VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, [10] ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 11:27:13 04/29/02 Mon
Author: Dusty
Author Host/IP: spider-wd074.proxy.aol.com / 205.188.193.184
Subject: THE QUILT

Another one of my stories that came out of nowhere......

THE QUILT

Laura still remembered how
At home and warm she'd felt
When she first met Daniel's mother
The way her heart had quickly melt
He was the youngest child of four
The cherished only son
And the resentment of his sisters
Should have foretold what was to come

Laura's own Mom had passed away
Very early in her life
She'd never know a mother's love
Until becoming Daniel's wife
Anna was a lonely widow
For her 3 other children
Despite her efforts had grown to be
Vindictive, grasping women

Their father died many years ago
Though he had invested well
Leaving Anna a wealthy widow
Whose daughters made her life a hell
They complained she favored Daniel
Their junior by ten years
And their selfishness had been the cause
Of Anna's many tears...

She'd despaired of ever having
Daughters who returned her love
So when Daniel married Laura
She had thanked the Lord above
A very sweet and gentle girl
With such loneliness in her eyes
Growing up without a mother's love
Had left her much deprived

It was impossible not to love her
And Anna took much joy...
Delighting in the quiet girl
Who'd married her only boy
Right from the beginning
The two women forged a bond
That was destined to endure
Growing ever close and strong

For the first year of their marriage
They lived in Anna's home
Then Daniel took a West Coast job
And they struck out on their own
At the thought of leaving Anna
Laura reacted with disbelief
She'd grown to love the older woman
And was overcome with grief

Before farewells were ever said
Anna took her by the hand
Wiped her tears and said, "Don't worry!
I have devised a clever plan!"
The mother-in-law would sew a quilt
Of many patchwork squares
Fabric from dresses, aprons, gowns
And scraps found everywhere

Laura would send a piece of cloth
One square in every letter
While Anna then would add her own
And piece them all together!
'Their' quilt would be a masterpiece
Laura laughed and clapped her hands!
Enchanted with the whole idea
Of her mother-in-law's ingenious plan!

The day the couple finally left
Anna hid her pain within
She'd miss the girl, but as Daniel's wife
Laura's place was with him
But the love between the women
Was not dimmed by all the miles
Letters from Laura arrived each week
Always making the widow smile

For folded into every one
Was a single fabric square
Different colors, styles and textures
All were stacked by Anna's chair
Communication never faltered
But continued through the years
Daniel's tragic acidental death
Meant letters stained with tears

Both widows now, the correspondence
Was a way for each to share
Feelings, sadness, hopes and dreams
Knowing how much the other cared
They never mentioned the patchwork quilt
As the years went slowly by
Though Laura snipped and Anna sewed
Until the day she died

It happened suddenly at eighty-one
Peacefully, in her sleep
Laura took the lawyer's call
Then hung up and began to weep
He'd said her presence was required
For the reading of Anna's will
"But I'm not family---I'm an in-law"
He said, "You must be here still"

He gave the date saying, "See you then"
Laura sat clutching the phone
Just knowing that Anna had passed away
Left her sad and so alone...
So two weeks later, she grimly sat
In the old woman's dining room
With the lawyer, who said the sisters
Would be along very soon.

Laura sadly shook her head
"They never once came to call
But now, to hear her will be read
They'll waste no time at all"
The lawyer gave a little smile
"Anna was old and very wise"
Laura wondered about the humor
She saw twinkling in his eyes...

One by one they all arrived
And hastily took their seats
Pointedly ignoring Laura
Who stared silently at her feet
The oldest daughter sniffed and said,
"What on earth's SHE doing here?
Daniel's dead and she's not family
That much is very clear!"

