We ate in silence for a little while, and then Mom started to giggle. "Did you really think a burglar would knock on the door?"
"No," I smiled. "I was just so nervous and didn't want to talk to anyone."
"I know you get so shy. Where do you get that from?"
"Hmmm. I don't know. Why didn't you go get the change, Mom? Were you afraid to see Bud?"
"I was. He is just so cute. I mean, who wouldn't like him."
"Mom, do you like him?"
"No," she said quickly.
"Really?"
"Even if I did, it wouldn't make any difference. He is a racecar driver. I run a quilt shop, and I am a mother...and look at what I am wearing...and I am not his type."
"But you are the same age."
"Yes, but men like that do not date women their age."
"You don't know his type. You can't say men like that when you don't know him. He seemed nice the other day, and he is friendly in his interviews. He is always laughing down at Indigo Ink."
"Of course he is laughing down there, he gets a tattoo every time he wins a race. Honey, I am not his type. Trust me."
"Why do you think he gets a tattoo for every race he wins?"
"I guess he likes it. Maybe it's a tradition."
"See you're a perfect match. Do you think the tradition is Catholic or Protestant?" I teased. She smirked and threw a fat quarter roll of fabric at my head. I caught it with my right hand and pulled the paper ring off with my left hand. "Thank you. I needed a napkin."
"Don't you dare! That is a sample from the new Jessica Woods fabric line."
"Easy, Mom. I won't get guacamole on it. Wow! I like it. Does she carry this purple color through the entire line?" Mom tossed the sample pack toward me. The colors were bold - green and purple with dots of yellow. "I love it when designers use great colors in a bold way. I like the way she used mustard as a cool color when it is not even close to being a cool color."
"Thank you, Holly Hobby." Mom teased, then took the stack and threw it in the basket by her desk. "What else should we do today?"
"Well, I've still got my boot so water skiing is out. Not really feeling like shopping or basketball. How about I finish up the fat quarters, and you blitz the store so that you have a really clean store for Monday." I knew Mom was upset about the check situation, and the more time she spent at the shop today, the better she would feel, so we got out the timer and made a game of it. After an hour, the store looked great, and Mom was smiling. We locked up and headed home.
On our way home, Mom rolled down the windows.
"I think it might be a cool night tonight. I've got an idea." She drove past our turn for home and kept on driving. I was not sure where she was going, but I knew I was tired and closed my eyes. When I woke up, we were in hill country, and I knew where we were going.