At long last, Rachel had the sense of belonging and acceptance she had sought her entire life. She graciously accepted Al's offer to join the family business, and she started the following week. Her new job was similar to the ones she had before. She would meet with the customers to find out what they were looking for, and she would create a design they liked. Once approved, it would be sent to the painters, who would airbrush the art. And, as Rachel soon discovered, the business wasn't limited to motorcycles. They created custom graphics for all kinds of vehicles, including hot rods, boats, horse trailers, food trucks, and tractor-trailer rigs.
As the weeks passed, she continued to recover. The cast came off her wrist, and she was out of the sling. By all outward appearances, she seemed to be her old self, and the time had come for her to be back on her own. One of Sherry's clients was a property manager who helped her find a small bungalow close to Al and Sherry's home that was ready for move in. As she signed the lease, she fully realized she would not be returning to Tucson, or to Shane. Julie was disappointed, but accepting, just as she had been when Rachel took the job offer in Reno.
"Are you completely sure that this is what you want?" she asked.
Rachel knew her mother was referring to Shane. "I think it's best for all concerned, Mom. I know I made a big mistake when I sent Shane away, but he's moved on, and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Have you thought about calling him? Maybe if the two of you talked it person you could work things out."
"He's blocked me out of his email, so there's really nothing for us to say, nor do I want to be like Craig Walker. I have to respect his wishes and let him go. But while we're on the subject, you've got my new phone number, right?"
"Of course. So does Bruce, and your sister."
"Good. Now I just need to make arrangements to get my stuff moved up here."
"You dad and I can help you. Thanksgiving is next week, and so far the weather forecast looks good, so we'd be happy to rent a truck and bring it to you."
"That's a long drive, Mom."
"It's not a problem. I'll call Laurie and see if she can arrange for someone to load the truck."
"I'm sure she'd be more than happy to do that." Somehow Rachel managed to mask her anger as she spoke.
"No, I don't think she'd mind at all. Then, if we leave really early Thursday morning, we should arrive in time for dinner. We'll help you unload on Friday, and we'll fly back to Tucson on Saturday. That way we can at least have a little quality time together while avoiding the heavy holiday traffic."
Rachel felt relieved. "Thanks, Mom. You know I really am going to miss you."
"And we'll miss you too, but your father has given you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you're doing the right thing by taking it. Bruce and I are both very proud of you. I just wish Shane could have somehow been included with the package."
"Me too, but apparently we weren't meant to be after all, and life goes on."
Rachel's stomach twisted into a knot as she imagined Shane with another woman. After ending the call she tried to go back to work, but the image stayed in her mind.
***
BRUCE AND JULIE ARRIVED Thanksgiving night in the rental truck with Rachel's car in tow. As they gathered around the dinner table, they brought her up to date on Alice and Donny. Bruce started to say something about Aunt Laurie, but Rachel quickly changed the subject.
"I know it's a long shot, but I was wondering if by chance you've heard anything from Shane?"
"Not a word, I'm sorry to say," said Julie. "It's like I said before. We had him over for dinner the Sunday after I returned home, but he wasn't feeling well."
"I know. You said he'd come down with a bad cold."
"He had, and like I also said before, he emailed me a few times afterwards to ask about you, but the last one came about a week or so before Halloween, and I haven't heard from him since."
"And then I tried to email him a Halloween card, but it bounced. So, he's given up on me, or he's met someone else. Either way, it's over, and I've made the right decision." Rachel pushed her dessert plate away. "Would you all mind if I excused myself? I'm suddenly feeling tired."
"Of course," said Sherry. "You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."
Rachel said her goodnights and stepped away. Once she was gone, Julie looked at Sherry.
"She's putting up a good front, but she still misses Shane terribly."
"I was with her when the email bounced," said Sherry. "She was absolutely devastated."
"So was Shane, after we left the hospital that night. And with all they've been though, I'm really surprised he moved on so quickly."
"It happens," said Al. "First, she sends him home, then she doesn't contact him for weeks afterward. I'm not saying she didn't have issues to work through, because she did. However, he was still left in the dark, and rightly or wrongly, he assumed she didn't want him back. Had I been in his shoes, I would have thought the same."
