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  “All about the fabric,” Flora repeated. In a way, her mother was right. With the simple pattern Flora had chosen, she could make a fancy jumper out of velveteen, or a more traditional one out of corduroy, or a fun one by piecing together coordinating cotton prints.

  Flora pretended she was with her mother, that they were walking arm in arm through Needle and Thread, and in this way, she decided on the fun version of the dress, which she knew would have pleased her mother. She chose coordinating ginghams and florals and was starting to think about making the front of the skirt out of one print and the back out of another, but suddenly she heard her mother’s voice again, this time saying, “Less is more. Don’t go overboard.”

  “I’ve made my choices,” Flora announced to Min, approaching the cutting table with the bolts of fabric, and she explained what she planned to do. “How am I ever going to wait for all this to get washed?” said Flora. “I want to start working on it right now.”

  Min and Gigi sent Flora and Ruby on errands while the fabric spun around in the machine at the Soap Box.

  “Ruby,” said Flora as they sat in College Pizza, waiting for their lunch order, “do you ever pretend you can talk to Mom and Dad?”

  She half expected a smart answer from her sister, but Ruby looked seriously at Flora and replied, “I don’t exactly pretend I can talk to them, but sometimes I feel like they’re with me, like they can see what I’m doing. Not like they’re in heaven looking down at me, but like they’re really right next to me. Somehow.”

  Flora nodded. “I felt Mom with me at the store this morning, helping me with my project. At first it was weird, but after a while it felt sort of comforting. Plus, she was giving me good advice.”

  Ruby smiled. “I’m going to pretend Mom and Dad are with me this afternoon while I finish making the signs. Mom will tell me to check my spelling and Dad will say, ‘Are you sure that’s what you want to do?’ when I’m about to make a mistake.”

  “This morning I could hear Mom say, ‘Less is more,’” said Flora. “Remember how she would always say that? Instead of saying something was tacky?”

  “And sometimes she would say, ‘My stars,’ just like Min.”

  After lunch, Flora collected her washed fabric from the Soap Box. For the next few hours, as she laid out her pattern and pinned and cut out the pieces and began stitching her dress, she felt her mother by her side, heard her reminders, her encouragement, too, and the day passed more quickly and pleasantly than any had in a long time.

  The dry spell ended and the customers returned to Main Street. Needle and Thread grew busy again.

  “Min, I can’t find the patterns for the embroidery class,” said Flora one morning.

  “Min, what should I do with the new magazines?” asked Ruby.

  “Hey, is that Nikki girl going to be here again today?” Flora abandoned her search for the patterns and approached Olivia, who was waiting on a customer.

  “Just a sec,” said Olivia. “Let me finish this first.”

  Olivia had begun working at Needle and Thread. After her father’s announcement, she had decided to get a job; she should be earning her own pocket money. She told her parents they didn’t need to give her an allowance anymore, and now she worked at the store. She was to work for just a couple of hours each day — Gigi wouldn’t let her work more than that — but this would more than make up for the allowance she’d been receiving.

  Flora and Ruby, while sad to hear about Mr. Walter’s job, were pleased to be able to spend more time with their new friend (their argument was forgotten), although Olivia was very serious about her work and didn’t talk much to Flora and Ruby when she was busy.

  Olivia now handed the customer his change and turned to Flora. “What did you say?” she asked.

  “I was wondering if Nikki will be here again. Today’s the day of the second ribbon embroidery class. When that lady Mrs. DuVane came the first time, she brought Nikki with her.”

  “We’ll find out pretty soon if she’s going to be here,” said Ruby, looking at her watch. “The class starts in half an hour.”

  “Nikki has a bad attitude,” muttered Olivia. But as she was saying this, she recalled her words about Nikki’s personal hygiene and wished she could take them back. She had the uncomfortable suspicion that perhaps she was the cause of Nikki’s bad attitude — even though she had just been trying to help.

  Olivia stepped away from the cash register. Her customer had left, and now the store was quiet.

  “Flora, did you find the patterns?” asked Min. She climbed on a stool to check a shelf over Mary’s work space.

