The Diary: Diary of an American Dreamer Series, #1

By R.G. Winter

It’s the 1950’s, the men are back from war and the women are starting to take on the role of wife and mother. Everyone, it seems, except Elizabeth Mayfield who longs for nothing more than freedom and adventure. She loves the underground rock-n-roll lifestyle and the ‘other’ side of society where art and theater is rife. Living at home with her family she feels stifled and has almost resigned herself to the life that they want for her. Then, in a moment of pure serendipity, Elizabeth comes across a diary in the attic that will change her life forever. Through this diary she meets new people, discovers places that she had never been before, goes on adventures and even meets someone. But who wrote the diary? And will she ever find out?

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.G. Winter
• Release date: Jun 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781533720566

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

‘Well long, tall Sally. She’s built for speed, so got everything that Uncle John need, oh baby, yeah baby, woo baby. Havin’ some fun tonight yeah.’

Turn that down Elizabeth.

It’s Liz.

I named you Elizabeth and that’s what you shall remain. You really are insufferable lately. What has gotten into you?

Elizabeth sighed. It wasn’t the first time she’d had a confrontation with her mother recently. To this day her mother remained a dark-haired beauty who always walked with grace and glamor, while Elizabeth was an unbridled mess who often wondered why she was so different to the rest of the family. Elizabeth was pretty, but she had no interest in spending hours each day in front of the mirror. And so her hair always remained wild, and her clothes were picked out for whatever mood she was in that day. Her mother, on the other hand, spent hours getting ready each morning. Making sure that each accessory was paired perfectly with the outfit that she had laid out for herself the night before. Sandra, her older sister by two years, was a replicate of their mother – all agile and elegant – as if she simply just flowed through life with ease. Elizabeth found the two of them quite tiresome, although she wouldn’t dare tell them to her face. She wondered if she had gotten her disposition from her father.

James Mayfield had a slight glint in his eye that made Elizabeth think that he was not the man he used to be. She wasn’t sure what had made him change – perhaps her mother, or just the general strain of society. He was sullen and kept to himself – trying not to get too involved with all the women in the family. She often wondered if he wished they’d had a son, rather than two strong-willed daughters. But Elizabeth always suspected that there was something more to her father. She couldn’t quite place it. It might have something to do with the way he looked at her whenever she stood up for something she believed in. The way he looked at Sandra whenever she spouted off some nonsense about a women’s place in the world. He never said anything but he looked as if he was thinking it. And almost every time it looked as if he had sided with her – only in his head at least. Perhaps he had once been as wild and stubborn as she had. She hoped so.

Elizabeth could not believe how different she was to her sister, who was now planning her wedding with the dull and dreary Thomas Lee Macy. The two of them had met at a dinner party and had been instant allies. Elizabeth could not for the life of her understand what Sandra saw in him but she supposed they were good for one another. She’d once listened in on one of their conversations only to hear words such as ‘stock market’ and ‘good housekeeping’ being thrown back and forth. It had taken all her might not to burst out laughing. Instead, she had rolled her eyes and walked away, unable to listen to anymore of their drivel.

Don’t they understand that they were living in the most exciting times? She often marveled. The war had been over for a few years and all the men had been reunited with their families. It was a time for celebration. A time to let go of old habits and ideas and embrace the new era in front of them. And yet the notion that stability was more important than freedom was still rife, and the idea that women should be taking care of the home and taking on the role of wife and mother was becoming more and more prevalent.

This frustrated Elizabeth, who understood the fragility of a human life, and the speed to which time went. She knew that it was up to her to fully experience the life that she was given and she didn’t ever want to fall into the conforms of society. She loved the other side of life that so many people refused to acknowledge. She loved rock n roll, art and theatre. She loved long conversations about life, love and dreams. She ached for creativity on a daily basis and yet felt stifled by the environment she was in.

Elizabeth. Dinner is ready. Please turn that music off and come join us at the table.

It was a family tradition that they all ate together each night. And while Elizabeth saw the reasoning behind it, it was something she dreaded each time. As she got downstairs the familiar waft of dinner floated her way. Her mother wasn’t a bad cook, but she only had a few meals in her repertoire which she circled through each week. Today, it seemed, was split pea soup followed by a bean and corn casserole. Thankfully, it was the one that Elizabeth liked best and she gratefully sat down to enjoy it.

It smells great. She told them and was glad to see her mother smile. She felt slightly guilty then, for always going against her mother’s wishes.

So, let’s all go around the table and say what we are grateful for today. I remember what you all said yesterday so don’t think you can just repeat yourself. It was something her mother had started a few months ago and despite their complaints she insisted that they do it each night. Her mother was big on ‘self-help’ books and articles that tried to make her into a better woman, wife and mother. Elizabeth had found the exact article lying in the living room one day. It was from some women’s magazine that suggested the ‘what I’m grateful for’ moment each night in order to bring the family closer together. It was rather sweet, very clichéd and incredibly annoying.

I’ll start then, her mother continued who had obviously given this a lot of thought already. I am grateful for the flowers that have started to bloom in our front yard. I never thought I had green fingers but it seems I was finally able to get them to grow. Doesn’t it make our house look so beautiful? Doesn’t it James? Elizabeth’s father smiled gently.

It looks lovely Angela. Of course, Elizabeth knew that her father had not noticed them at all, but he was very good at simply going along with anything that his wife said. Elizabeth winked at him and she caught sight of a faint smile appearing on his face.

Well then, James, what about you? What are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for you my dear. He said and Elizabeth groaned. So did everyone else.

"Oh come on James, you can’t keep using the same line. Go on, give it some more