Secrets of the Past

By Char Thompson

This story is based partly in non-fiction and is Char's first book to be published. At age 68, she would like to encourage anyone to know that it is never too late to pursue your dreams.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Char Thompson
• Release date: Oct 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311724014

Book preview

Secrets of the Past

Char Thompson

Secrets of the Past

Copyright 2014 Char Thompson

Smashwords Edition.

Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Acknowledgments

Dedication

Daniel Ronald Eichinger, in hope to find your birth mother.

This book is dedicated to the son I had to give up in September of 1962.

Chapter 1

Char Evans could see her reflection in the car window, with tall amber crimson trees and dried, harvested fields of corn beyond. As she listened to the tranquilizing hum of the car motor, her eyes were staring out into a dusking Nebraska evening.

Char and her mother, Ellen, were moving from Denver, Colorado to Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was one of many moves Char and her parents had made through her growing years. Char had a petite frame with long, blonde hair which hung over the headrest. A tear rolled down her cheek as she wondered what kind of life would be waiting in Minnesota. What kind of a job could a twenty two year old get without any further schooling than a high school diploma? She wiped the tear from her face, grabbed a pillow from the backseat, and tried to get comfortable in a semi-sitting position.

Char reflected upon the past she was now leaving behind. She recalled her earliest memory from childhood, visualizing herself at five years old as they moved into a house in Iowa. While the adults were carrying boxes and furniture, she noticed a girl her size riding a two-wheeler bike. A smile came across her face as she saw herself go bravely up to her hopefully-newfound friend. Hi, my name is Char Evans. Can I ride your bike?

The other girl answered, Sure. My name is Sally. Are you just moving here?

Char said, Yeah; that is my mom and dad over there.

With Sally running alongside, Char hollered to her parents to watch.

Her mind came back to the present. She turned to fluff the pillow away from the window and glanced at her mom, who was looking tired.

Are you okay, Mom?

Ellen said with a smile, Yes, dear; are you having a hard time getting comfortable?

Char gazed out the car window and said, Oh, I’m all right; just deep in thought. After a slight punch of the pillow, she settled down again. Char couldn’t help but wonder about the gray hair on her mother’s temples. Was she somewhat responsible in any way that her five foot two, forty-three-year-old mother looked older than she should?

Ellen was slightly overweight, with medium brown hair, and kept up with the latest of fads. After high school, she took up nursing and married her high school sweetheart, Jake Evans. Jake was a traveling liquor salesman. He stood six foot two and had a jolly personality. He did very well in his profession. Soon after they were married, Ellen became pregnant and had their one and only child, Charlene. Although Jake would move his family a lot, he would get to meet the new neighbors by giving them free samples of new liquors. Together they tried their best to make a warm and loving home.

Char tried to once again close her eyes. She couldn’t help but think of the past that led to this move to Minnesota. She was leaving eight years that no girl should have ever gone through. There was her once longtime best friend, Louise. They met in seventh grade as they sat next to each other. Both girls were new to Jefferson Jr. High, and together they found the lunchroom and surprisingly ended up in four classes, sitting side by side. They were almost inseparable from that time on.

The two were a normal pair of thirteen year olds that loved to try on different clothes, make up their faces, and pretend to wear glamorous clothes. They even went to church together. She remembered that the only time the two of them didn’t share their day was when Char went to the bar & grill called the Water Hole with her dad.

Jake was good friends with the owners, Bill and Effie Mathews. Their son Jerry would help around the bar by cleaning and stocking the beer coolers. Jake and Bill would talk about how they would like to expand the bar and build a resort. Jake wanted to settle down in one place and since he knew the liquor business, it would work for a partnership. Jake and Ellen had known the Mathews for fifteen years. When Jake got in town, he would say to Char, Come on sweetie; let’s go to our favorite water hole.

Ellen didn’t go with because she was working at a part time job in a nursing home every other weekend. Ellen didn’t care too much for Bill, but she enjoyed her visits with Effie, who was in a nursing home in Golden with a stroke. Ellen would go see her as often as she could. Char liked to go with her dad on his visits to see Bill because she played shuffleboard and pool with their son Jerry. He was five years older, but it didn’t matter to them. They were good friends. He had a tall, bronzed body that was muscular with sandy-colored hair down to his shoulders. Char looked up to him like the brother she never had. Jerry called her bright eyes. Char’s eyes would light up whenever she thought she was winning.

While Jerry and Char played games, Jake and Bill would tell war stories. Jake would play the juke box and dance with any woman that could keep up with him. Char enjoyed watching her dad have this innocent fun, for she knew that he loved her mother with all his heart.