  “Min! Get down,” yelped Flora. “I’ll look there.”

  Min stepped down and reached behind the counter for a knitting needle. She inserted it in her cast and wiggled it around. “My land, this cast makes me itchy,” she said. “I can’t wait to get it off.”

  “How many more weeks?” asked Olivia.

  “Just a couple,” replied Min.

  “Oh, but you’ll still have it on for the party. That’s too bad.”

  “What party?” asked Ruby.

  “The Row House party. I mentioned it, I think,” said Min.

  “Did you?” said Ruby. “I don’t remember.”

  “Me, neither,” said Flora.

  “Row House parties are always fun,” said Olivia. “I’ll tell you about them during the class. I have to work until then.”

  “No, you don’t,” said Gigi. “You’re done. You started early today.” Gigi opened the cash register and pulled out a few bills. “Here you go, sweetie. Here’s your pay. Good job. Thank you so much.”

  Olivia hugged her grandmother. “Come on, you guys,” she said to Flora and Ruby, and she pulled them to one of the couches.

  “Olivia,” said Ruby slowly as the girls sat down. “About your father’s job …”

  Olivia said nothing.

  “Well, I think it’s very unfair that he got fi — I mean that he got …”

  “Downsized,” supplied Flora uncomfortably.

  “I have a feeling he knew it was going to happen,” said Olivia. “He hadn’t been happy at work for a long time. He says that now he can decide what he really, really wants to do.”

  “But who’s earning the money —” Ruby was asking when Flora nudged her in the side with her elbow.

  “Ow!” said Ruby.

  “It’s okay,” said Olivia. “Mom and Dad said we’ll be all right for a while. And I guess Gigi and Poppy could help us out.…” Her voice trailed off. Then she brightened. “Let me tell you about the party,” she said. “We have parties at the Row Houses pretty often. Everyone who lives there comes. Sometimes we have them for special occasions, like birthdays and holidays, but sometimes we have them just because we want to. This one is going to be a barbecue, and we’re going to have it in the backyards. Everyone will bring something. There’ll be hot dogs and hamburgers and potato salad and fruit salad and dessert and ice cream. It’ll be great.”

  “I’m going to make two lemon meringue pies,” called Min from the cutting counter.

  “Oh, yum,” said Olivia. “And my mom is going to make deviled eggs and my dad is going to grill corn on the cob. Hey, you know what, you guys?” Olivia turned to Ruby and Flora. “I think we should be in charge of games for all the kids.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea,” said Min.

  “Hey, there she is,” said Ruby suddenly in a loud whisper. At that moment, the door to Needle and Thread opened and in walked Mrs. DuVane, followed by Nikki.

  “Why, look, Nicolette,” said Mrs. DuVane. “Here are your friends. Right where we left them last week.”

  Olivia looked at Nikki, whose face did not display the expression of a person greeting old friends. In fact, she looked, Olivia thought, like a caged bird just waiting for her owner to mistakenly leave the door open so she could escape.

  But Mrs. DuVane was here for the class, which meant Nikki was stuck in Needle and Thread for another hour. Which me
ant that Olivia, Ruby, and Flora were stuck with Nikki.

  When none of the girls spoke, Mrs. DuVane hesitated, then said, “Well, you have fun now!”

  “We didn’t have fun the first time,” muttered Nikki.

  “What was that?” asked Mrs. DuVane.

  “She said,” spoke up Olivia loudly, “that we di —”

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. DuVane,” said Gigi then. “Come join us. Were you able to practice at home this week?”

  Gigi whisked Mrs. DuVane toward the back of the store.

  In the front, Nikki glowered at Ruby, Olivia, and Flora. Ruby, Olivia, and Flora looked at one another.

  “You know, I was thinking,” said Flora finally. “About last week. I was thinking — now don’t take this the wrong way —”

  Uh-oh, thought Ruby.

  “— that maybe you know how to sew a little bit, but you only know the basics, like how to sew a straight seam or something. Maybe you haven’t made pillows or quilts or —”

  “Flora’s really good at sewing,” interrupted Olivia loyally.

