Together they folded it carefully, and Emily set it on one of the chairs.
She gently took the new tablecloth she'd just given Joci, helped her open it, and laid it on the table.
Once it was opened, Joci could see all the t-shirts used in making the acorns and leaves on the tablecloth.
Jeremiah pointed to one and laughed. "That one was my first Rolling Thunder t-shirt." He turned to his mom. "Have you been squirreling away all of our old clothing?"
Emily laughed. "I guess you could say that. I hoped one day I'd be able to make a tablecloth for your Thanksgiving table."
Jeremiah hugged his mom. Joci heard a sniff and knew she'd be a blubbering mess soon enough.
Emily pulled back and picked up a corner of the tablecloth. "I sewed the date you married here. The date Jeremiah met you on this corner over here." She pointed to the date. She moved to the far end of the table and picked up the corner. "Today's date is on this corner."
Joci followed her around the table, admiring the handiwork and love Emily had put into this tablecloth. "Oh, Emily, this is beautiful."
Emily sniffed and nodded. "Thank you. I have Jeremiah's birthday. Your birthday and the boys’ birthdays are all sewn into some of the leaves.
When the new little Sheppard is born, I'll sew in his or her birthday too.
This is your family tablecloth. I hope you can feel the love sewn into every stitch. "
Joci wrapped her arms around Emily and sobbed into her shoulder. She felt every single stitch. This was a tremendous keepsake. Her mother-in-law hugged her close, and that hug felt so good. This woman had been so good to her. She was a good mother, grandmother, and she was a great mother-in-law.
When they pulled apart, Emily smiled at her. "I'll let you finish your preparations here. We'll be back at noon."
"Thank you. Emily, I don't have the words to tell you how much this means."
"I can see how much it means. I'll say this: your tablecloth was the easiest to create. Your family is older, and I had all sorts of t-shirts available to cut up. The others, I had to wing it." She chuckled, and it made Joci chuckle too.
She hugged Emily again, then turned as Jeremiah hugged his mom, lifted her off her feet, and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Mom. I love you."
"I love you too, dear."
Emily stepped outside, and Joci watched her husband lock the door, then turn slowly to her. His eyes were glassy as they stared into hers. He sauntered to her. His arm wrapped around her shoulders as they stood and stared at the most beautiful gift she had ever received.