Segment 6

I Hook By Night -- a Crochet Soap
© Copyright 2000, 2001 by P. June Diehl

Segment 6

Alicia closed the front door and leaned against it. Her last client for the day had just left her small apartment. She was tired and revived at the same time. She quickly fixed herself some dinner and cleaned the kitchen before retiring to her bedroom. Turning on some soft music she pulled her bag out of the closet. Sitting on the bed she looked at what she had been working on during her lunch break earlier today.

Her fingers and hands began to tingle as she felt the excitement rise in her body. "Oh!" she said aloud, "I can hardly wait for tomorrow! To be able to pick out my own patterns! And yarn! Maybe I'll buy a hook!"

Finding her hook in the skein of yarn where she left it, she began to work the yarn into rows of double crochets. I could do this all night, she thought.

******

Jefferson smiled across the dinner table as Maria continued to describe her day. Her birthday was later next week and he was delighted that he was going to be giving her something unusual.

Imagine, discovering that his editor could make those little bags! He had not asked her how she had made the bag; he was filled with excitement about giving the to-be-made gift to his wife. She loved unusual presents; not things you would buy from a department store. Jefferson usually had to go junk or antique shopping to find her gifts. Now, he had discovered another source for gifts. Maria would never guess in a million years the present he was giving her for her 40th birthday. What else could Janice make, he wondered to himself?

"Then, the school called this afternoon," Maria was saying as Jefferson rejoined her conversation. "Julia has missed turning in some assignments and they want to meet with us about her performance. Do you think you can get away this Friday?"

"Yes," replied Jefferson, "I'll clear out my calendar on Friday so we can make the trip to the school. Go ahead and schedule an appointment for Friday afternoon. It'll be nice to visit with Julia, also. We have not seen her in a couple of weeks. Talking on the phone is just not the same as being with her."

Maria smiled at her husband, thankful that he was such an understanding and caring person. She loved him even more now than when they had first met. With a twinkle in her eye she wondered what wonderful gift he would discovered for her birthday this year. It was less than two weeks away. He seem to outdo himself with each passing year. This year was also their 20th wedding anniversary. She had no idea what he could possibly be planning for that event! Being several months away, she went back to thinking about her upcoming birthday. I wonder if he'll also plan a party this year, she wandered. And who might show up this year?

******

"Janice!" Tom yelled. "It's Randy from the bookshop!"

Emerging from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel, Janice took the phone. "Hello, Randy!"
"I had to call. This could not wait. I am calling a meeting of the Night Hookers. Can you make it at 10 PM tonight?"

Taking a moment to recover, Janice walked back into the kitchen with the cordless phone so Tom would not overhear the conversation. "Tom is here so he can make sure Rebecca is ok. Yes, I'll be able to make it."

"Good. I have more calls to make so I cannot chat now. See you at 10 PM." Randy was gone.

Janice put the phone down, wondering what was so important that Randy was calling all of them together on a weeknight.