  “Whoopee,” said Nikki.

  “Look. Seriously,” said Flora. “I can show you how to make a patchwork pillow. It’s easy.”

  “Look. Seriously,” said Nikki. “I don’t care.”

  But Flora was already off in search of supplies. She rummaged through the scrap bin by Mary Woolsey’s work space and returned to the front of the store with a handful of calico squares. She dropped them on the coffee table and left again. When she returned the second time, she was carrying a pair of scissors, a plastic square, a package of needles, and a spool of thread. “Here,” said Flora. “This is all you need to make a patchwork pillow. And you can have all these things. For free. Except the scissors. Those belong to my grandmother.”

  Nikki, who had sat down on one of the couches, now stood up. “I am not,” she said fiercely, “a charity case.”

  “I didn’t mean —” Flora started to say.

  But Olivia had jumped to her feet, too. “She’s just being nice to you, Nikki.”

  “I don’t need anyone to be nice to me. I don’t even want to be here.”

  “Well, don’t take it out on us,” said Flora.

  “Yeah, we didn’t ask you to come,” added Ruby. “And anyway, some of us wish we weren’t here, either. I’d rather be in a dance class.”

  “Are you still talking about that?” exclaimed Nikki. “That’s what you were babbling about last week. If you want to take a class so badly, then go find one instead of sitting here complaining all day.”

  Ruby didn’t say anything. Instead, she crossed her arms and turned around on the couch, her back to Nikki. So Nikki crossed her arms and turned her back, and then Olivia and Flora did the same, even though they were only mad at Nikki, not at each other — although Olivia finally had to admit that she was also mad at herself, which made her feel very crabby indeed.

  Ruby stood at the front door of Needle and Thread and looked outside at the wet street. Rain had fallen all morning. The store, brighter than usual on this dark day, smelled of wet pavement and also of wet dog, since Mr. Pennington had stopped by the store with Jacques and was now sitting on the couch having a cup of coffee with Min, during a quiet moment before the ribbon embroidery class began. Directly across the street was Stuff ’n’ Nonsense. Even from where she stood, Ruby could see the rows and rows of china animals in the window. Next to Stuff ’n’ Nonsense was the T-shirt Emporium, and next to that the Gourmet Shop. Ruby watched people enter and leave the stores. She felt around in her pockets. No money to spend. She turned and flopped on the couch next to Mr. Pennington and Jacques and scratched Jacques’s ears.

  “Bored, sweetie?” Min asked Ruby.

  “A little.”

  “I have a job for you. Would you like a job?”

  “Okay.”

  “Mrs. Edwards ordered some special fabric a couple of weeks ago. It just came in. Would you like to take it to her house?”

  “Definitely.” Ruby glanced at Flora and Olivia, who were designing a large fabric butterfly for Olivia’s bedroom. They’d been working for an hour. Ruby knew she was welcome to join them, but she wasn’t interested in large fabric butterflies. And at the moment, Olivia and Flora seemed interested in nothing else.

  Min excused herself, left Mr. Pennington and Jacques, and pulled an N&T shopping bag from behind the checkout counter.

  “Here you go, Ruby,” she said. “Mrs. Edwards has already paid for this, so all you have to do is deliver it.”

  “What if no one’s home?” asked Ruby.

  “Don’t worry,” said Mr. Pennington. “Robby’s there. Margaret is sitting for him.”

  “Okay.” Ruby skipped out of the store, her mood improved. She liked both Margaret and Robby. Margaret, she thought, was nothing like Lydia. She was sweet and patient, thought up good games to play, and liked to hug. And Robby — well, Robby was the most enthusiastic person Ruby had ever met.

  When Ruby rang the bell at the Edwardses’ house, she was greeted by a shout from inside. “I’LL GET IT!” cried Robby’s voice.

  “Remember to find out who’s there before you open the door,” Ruby could hear Margaret say.

  There was a thump from in the hallway, and then Robby called out, “Tell me who’s there because I can’t let a stranger in!”

