Boardwalk Brides

by Janice Thompson

  Or not.

  She looked over into the anxious eyes of Corey Lutton and his parents. Oh no. Corey looked at her with a hopeful expression, then walked her way for a hug. Every eye in the place looked their way as Corey’s strong arms wrapped her in a slightly-too-long embrace. In that moment, she contemplated taking ten or twelve of the helium balloons. . . tying them together. . .and soaring off over the Atlantic.

  Instead, she returned Corey’s hug, welcomed his family, then went to work. . .pretending everything was all right.

  SIXTEEN

  Darren managed to make it through the party, but not in the best frame of mind. Candy had avoided him all night, even going so far as to sit with that Corey fellow and his parents during the party, but no more. He would get to the bottom of this if it killed him. And it just might.

  He approached her just as the others were beginning to leave. “Candy?”

  She turned his way with a cautious look on her face. “Yes?”

  “We need to talk.” Darren didn’t mean for his words to come across sounding gruff, but they did.

  Candy sighed before answering. “Yes, I know. We do.” Without so much as a word, she set off toward the door.

  Darren followed along behind her until they stood outside the shop on the boardwalk. She then took several rapid steps, moving them farther away from the store. Where are you going?

  “Candy, slow down.”

  When she turned to him, he noticed tears in her eyes. “Wait. Why are you crying? What in the world is happening here? Has someone done something to hurt you?”

  Pain registered in her eyes immediately. “Darren. . .” She seemed to be grasping for words. “I told you that day at Essex County that I’ve always been a dreamer. Always had big ideas.”

  “Right.” He shrugged. What does this have to do with anything?

  “I need you to know that I’ve worked really hard to get to the place I’m at.”

  “Well, I can certainly appreciate that. I’ve done the same.” A tear spilled over her lashes and she brushed it away. “I’ve spent nearly two years away from my family. . .getting my wings. Building time. Taking the job in Newark. It’s been a huge sacrifice.”

  “I know. I never said—” A large group passed by them, laughing and talking loudly.

  Candy put her hand up to stop him from continuing. “I’m just saying that I didn’t just decide one day I wanted to fly. I’ve poured every ounce of strength into making this dream a reality, and I’ve prayed about it every step of the way. Every door that’s opened has been opened by God. Yes, my dreams are big, but they’re mine. And I’m not going to let anyone shoot them down.”

  “Shoot them down?” He paused, completely dumbfounded. What did this have to do with him? “Are you talking about the guys? ’Cause if you are, you need to know that—”

  “I’m talking about you.” She faced him dead-on and looked him squarely in the eye.

  “W–what?”

  “I’m talking about you going behind my back to meet with the men. Making promises to help them try to bring me down. Supporting them behind my back.”

  “Bring you down?” He shook his head, confused. “Wait a minute, Candy. There’s been some kind of misunderstanding here.”

  “So, you can honestly stand there and tell me you’re not working with the guys?”

  “Working with them?” He stared at her, completely stunned. “What makes you think that? I’m certainly not in favor of what they’re doing, if that’s what you think.” Could she really think that of him? If so, how could he possibly convince her otherwise?

  ❧

  Shame washed over Candy as she stared into Darren’s pain- filled eyes. “So, that day at the Marriott. . .”

  “Day at the Marriott?” Wrinkles formed between his eyes for a second, then his eyes widened. “Candy. . .you were at the Marriott on the day the men met?”

  She nodded, feeling the lump rise in her throat. “I was.”

  “I never saw you.”

  “I was, um, hiding behind a tree.”

  Darren laughed. “Well, why didn’t you make your presence known?” Just as quickly he caught himself. “No, never mind. I get it. The men weren’t in the best frame of mind. But when you saw me, why didn’t you say something? Jump out from behind the tree? Give me a piece of your mind? If you thought I was—”

  “I don’t know.” She groaned. “I saw you patting Gary on the back and telling him that you would support him. . . .”

  “Ah, I get it. You thought I meant support him in the cause?” Darren shook his head. “No, I was talking about something else entirely. He’d just told me about a possible job offer with a charter service in Philly. I’d told him I’d support him in prayer. Told him I was onboard to pray for favor for the new job.”

  “Oh no.” She groaned again, more than a little ashamed for her assumptions.

  “He’s my friend. And even though he’s had some problems, I still care about him. He’s got an attitude, but he’s a good pilot. A little time working for less money will do him some good. But did you really think. . .?” Darren’s voice trailed off.

  Candy sighed and shook her head. “How did I do this? How did I mess this up so royally?”

  “You didn’t. It’s just a misunderstanding.”

  “But that’s just it. I’m tired of misunderstandings. I’m tired of the junior-high problems in a grown-up world. I’ve always been accused of being flighty. And I can’t act like a grown woman, even when I try.”

  “Oh, you’re wrong about that.” He drew near and her arms instinctively wrapped around his waist as he pulled her close. Anticipation washed over Candy, along with pure joy. “You’re a very grown-up woman, Candy Carini. Plenty grown-up for me.” He kissed the end of her nose and she felt every anxiety lift. Funny how just one kiss could do that. It spoke a thousand words. No, a hundred thousand.

