Rebecca's Choice by Jerry S. Eicher Read Free Book Online Page A

protested.
    “Well, I haven’t,” Leona told her. “You want to attend the viewing tonight? We were there last night.”
    Rebecca thought for a moment, considered the option, then decided. “No,” she said, “the funeral’s tomorrow. I’ll just go then.”
    “We’ll take you gladly,” Leona assured her, “or I can, if Stephen doesn’t want to go again.”
    “I don’t think so,” Rebecca said, shaking her head.
    “You sure?”
    “Sure,” Rebecca told her. “The funeral will be good enough. It’s not like I’m a close relative.”
    “That doesn’t matter. Schoolteacher is close enough.”
    “I know,” Rebecca said, the matter decided in her mind. “The funeral will be enough. Starts at nine tomorrow, right?”
    “Or earlier, depending on when everyone gets there,” Leona reminded her. “It’s not like a regular service.”
    “Are you going?”
    “Everyone is,” Leona said. “She was in our district.”
    Outside the voices of the schoolchildren attracted their attention. The door burst open suddenly.
    “Rebecca’s here,” the two oldest girls shouted together and rushed up to give her hugs. Elmo, the oldest boy, grinned but walked on toward the kitchen.
    “Always hungry,” Leona muttered. “You’re going to have to wait for supper,” she called after his retreating back.
    “Mom,” Elmo groaned, “that’s a long time.”
    “You’ll wait. Do your chores, and maybe we can have an early supper with Rebecca here.”
    His face looked resigned as he headed toward his bedroom.
    “You’re in the spare bedroom—same place as before,” Leona said with a smile. “Get settled in. I’ll start supper with the girls. Maybe we can do something special tonight.”
    “Like cherry pie and ice cream?” Lois, the oldest girl, asked.
    “I don’t know about that, but we’d better get busy,” Leona told her. “We’ll think of something.”
    “Rebecca is here,” Verna said. “That’s special enough.”
    “You don’t have to say that,” Rebecca told the eight-year-old and gave her another hug. “It’s special to be here.”
    “You’re here because Emma died,” Verna said solemnly.
    Rebecca nodded. “But I get to see you and Lois too.”
    “We’ll come with you tomorrow—to the funeral. She was a good teacher. That’s what Elmo said.”
    “Yes, she was,” Rebecca agreed, surprised at the sudden tears, which sprang to her eyes. “I loved her a lot.”

C HAPTER S EVEN
     

     
    S tephen brought the buggy to the front of the house the next morning. Elmo held the bridle, while his father went inside to help Leona bring the rest of the children out. Rebecca, wearing her black dress, carried baby Jonathon, Stephen took James and Leroy with him, and Leona brought up the rear, lingering long enough to lock the front door once the last two girls were out.
    They all climbed into the double buggy. With three of the boys standing behind the backseat, they barely fit.
    Emma’s yard was already half full when they arrived. Leona, Rebecca, and the girls found their way up the walk and were immediately shown to seats behind those reserved for the family.
    The service started abruptly. When all the family had been seated and the yard empty of arrivals, Bishop Mose had gotten a whispered message from one of the ushers. The bishop nodded his head, and the first preacher stood.
    Rebecca didn’t know the speaker or the one after him. They paced the floor in front of the coffin, at times talked directly to the family, and then addressed the whole congregation. Both men spoke of the greatness of a life lived in the faith.
    “God and then family,” the second preacher said. People were to set their priorities in that order. Even if one was not married, life could still be good and lived to its fullest. “Our sister has shown us the way,” he said. “For those blessed with a single life, there can be much to do. God doesn’t usually lead in that direction,” he said, “but usually wants