Alicia's Dream

By Ian MacDonald

John and Alicia had been high school sweethearts but they had drifted apart over the years due to their careers. Now their romance had been rekindled. He was now an airline pilot and she was a computer games designer. The embers of their former relationship had never really died down and once poked, that fire reignited with blast furnace intensity. It would also contain many additional and unexpected treasures along the way. They met a young woman and her son soon after starting to date again and a whole new dimension opened up for them all. Their lives would now be uplifted beyond anything they could have imagined. The boy had minor vision issues, but he brought immeasurable joy to their lives now and they both saw a whole new side of each other. When Alicia had a dream one night about curing Tommy’s vision issues it made no sense to her at the time. However it would lead her down a path that would result in her developing something truly magnificent. Her inspiration had been young Tommy – but her awesome creation would benefit millions and completely fulfill the wishes and desires in her magical dream

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ian MacDonald
• Release date: Aug 24, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310241970

Ian MacDonald

The author was born and educated in England and served in the British armed forces and briefly as an officer in the British Prison Service. He subsequently became a financial adviser and retired as an executive in a financial planning firm. He took up writing as a hobby upon retirement and he now lives in Ontario with his wife. His writing has a military or law enforcement theme to it as his interests lie in that field.

Book preview

Alicia’s Dream

By

Ian Macdonald

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Copyright 2014 Smashwords Edition

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Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Cover Designer:

Rita Toews

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Photo Credit:

photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pensiero/142820570/>Pensiero via http://photopin.com>photopin http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/>cc

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All characters in this book are fictional. Should there be any similarity to persons living or deceased they are purely coincidental and unintentional.

Table of Contents

Chapter One - John & Alicia

Chapter Two- Captain John

Chapter Three - Maureen’s Anxiety

Chapter Four-Jean’s New Job

Chapter Five- Teacher John

Chapter Six-Alicia and John rekindled

Chapter Seven-Farmer John

Chapter Eight-The Ring

Chapter Nine-The Proposal

Chapter Ten- Tommy’s Ferry Ride

Chapter Eleven-Eric’s Necklace

Chapter Twelve- The 3D Movie

Chapter Thirteen-Wedding Plans

Chapter Fourteen-Christmas

Chapter Fifteen-Alicia makes progress

Chapter Sixteen-The Wedding

Chapter Seventeen-Jean &Dr. Glen

Chapter Eighteen-Lynda’s Benefactor

Chapter Nineteen-Alicia’s Triumph

Chapter Twenty-The Storm

Chapter Twenty One-Christmas Dinner

Chapter Twenty Two-The Night Owl

Chapter Twenty Three-The lightening Flash

Chapter Twenty Four-The Barbeque

Alicia’s Dream

Chapter One

John Billinge and Eric Everstead had known each other forever. They had gone to kindergarten together and had been inseparable ever since. They had grown in the community of Simondsville and attended schools in Richvale. John’s family were farmers while Eric’s parents worked in the city of Markton, his Dad was an accountant and his Mom worked in a bank as an assistant manager. They had played together in school and also at the weekend on John’s farm. Eric helped John with his farmyard chores –but they then got to play in the hay loft making forts etc. Once they got bored with that they could go down to the creek and make boats out of twigs or other pieces of wood and then race them. Ah Yes, those halcyon days of summer and fun. There was a larger pond at one end that they could actually fish in – not that they could catch anything of any size in there, a few tiddlers and maybe the odd sunfish, but nothing more. There were however plenty of frogs and racing them was lots of fun – once they were prodded into action that is. Yes they certainly had a lot of fun back in those days down at the creek.

