A Lonely Sky Read Free

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 !”

Chapter Three
     
    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