  His lips met hers for a gentle kiss. Well, gentle at first. After a moment, the intensity of the moment seemed to sweep over them both. Darren backed up and smiled at her. “I think we’ve just proven you’re not a little girl. But I think we’d better stop while we’re ahead. You might be a little too much woman for me.”

  Candy felt her cheeks warm. “Somehow I doubt that. But you’re right. I’m just so. . .so happy right now.”

  “Me, too.” He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “Now, we’ve got to promise we’ll always talk things through. No more avoiding, okay?”

  “Okay.” She sighed, but inwardly rejoiced. Something about his use of the word always gave her such hope.

  ❧

  Though the crowd of people pressed in around him, Darren felt like he and Candy had slipped off into their own private world. Had she really thought he would turn on her? He could never do that. Still, with the little she’d overheard at the Marriott, her reactions now made sense.

  “Candy, I have to tell you something.” She looked up at him with a hopeful expression. “These past few days have been awful. Just being away from you for that length of time almost did me in. My heart is. . .” He pushed beyond the lump in his throat to continue. “My heart is completely. . .”

  “What?”

  “It’s not mine anymore.” He smiled as the words settled into his spirit. “Ugh. I’m not saying this right.”

  “No, you’re doing fine,” she said.

  “What I’m trying to say. . .what I need to say. . .is, I love you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “Do you mean that?”

  “Of course.” He planted kisses in her hair. “And don’t ever doubt it.”

  “I won’t.” She rested comfortably in his embrace as the reality of her feelings became clear, then whispered, “You know I love you, too, right?”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  Nothing else needed to be said for a few moments. Darren finally broke the silence. “I’m going to do my best to keep the lines of communication wide open from now on. And as far as the men at Eastway go, well, I’m
going to do my best to put them in their place. You’re too good a pilot to take the kind of flack they’ve dished out. And you’re too good a woman. . .” Here he stumbled over the words, “to ever have to deal with unnecessary pain.”

  “Thank you.” Her eyes brimmed over.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  “Oh, I’m not sad.” A girlish giggle escaped. “Sometimes I just get emotional when I’m happy. And right now, I’m very, very happy.”

  “Me, too.”

  He wrapped her in his arms for a final embrace. Funny, standing here on the boardwalk with people passing by, there were no problems left for the two of them to solve. And if life did happen to toss them any unexpected challenges. . . with God’s help, they would soar above them.

  SEVENTEEN

  In the days following his trip to Atlantic City, Darren found himself on a proverbial roller-coaster ride. Every time he thought about Candy. . .about their conversation and the kiss that followed, he wanted to shout for joy. Then, just about the time he started to do so, something at Eastway would come along to bring him down, if only for a moment.

  One major complication had arisen. In spite of Gary’s meetings with union officials, Eastway carried through with its threats and fired him. No issues of sexism from the airline could be proven, nor should they, at least to Darren’s way of thinking. Gary had made his mistakes when he demeaned his crew and now paid a hefty price. This had nothing to do with the hiring or firing of anyone else. Still, there remained an undercurrent of discontentment among the men, and Darren made it a priority to pray about the situation every day.

  He prayed about something else, too, something hidden deep in his heart that he hadn’t shared with anyone—an idea that had been formulating for some time now. One that could very well change the course of his life, if he made the right move at the right time. If the Lord would give him the go-ahead, Darren just might find himself soaring in a completely new and different direction.

  But first, he would have to get a rock-solid answer from on high. No point in flying off on a tangent without asking the Lord His opinion first.

  Oh, but if only the heavens would open up and rain down his answer. Then Darren Furst would be the happiest of men. Not that he wasn’t happy already. These days, he found himself cracking more jokes than ever, and waiting for every opportunity to make people smile. Joy flooded his heart, particularly when he spent time with Candy. And he finally found himself free to dream again. . .really dream. She had that effect on him, to be sure.

  There were other changes, as well. With Jason’s help, Darren spent some time talking through the problems he’d faced because of the poor interaction between his parents. Maybe, with time, he could develop a better relationship with them. Of course, it might require a trip to San Diego, but he could manage that.

  In the meantime, there was plenty to take care of in Newark. Candy and her friends were all abuzz about an upcoming banquet they were hosting. Hopefully it would be just the ticket. . .just the thing to bring the men and women of Eastway together.

  ❧

  Candy returned to Newark with renewed joy and peace in her heart. Despite Gary’s firing, she knew it had nothing to do with her hiring. . .or anyone else’s for that matter. So, in spite of any communication issues—or lack thereof—with the men, she decided to move forward with the banquet featuring prominent women in aviation.

  With Brooke, Anna, and Shawneda in tow, she selected the perfect spot—the Dorothy Ball House at Lincoln Park. All around the park stood brownstone mansions, built in the mid-nineteenth century. . .homes of the elite of the day. In that place, so rich with history, they would celebrate the achievements of women from the past, the present, and the future.