"I have to agree with Dad," said Michael. "I would have moved on as well, and I told her to be careful, but I guess she just wasn't ready to deal with it."
"We all know she's hurting," said Al, "but hopefully, once she settles into her new job, her luck will change. We get a fair amount of single men walking through our doors, and many of them are doctors, lawyers, architects and what have you. Give her time. She'll find someone else, and this time around she won't have to worry about Craig Walker."
"Yeah, but none of them are Shane," said Julie. "They were a perfect match. He was that one in a million man for her."
***
RACHEL FELT APPREHENSIVE as she stepped behind her parked car the following morning.
"Are you all right?" asked Julie. "You seem far away all of a sudden, and your face is pale."
Rachel didn't respond. Al walked up to Julie and whispered in her ear. "Give her a moment." He softly said her name. "Rachel?" He waited a moment. "Rachel? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Dad."
He walked up next to her. "It's okay. He's not here."
"I know. I just had a moment." Rachel looked at the others. "I was standing here, right behind the car. I was rearranging the wedding gifts in the trunk when he came up behind me. I heard the footsteps, but I thought it was Emma, so I didn't turn around. But if I had—-"
"He had a knife," said Julie. "If you'd tried to fight him, he may have killed you on the spot, and if you'd tried to run, he would have chased you down."
"I know."
"But you still did the right thing," said Julie. "You tossed your keys underneath the bumper, and your stepdad found them."
"And then Shane spoke up," said Bruce. "He knew it meant that you were in trouble, so he called nine-one-one, right then and there."
"We had your car detailed," said Julie, "and we've driven it a few times. We also took it in for an oil change, so you're good to go. Would you like for me to drive?"
Finally, Rachel smiled. "No, thanks. I've got it."
"Why don't you ride with her?" asked Bruce.
Julie hopped into the passenger seat as Rachel got inside and put her key into the ignition.
"This is the first time I've driven a car since that night, so here goes nothing." Rachel turned the key and fired up the engine.
"I can still drive, if you don't feel up to it," said Julie.
"I'm okay, Mom. Sometimes I have flashbacks. It's all part of it, but it really is getting better."
She put the car in gear and drove off. Once the truck was unloaded and the furniture was set up, the men left while Julie and Sherry stayed behind to help unpack the dishes and make up the bed. The house was bigger than her old duplex, so one bedroom remained unused.
"I'll use it as a storage room for now," said Rachel. "Then later on, when I get the rest of my medical bills paid off, I'll invest in some furniture and turn it into a guest room. That way you and Bruce will have a place to stay when you come and visit." She went on to say she had signed a year's lease, and once it was up she would see about making her landlord an offer to buy the place.
"I fell in love with it the first time I saw it," she said. "It's got a nice sized kitchen, which will come in handy now that Sherry's been teaching me how to cook, and I love the view of the mountains."
All three women were exhausted by the time the sun sent down. Sherry offered to let Rachel stay with her and Al that night, but she declined.
"I appreciate the offer," she said, "but I have to get used to being on my own again."
"I know you do. Would you like for me to run home and get Sampson? He's really bonded with you, and trust me, no one will harm you as long as he's around."
"I'm fine, Sherry, but give the big guy a hug for me when you get home. I'm fine. In fact, I really would enjoy some alone time."
"Well, let's at least get you some dinner before we leave," said Julie.
"Good idea, Mom." Rachel's face lit up as she spoke. "I think we've earned ourselves a girl's night out. I'll drive."
That night Rachel slept better than she expected. The following morning, she picked up her mother and Bruce at their hotel. After a leisurely breakfast, it was time to take them to the airport, where they had an emotional goodbye when she dropped them off at the curb. Afterwards, she returned home and did more unpacking. The weather was changing, and she was happy to finally have all of her winter clothing. Hanging up the last sweater in her closet, she tore into the next box, and what she found took her breath away. It was the framed photo of Shane that she kept on her work desk in her old duplex. For the moment she was unsure what to do. Her logical mind told her to throw it away, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. After several minutes of arguing with herself, she put it back on her desk.