"Because" the lawyer sternly said
"Her attendance is on the list
Of things your mother gave to me
As part of her final wish!
The first thing I've been told to do
Is give you each a chance to take
Something from here inside the house
As a memento or keepsake"

Before he'd finished speaking,
The daughters scattered to the winds
Leaving not a drawer unsearched
In their hunt for treasures deep within!
The oldest claimed the crystal set
The middle sister----the china plates
The youngest one grabbed the jewelry
And that caused a big debate!

Laura left them arguing
As she slowly climbed the stairs
To enter Anna's sewing room
Settling in the rocking chair
The pain she felt inside her heart
Was the worst she'd ever known
She'd have gladly given all she had
If only Anna could come home!

Then she recalled the lawyer's words
What would help her to remember?
And all at once, she knew----the quilt!!
That had tied them both together
In the corner was a cedar chest
That Laura opened carefully
To find the beautiful masterpiece
That Anna'd sewed so lovingly

Tenderly folded and wrapped in tissue
With an envelope on top
Addressed to "My Daughter Laura"
She thought the tears would never stop!
Returning to the dining room
The package clutched to her chest
The sisters had settled their argument
Giving all the noise a rest

Then the lawyer cleared his throat
Saying in a steady voice
"Anna was sane and sound of mind
When she made her final choice"
"' To each of my three daughters
I leave a one hundred dollar bill
As a reward for all the love they showed
While I was living still...

The house and all my property
Will go on the auction block
The proceeds to go to charity
As well as bonds and stocks!' "
When the lawyer finished reading
The eldest daughter cried,
"That can't be IT...what about the cash?
Mother had thousands set aside!"

"No cash is mentioned" he smugly said
The daughters made quite a scene
"This will cannot be legal then!"
The youngest began to scream
But the lawyer laughed, "It's legal
Quite so and locked up tight!
It can't even be contested
Your mother knew you'd want to fight!"

So take your keepsakes and the cash
For it's all that you'll receive
This property's no longer yours
And that you must believe!"
Laura exchanged glances
With the lawyer as he smiled
"Anna knew her daughters well
They'll be shrieking for a while!"

Slowly they walked to the door
"I can't believe she's gone!"
The lawyer patted her shoulder kindly
"Anna's love for you was strong!"
"Thank-you for your assistance,"
Laura firmly shook his hand
"Do you think there's anyway on earth
They will ever understand?"

He gave a smirk, "I doubt it"
Though they shouldn't be suprised
Anna waited a lifetime for their love
But by them, she was despised"
Nodding sadly, Laura left
With the quilt held to her heart
Back inside the hotel room
She again felt hot tears start

Spreading the blanket across the bed
She felt the warmth of Anna's love
Then fell to her knees to send a prayer
To Heaven up above
The lamp behind her cast a glow
On a section she smoothed with care
Realizing she traced a capital L!!
Embroidered on one blue square...

Her finger made a crackling sound
And she sat up in suprise
Carefully patting different places
As her curiosity came alive!
It seemed as if every other patch
Made the same soft whispering sound
She quickly snipped one open
And her amazement knew no bounds!!

Every alternate square was stuffed
With bundles of cold, hard cash!!
As the 20s and 50s fluttered out
Laura stared and stifled a gasp!
She dialed the phone with shaking fingers
Then heard the lawyers kindly voice
She explained, but he wasn't a bit suprised
All he said was, "Rejoice!!"

"Anna knew you'd want the quilt
That's why she stuffed it full!
This way, those three will never know
And it won't come to push and pull!
"But sir," poor Laura could barely speak
"Do you know how much is here?
It must be 50 thousand dollars!!"
He chuckled, "It's more than that, my dear!

I liquidated her accounts myself
Over 100 thousand in small bills
And she gave instructions for that amount
To be omitted from the will!
She wanted you to have it, Laura
For bringing joy into her life
To Anna, you were her daughter
As well as Daniel's wife!

So don't refuse her last request
The cash is all yours now
Use it wisely....for I'm quite sure
That Anna is smiling now!"

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Post a message:
This forum requires an account to post.
[ Create Account ]
[ Login ]
[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.