to get laid but don't tell you in the first five minutes?" Caroline replied.
"Cynic," her mother chided.
Chapter Two
Perched on the window seat in her room, Caroline watched the moonlight play on the gently moving leaves of a Linden tree and wondered what plan Linda would invent next. Her mother was a determined lady and marrying off her daughter was her most recent preoccupation. Caroline slipped into bed, preferring not to think about Linda’s next scheme and drifted off to sleep wishing to find her Prince Charming soon so she could get on with her life.
The next morning, she padded into the kitchen and plopped down at the table next to her mother. Linda wore her reading glasses while she pored over the newspaper.
“Can I have the want-ads?” asked Caroline.
Her mom handed her part of the paper and she began to search the section under the heading “Teachers Wanted” for a position teaching art. Three years earlier, the young artist hadn’t fought her mother’s suggestion she prepare for a job teaching, but she refused to change her major to education, preferring to continue with her fine arts degree. Linda relented, knowing how strong the artistic pull to create could be. Her late husband, Alex Davis, a very talented artist, handed his talent down to his daughter, whom he always called, “Sunny.” Linda sat back with her coffee, her mind wandered back to the first day she met her husband.
****
Linda had fallen in love with Alex in college. He’d spotted her in the quad and drawn a quick sketch.
She was quite stunning and admired by most of the guys on campus, having been crowned homecoming queen two weeks earlier. Alex, painfully shy, dropped his sketch on the grass in front of her, pretending it was an acciden t. Linda picked it up, looked at the sketch and then at Alex. He got flustered, and ended up dropping his sketchpad, pencils and chalks in front of her, causing her to giggle.
His hand touched hers when she handed him back the sketch pad and their eyes met. His shy smile grew bigger and his blue eyes danced. She was captivated. He invited her to sit for him and published his drawing in the school magazine, which brought her invitations for dates from a dozen guys, much to Alex’s distress. But Linda turned them all down to be with him.
The young artist didn’t have much money but he was loaded with charm and ingenuity. He took her on unusual dates: picnics in the woods, bird watching, late night skinny dipping in an off-campus lake where Linda succumbed to desire, giving him her virginity. They became inseparable. While some of the girls wondered what the beauty queen saw in the shy artist with the uncertain future, Linda knew the sweet man inside who was desperately in love with her.
Graduation came and Linda received her nursing degree. She and Alex eloped, since her parents didn’t approve of her marrying a “starving” artist. They moved to New York City where Linda found work and Alex painted. He continued to do portraits of his adored wife and they lived on love in a tiny apartment.
****
“So, no teaching jobs?” Linda asked Caroline.
She shook her head.
“I found something.”
Sunny looked at her mother and cocked an eyebrow.
“Look here. A listing of the charity functions, dinners…dances,” Linda pointed out.
“You think we should be recipients of charity?”
“A perfect place to socialize, mingle with the rich.”
Caroline grabbed the paper and read the listings. “Five hundred dollars a ticket! Where would we get that kind of money to toss away on a dinner?”
“Some are less. Here’s one that’s only $150 a plate. We can squeeze out $300. I’ve put a little bit aside. Kind of like a dowry, since you will be getting married someday.”
“Don’t hold your breath, Mom. Prince Charming isn’t exactly beating down my door.”
“Not yet, but he will. Look at you, Caroline. You’re beautiful. We’re going. I’ll go with you so you don’t have to
"Cynic," her mother chided.
Chapter Two
Perched on the window seat in her room, Caroline watched the moonlight play on the gently moving leaves of a Linden tree and wondered what plan Linda would invent next. Her mother was a determined lady and marrying off her daughter was her most recent preoccupation. Caroline slipped into bed, preferring not to think about Linda’s next scheme and drifted off to sleep wishing to find her Prince Charming soon so she could get on with her life.
The next morning, she padded into the kitchen and plopped down at the table next to her mother. Linda wore her reading glasses while she pored over the newspaper.
“Can I have the want-ads?” asked Caroline.
Her mom handed her part of the paper and she began to search the section under the heading “Teachers Wanted” for a position teaching art. Three years earlier, the young artist hadn’t fought her mother’s suggestion she prepare for a job teaching, but she refused to change her major to education, preferring to continue with her fine arts degree. Linda relented, knowing how strong the artistic pull to create could be. Her late husband, Alex Davis, a very talented artist, handed his talent down to his daughter, whom he always called, “Sunny.” Linda sat back with her coffee, her mind wandered back to the first day she met her husband.
****
Linda had fallen in love with Alex in college. He’d spotted her in the quad and drawn a quick sketch.
She was quite stunning and admired by most of the guys on campus, having been crowned homecoming queen two weeks earlier. Alex, painfully shy, dropped his sketch on the grass in front of her, pretending it was an acciden t. Linda picked it up, looked at the sketch and then at Alex. He got flustered, and ended up dropping his sketchpad, pencils and chalks in front of her, causing her to giggle.
His hand touched hers when she handed him back the sketch pad and their eyes met. His shy smile grew bigger and his blue eyes danced. She was captivated. He invited her to sit for him and published his drawing in the school magazine, which brought her invitations for dates from a dozen guys, much to Alex’s distress. But Linda turned them all down to be with him.
The young artist didn’t have much money but he was loaded with charm and ingenuity. He took her on unusual dates: picnics in the woods, bird watching, late night skinny dipping in an off-campus lake where Linda succumbed to desire, giving him her virginity. They became inseparable. While some of the girls wondered what the beauty queen saw in the shy artist with the uncertain future, Linda knew the sweet man inside who was desperately in love with her.
Graduation came and Linda received her nursing degree. She and Alex eloped, since her parents didn’t approve of her marrying a “starving” artist. They moved to New York City where Linda found work and Alex painted. He continued to do portraits of his adored wife and they lived on love in a tiny apartment.
****
“So, no teaching jobs?” Linda asked Caroline.
She shook her head.
“I found something.”
Sunny looked at her mother and cocked an eyebrow.
“Look here. A listing of the charity functions, dinners…dances,” Linda pointed out.
“You think we should be recipients of charity?”
“A perfect place to socialize, mingle with the rich.”
Caroline grabbed the paper and read the listings. “Five hundred dollars a ticket! Where would we get that kind of money to toss away on a dinner?”
“Some are less. Here’s one that’s only $150 a plate. We can squeeze out $300. I’ve put a little bit aside. Kind of like a dowry, since you will be getting married someday.”
“Don’t hold your breath, Mom. Prince Charming isn’t exactly beating down my door.”
“Not yet, but he will. Look at you, Caroline. You’re beautiful. We’re going. I’ll go with you so you don’t have to