Chapter 24 #2
Rachel followed her sister into the dining room, and after Emma set the basket on the table, Rachel grabbed Emma in a hug and sobbed.
“Oh, Emma, I can’t believe David showed up like that without letting me know he was coming.
” She sniffed and swiped a hand across her damp cheeks.
“I never expected him to declare his love for me again. I really thought he’d fallen in love with Alice.
But as you heard, and according to David, he never loved her at all. ”
“I know what he said, Sister.” Emma patted Rachel’s trembling shoulder.
“Listen, I understand that you want to believe him, but something’s not sitting right with me about all of this, which is why I don’t think you should take David’s words at face value.
Truth be told, I bet Alice broke up with David, and he came here looking for you because he wants to take a fraa. ”
Rachel’s spine stiffened. “I don’t believe for one minute that David came here looking for me so I would agree to become his wife. He came here to apologize, and—”
“And now you’re defending him.”
“No I’m not,” Rachel insisted with a vigorous shake of her head. “I just think …”
Emma’s lips compressed. “What exactly do you think, Rachel?”
“Well, there’s a part of me that thinks David may have been sincere in what he said to me.
” Rachel paused a few seconds and then continued.
“But another part of me doesn’t trust him.
” Tears welled in her eyes again. “Oh, Emma, I know you probably don’t understand this, but I still love David, and now after seeing him today, I’m more confused than ever. ”
Emma rolled her eyes. “Know what I think, Sister?”
Rachel shook her head.
“I think if Alice did break up with David, he can’t stand the rejection, so he’s coming back to you. And if the two of you get back together, David believes he will look good to all his friends.”
“Do you really think that could be the case?” Rachel questioned.
“Jah. I wouldn’t put anything past him.” Emma’s nose wrinkled, as though some foul odor had permeated the room. “This whole thing of him showing up here today stinks. Have you asked yourself why David didn’t simply write you a letter of apology?”
“Well, no, but I guess that’s a question I should ask him when I return home.”
Emma opened her mouth like she was about to say something more, but her lips clamped together when the sound of a vehicle pulling into the yard could be heard outside.
Rachel’s heart thumped in her chest. Had David asked his driver to come back? Maybe he had more to say to her. And if it was David’s driver who had just pulled back in, it would give Rachel the chance to ask him some very pertinent questions.
While Marlin paid their driver, Luellen stepped cautiously out of the vehicle. They had paid good money for her chiropractor’s adjustment, so she did not want to do anything that might disrupt it or cause unnecessary pain.
Luellen walked slowly toward the house, making sure to stay on the path while being careful not to step into any crevices or stumble on a rock. Even a small pebble could trip her up, so it was prudent to be careful.
Upon entering the house, she found both girls standing in the entryway near the door. Luellen wondered if they had heard the driver’s car come into the yard and approached the door to wait for her.
“How are you, Grandma?” Emma and Rachel asked in unison.
“I’m okay. Or at least I will be after a few more trips to see the chiropractor,” Luellen replied.
“Of course, there are some things I’ll need to do on my own in order to help my back heal.
” She gestured to the living room entrance.
“Why don’t the three of us take seats? Then I can tell you all about it. ”
“That’s a good idea,” Emma said. “We’re definitely interested in how things went for you at the chiropractor’s office.”
Rachel bobbed her head, and they all filed into the living room. They’d barely taken seats when Marlin came into the house and joined them.
“Have you told the girls what the chiropractor said?” he asked as Luellen lowered herself into the rocking chair.
“Not yet, but I was about to do that.” She leaned her head back and drew in a deep breath.
“While there doesn’t appear to be anything seriously wrong with my back, I do have some muscle spasms and misalignment.
” She readjusted her covering, which had slipped partway back on her head.
Before she could continue, Rachel spoke up.
“What did the doctor do for you today, Grandma?”
“He started by taking X-rays of my back and neck, and then did a thorough exam of those places on my body as well. But of course, that was after I had told him what my symptoms were,” Luellen explained.
“Tell them about your adjustment,” Marlin put in. “And don’t forget to mention how you felt afterward.”
“Well, I laid face-down on a massage-like table, and he did a manual manipulation, using his hands to apply a gentle force to the area on my neck and spine where it’s been hurting. This, the chiropractor said, was to stimulate the nervous system and restore my proper joint mobility.”
Luellen shifted a bit on her chair, making sure she sat up straight and didn’t slouch. “I was told by the chiropractic doctor that there are several common causes of back pain.”
“What are they, Grandma?” Emma asked.
“Overexertion or improper lifting can lead to strained muscles in the back.” Luellen grimaced. “Unfortunately, I’ve been guilty of both.”
“He also mentioned that back pain can be caused by misalignments in the vertebrae, which can lead to nerve irritation and back pain,” Marlin interjected.
“That’s correct, and over time, poor posture can strain a person’s muscles and ligaments. So that’s another area I’ll need to work on,” Luellen commented.
“What about the adjustment the chiropractor did?” Rachel questioned. “Did it hurt?”
Luellen shook her head. “Not really. I heard a popping or cracking sound during the treatment, but it didn’t hurt. In fact, it felt kind of good—like the tension in my back was being relieved.”
“Will you see him again for more treatments?” Emma asked.
“Jah, and between appointments I am supposed to do certain exercises that will support my healing and strengthen my back.” Luellen directed her gaze to the sofa, where her granddaughters sat. “Enough about me, now. I’d like to hear how your day went while your grandfather and I were gone.”
Emma looked at her sister, and Rachel looked at Emma. Rachel began picking at her fingernails.
“Did something go wrong here today?” Luellen questioned.
“Whatever it is, you may as well tell her,” Marlin said. “You know your grandmother will keep digging until she gets some answers.”
“You make me seem like an old busybody,” Luellen stated with a scowl. “I just want to know if something occurred that we should know about.”
“I don’t believe you’re a busybody. I just think you worry too much about things that don’t concern you.” Marlin’s forehead wrinkles deepened.
“Everything that involves any of my family members concerns me,” she retaliated.
Marlin opened his mouth and leaned forward like he had something else to say, but Rachel spoke first.
“David came to see me today.”
Luellen’s lips quivered. “The used-to-be boyfriend who broke up with you so he could go out with your best friend?”
Rachel gave a slow nod. “He apologized, Grandma, and said he only did that so he could be sure what he felt for me was really love.”
“Humph!” Marlin crossed his arms and muttered, “That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. If the young man truly loved you, then he should have proposed marriage, not started running around with some other woman, much less your best friend.”
Luellen figured if she didn’t nip this conversation in the bud, it would only get worse. So she quickly asked Rachel a question. “How did this David fellow know where we live?”
“I’m sure he probably asked around and someone blabbed.” Marlin’s upper lip curled like a dog snarling over a bone. “The nerve of that guy.”
“Don’t you worry, Grandpa,” Emma said. “Rachel didn’t take him back. In fact, she told David that he needed to return to Shipshewana.”
“Does that mean you’re not going to let him back into your life?” Luellen questioned.
Rachel lifted her shoulders in a brief shrug and said, “I–I’m not sure. I’ll need to give it some thought and will make my decision after I return home.”
Luellen’s back muscles started to spasm, and she quickly reached around to rub them. She hoped with all of her heart that Rachel would not make a hasty decision and let David back into her life without truly knowing his intentions. It would be a shame if he broke her heart all over again.