The Cherished Quilt by Amy Clipston

Author:Amy Clipston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2016-10-01T04:00:00+00:00

“IS ANYONE HOME?” ONKEL HANK TEASED, ENTERING THE store later that afternoon.

“Ya, I’m still here,” Chris said as his uncle crossed to the work area.

“How were things?” Onkel Hank hung his hat on the peg at the far end of the work area.

“Gut.” Chris shrugged. “I had a few customers. I sold some key chains and took an order for a few saddles.”

“Great. I told Leroy you could handle the store just fine.” Onkel Hank’s eyes moved to the worktable, and the muscles in Chris’s neck tightened as apprehension nipped at him.

“What do you have here?” Onkel Hank picked up the coin purse Chris had finished. He ran his fingers over the horse and buggy design, and his eyes widened.

Anxiety and fear writhed in Chris’s gut. He prepared himself for the criticisms and reprimand. He imagined himself packing up his clothes and purchasing a bus ticket to Ohio.

“Christopher, did you make this?” Onkel Hank turned his gaze on Chris.

Chris nodded, willing himself not to grimace in anticipation.

Onkel Hank dropped onto the stool beside him. “Did you draw the horse and buggy freehand or did you trace it?”

“I, uh, drew it.”

“This is fantastic. You’re a natural!”

Chris gaped. I’m a natural?

The bell over the door chimed as Leroy entered the shop.

“Leroy!” Onkel Hank hollered. “Get over here and see what Christopher made.”

Leroy sidled up to Hank and they both stared down at the coin purse with their eyes wide.

“Wow!” Leroy looked at Chris. “Did you make this today?”

“Ya.” Chris moved his hand over the edge of the worktable as he spoke. “A couple of customers have asked for souvenirs featuring horses and buggies on them, so I thought I could add a design to the coin purse and then maybe try it on a wallet. I was also thinking about designing a key chain.”

“How did you learn to do this?” Onkel Hank asked. “Tell the truth, now. Did you already know how to do leatherwork, but you didn’t want to tell me?”

“No, no.” Chris shook his head. “I didn’t know anything about leatherwork until I came here, but I found a couple of your leatherworking books on the shelf in the schtupp, and I looked at them on Sunday.” He pointed to the piece of paper. “I copied the instructions and I thought I would give it a try.”

Leroy and Onkel Hank examined the coin purse again and then exchanged glances. Chris held his breath. Even if they liked what he’d done, he’d still acted without asking if it was okay.

“This is brilliant,” Onkel Hank said. “Why didn’t you ever think of this, Leroy?”

He shrugged. “I thought you were the brains of this operation, but apparently Chris is.”

“Do you realize how many of these we’re going to sell?” Onkel Hank set the coin purse on the worktable and then squeezed Chris’s shoulder. “I’m so glad you came to work for us.”

Surprise seized Chris’s words, and he stared dumbly at his uncle.

“Are you all right, son?” Onkel Hank asked. “You look perplexed.”

“I didn’t think you’d approve because I didn’t ask permission.

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