In grade school they were both in the same class, but once they went to high school they were separated. John was the brainy one and Eric was more talented with his hands than his brain. Their high school days were action packed with sports and getting to know girls. Simondsville was one of those communities people would drive through enroute to somewhere else and if you blinked as you drove by you would have missed it. The population could almost be counted on your fingers and as a result the social life revolved around the church and its fundraising activities. Young girls however were few and far between and so the local boys spent more time in Richvale as there were far more fish in that pond. Eric was the boy that the girls were more interested in. He was the football star with the underwear model physique and the film star good looks to finish off the package. John was more of a geek, but he was a good track man and he could certainly fly around the track in his specialty the 400 meter hurdles. He was good enough to be called up for Nationals and then hopefully for the Olympics – but he just wasn’t quite good enough to be selected. He was disappointed naturally, but he was quite philosophical about it and took it all in stride. One simply can’t win everything in life – but one can try and if you give it your best shot then you did your best. There is nothing to be ashamed about in trying and failing. The shame comes with not trying. Dusting yourself off and trying again is how you earn the respect of your peers. John was certainly respected by his peers, but for his athletic prowess and his brain power.

It was in his physics class that he met Alicia for the first time. He was taken with her right from the start. She had beautiful long black hair, gorgeous deep blue eyes and film star looks. She was a real knockout and yet she appeared to be completely unaware of her beauty and was definitely not affected by it. The magnetic attraction that John felt towards her was reciprocated. Alicia found John’s humility to be refreshing. He was the brains of the class and yet he would stop to help anyone that needed assistance and never made them feel inferior because of it. He treated everyone with equal respect and Alicia liked that quality in him. On top of that he was not hard to look at either even if he was a geek. There was just that certain quality about him that Alicia found appealing, even if she couldn’t actually define what it was. He just had that magnetic attraction that drew her towards him instinctively. He had this rustic element to him and his openness and honesty beamed out like a beacon. There was a sense of warmth and inner strength about him that matched his physical power and Alicia was totally smitten with him. When it came to Prom Night she readily accepted John’s invitation to be her escort. The organizing committee, in its wisdom, had decided that it might be a good idea to hold this function in Markton rather than in Richvale as they felt it would be a little more discrete to do so, the anonymity factor playing a large part in that decision. In the city fewer people would know them and any of the antics they may get up to would not be worldwide news. In Richvale it would be prominently displayed in the local press, probably as headline news. John had rented a limo for the occasion and he and Eric were going to split the cost. They would pick up Nancy, Eric’s girlfriend, first and then pick up Alicia.

Both boys were rocked back on their heels when they called round at the girl’s homes to pick them up in the limo. They both looked absolutely stunning, Nancy in a pale yellow dress and Alicia in a light blue one and both fitted them to a tee. They would certainly not have been out of place on the Red Carpet in Hollywood on Oscar night. The two boys were not too shabby either in their rented tuxes. They filled them out perfectly and together with their chiseled jaw lines they looked like a couple of hunks too. The look on their faces when they saw their dates however was priceless and this totally made the night for both girls. They would never forget those expressions and it certainly justified the time the girls had spent on their appearance that night. They had booked separate rooms in a downtown hotel for the after the dance party – simply to unwind and relax. At least that was the official line. It was on that night that Alicia lost her virginity. While it had been in the back of her mind that it could possibly happen, she had not set out to do it that night. As like many such things in life it just sort of happened, the atmosphere of the dance, together with the booze and the starlit walk through the park back to the hotel through the fragrance rich flower garden were all contributing factors. While drink had been a factor for John too, he was more intoxicated with Alicia’s beauty and the perfume she was wearing, she was simply gorgeous and totally irresistible that night.

