An Open Weave Author:Devorah Major In the Western town of Buttonhole, a small group of friends and family prepares for a birthday party. Awaiting the return of the teenage Imani, who has disappeared with her troubled, pregnant friend, Amanda, are Imani's grandmother, Ernestine More, the blind matriarch known for her powerful beliefs and intricately woven fabrics, and her moth... more »er, Iree, who suffers from prophetic but debilitating seizures. Also present are Ernestine's brother, Jeremiah, a local handyman, and two family friends. To pass the time, the would-be partyers tell stories about their pasts and remember Ernestine's son, Ezekiel, who vanished years ago under suspicious circumstances but who remains for Ernestine the bulwark that "shores up a family splintered and stunted." The group also reminisces about the close friendship between Imani and Amanda, who, as she prepares for her baby, must resolve her feelings about having been abandoned by her mother, unacknowledged by her father and left to grow up in others' homes.« less