Farewell, Hello

By Charmaine Gordon

That first kiss... that first incredible, agonizing, bellyache-making first kiss. Soon, Joy and Danny are inseparable, planning a future – a life, together. A kiss goodbye couldn’t prepare the highschool sweethearts for all that lay ahead. A family crisis, a tornado, and the Korean War brought their plans to a screeching halt, and changed their futures... but maybe not their forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vanilla Heart Publishing
• Release date: Jun 20, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310903212

Charmaine Gordon

Charmaine Gordon writes books about women who Survive and Thrive. Her motto is take one step and then another to leave your past behind and begin again. Six books and several short stories in three years, she’s always at work on the next story. The books include To Be Continued, Starting Over, Now What?, Reconstructing Charlie, Sin of Omission and The Catch, and her series of Mature Romances, The Beginning...Not the End.“I didn’t realize at the time while working as an actor in NYC, I’d become a sponge soaking up dialogue, setting, and stage directions. I learned many tools of writing during the years watching directors like Mike Nichols and actors including Harrison Ford, Anthony Hopkins, and Billy Crystal. And would you believe, I was Geraldine Ferraro’s stand– in leg model, my first job giving me entrée into all the Unions needed to work. When the sweet time ended, I began another career and creative juices flowed.”You can reach Charmaine athttp://authorCharmaineGordon.wordpress.comAnd on her FB page http://www.facebook.com/charmaine.gordon

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Farewell, Hello

by Charmaine Gordon

Copyright 2014 Charmaine Gordon

Published by: Vanilla Heart Publishing on Smashwords

Ebook Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to the retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Table of Contents

Dedication and Acknowledgements

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

More Great Books by Charmaine Gordon

Charmaine Gordon Author Bio and Photo

Dedication

Farewell, Hello is dedicated to Weekend Writing Warriors, an amazing supportive online group of writers begun a year ago by Teresa Cypher, Dana Renelt, and Marcia Kuma. When I sent out a cry for help one Sunday, that my WIP-work in progress- needed comments, support streamed through and my mind sorted out the problem.

A huge thanks to WEWRIWA.

Acknowledgements

Kimberlee Williams, I often wonder where would I be without you? Nowhere-ville, no doubt still searching for a good home for my books. Together, we work seamlessly, always finishing with a laugh to hang up on a high note. Thank you, my friend and publisher for all you do to further my career and Vanilla Heart Publishing.

And here’s to Chelle Cordero, my best friend forever always there for a listen, a laugh, advice. Every story has a touch of you embedded within the pages.

Chapter 1

1948 Chicago

meet Joy Davison

As the middle child flanked by two brothers, Joy Davison always had to fight for what she wanted. So when the most popular boy in high school walked past her today, she wanted Danny Wilson to be her date for her club dance in two weeks. Tall, cute, with freckles, Danny had a smile that lit up the third floor hall and everyone around him. Including her.

Joy’s organized mind, inherited from her Father, told her to make a plan. Catch Danny between classes, make a quick introduction, ask and see what happens. It made sense.

The next day between second homeroom attendance and third period, wearing her best plaid pleated skirt and new red cashmere sweater, Joy raced up to the senior’s fourth floor and there he stood surrounded by his friends. Laughing and wearing a reindeer sweater and faded yellow cordouroy pants, his eyes danced with good humor. She puffed up all five-foot-three inches of herself and strode right in front of him knocking on his big barrel chest for attention until he looked down, surprise on his freckled face.

Talking fast, she said, Hi, I’m Joy Davison. My club is having a dinner dance on October thirtieth and I want you to be my date.

Uh, okay.

And just like that Joy Davison had a date. With Danny Wilson.

Good. Here’s my address. Pulling an invitation with her phone number and address written on top from her school bag and handed it to him. Their fingers touched for a second. She looked up to see his hazel eyes. They kind of sparkled with what looked like good humor. Pick me up at seven. Heart racing, Joy ran to the third floor gym class just in time to beat the bell.