  Candy had managed to secure two speakers for the evening, an elderly woman named Margaret Franklin, age seventy- nine. She’d flown a medic plane during the Vietnam War and agreed to speak on the topic, “The Changing Role of Women in Aviation.” And then there was Norah Bonner, the youngest woman working for a commercial airline. Funny, how close Candy came to winning that prize herself. Norah agreed to share her story of how she came to fly.

  On the first Saturday in September, Candy met with the other women from Eastway at the banquet site to finalize plans. They walked through the various rooms of the facility, finally stopping in the banquet room. Once there, they paused and looked around.

  “How many people are we expecting again?” Shawneda asked with a dubious look on her face.

  “At last count, one hundred twenty. Maybe a few more.” Candy reached for her clipboard, flipping pages until she found the one she was looking for. “Yes. One-twenty. More or less.”

  “Hope it’s less.” Shawneda pursed her lips as she reexamined the room.

  “I’ve got a couple of RSVPs still to come.” Candy shrugged. “But I’m sure this will all work out.”

  “Hope you’re right. I don’t know how we’re going to fit that many people in here.” Brooke looked doubtful.

  Candy sighed. “We have no choice. But how did I know so many of the women would respond? We’ve got ladies coming from five different states. I couldn’t fathom there would be such an amazing turnout. But it’s such a great thing. The money we raise will go for scholarships for incoming female pilots.”

  “I don’t know if I ever told you, but I got a scholarship when I first started flight school,” Anna said. “It helped a lot. I could never have paid for it on my own, and I know my parents couldn’t have, either.”

  Shawneda sighed and dropped into a nearby chair.

  “What’s wrong?” Candy looked her way, puzzled by her friend’s reaction.

  “You’re just bringing up old memories. I wanted to. . .”

  “What?”

  All of the women gathered around her. Shawneda’s eyes brimmed over with tears. “You all see me as this happy-go-lucky flight attendant, and for the most part I am. But you don’t know that I really wanted to go to flight school. My parents got divorced when I was in high school, so just about the time I really started thinking about it, well. . .”

  “Oh, I never knew.” Brooke knelt down next to her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Shawneda shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I didn’t want to get into the whole story about my family’s lack of finances. And trust me, just the idea of taking out loans to go to flight school was out of the question. So, I went the other route. And don’t get me wrong, being a flight attendant is great, but. . .”

  “It’s not too late.” Anna pulled up a chair next to her. “Maybe some of the scholarship money could be used for you.”

  “Oh, no. I wasn’t implying anything like that.” Shawneda looked stunned at first, and then embarrassed. “Just hearing about it made me a little. . .reminiscent. Besides, it’s all water under the bridge now. The past is in the past. You know?”

  “Well, yes,” Candy agreed. “But this whole banquet is to celebrate where we are today. . .and where we’re heading. So, if I were you, I’d be praying about this, Shawneda. Seriously. Because God just might open a door. I happen to know of a great flight school on Long Island. You could get your training there.” She put her clipboard down, sat down, and went into a lengthy explanation of what it would take for Shawneda to get her license.

  By the time their conversation ended, nearly twenty minutes had passed. Candy and the others prayed with Shawneda— right there in the Dorothy House—about her secret desire to fly. Candy knew from her own experience that the desire usually didn’t go away on its own. No, most of the people who had the bug ended up flying. . .sooner or later. The more Candy thought about it, the more excited she got. Perhaps, with some of the event’s incoming scholarship money, she could play a role in helping her roomie fulfill a lifelong dream.

  They wrapped up their prayer time just as a familiar voice rang out. “Are we having church?”

  “Darren!” She rose and rushed his direction. “What are you doing here?”

>   “Well, a little bird told me you’d be here. I thought maybe you might let me take you to dinner. Are you hungry?”

  “Am I ever! But can you give us a few more minutes to wrap up? We were just about to shift gears and talk about decorations.”

  “Woo-hoo. It’s my lucky night. One lone man in a banquet room with four women talking about decorations.”

  “Hey now.” She gave him a pouting look. “We want this night to be a rousing success and half the fun is the decorating.” She turned to the others, excitement growing. Reaching for her clipboard once again, she read some things she’d written down. “We’re going with a fairly simple theme with great fall colors. I’ve come up with a fun idea for centerpieces for the table, but I need someone to make them.” Her gaze shifted to Darren, who’d taken to examining his nails.

  After a moment’s pause, he looked up. “What? Who, me?”

  “Yes, you and Jason and maybe some of the other guys. We need model airplanes.”

  “Oh, that’s easy. I’ve got at least five or six at my place.”

  “I know. But we’re going to have fifteen tables at least,” she explained. “And then the head table for the speakers and their husbands. So, we’re probably talking at least twenty model airplanes. Planes from all different eras, I mean. And wouldn’t it be cool to have several hanging up, too?”

  “Twenty?” Darren shook his head. “Do you have any idea how long it takes to put together even one? It’s tedious work.”

  Candy sighed. “Well, maybe if we check around we’ll find a few more already made. But let’s go to the hobby shop this afternoon, Darren. Okay? Before we eat?”

  He shrugged. “Sure. Why not. When is this shindig again?” He raked his fingertips through his now-messy hair. “I might have to hire outside help.”

  “It’s the last Saturday of this month, so you have three weeks.”