"It's been less than a week."

"Long enough." I had to agree with that idea. "Ryan didn't think he was making a decision," she continued. "He thought he was delaying one. He didn't think about how it might change everything."

"Because he's selfish," I suggested.

"I don't think that's it. Scared, maybe. People make most of their worst decisions because they're afraid."

I sat up. "I don't know whether I'm supposed to hate him or feel sorry for him."

She smiled. "I felt the same way about your grandfather after he died. One too many beers and he wrapped his car around that tree, changing my life, your mother's, even yours, in a way. Of course, your grandfather couldn't have imagined that his decision would have that kind of effect. Just like now, Ryan didn't think that postponing the engagement would send you off with another man."

I blushed and stammered for a minute until I could figure out what to say. "Marc's not another man, he's a friend."

She sighed. "I don't mean to interfere."

"You're not. Well, you are." I smiled. "But I could use a little wise interference. It could be your way of paying me back for all the help I'm going to give you around the house."

"And at the shop, if you can. I took a lease on the diner to expand the shop."

I practically jumped. "You did what? When?"

"Why are you so surprised? It was your idea."

"You've been in the hospital."

"I had access to a phone." She rolled her eyes, but I could see she enjoyed being one step ahead of me. "I thought about what you said, and it made sense, so I made a few calls. I had nothing else to do, just sitting there like some sick person."

I settled back down next to Barney. "Wow" was all I could get out.

She patted my hand. "And it worked out perfectly, with you here to help. That will keep you busy."

I stretched myself out on the bed, wrapping my arm around a sleeping Barney. "Not too busy. I have a limited amount of energy." I closed my eyes and was asleep to the sounds of Opie and Aunt Bee talking about their day.

My grandmother's alarm went off at six-thirty in the morning, but I was awake for several minutes before. Barney had woken up and jumped off the bed, stepping over me in the process. My grandmother reached for her crutches and dropped them, saying in a loud whisper, "Damn," a word she'd never used before, at least not in my presence.

"Let me help." I got up and the day began.

I scrambled eggs according to my grandmother's strict instructions, and they weren't just edible-as they were when I made them in New York-they were quite good. I walked Barney, did the dishes, and brought down unfinished quilting projects so my grandmother could do some hand sewing. I made a list of all the needed groceries and errands she wanted me to run. When I got back, she told me, I would need to pack some of her old clothes into boxes for a charity drive.

"One more thing," she said as I was walking out the door with half a dozen lists. "Stop at the shop. See if Nancy needs any help." I was exhausted, and it wasn't even ten o'clock.

When I walked outside I half-expected to see Marc's truck and his ladder to the roof. I found myself a little disappointed when they weren't there. I wondered if he was finished with the roof, which would be a good thing, I told myself, since it looked like rain.

I did most of the errands and managed to grab a cup of coffee at the diner before I walked to Someday Quilts. From the outside it looked quiet, but when I opened the door, I walked straight into a very frazzled Nancy.

"We have to shut down the store," she said instead of hello.

"What? Why?"

"Ask him." She pointed to Marc, who was coming up the stairs with a toolbox and a measuring tape. I smiled, a little too happily, I knew, but I was glad to run into him.

"Nancy," he chided, "Eleanor wants this wall knocked down as soon as the diner closes tonight. I can't do that with people walking around. There will be dust everywhere, power tools. If you don't care about the customers, think about the fabric." He was having fun with her, I could see, but Nancy wasn't interested.

"Did she hire you?" I turned to Marc. "She didn't say anything to me."

"She called me this morning. She said to get started right away. I think you were out running errands." Marc shifted a little but stood his ground.

Nancy looked at me. "I'm sorry," I said. "She just told me last night that she leased the shop. And you know my grandmother. Once she makes up her mind, she doesn't like to wait."

"Look, I'm all for this renovation," Nancy sighed. "But this one shows up without any warning when I'm trying to run a store." Nancy tilted her head toward Marc but looked at me. "I admire enthusiasm, but you don't want someone going off half-cocked."

"Hey, I'm here." Marc leaned toward Nancy. "I could be at the track with your husband."

Nancy rolled her eyes. "You could hardly do more harm there than you're doing here." She smiled at Marc as though he were a slightly mischievous puppy. "And before you get smart with me again, young man, remember I've known you since you were a small child. There's no fooling me with that charm of yours."

"Yes, ma'am." Marc pretended to look contrite, and then smiled. Then he turned to me and shrugged. "What now, granddaughter?"

I blushed, and I knew he could see it, so I looked around the shop trying to think of something to say. "The diner's closing tonight?"

"After the lunch crowd. The owners told Eleanor she could have it all. Not that she wants a bunch of old kitchen equipment." He smiled. "Didn't Eleanor tell you all this already?"

"No," I said. "Why don't you start work on the diner, then, pulling out the old stuff and getting it cleaned up. How long will that take?"

"A few days."

"Fine," I continued. "We'll close Wednesday, do inventory, and bring everything over to my grandmother's. Everyone in town knows where she lives. We can run the shop out of there for a few weeks. And Marc can wait until, say, Saturday to knock down this wall. In the meantime, we'll pack up whatever we can."

"Fine with me," Marc said. "I have a doctor's appointment Thursday anyway."

Nancy turned to me. "I'll call our regulars," she said, "and let them know we're moving to Eleanor's for a while."

"You do that," I said. "And don't worry about Marc. I'll make sure he doesn't do anything without my supervision. Okay?"

She laughed. "Good luck with that, dear." She drifted to the stairs and disappeared to the office below.

"Good thinking." Marc threw an arm around me. He leaned his head in and rested it on mine. "I like the idea of you supervising me."

I let out a nervous laugh. "Work fast," I said, then pulled away. "And don't cause any trouble."

"Man, you are just like your grandmother."

Less than twenty minutes after I arrived, Carrie was in the shop to confirm what Nancy had, apparently, told her on the phone. Several minutes later, Maggie arrived. Then Bernie. Then Susanne. Only Natalie was missing.

Carrie said twice to me and once to Susanne, "Well, the shop needs to be bigger. I agree with that. But it's a shame to lose a place to get some coffee."

"What about setting up some tables and making a little coffee shop in the store?" I suggested by way of compromise, and was verbally beaten in response.

"We'll have coffee all over the fabric," said Nancy and Susanne.

"You can't run two businesses and do them both well," declared Bernie.

"Have you ever had Eleanor's coffee?" whimpered Carrie. I had actually had my grandmother's coffee. And while it wasn't a halfdecaf soy latte, it was quite good.

I could see that no one was interested in a coffee and quilt shop. "Just throwing out ideas," I said in my defense. "I'm sure my grandmother knows exactly what she wants in the space."