Liz, she grabbed her best friend by the hands and jumped up and down, I asked Danny Wilson to be my date for the club dance and he said okay! Excited, Joy wanted to twirl around but they had to change into those awful green gym suits and maybe during calisthenics, exercise away some of the thrill.

Shrieking Danny Wilson, Liz peeled off her clothes and changed fast. She always did everything quicker than anyone Joy ever knew. Hurry, there’s a substitute today and we better be in line.

Changed, locker closed and locked, the friends rushed to get in line with their class, a sea of green whispering sophomores.

Liz yelled out, Danny Wilson? Oh my God! How did you do it?

Shrugging her shoulders, Joy gave her a wicked grin self-satisfied her plan had worked. Simple. I asked him and just like that, he said okay.

The word spread about the date with the most popular boy in school and the girls exercised with more excitement and bounce to every order the sub called out. The regular teacher, Miss Clemens, would be proud and surprised when she read the report. Usually the girls dawdled changing and did half-hearted calisthenics that early in the day. Girls’ sports activities were so limited, not like all the exciting basketball, baseball, soccer, and tennis for the boys. Tryouts for cheerleading were open, but you had to do splits and cartwheels - skills Joy didn’t have. She never twirled a baton but oh, how Joy danced.

Tap dancing since age three and then on to ballet, her Mom always walked with her daughter to the studio where all the mothers stayed behind a glass window to watch. She dressed up in hats, gloves, best suits and fine shoes, the beautiful Mom. Was it just to watch her? Sometimes Joy wondered or was it to have other women envy her style and beauty. Joy didn’t care. Mother loved her and it was the only time of the week they spent together. All the other times Mother tended to the house, although she had a housekeeper, brothers needs came first and most important, Father.

Shaking off silly ideas, Joy focused on today. Why in the world go back to a different time when the most important event in her whole life happened today? She had a date with the cutest guy in High School.

Chapter 2

Joy

Walking home with a boy had a special feel to it, a new exciting experience since all the guys close to her were brothers, cousins and their friends. This one, Danny, was hers in the quiet of the neighborhood. He carried her books. She tried to match her short steps to his long stride and almost skipped to catch up. Without saying a word, he slowed down so Joy could keep up with him.

If there’s a moment when a girl falls in love, this might be it, thought Joy. She didn’t know if it’s possible for a fifteen-year-old can feel love, but looking up at this thoughtful sweet boy just then, she had a special feeling about him.

Pointing to the sky, he said, See the flock of birds? They fly in formation.

Heading south before winter settles in. It’s a sign, you know. We’re in for an early storm in Chicago this year.

Every year. What I meant about flying in formation is I’m going to be a pilot and learn how to do that.

A pilot? Where and when? A chilly wind blew and dry leaves flew off the trees. She shivered in her light coat and used the excuse to move closer to the big senior.

His face turned serious. Have you heard about Korea and the war going on there?

She shook her head and shuffled her feet, blushing.

It’s all true and I plan to be a career pilot in the Strategic Air Command, to defend our country.

Will you go to a special school for training?

Oh yeah. It’s very strict. I’ll have to pass a lot of tests, learn stuff harder than anything I ever studied in high school. My folks aren’t happy about me planning to go into the Air Force.

They walked another block and Joy thought, I’m not too happy with this terrific boy talking about joining the Air Force either. Maybe he’ll change his mind.

Seventeen, her favorite magazine, had an advice column on how to talk to boys. She’d memorized the list even though big brother, Jack, kept hiding the magazine saying at fifteen and a half, she had another year to go before she could read it. Mother told him to leave his younger sister alone but Jack never stopped teasing, until he left for college.

Time to change the subject. Danny , what’s your favorite sport?

Grinning, he opened his jacket to show off the big ‘S’ for Soccer sewn into his letter sweater.

After that, the teens talked like old friends. With many blocks before they reached Danny’s house, then hers, Joy wanted to know about his family.

Do you have a sister or brother?

"My kid sister Janine is such a pain. She gets into all my stuff. I want to buy a trunk and lock