As they were walking through the park with their arms around each other, John could smell Alicia’s hair as she had her head on his shoulder. Her perfume would also drift up occasionally as a whiff on the warm breeze and intensify his feelings for her. However, Like Alicia he had not set out that evening with anything other than honourable intentions – well for the most part anyway. When John got Alicia back into the room and held her in his arms and asked her if she had enjoyed the evening she just threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. He gathered from that response that Alicia was as deliriously happy as he was with the way the night had turned out. Further discussion seemed to be unnecessary and John returned her kiss with equal passion and gently slid down the zipper on her dress. He did not break the embrace and Alicia was certainly enjoying it judging by the intensity she was putting into it, so he then unhooked her bra too. When they came up for air he stepped back a little letting her dress and bra fall to the floor. Alicia simply stepped out of her dress quite naturally as if she was at home in her bedroom; John now affectionately nuzzled her neck in response. He then picked her up and laid her down gently on the bed. He threw off his jacket and shirt and then his pants and got on the bed beside her. When he began kissing her from head to toe Alicia just lay there lapping it up. He could almost hear her purring he thought. He was being very gentle with her and Alicia knew now where all this was headed. Her mind was racing, do I let him or do I say no? The nice girl within her was saying No we should wait – the naughty girl in her was saying the opposite. At the same time as these mental deliberations were taking place John was still caressing her and getting her more and more excited with each passionate kiss and gentle caress. As he began sliding off her underwear Alicia found herself raising her hips off the bed to facilitate their removal – her decision had been made apparently. It was a memorable night for them both as they were both virgins. Being their first time, they would never forget that night – but life is full of twists and turns as John and Alicia would later find out. The blissful young love of their teenage years would change as time marched on.

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The four friends, John, Eric, Alicia and Nancy all went to different universities and colleges and as a result they would only see each other on breaks. Even then things were cut short due to part time jobs getting in the way – but money needed to be earned, tuition wasn’t cheap. John had gone to Guelph University to study animal husbandry and agriculture. He was, after all, going to be running the farm one day. While there he also took flying lessons with a view to eventually flying a crop dusting plane. He passed his flying tests and did indeed receive his pilot’s license. Eric meanwhile had gone to George Brown technical college in Toronto to become an electrician. Alicia had gone to Waterloo University to study computer engineering and Nancy had gone to Seneca College to study nursing. University life is very hectic and of course there are the parties to attend, both frat and sorority. John was not inclined to get drawn into to that side of university life so much and was considered to be a bit of a drag by his classmates. He would of course go out into the town with one or two friends and have a few beers here and there, but he was always conscious of the fact that his parents were picking up the tab for his education and they were making huge sacrifices in order to do it. The very least he could do was make sure he graduated and ensure that they had not wasted their money on drunken debauchery and floozies at the various campus parties. John and Alicia stayed true to each other during their college years, which made their holidays even more enjoyable as a result.

When they graduated from university and college they were faced with the brutal realities of life – getting a decent job being none the least of them. John was working on his dad’s farm, but money was tight and his dad could not really afford to pay him. To supplement this John got a part time job with a crop dusting firm and that helped him out a little. One day he saw an advertisement in a trade magazine asking for young pilots and John sent in his resume. It was flying cargo to remote places up north and after a brief flying test he was hired. It didn’t pay all that much, but he certainly clocked up his flying hours. Alicia meanwhile had landed herself an entry level position in a newly formed start up in the computer games industry. Two of her former classmates had set it up while they were in high school and had worked on it in the basement of one boy’s house. It had been slow to start with – but it had gradually picked up momentum and by the time they had finished college they were in a position to hire additional help. The two boys, Alan and Kevin had recognized just how smart Alicia was as they had worked alongside her in the labs. They had discussed it with each other and both concluded that Alicia had great potential. How right they were on that - and their decision to hire her was the best decision that they ever made. Alicia was then taken on as a partner, well a junior partner anyway, and she had no problem whatsoever with that. The prospects looked very good for the future of the company, but lots of hard work and long hours would be needed to accomplish that. This unfortunately would have a detrimental effect on their personal lives. Working from 7:00am till midnight quite often, leaves little time for relationships and as a result they often fall by the wayside. With John frequently flying up north and often hopping from one community to another and being away for days at a time, he too had little social life. They both tried desperately to keep their passion alive, and they did for quite a while – but ultimately their careers won that battle and they slowly drifted apart.

