“Me too, but I’m scared that the other shoe might drop.” Nessa got out of the SUV and grabbed a cart that had been left between two vehicles. “Hold up. My phone just pinged.”

April slid out of her seat and slammed the door shut. “Is it Jackson?”

“No, it’s Mama. She says I need to call her immediately. Hold on to this cart. I’ll make it quick.” Nessa sighed as she ran down the list of contacts and hit her mother’s number.

“I’m so glad you called,” Cora said. “Your father is making the absolute final plans for the trip to the Holy Land, and we want to give you one more chance to go with us. You’d need to be back in this area by July first.”

“I haven’t changed my mind. I don’t want to go anywhere this summer. I’m not coming back to my old job, so I need to save my money to hold me over until I can sell some quilts this fall,” Nessa explained. “I told Daddy that I didn’t want to go. Does he ever talk to you, Mama, or does he just expect you to go along with everything he wants?”

“That’s enough of that,” Cora scolded. “A wife is to be dutiful and submissive to her husband. That’s what brings peace into her heart, and for the record, I think this idea of you staying in Blossom is insane.” Cora’s tone turned into the same one she’d used when she threatened Nessa about going to Blossom when she was young. “I can’t believe that you’re giving up a good-paying, secure job to live in Blossom, Texas, and make quilts. That’s a hobby, not a job. Your father tried to talk sense into you, but you’ve never been one to honor your father or your mother.”

Nessa wondered if her mother was bossy with her to make up for the fact that she had to live with an overbearing husband. “If you’re going to throw around Bible verses, you might remember the one about not provoking your children to anger.”

“Don’t you sass me, Vanessa.” Cora’s voice rose an octave.

Nothing was going to get resolved. Nessa wasn’t going to budge, and her mother couldn’t, so she finally sighed. “Mama, I’m standing in the Walmart parking lot with April. Y’all have a good time on the trip, and come see me when you get home.”

“It might be a long time before either of us want to see you again,” Cora said.

Nessa started walking toward the store, and April kept step beside her. “I can live with that.” She couldn’t believe those words had come out of her mouth. “Bye, Mama.”