A Lonely Sky (2 page)

“A bit?” Kim said. “Let’s just say that if I have to hear one more time about your dad and college, and how you have to major in nursing ‘cause your dad doesn’t appreciate theater, I’m going to jump out of this plane.”

Julia sat back in her seat. “I still can’t believe he won’t let me major in what I want.”

“That’s it, I’m jumping.” Kim laughed, but gave her friend a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. “Look. You can’t think about that now, okay? Just relax and have a good time and worry about it when we get back. Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet some little old guy in lederhosen who owns a pub and he’ll fall madly in love and marry you. Then you’ll dress up like Heidi and serve drinks to the locals for the rest of your life.”

“Oh, like that sounds promising.” Julia playfully pushed Kim back into her own seat.

Despite the dismal and drizzling Frankfurt weather, the plane landed safely. The girls gathered their belongings and transferred to a tour bus. It would be another two to three hour bus ride to their overnight stay in the medieval city of Rothenburg, Germany.

The excited chatter of the thirty choir members filled the bus. Occasionally they joined in song to practice one of the melodies they would perform in the towns they toured. As Julia joined in, she felt Kim nudge her in the ribs.

She looked at Kim who donned a mischievous smile.

“Rumor has it we’re making a break for it tonight, Jules.”

“What do you mean?”

Kim dropped her voice to a whisper. “Bob in the bass section has an older brother who went on this trip last year. There’s a small pub in Rothenburg, and since the drinking age in Germany is only sixteen-”

“Oh no.” Julia disliked the idea already. She fidgeted with the gold cross around her neck, a gift passed on to her from her mother.

“Bob and some of the others are going to sneak out tonight and go. ”

“And why does this concern us?” Julia already suspected the answer. Kim was head-over-heels for Chris Elliott, Bob’s best friend. Where Bob went, Chris went, and where Chris went, Kim was sure to follow.

“Oh come on,” Kim pleaded. “What’s the worse that can happen?”

“We get caught and they send us home. You know the rules, Kim.”

“They won’t send us home! That’s just a threat to keep us in line.”

“I believe that threat.”

“Come on, Jules. We need to have some fun on our own. I’ll just die if all I do while I’m here is itinerary stuff. How many monasteries can we possibly sing in before we go nuts?”

“Kim, I can’t.”

“Yes you can.”

“But if my dad finds out-”

Kim feigned an attempt to choke Julia, but her high school ring caught in Julia’s long, blonde hair. The girls giggled as they tried to detangle themselves.

“Now stop it!” Kim said, once the ring was free. “No more about your dad. He may run your life while you’re home, but he’s not here now. Do something wild for once! Party with us.”

Julie battled the decision. Deep down, she knew Kim was right. Since her mother’s death two years ago, her father rarely let her blink without his approval.

Julia knew her father would disapprove of her going to a bar, but the thought of disappointing Kim weighed heavy. They had been best friends from the moment they met at age five. Julia remembered how frightened she’d been that first day of kindergarten. As her mother walked away with the other parents, huge tears trickled down Julia’s cheeks. But then, a plump, redheaded, freckled-face girl walked over, took her by the hand and said, “I’m Kimmie.” The scared, tow-headed pixie and the sunny redhead with the infectious smile became fast friends.

“Well?” Kim stared her down, impatient for answer.

Julia sighed. Kim found fun wherever she went, but Julia wasn’t confident that this new “fun” wasn’t trouble in disguise.

“Kim, it’s really not safe to run around in a foreign country at night and to a bar no less. And we’ve been awake for so long. I’m exhausted. I really don’t want everyone to think I’m a stick in the mud, but-”

“They already do.” Kim looked the other way.

Julia’s eyes flew open wide. “They do?”

Kim turned back to her. “Oh, come on Julia. You don’t drink, smoke or swear. The only drug you’ve ever done is penicillin. And your mom was going to be a nun before she met your father.”

“So?”

