43 The Reason

Trigger warning: Rachel's **** shared in detail.

Charlotte pulled Cora into her private sitting room.

"Okay, out with it. I know you love him. Why did you really turn him down? Are you feeling pressured because you're young?" Charlotte asked.

"No. I just know he deserves better than me." She said with her head looking at the floor.

"Why do you think that?" Charlotte asked.

Cora sighed.

"I suppose I'm going to have to tell you or you won't let me go." Cora said wryly.

"True. I'm your big sister. No secrets, okay?" Charlotte said.

"Do you remember my ex-boyfriend?" Cora asked suddenly.

"The one who cheated on you?" Charlotte asked.

"Yes. Well, he actually didn't cheat on me. I just told you and Mommy that so I wouldn't have to tell you the real reason I broke off with him." Cora admitted.

"Why did you?" Charlotte asked.

"Because....because he raped me!" Cora tore that sentence from the dark crevices of pain that filled her heart. She sobbed. She cried deeply for the first time since he had stolen her innocence.

Charlotte was stunned. She wrapped her arms around her sister and whispered, "I will listen without judgment, or I will sit here in your silence."

"So I'm n—not worthy of Andrew. I was ruined by another man. I'm dirty and he won't want me if he knew. And now, every time a man touches me I freeze. I love Andrew but every time he touches me I'm terrified. How can we be married if I can't let my husband touch me? What man would dare? I can't even hold hands with him without having a panic attack."

How Charlotte understood everything Cora said was a miracle because her sobs kept coming. Her agony was almost tangible.

"Oh Cora. Why didn't you tell us?" Charlotte whispered.

"You had final exams with college and Mommy was sick from her treatments. Who could I tell?" Cora wailed.

"Cora, I'm so sorry. If I had known I would've come to you." Charlotte said.

Rachel knocked on the door.

"Cora, are you okay with Rachel knowing? I think she has some insight. " Charlotte said. Cora nodded.

After Cora was able to calm down, Rachel was brought up to speed. She sat quietly for a few moments and then blew out a breath she'd been holding.

"Cora, I was raped too." Rachel said quietly. "My dad needed money for his treatment and my mother promised a very wealthy man I'd be his lover for as long as father needed treatment. My mother drugged my drink and he carried me away to his hotel room. I woke up in so much pain. He raped me again when I woke up. He did it all day that first day. It makes me sick thinking about it." Rachel said as she brushed errant tears from her face.

"How did you survive it? I feel dead inside." Cora asked.

"I felt that way for a long time too. Then one day I noticed the sun was shining and flowers were blooming, and life wasn't all bad. Being raped is only part of my story. I get to determine what happens next. For me that meant finding a good job, making a good friend," she glanced at Charlotte, "and falling in love."

"But whenever a man touches me it terrifies me. How do I get past that?" Cora asked.

"Keep reminding yourself that the man you love is not the man who raped you. It gets better but it takes time." Rachel said.

"And I'm going to make some rules now too. You need to see a therapist to help you with all of this. And also, no more engagement talk until after graduation. You can still date him but you don't need extra pressure right now and engagement can wait a little longer." Charlotte passed down her decision with authority.

"What if he doesn't want me anymore?" Cora whispered.

"I think you need to have a good talk with him. Tell him the things you told us. He needs to know.

"Mm you're right." Cora agreed.

—————————

Gordon and Michael looked helplessly at each other and then back at Andrew. Andrew was drinking alcohol as if it were water. Finally, Gordon had enough. He took away Andrew's glass.

"Alright, now tell us what's going on." He demanded of Andrew.

"You already know. Cora turned me down." Andrew told them.

"But Andrew, she hasn't even graduated high school yet. Sure she's legally an adult but don't put so much pressure on her right now." Michael said.

Gordon's phone buzzed. He looked down at his phone to see Charlotte's text message.

"Andrew, Charlotte and Rachel are with Cora right now. Charlotte says the reason she rejected your proposal has nothing to do with you; that Cora does love you and want to marry you but she's going thru something right now that prevents her from accepting freely." Gordon informed his friend.

"What is it? Her mom being sick or schoolwork? Or something else?" Andrew Asked.

"Charlotte didn't say. But if the woman I loved turned down my proposal and I knew the reason had nothing to do with me but something she was dealing with, I'd move heaven and earth to help her find a solution." Gordon said.

"Exactly. Give her some space to calm down but then go to her and encourage her to tell you what's holding her back." Michael said.

"In The meantime, let's send you home before you pass out here." Gordon said.

Gordon sighed. The three men had much simpler lives before these women had appeared, but in his opinion, it had been worth it.