Eric and Nancy were just the opposite. Their careers did not consume them 24/7. Nancy would do her shifts at the hospital and then go home. It could be emotionally draining at times depending on the situations that she had to deal with. Not all hospital situations have tear jerking scenarios attached and some are quite joyous in fact. While hospitals are filled with sick people, some in need of surgical relief of one form or another , others are healed and cured of whatever malady the suffered from– they all leave better than when they came in. There is a considerable amount of job satisfaction in that. This was the aspect that Nancy preferred to dwell on, but occasionally she did suffer the heartbreak experienced by all medical professionals. It was just something you had to face from time to time – the will of God cannot be overridden - but overall the experience was positive and uplifting as she got to help so many people who were suffering when they arrived, but not when they departed.

Eric had landed a job with a contractor when he left George Brown College and was now working steadily on new housing projects. It was good solid work and it also allowed him to study medical electronics at night. He was not the sharpest knife in the drawer during his high school days, but since going to college had had developed a thirst for knowledge and had in fact grown significantly since his High School days. It was as if a light had been turned on in his brain and given him this drive to learn more about just about everything. John had teased him about it.

You know Eric, you are learning more and more about less and less until in the end you’ll know everything about nothing. You do realize that, he said laughing?

Eric had simply laughed at him and taken it all in good fun. Studying medical electronics would allow him to repair all kinds of hospital equipment, e-ray machines CT scanners, MRI machines etc. It was highly specialized, but he had a desire to get into that field. This thirst for knowledge was inspired primarily by Nancy being a nurse and helping people, and Eric now wanted to share in that experience. Wiring a house was one thing, making sure that all the hospital electronic monitoring and diagnostic machines were in tip top shape was something else again. This he felt he could really be proud of - not that being an ordinary construction electrician was less noble. They were just different disciplines. A mistake in either one could be tragic and both are needed skills, not all doctors are skilled surgeons, but we all need our family physicians just as much. Eric was simply trying to upgrade his knowledge and potentially his income by learning about these complicated machines and their maintenance requirements.

Now that they were both in full time employment Eric and Nancy were talking about getting married. It was the next logical step. They did not want anything grand and expensive, just a simple ceremony with a few people and a small reception to follow. Eric was all for that. The thought of spending thousands and going into debt to fund it terrified him. They were both on the same page here and preferred to use their savings to put down a deposit on a house rather than have a lavish one day function for five hundred of their closest friends and be broke for years on the strength of it. When they discussed it with their families they were applauded for their common sense. Both sets of parents loved it and thought it very sensible indeed to do it that way. In this troubled economy they said this was definitely the best way to go. All their friends agreed too. While it may be every girls dream to act like Cinderella on her wedding day, practicality has to play a part too. Rock stars and celebrities may be able to pull it off, but unless your parents are loaded, forget it, and settle for something a little more modest and within your means.

The wedding was held in Richvale and on a beautiful day too. John and Alicia were present, but were both unaccompanied and so for this event only they paired off once more. They were both still in love with each other – but circumstances just kept getting in the way. John was the best man and Alicia was a bridesmaid. Nancy’s sister was the Maid of Honor. The official photographs were taken in the local park as it was an idyllic setting used by many local brides. They all turned out beautifully too. The theme of simple elegance just jumped right out at you and everything was beautifully coordinated.

The reception had gone well and the traditional speeches had everyone in stitches one minute and crying the next. It really was a great day for all and the bride and groom left later that evening for their honeymoon on the Rocky Mountaineer followed by a visit to Vancouver Island. This apparently was something Nancy had always wanted to do. She just loved nature and that trip would give her that. The Rocky Mountains have a majesty all of their own and their beauty is breathtaking. Nature had been very generous here and the sights were out of this world as the train took you so close to all that rugged beauty. Hopefully she would see bears and deer on the train and the whales off Vancouver Island swimming freely in the Pacific Ocean – none of which exist in Richvale. City life may have its conveniences – but this was something else. It would certainly be a memorable trip and loads of photographs would be taken to remember it in the future.

