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Continuing Story Part 38

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Dahlia remained in the hospital for two more days, getting better and stronger. Everyone went back to school and doing what they did best, and in between, went to the hospital to

Dahlia

visit Dahlia.

On the day that Dahlia was to be released, Drake was the one who was there waiting with open arms to walk her to the car and drive her home. All paper work filled out and signed, she was released and Drake and her walked arm in arm out the double doors.

Dahlia blinked several times as her eyes were adjusting to the light that she had not seen for some time. Then she noticed everything around her. Trees, dogs running, people walking to and fro from the parking lot. She was taking everything in and Drake smiled down at her and gave her a big hug and squeeze right there. He did not care who saw this, he was in love.

They walked slowly to the car, letting everything sink in that Dahlia was seeing as if for the first time. Getting into the car, she snuggled close to Drake and they drove home. When they entered the front door, they were welcomed home with cheers and bright home-made banners that said Welcome Home Dahlia. Everyone went to her and hugged her and told her how happy they were to have her back home, and to be able to see, what a miracle God had performed. Rachel led them all to the kitchen, where the girls had baked a welcome home cake and there was iced-tea and punch. They all filled their plates and sat around the table talking about all that had happened the past week.

Then the conversation pointed towards the menu that should have been started a few weeks ago. Dahlia and Drake looked at each other and gave each others hand a squeeze, and Drake commented that he was so happy right now, he didn’t care what they had to eat that day, as long as he was pronounced married. They all laughed but Rachel brought it back to reality and said the guests would be disappointed if they came to a wedding and had nothing to eat, so we need to start planning

It was going to be a small wedding, and held outdoors, and so they were going to have more of a festive buffet style, comfortable and easy. So together with everyone’s talents being included, they decided on ham sandwiches, but on bread with the crust cut off, to make them a bit more festive. Some were going to make salads, including potato salad, a pea salad, and coleslaw. Others were going to make their special deviled eggs. There was going to be fresh strawberries, and slices of watermelon. Sue offered to make her famous whipped salad, that  had pieces of apples, grapes, and pineapple, with tiny nuts, all wrapped around a whipping cream. The neighbor, whose specialty was baking beautiful cakes, had offered to make their wedding cake as a gift. There would be punch with ice-cream floating in it, iced-teas, and coffee served.

Dahlia said that she wanted to speak and everyone hushed for a short time. Dahlia went on to explain how thankful she was for the day that Rachel and Ralph took her in, and helped give her a start of fulfilling her dream of becoming a teacher. She told them all that she felt so close to each of them, and she was so happy she was a part of this family. Dahlia continued to say a big thank-you to each of them for being there with her and for her while she was in the hospital, and everyone smiled as they agreed with all she was saying. Ralph spoke up and said that they were so happy that she was going to be an official part of their family, and that Drake had made an excellent choice. With all of the cheering and thanking and praising God for sight, the welcome home party dwindled down, and they all stood up, with each having their list of duties they would perform for the food at the wedding.

One month to go and the big day would be here. School was starting to wind down with the hard labor of learning and home work. Spring was in the air and trees were starting to show buds on their naked branches. The smell of spring was to be admired by all who walked the sidewalks of town.

Dahlia returned to school and the miracle of Dahlia’s eye sight coming back was the whispers of the school. Each class she went to , everyone clapped and hugged her, and the talk of her was what started each class off.

When she entered the dance class, the teacher was waiting for her as she entered the door. The teacher gave her the biggest hug of all, Dahlia thought. The teacher had tears of joy in her eyes, as she welcomed Dahlia back. Dahlia was able for the first time to see the big dance room, with all the bars and the shiny floor. She was introduced to the student she had been working with , and Dahlia leaned in and gave her a big hug and told her how beautiful she was.

That day flew by and Dahlia felt like she was Cinderella for the entire day. Classes continued and soon one day slipped into the next, and the days ticked by quickly, with school coming closer to an end, graduation coming, and then the wedding.

Exams were starting to be put together by all of the teachers. Students were going into the office to make final plans for further studies or new jobs. Everyone seemed to be in a great humor as one door was beginning to close and another one starting to open.

On weekends, families started going to the parks, picnics were being seen. People could be seen walking more and more as people were coming out of their cocoons of winter.  Dahlia and Drake spent every free moment together. They wrote their wedding vows and practiced saying them to each other, until each of them had them memorized.  The rings were picked up and the flowers were checked on to make sure of the date they would be delivered. Dahlia went into the dress shop and took a last peek at her wedding dress, that was hanging in the back waiting for her to come get it. Drake made sure that his suit was still waiting for him.

One afternoon Drake and Dahlia walked over to the neighbor’s house and checked in to see if all was going as planned with the cake. They were told that it would be a white cake, two tiers high, with lots of red roses surrounding the edges. It sounded beautiful. As they left her house and walked down the street,  Drake stopped Dahlia and took her in his arms and gave her a big kiss. Dahlia  interrupted and said not here, Drake, out in the open for all to see? Drake answered back, he didn’t care, he wanted everyone to know how he felt about her. He hugged her  and kissed her again,  and then let her go and together, the two walked hand in hand back home.

 

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