“You’re a step away from sainthood at nineteen, Jules!”

Julia crossed her arms and looked out the window. “That is so not true.”

“Look, I know you’re trying really hard to keep your dad happy since your mom died.”

“And what’s so wrong with that?”

“Nothing, Jules, but you don’t seem to have fun anymore. You dropped out of drama and dance. You loved those things. You took science courses senior year ‘cause your dad said to. And you hated them.”

“Well, my dad is right. Acting is an iffy career, but nursing, well-” Julia stared out the window as her voice trailed off. “There’ll always be a need for nurses.”

“Fine then. Give up your dream to be an actress and go be a nurse.”

Julia remained silent. She wished Kim would, but she pressed on.

“Man, Jules. You’re going to be busy with hard college courses in September. Why not have fun now while you still can?”

Julia sighed as she watched the green forests of the German countryside roll by. How could she make Kim understand?  She wanted to be nineteen and carefree like her friends, but how many watched a parent succumb to cancer?

Happiness shattered when her mother died. Julia had never seen her father so lost. His grief seemed to surpass even her own, and Julia vowed to help him become happy again. If that meant choosing nursing over of acting, if it meant not getting into trouble, then that’s what she would do. She pushed aside her own grief and helped her father through his.

But Kim had a point, too. If nursing school loomed on the horizon, carefree times like this would soon be scarce. Kim was attending Southern Illinois University in the fall, hours away from Chicago’s Loyola University where Julia would study. They needed to make the most of the time they had left together.

She gently laid her head on her friend’s shoulder. “I’m on vacation, sort of. Right?”

“Right.” A bit of hope edged Kim’s voice.

“And away from Dad, and he’ll never know, right?”

“Yep.”

Julia sat up and took a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll go tonight.”

Kim hugged Julia. “Oh thank you, Jules! Nothing is going to happen
. I promise
!”

Kim and Julia tiptoed down the old hotel cement steps to the outside door.

Julia tried not to laugh. Dressed in black jeans and a matching hooded sweatshirt, she felt more like a bandit than a high school graduate attempting fun on the town. She had to admit, however, their escape went beautifully. Mrs. O’Brien, their chaperone, had closed her door and turned out her bedroom light early, and as soon as the girls heard her window-rattling snore, they rose from their beds, dressed quickly and slipped out the door.

Following close behind Kim, Julia kept her head bent to shield the rain from her eyes. She could only see Kim’s feet, but she ran after as Kim followed the directions Bob gave them. When they reached their destination, they found the boys waiting by the tavern entrance.

Kim grabbed Julia’s arm and stopped Julia short of joining the boys. “Oh God, it’s Chris.”

“Kim, you knew he was coming. Why the sudden surprise?  I’m getting rained on. Come on. Let’s go and get this over with.” Wet and nervous, Julia took Kim by the sleeve and walked over to the guys.

“Where’s everyone else?” she said. “Inside?” A chill ran up her spine as Bob grinned.

“Everyone else chickened out,” he said. “We’re it.”

“I’m leaving.” She pulled Kim to the side. “I knew this wasn’t going to work. Now what?  No one else came! I’m going back.”

Kim’s face filled with panic. “Oh God, no Jules! You can’t. This is the perfect set up. I’ll have Chris to myself without the others around. You just need to keep Bob occupied for me.”

“Are you out of your mind?  I’m supposed to entertain geeky Bob in a pub? I’m risking my entire trip and also my dad’s wrath, and for what? So you can get five minutes with Chris?”

“Yes. You know how much this means to me.”

Julia looked from her imploring friend back to the guys. Tall, lanky and pimply Bob smiled. She wanted to vomit.

“It’ll be like a double date,” Kim pleaded.

“You’re not helping your case,” Julia said, but sighed. She knew how long Kim had crushed on Chris. How could she deny her best friend this opportunity? “Okay. We’ll go for a half-hour, and then we hightail it back to the hotel.”

“Deal!”

