Despite her unrest, she spent New Year’s Eve with her parents watching television as the crystal ball dropped at the stroke of midnight, ushering in 1969. Bobbette and Mark went out celebrating on their own. The next morning her sister waltzed into Jorden’s bedroom. She held out her left hand. Jorden screamed when she saw the dazzling diamond.

“Mark did it and you accepted! Congratulations!” Jorden gave her sister a big hug. “Tell me all.”

Bobbette went on and on—Jorden suppressed a surprising surge of envy. She wished she had someone like Mark in her life.

Later in the morning Jorden remembered she had to call Justin. She had put it off long enough, and when she made the call, it was a disaster. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Justin had hung up on her!

Chapter 26: January 1970

Chapter 26

January 1970

“Flight 198 to Honolulu is now boarding.” Jorden jumped up, grabbed her carry-on, and joined the crowd lined up at the departure gate. She settled in a window seat near the rear of the plane. Five more hours and she would be with Alex. Closing her eyes, the memories of the extraordinary trip from Trenton, New Jersey to Columbus, Georgia flooded her senses.

***

Previous Year – January 2, 1969

The clock struck four. Alex and his roommate hadn’t arrived.

“Stop pacing. You’re going to wear out the carpet,” Jorden’s mother warned.

“I’m just anxious. I want to get on the road before it gets too late. It’s going to be a long trip.” Jorden had taken pains to dress casually but stylishly. Today she wore a pair of dark brown wool pants with a rose-colored, loose-fitting turtleneck sweater.

Jorden fled to the bay window when she heard the sound of a motor. “They’re here.”

“I’ll get some coffee. I know they’ll need a break,” Mary Marshall offered.

Jorden watched Alex drive slowly up the driveway to her family’s two story red brick house with white wooden shutters. In her opinion, she thought it was an attractive home nestled into a nice neighborhood. She wondered what Alex’s home was like and how it compared to hers.

As Jorden opened the front door, she could hear their voices.

“Come on, Alex, we’re running late,” Tom barked.

“Be nice! I don’t want to make a bad impression!” Alex snapped back.

Jorden called out as they approached the front door. “You’re here at last.” She couldn’t help but smile at Alex. “I’m glad you made it.”

Jorden introduced her mother to Alex and Tom. Graciously, Mary served them coffee and peach cobbler around their large oak dining room table. Jorden watched her mother talk with such vitality; she did envy her easy manner with people.

Tom spoke up, “We’d best be going. We have a long drive ahead of us.”

Alex lifted his cup to Mrs. Marshall. “Thank you. The coffee and cobbler hit the spot—just the break we needed.”