Show fab ION A RIDE IN THE DARK by LOUISE BERGSTROM ij W borner u in 1 a i L HE headlight of the blue coupe T THE flashed on in the driveway joyce who had been watching from an upstairs window reached hur friedly lor for the coat lying on her bed As she sli slipped piped into it she made a last quick survey of the room to see that she bad had not forgotten any thing by the door her neatly packed suitcase stood ready and even now the room had that deserted imper tonal zonal atmosphere a room acquires when its occupant goes away her heightened emotions threw an unnatural clarity over the famil lar tar scene little things she had not noticed tor for weeks sprang suddenly into focus A silly little horn hanging on the dresser was a reminder of a dance terry had taken her to while they were still in college he had kissed her that night for the first time tide the photograph stuck in the edge of the mirror terry with a horrible grimace pretending to clutch her throat as she knelt in supplication in the sand that had been taken the day the gang drove out to three tree po nt for a picnic how young we were she thought wistfully how terribly carelessly and we 31 never be young like that agail she shivered and drew her coat closer around her shoulders for tonight was the end of her girlhood the end of the careless silly years after tonight nothing would ever be quite the same again better per haps oh yes far far betteli but not the same ever again she caught her breath in a sudden panic and for one horrible despairing moment she thought I 1 I 1 don t want to go through with it I 1 in afraid then with a laughing sigh at her absurdity she shook the mood from her and hurnel hurrie I 1 out of the room without looking back safely in the car with her suit case tucked under her feet she relaxed comfortably against the shoulder of the young man behind the steering wheel look terry there a a new moon tonight Is that a good omen do you suppose I 1 hope so darling he looked tenderly down at the delicate oval of her face childish mop of brown curls and the small hands folded carefully in her lap oh joyce he exclaimed abrupt ly don t you think we should have told your mother after all are you sure that you want to do it this way 1 hush terry I 1 she patted his knee let a s not go into that again its it s too late anyway you know mother she thinks I 1 in still a baby she wanted us to wait at least another year she might be right at that terry replied uncertainly maybe you are too young Non nonsense 1 she shook her curls emphatically A girl mows when she a ready wasn gasn t it lucky mother dec ded to go to california when she did evereth ng worked out beautifully now she needa t know a thing about it until it s all over darling I 1 her voice grew pen tive sive why do you suppose it is that middle aged people can t seem to remember what it its s like to be young and in love dont don t they remember the beauty and the re dentless lent less urgency don t they know that there has to come a time when youve you ve got to have it all and even everything is not enough her voice faltered and in the silence between them the words were like dark wings beating terry reached down and took her hand in a hard grip joyce dear de aresti estl he whispered they were silent then and the moon bathed landsea landscape pe sped past as his foot pressed hard on the gas pedal it was early spring and the cool night air blowing in through the car window had the restless exciting smell of new growth at last they were out of the country coming into the suburbs of ir f town where street lights it d named the moon and houses stood in dark huddled rows terry slowed the car then sud denly pulled up to the curb and turned to the girl beside bin him his arms went around her and bis his head bent down to hers I 1 love you joyce he said against her soft hair are you afraid of tonight she rine thought fleetingly of the mom moment ent in her room when she said goodbye to her girlhood but that moment was passed swept away by the tide of new emotions As long as you love me terry she replied simply I 1 in not afra d of ton or afterwards it was quite true she felt strong now and confident ready tor for anything the tu fu ture might hold he kissed her gently and the car moved forward again slowly now as though the future had become too precious for any risk A bright ly lighted building loomed before them and terry stopped again at the foot of a flight of stone steps he picked up her suitcase and stepped out of the car then turned to take her arm joyce looked up eagerly at the words cut over the entrance to the building LAKEWOOD MATERNITY HOS PITAL she sn smiled wed at her husband grave ly reassuringly and together they started up the steps toward the welcoming lights mt how young we she thought wistfully how terribly carelessly care lesly and well never be young like that again |