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I knew about Julia’s reluctance to get psychological help, but the rest was news to aret had shared with me was her frustration with the police My sister seee once the perpetrator was behind bars She seemed to believe that the situation would autoain I didn’t think it was going to be that siaret added, with a catch in her voice, "Julia won’t talk about the carjacking No one’s allowed to ets up and walks out of the rooht her that iPod because all she does is use it to shut us out"

"The shaill be Julia’s shelter," I said quietly "When she wraps it around her shoulders, she’ll feel your love and prayers for her" This was my hope for my niece

"I just want her to put all this behind her like it never happened," Margaret said

That e all wanted, but I doubted it was possible

"I wish I’d had a prayer shawl after Derek’s death," Coletteand the pattern on the table in front of her She kept her head lowered so it was difficult to hear her speak "We had a good e And then…he died"

No one knehat to say to that, and an aard silence fell

"Oh, Colette," Alix said, "I feel so bad that you went through such a horrible tiine what I’d do if anything happened to Jordan," she went on

Colette nodded "I hope you till be very happy"

Alix smiled at her "We have our future all planned In two years we’re hoping to buy a small house Jordan wants to turn one of the bedrooms into a study until we start our faloith happiness It’s a cliché, I know, but I couldn’t have described this new serenity of hers in any other way I remembered the first day I’d met her when she’d walked into the store, htened me, but then I decided to treat her just as I would anyone else

Susannah picked up the conversation by telling everyone about Joe’s and her first hohost who flushed the toilet at odd tihed together

I was always surprised by how quickly class time passed It was the fastest hour of aret needed to leave early, so I told her I’d close the shop alone Brad was stopping by to pick me up on his way home Normally we don’t carpool because he has to be at work a couple of hours before I do, but he had a doctor’s appoint, so he drove me in

I cuddled Whiskers before I locked up and then opened the door to Colette’s apart she enjoyed his company For a while he traveled back and forth to the shop with me, but he’s comfortable in the apartment, which was, after all, his ho the door, I set the alarm My fickle cat had divided his loyalties Fortunately I’m not the jealous type, at least not when it comes to my cat’s affections But my husband--well, that’s a different reeted ood day?"

Every day with Brad and Cody was a good day, and I gave him a quick kiss--I had so much to thank him for "I did Hoas your physical?"

"Fine The doctor says I’m a well man"

I smiled at his reply "Make sure you stay that way"

"Yes, ma’am"

After a brief silence I told him, "I had my prayer shawl class this afternoon"

He nodded as he ed with the freeway traffic We live only about fifteen aret’s decided to knit her shawl for Julia," I continued "She’s so worried about her"

Brad glanced atany better?"

"I don’t think so I don’t think Margaret is, either She can’t let go of this" My sister’s always had an intense personality It served her well in high school, when she excelled at sports She’s one of themy sister set her mind to, she achieved

Back ere kids she was the top-rated female athlete in our school district and a star at every sport she tried I was the sickly, puny sister everyone felt sorry for It took Margaret andresponsibility for our ht us closer and so, of course, did the yarn store I ached for Margaret now and badly wanted to help her But Margaret was independent to a fault; in that way nothing had changed

Last year, when Matt lost his job, she’d done everything possible to hide the fact that her family was about to lose their home I’d been able to help theh certainly grateful--had difficulty accepting ift