Show tita fiction A RIDE INTHE IN THE DARK by LOUISE BERGSTROM T hiie HE headlights ot of the blue coupe flashed on in the driveway joy joyce cc who had been watching from rom an upstairs window reached hurriedly aled ly tor for the coat lying on her bed As she slipped into it she elie made a last quick survey of the room to tee see that she had not forgotten anything by the door her neatly packed suitcase stood ready and even now the room had that deserted imper tonal monal atmo atmosphere a room acquires when its occupant goes away her heightened emotions threw an unnatural clarity over the fa familiar scene little things she had not noticed for weeks sprang ro ing suddenly into focus A silly little horn hanging on the dresser was a reminder of at a dance terry had t taken liken her to while they were still in college ile ha had kissed her that night for the first time the photograph stuck k in the edge of the mirror 7 terry 1 with a horrible grimace pretending pretend in 9 to 0 lutch clutch her throat as she knelt in in the sand that had been taken the day the gang drove out to three tree point for or a picnic how flow young we were she thought wistfully Y how ow terribly carelessly young and well never be young like that aga iril she shivered and drew her co coat closer around her s shoulders hould e rs for tonight was the end of 0 her girlhood the end ot of the careless silly years af alter er tonight nothing would ever be quite the same again better perhaps oh yes far far betherl but not the same ever again she caught her breath in a 5 u adden panic and for one hor despairing moment she tho thought acht 1 I dont want to go through with itt it im then with a laughing sigh at her absurdity she shook the mood from her and herric I 1 out of the rc room without looking back safely in the car w with ith her suitcase tucked under her feet sh she re relaxed I 1 axe d comfortably against th the shoulder of the young man behind the steering wheel look terry theres a new moon tonight Is that a good omen do you suppose 1 I hope so darling he looked tenderly down at the delicate delicata oval of her face ace childish mop of brown curls and the small hands folded C carefully are fully in her lap oh joyce he exclaimed abruptly dont you think we should have told your mother alter after all are you sure that you want to do it tilts this way hush terry she patted his knee lets not go into that again its too late anyway you know mother she thinks im still a baby she wanted us to wa wait t at least another year she might be right at that terry T erry replied uncertainly maybe you are too young Non nonsense 1 she shook her curls emphatically A girl bilows avows when ashes read ready it lucky mother decided to go to CaU california fornia when she did everything worked out beautifully now she know a thing about it until its all over darling her voice grew pensive wily why do you suppose it is that middle aged people cant seem to remember what its like to be young and in love dont they remember the beauty and the relentless lent less urgency dont they know that there has to come coma a time when youve 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 tools took her hand in a hard bard grip joyce de dearest aresti he whispered they wore were silent client then and the m moon oon b bathed thed landscape sped past as his toot 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 nf n new growth at last they hoy were wera cul cu of the c country coming into the of a town where street lights dimmed the moon and houses stood in dark huddled rows terry slowed the car then sud donly denly pulled up to the curb and turned to the girl beside him his is arms went around her and his hea head d bent be tit down to hers 1 I lovs love you joyce he said aa against ainest her soft hair are you afraid of tonight she thought fleetingly of 0 the moment in her room when she sha said goodbye to her girlhood but that moment was wag passed swept away by the tide of new emotions As long as you love me terry she replied simply im not afraid of tonight or afterwards a rd 3 it was as quite true she felt strong now and confident ready leady for anything the future might hold ile he kissed her gently and the car moved forward again slowly now as though the future had become lim precious dorany for any risk A brightly y d bullying tuil bull ding loomed before them and itan popped again at the foot of a flight tl ti liane one steps ire ile picked up her saltern and stopped stepped out ot of the car t then he n tl tr t to take her arm joyce looked up eagerly at the words cut over the entrance to the building LAKEWOOD MATERNITY HOSPITAL she smiled at her husband gravely reassuringly and together they started up the steps toward the tha welcoming lights I 1 X if how w young idling we were she thought wistfully now how terribly carelessly carelessly care lesly lesly and well never be young like that again |