John had booked a hotel room for the night as he didn’t wish to drink and drive, Alicia was going to take a cab home for the same reason. When it came time to leave they both got in the cab, but it went to John’s hotel and not to Alicia’s home. The magnetic pull was still there and evidently was just too powerful to resist – not that either of them wanted to resist. The passion was still there and if anything had intensified rather than diminished. Unfortunately the following morning they both went back to their regular career obsessed days having kissed each other goodbye.

John dropped in on the farm the following day to catch up with his family and see how they were doing. The economy was not as robust as it should have been, but his dad was doing fine now that he didn’t have to pay John. Money was still in short supply, but they certainly had sufficient to get by. Having to pay John put a serious strain on his dad and John knew it, hence his crop dusting exploits. Today he was flying larger planes and he would soon be going on a course to upgrade to even larger ones. He had his full instrument flying credentials now and he had flown in all kinds of inclement weather conditions and he was recognized as a skilled pilot now. This next course would actually qualify him for major airline positions once he put in a few more flying hours should he ever wish to go that route. He could either fly freight on international flights for the major carriers like Fed-Ex or UPS and other major freight carriers or he could fly passenger aircraft for Air Canada or some other major carrier. Once he had accomplished all his courses and logged sufficient hours he would be eligible to be hired by the major airlines. At that point he would still have to pay his dues and take his turn in line to be promoted to the left seat as a captain. There are no shortcuts to that position –it’s all on merit and ability. John was now proving to be worthy of both. Once he passed his next course he had been assured of being promoted to captain and could then begin logging PIC hours (Pilot in Command). The majors would then consider him for a first officer’s position more favorably than a candidate without it.

Alicia’s firm was now growing in leaps and bounds and now had a staff of nine and they now had a proper office address. The development of new games took time, but it was now starting to take off and their tiny company was now on the radar of some major players in the field. If they could keep the momentum going they too would soon be in the big leagues. It only took one game to catch on and they would all be gazillionaires in no time, or so they hoped. They were certainly putting in the effort and the long hours, they just needed that one single break to set them up for life. Many such companies exist, but very few actually achieve worldwide recognition – it was a long shot, they all knew that, but they were confident that they would make it and become world class players.

Chapter Two

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Over the next few years the four friends concentrated on their careers. Eric had now qualified as a medical equipment specialist and had secured a position in Nancy’s hospital and was establishing himself as the go to man whenever an equipment failure occurred. Nancy herself was now studying to become a physician’s assistant and as such would be able to issue her own prescriptions to patients – within certain parameters. She was highly sought after as a surgical nurse and the surgeons just loved her. All her patients certainly did due to her composed and self-assured manner. She just had this air about her. It was one of quiet competence and she just had this innate ability to reassure her patients that all was well and that she was there to take good care of them. They had no doubts whatsoever about that and this in itself is therapeutic and a possible contributor to their recovery in many cases. Nancy loved her job, despite the demands it placed upon her. She was making a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis and there was considerable satisfaction in that. She did encounter some heartbreaking situations, but that just made her appreciate the things she had in her life even more. She was happily married to a good and caring man; she was financially stable and able to put food on the table and to pay her bills. Her wider family was in pretty good shape too overall and suffered from no major debilitating diseases. Seeing what she did everyday it gave her a greater appreciation of her own life and the ability to comfort those who were somewhat less fortunate for whatever reason.

John had been flying up north for about eighteen months as a captain when an opportunity presented itself to return to Toronto as a first officer in a large charter firm flying holidaymakers to the Caribbean. A few months after that, he was successful in being selected for a first officer’s position in a major international airline. This he was absolutely over the moon about. He had to be sent on an upgrading course for this huge plane, but the airline was more than satisfied with his tests and interviews and felt that