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sweet-smelling soap wafted to meet Wayne’s nose as she stood and leaned close to him.
    “I’ve made up my mind; we’re not getting married,” he said determinedly.
    Her eyes filled with tears. “You can’t mean that.”
    “Jah, I do.”
    “Has your mother been talking to you about us? Has she said something to turn you away from me?”
    Wayne shook his head. “Mom has nothing to do with this. I make my own decisions.”
    She clasped his arm. “Don’t shut me out of your life, Wayne. You need me now, even if you don’t realize it, and I want us to get through this together.”
    “Well, I don’t.” He motioned to the door. “Please don’t come back here to see me again. It’s over between us.”
    Loraine sat several seconds, staring at him as though in disbelief. Then, with a childlike cry, she rushed to the door. She stood there a few seconds with her back to him, then turned and said, “I’m not giving up on us. We belong together!”
    As the door closed behind Loraine, Wayne squeezed his eyes shut. Oh, dear Lord, have I done the right thing? The thought of living without Loraine was unbearable. It wouldn’t be any life at all. Yet he couldn’t ask her to marry him the way he was now. He had to remain firm in his decision.

CHAPTER 7
    As Loraine stumbled down the hospital corridor, her breath burned in her lungs. She needed a place to be alone so she could gain control of her emotions before she went out to her driver’s car.
    She spotted a women’s restroom and slipped inside. Good, no one was there. She leaned against one of the stalls, fighting back tears of confusion and frustration. She couldn’t believe Wayne didn’t want to marry her anymore. Didn’t he realize she still loved him and wanted to be his wife? It didn’t matter that he only had one leg. It didn’t matter whether he farmed or not. They could work things out if he’d only give them a chance.
    As Loraine’s fears took hold, she burst into sobs and continued to sob until she could barely breathe. She went to the sink and splashed cold water on her face, and then she patted it dry with a paper towel.
    I’ve got to get a hold of myself before I get into Marge Nelson’s van. If I let her see me like this, she’ll ask questions I’d rather not answer right now.
    Once Loraine had composed herself, she left the restroom and headed outside. When she reached the parking lot and climbed into the front seat of Marge’s van, tears welled in her eyes, despite her resolve not to break down.
    Marge, who’d been reading a book, buckled her seatbelt and turned to look at Loraine. “You seem upset. Is Wayne doing all right?”
    Loraine shook her head. “He’s very depressed and not thinking clearly right now.” The tension in her throat rendered her words to a whisper, and a sense of helplessness crept through her body. If only she could make things better for Wayne. If only...
    “Losing a leg has to be a terrible trauma.” Marge turned on the ignition. “All that pain medication he’s taking has probably made his brain fuzzy, too.”
    Loraine nodded. Maybe that was all it was. Once Wayne didn’t have to be on so much medication for the pain, he would see things clearly again.
    ***
    As Priscilla sat at her kitchen table, drinking a cup of tea , her gaze came to rest on the quilting rack she kept in the sunroom next to the kitchen. Several months ago, she’d started making a quilt with the double-wedding-ring pattern to give to Loraine and Wayne when they got married. It wasn’t quite finished, but she figured she had plenty of time, since the wedding would have to be postponed until Wayne was feeling better.
    Priscilla’s forehead creased as worry set in. How will things be for my daughter after she marries Wayne? Will he be able to support her? Loraine would probably have to keep working at the hardware store, but her salary alone wouldn’t provide enough for them to live on.
    She drank the last of her tea and set the cup