One blustery, hot Sunday in May, after lunch, Jake asked Char if she wanted to go to the Water Hole. Her mom was working as usual and Louise was visiting her grandmother. Char wished she had grandparents to visit, but the last one died when she was only two years old. Her father was an only child. She had an Aunt Gloria in Minnesota who was her mother’s only sister.

After the lunch dishes were done, they were off to the Water Hole. As they walked in the door, Bill greeted them with a gleaming smile and said, The drinks are on the house, so go up on the roof and get ‘em. Bill had seen them drive up, so he set up a beer and a Coke.

Char caught a glimpse of Jerry coming up the stairs with two cases of beer and said, I’ll beat you at shuffleboard.

Jerry smiled wide with his pearly white teeth and winked one of his soft, brown eyes as if to say we’ll see.

After Jerry was done stocking the beer cooler, he walked over to Jake and said, Do you mind if I beat your lovely daughter in a game of shuffleboard? Jake’s reply was a hearty laugh and a mumbled seeing is believing.

As the two young’uns walked back to the game room, Char said, My birthday is coming up in July and I am going to be sixteen. My friend Louise and I are asking a bunch of friends from school to meet us at Lake Amusement Park for fun and rides. I was wondering if you’d like to come too? I know you are older than us, but I still think you might have fun.

Jerry smiled. Sounds like it would be fun. So, you’re going to be sweet sixteen. And what would you like for your special day?

She flipped her long hair back and turned her nose up. Oh, nothing special. Just my elite friends, you know, like the Governor and his wife. As she was giggling about what she had said, Jerry had that winning smile on his face as he made the final point. Char put her nose back up in the musty barroom air and said, Just wait; one of these days I’ll beat you.

They walked over to where Jake was sitting and Jerry repeated the words seeing is believing. They all laughed. Jake said that it was time they head back home. He stopped in the doorway and shouted, Jerry, next time she’ll whoop the pants off ya.

As Char and Jake were driving home, he teased her about the look she got when she saw Jerry.

Oh, Dad, he is like a brother to me. But I must admit that he is very cute!

The phone was ringing when they walked into the house; it was Louise. The girls wanted to do some homework together. That evening after the homework was finished, Char told Louise about her day with Jerry and how much she was looking forward to planning the special birthday night at the amusement park.

The next day at school, the girls went to all their friends with invitations to Lake Amusement Park. School was coming to a close soon, and as the yearbooks were being passed around everyone wrote about the fun night to come. The ninth graders were anxious about entering senior high in the fall.

As the summer started, Char and Louise volunteered a couple of hours a week helping the elderly with letter reading and other duties that would help out the staff where Ellen worked. After one month, the girls were hired on as candy stripers. They would also do odd jobs around the neighborhood, like mowing lawns and washing cars. The girls would save their money together for outfits, make-up, records, and teen magazines. But most of all they saved for the night of Char’s birthday.

Finally the big night came, and Char was very nervous. The girls had arranged to stay at Louise’s house for the night. Louise had just passed her driver’s test and her mother said she could use the car if she got it home by 11:00 p.m.

Char had just finished supper with her parents when Louise showed up in a shiny, red, 1965 Mustang convertible. It was a gorgeous afternoon, and Louise had the top down. This was a surprise to Char because it wasn’t the car she was expecting. Louise and her mother had traded cars with an uncle just for the night. But the car still had to be back by eleven o’clock. Char was so excited that she almost forgot to say goodbye to her parents. She ran back to the porch, where they were standing with smiles that would impress ole scrooge. She kissed both of them and said she would see them tomorrow. Ellen and Jake waved their beautiful grown up daughter goodnight, never expecting what was to lie ahead.

The girls went from house to house, picking up some friends, and drove around the city for a while. They arrived at the park before dusk and strolled around before going on rides. Louise spotted some other kids from school, and they all agreed to go on the bumper cars. Char was having the time of her life. Then the group wanted to go on the rollercoaster. Char was too spooked to go that fast and declined. Louise tried pulling her in line for the ride, but to no avail. She just stood there and watched them all get on and waved as the cars started to roll up slowly.

Out of nowhere, a voice said, Scaredy cat. It was Jerry.

She was happy and surprised to see him there. He told her how nice and grown up she looked. They walked over to a concession stand for a pop and some fries. He pulled out a small box from his pocket and said, Happy birthday to a special girl—or should I say woman?

Char looked at him with questioning eyes.

Jerry said, "Go ahead and open it. This is something