Julia plastered on a half-hearted smile as they rejoined the guys. “Okay, I’ll go.”

“Cool!” Chris opened the door and the four of them walked into the tiny, medieval looking pub.

Julia stepped out of the rain into the warmth of the dimly lit tavern. Red sconces hung on stone walls emitting soft light throughout the small room. She followed her friends down three stone steps to the main floor where several wooden tables sat. Vinyl cushioned booths lined the walls, and on the left, a long bar adorned the north wall. Patrons sat talking softly, drinking tall ales and eating from plastic baskets lined with red and white checkered paper. A few more people nursed drinks at the bar.

“I’ll order,” Bob offered. “Beer all around?”

Chris seemed game for alcohol. Kim hesitated at first, but then agreed. Julia realized someone would have to keep their wits and ordered a Coke.

“Suit yourself,” Bob said. “You guys, go pick a table.”

She followed Kim and Chris towards a corner booth. Chris settled in, flanked by Kim, leaving Julia to sit opposite them and unhappily next to Bob. He returned, carrying a tray of drinks. He slid in next to Julia, distributed the beverages and raised his stein. “Here’s to Europe and it’s fine hospitality!”

The four friends toasted and sipped, and Bob piped up again. “And here’s to good friends!” He raised his beer and they all followed suit and drank again. Chris took a turn. “Here’s to beer!” They toasted and sipped. Kim raised her glass and toasted to their upcoming college years.

Julia felt a bit queasy from drinking her sugary Coke so fast and wondered how Kim managed to down her beer. Kim wasn’t a partier, but obviously she’d take a dare to win her man. Julia watched as Kim flirted and hung on Chris’s every word. Julia thought of her own boyfriend back home and wondered if she acted that way when they met. She couldn’t remember. She met John right after her mother died, and things from that time seemed like a blur.

The toasting and cheering settled down, and the talk turned to various topics about the trip. Julia relaxed, and as the drinks ran dry, she didn’t even mind when Chris bought a second round.

A while later, Julia glanced at her watch and realized that forty-five minutes passed. So much for the half-hour stay.

Bob stood up again. “Another round, ladies?”

“Sure!” Kim said.

Julia shot Kim a worried glance and pointed to her watch.

“Oh come on, Jules. The fun is just starting!” Kim said.

“Yeah, come on.” Bob reached over and squeezed her shoulder. Julia recoiled at his touch. “One more, Jules.”

Julia remembered how Kim said the other kids felt she was a stick-in-the-mud. What would one more hurt?  She sighed. “Okay. One more. But then we go. We propped the door of the hotel open with a small rock and I’m worried someone is going to come by and knock it out and then we’ll be stuck outside and have to call for help.”

“Someone is a worry-wart,” Bob taunted as he walked to the bar.

Julia startled. She came here as a favor to Kim and now she was being made fun of?  She realized the beer played a role in everyone’s behavior, and she wished she could be so carefree, but fear of being caught undermined her fun.

Bob returned with more beer.

“Scottish Ale, me Lords and Ladies.” He attempted to bow and nearly fell over in the process. “While in Germany, do as the Scottish do!”

Julia looked away and rolled her eyes. Kim was going to owe her big time. She watched as her three companions sipped the thick, dark beer. Kim’s face screwed up at the taste, but to Julia’s dismay, she continued to drink it.

A half-hour later and glasses still half full, Julia again attempted to bring the party to a close. No pussyfooting around this time, she decided. “We need to get back.”

To her chagrin, Bob placed his arm around her and pulled her close. He reeked of sour beer and deodorant gone dead. “Oh no, you don’t, Jules. Not when there’s alcohol left!”

“We’ll go after we finish these,” Kim said, in an obvious attempt to soothe Julia.

But Julia was past the point of believing beer soaked promises.

She shoved Bob away from her. “I stayed longer than I wanted, Kim. I think we should
go
.”

“Oh, Mommy. Do we
have
to?” Bob whined.