  “Robby, it’s me, Ruby Northrop. I have a package from the store for your mom.”

  “Margaret, it’s Ruby, who is not a stranger!”

  “Okay. Open the door.”

  The door was flung open and Robby cried, “Hi, Ruby! It stopped raining, but Margaret Malone and I are playing Go Fish anyway.”

  “As soon as we finish this game, though,” said Margaret, joining Robby in the hallway, “we’re going outside. We thought we’d take a walk into town,” she added, turning to Ruby.

  Ruby held out the bag. “This is for Mrs. Edwards,” she said. “It’s some fabric she ordered. Min said it’s already paid for.”

  “Thank you, Ruby,” said Robby solemnly. “I will put it right here in the kitchen — Hey! This is the material for my pajamas. Mom is going to make me Batman pajamas! Oh, boy! Batman pajamas! Okay, let’s go into town!” Robby jumped up and down, hands flapping.

  “Robby, don’t you want to finish our game?” asked Margaret.

  “No, I’m too excited! Let’s go now. Right now. Oh, boy! Batman pajamas!”

  So Ruby walked back to Main Street with Robby and Margaret.

  Robby was quiet as they passed the Row Houses, then said suddenly, “Ruby, do you like living here? Mom and Dad said it might take a while. But do you like it? Do you like Camden Falls? I like living here.”

  Ruby smiled. “I guess I’m still getting used to it. But I like it.”

  “Good,” said Robby. He paused. “Do you miss your mom and dad?”

  “Robby,” said Margaret, and she put her arm around his shoulder, “remember when we talked about sensitive subjects? This would be a sensitive subject. And it might be better for you to wait and see if Ruby brings it up herself.”

  Robby hung his head. “Okay,” he mumbled.

  Ruby looked from Robby to Margaret. “It’s all right,” she said. “I do miss my mom and dad, but every day it gets just a teensy bit better.”

  “That’s what I found out after my mother died,” spoke up Margaret.

  Ruby looked at her with interest. She knew that Margaret and Lydia’s mother had died — she didn’t remember a visit to the Row Houses when there had been a Mrs. Malone — but she didn’t know what had happened or when. She was just wondering if this might be some sort of secret, when Robby said, “Margaret, can you tell Ruby what happened to your mother?” He paused, then gave Margaret a sly smile. “You brought up the sensitive subject yourself.”

  Margaret smiled back at him. “Yes, I did. Ruby, my mother died five and a half years ago.”

  Ruby did some mental arithmetic. Margaret and Lydia must have lost their mother when they were about t
he same ages as Ruby and Flora were now.

  “She had something called a brain aneurysm,” Margaret was saying. “She died very suddenly.”

  “I’m sorry,” said Ruby as they turned the corner onto Main Street. “Margaret, can I ask you something? If it’s too sensitive, you don’t have to answer.”

  “You can ask me anything,” said Margaret.

  “Do you still remember what your mother looked like?”

  Margaret’s smile faded slightly, and when she began speaking again, her voice was softer. “Yes. But I can’t see her in my mind as easily as I could at first. That’s why I keep lots of photos of her in my room.”

  Ruby was going to ask Margaret another question, but then she heard Robby say, “Two whole dollars.” He thrust his hand into his pocket and pulled out two one-dollar bills. “Ruby, I have two dollars to spend today! Dad gave me money this morning. I want to spend it right here. In Stuff ’n’ Nonsense. I can get lots of things for two dollars. Someday I’m going to work in Stuff ’n’ Nonsense. That would be a very good job.”

  “All right then,” said Margaret as they stood outside the store. “In we go. Would you like to come with us, Ruby?”

  Ruby nodded and followed Robby and Margaret through the door.

  “Wow,” said Robby. “Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.” He waved his hands in front of his face as he looked around the store.

  “Robby, settle down,” said Margaret quietly, glancing at Mrs. Grindle, who was standing by the checkout counter, her hand on her hip.

  “Remember that many of the items in the store are fragile,” Mrs. Grindle said, her lips pursed.