The Lost Cross Stitch
To this day, I still don’t know what really happened
Before I started writing this story, I felt sure that Liz behaved the way she did because she thought I started a new relationship too soon after my wife died.
But when I began looking back at old text messages and piecing things together, I no longer felt convinced about that.
I don’t think I will ever know for sure.
During her three-year illness, my late wife became friends with quite a few mums at our children’s school. Friendships between the parents often mirrored those between the children.
As the months went by, my wife became quite close to Liz, whose son became best friends with our eldest son; they often played together after school.
After my wife became ill, she would meet up with Liz and some of the other mums for coffee. They spent quite a lot of time together.
Liz seemed kind, generous, and friendly. They were much wealthier than us. They had expensive cars and were having a large extension built on an already-large house.
I remember Liz telling us how she’d once helped a couple to move house, by lending them a large van.
She was puzzled and upset about the way the couple later blanked her for no apparent reason. (I suppose people would call it ghosting these days.)
It seems ironic when I look back, given what Liz would eventually do to me.
During the last few weeks of my wife’s life, Liz visited her at the hospice with flowers and gifts. She also spent time talking to both of us.
It was painfully sad to hear her say it, but my wife told me she’d asked her friends to keep an eye on me once she was no longer around. It was her way of taking care of me after she died.
My wife and Liz both had an interest in needlecraft. So my wife decided she wanted most of her unused cross stitch kits to be passed on to Liz eventually.
A few weeks after my wife died in 2013, Liz came to my house and picked up my son, so he could have a play date with her son. Later, she dropped him off again and spent an hour talking to me before she left.
It was nice to spend some time talking to another adult, especially someone who had known my wife quite well.
At that point, it was too early to think about getting rid of any of my wife’s belongings — including the cross stitch kits — so I held on to them and continue to wait.
Eventually, during a school pickup, I told Liz that my wife had wanted her to have the cross stitch kits. She was very moved, and happy to take them.
She even asked my children if they would like her to make one for them. So when we got home, they selected a very small kit for Liz to make.
A few days later, I gathered together all the unopened cross stitch kits to give to Liz, including the one my children had chosen.
Liz was shocked when she saw how many kits my late wife had accumulated! As I handed her the large bag, she promised it would not take long to complete the small kit for my children.
A few months went by, and I’d not heard anything from Liz.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t really seen much of her since I started my new relationship.
That’s when I found out from another mum that Liz’s husband had been having health problems, which was why I’d hardly seen her at school pickups. And when I did, she was either in a rush or talking to other people.
A few months later, I sent Liz a text message, apologising for not having spoken to her, asking how her husband was doing, and wishing her family well.
There was no reply.
Two years went by.
During those years, my eldest son moved up to high school without Liz’s son, because she’d decided home-schooling was best for him.
It was sad that they lost touch, but neither of them seemed to want to reach out or continue their friendship.
I decided to send another text message to Liz, saying I hoped they were all keeping well. I also told her my children had mentioned the cross stitch, and asked if I could have it back so someone else could complete it.
To my surprise, I got a lengthy reply which seemed lovely!
Liz acknowledged how much the cross stitch would have meant to my children, and told me about her husband’s health problems, as well as two family bereavements.
She promised to return the kit.
I sent her a reply empathising about what had happened to her family, and thanking her.
Another month went by.
Then I got a surprise message from Liz.
She told me she’d made time to complete the cross stitch!
The only problem was the kit didn’t include quite enough thread of one colour. She kindly said she’d pick up some the next time she was in Hobbycraft.
Liz ended her message by saying she’d post the cross stitch through my door once it was finished.
I replied and thanked her, explaining that I hadn’t expected her to go to all that trouble.
Nine more months went by, and nothing happened.
I sent another message in 2018, which showed as ‘read’.
But there was no reply.
That was the last time any contact was attempted.
To this day, I still can’t figure out what happened.
Why would someone make all those promises, then not deliver?
Thank you for reading!
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This story was previously published on Medium, on 16 March 2022.
So saddened that this did not have the happy ending you and your children were expecting.