[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.”She opened the box, carefully lifted the quilt, and spread it out on the sofa.Removed from the other quilts on display that night, its explosion of color and sophisticated, bold design were more evident.And made it all the more perfect a gift for her friend.On one corner, an attached, hand-stamped card read, on one side: Threads of HOPE, stitched by people of FAITH, for those we LOVE.On the other was a thank-you for purchasing the quilt and a telephone number.A label sewn on another corner simply had the words: Threads of Hope, Jeremiah 29:11.Nina entered the number in her phone and set a reminder to herself to call it in the morning.If she asked the cost of making one like it, she’d have an idea of what to offer Greg.And then, pulling a Brady, she could show up unannounced and drop it off.If she called him, he’d probably tell her he didn’t want the money.She placed the quilt back in the box then shoved it under her bed where Aretha would be least likely to look.Or vacuum.By nine o’clock, Brady hadn’t called, texted, or attempted any other form of communication.Nina surprised herself by not being surprised.Not following through was behavior more typical of the Brady she knew.Now that Elise had assigned her the feature, Nina dragged out her laptop to continue researching.Manny, seeing her stretched out on the sofa, jumped up and wiggled next to her, resting his head on her knee.She started with the history of The AIDS Memorial Quilt, which went back to 1985, when the idea of the quilt sprang from the way placards of those who died with AIDS were placed against the wall of the San Francisco Federal Building.The first quilt, created in June of 1987, was displayed on the National Mall in October of the same year.Nina thought about that first small group that met in a San Francisco storefront, afraid the names of those they loved would be lost forever, and so they created a quilt as a way to document their lives.Twenty-five years later, groups like the ones whose quilts were auctioned at the benefit, met to carry on that mission, to memorialize those who died of AIDS.Except that, and sadly, over the years, the names of women and children were added.From 1985 until the year 2000, the number of AIDS-related deaths in a year increased by 429 percent.Little wonder, with those statistics, why the quilt weighed fifty-four tons today.Hours later, Nina still hadn’t arrived at the end of her research, and Aretha still hadn’t arrived home.21Greg checked his cell phone again.Nothing from Elise.By late afternoon, when Greg still hadn’t received any messages or phone calls, he wondered if the quilt had even been delivered.He contacted the delivery service and was told the package had been signed for early that morning.Two patients later, he sent Elise a text.Maybe Nina wasn’t at work, so there wasn’t any reason for Elise to contact him.Four patients later, she sent a text in response: “Nina here.No mention.Call me on your way home.”No mention of the quilt? The Saturday night episode? Both? Maybe he attached more importance to both than did Nina.Bypassing the drama was a relief, but bypassing any mention of having received the quilt seemed, well, like bad manners.And he’d already dealt with his quota of the discourteous by the time the clinic closed.Like the couple whose Lab used the waiting room as his bathroom, then expected the desk staff to do potty patrol.And the little boy about his daughter’s age who entertained himself rearranging the food and supplies merchandise on display while his father lifted his head from his e-reader every few minutes and said, “Stop that.” He closed his car door, leaned his head against the steering wheel, and said a prayer of gratitude for his family.Compared to that gift from God, what did his receiving or not receiving a thank-you note matter?Seeing the gridlock on Highway 290, Greg contemplated abandoning his car and walking the forty or so miles home.He should have brought along Anna Karenina, the 976-page novel Lily always wanted him to read.With this traffic, he’d stand a good chance of getting halfway through it.He still needed to call Elise, but he called home first.He talked to Paloma and affirmed that he wouldn’t make it there until after Jazarah’s bedtime.He could barely hear her for his daughter’s chanting in the background.“Talk to Daddy.Talk to Daddy.” Paloma excused herself, and Greg heard her calm, soft voice, “We must wait and be kind, and not speak when someone else is speaking.”When she returned, Greg expressed his appreciation for her making sure Jazarah wouldn’t grow up to be what Elise labeled an “S.B.K.,” spoiled brat kid.“You are welcome.It is my opinion that the two of you together in public will attract attention even if both of you say nothing.Her behavior will be scrutinized more so than other children’s.This, I know.”And that was another reason she made the perfect nanny for his daughter.Like Jazarah, she, too, was adopted from Africa, an HIV-positive preteen, into a blue-eyed, blonde-haired, and freckle-skinned family [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]