A Good Yarn Page 0,53

had knit a couple of blankets for them, too, between classes at the Seattle Cooking Academy and her part-time job at the French Cafe.

Margaret was in the store when all three of the women from my original class showed up on Friday afternoon. She'd become as fond of them as I had. The first to arrive was Jacqueline.

"I'm back," she announced as she swept into the shop. Jacqueline was always one to make an entrance. Margaret and I have come to love the way she broadcasts her arrival, although at one time it annoyed me. As always, Jacqueline looked like the society matron she is, every hair in place. She once told me never to discount the effectiveness of a good hair spray. I would've laughed if she hadn't been serious.

I've given up trying to keep track of all the traveling Jacqueline and Reece do. In the past year, they'd been on a cruise in the Greek islands, a walking tour of England's Lake District and most recently they went salmon fishing in Alaska. That, according to Jacqueline, was a longtime dream of her husband's. To my utter amazement, she loved it and even brought me some smoked salmon.

"How are you?" Jacqueline asked, gazing into my eyes. She didn't wait for a response before pulling me into a tight hug.

"I'm okay," I lied.

She took her place at the table and brought out her knitting. Her patch was knit in super-wash, hand-dyed wool at fourteen dollars a skein, but that was Jacqueline. Price was rarely a consideration. And in her generosity, she always bought her own yarn for the charity projects, rather than accepting donated leftovers from me.

"I see I'm the first one here," she said, looking around. This was unusual in itself. "Well, I've got great news and I'll tell you first." She smiled widely. "Tammy Lee's pregnant again! Reece and I are beside ourselves."

I remember how she'd once objected strenuously to her southern daughter-in-law and called her "white trash" and a "breeder." My friend had experienced a change of heart, largely due to Tammy Lee's patience and her loving personality - as Jacqueline's the first to admit. Jacqueline adores little Amelia and I was sure she'd feel exactly the same about this new baby.

"It's a girl and she's due in February around Valentine's Day." Her eyes lit up. "Isn't that perfect?" She smiled again. "I want to look through your baby patterns later. There's knitting to be done!"

As we laughed, the door opened and Carol came in. I was mildly surprised to find she was by herself.

"Where's Cameron?" I asked. The baby had been a miracle, one that had happened last year. Carol and Doug had tried desperately for a baby through in vitro fertilization. They had their son now, but he'd been adopted - truly a child of their hearts. That was thanks to Alix, whose roommate had been secretly and unhappily pregnant.

"Doug has the day off, so Cam's with his daddy," Carol explained as she sat down next to Jacqueline. They exchanged greetings and she took out her knitting. It was wonderful to see her. With a toddler underfoot she couldn't participate every week. If she did stop by, it was during Cameron's nap-time. She'd park the stroller by the table and stay only until her son woke up. Her child was the delight of her life; he brought her the greatest happiness imaginable. She'd told me that she and Doug were closer than ever, both of them completely dedicated to Cameron. I wanted to tell her to hold on to this joy, to cling to it, because - as I'd learned two weeks ago - happiness can disappear all too fast.

Carol's knitting needles clicked rapidly as she worked on her section of the blanket. She was a fearless knitter who loved a challenge. I'd showed her the two-needle technique for socks and she'd basically taught herself the rest. "I heard from my brother the other day," she said, frowning. "He's remarried."

"You mean he didn't invite you to the wedding?"

"No. He let us know after the fact."

From the way she said it, I knew Carol was disappointed in him. She'd confided in me earlier about Rick, and I gathered he was a self-indulgent and rather immature man. An airline pilot, he was a little too apt to engage in dalliances with flight attendants and other women he met on his travels. That had, of course, ruined his marriage to a woman Carol liked.

"I hope this marriage lasts