Chapter Two –June 1980
“Kim, wake up. I see it. We’re almost there.” Julia nudged her friend as she looked out the airplane window.
Kim woke immediately. The excitement on the entire plane was contagious, and as the aircraft began its descent into Frankfurt, Germany, the voices of the other choir members escalated.
“I can’t believe we are finally here,” Kim leaned over Julia and gazed down on the sleeping city. She squeezed Julia’s arm. “Does that hurt?”
“Of course it does.” Julia laughed. “What are you doing?”
“Making sure this is all real.”
“You’re supposed to pinch yourself, nut.” She watched out the window as the plane dipped to the right and brought them closer to the city. She sighed with excitement and happiness. Julia had waited so long for this summer trip. The next two weeks promised fun filled days of touring, sightseeing and choral performances.
“I’m so glad your dad relented and let you come,” Kim said, vying for equal window space.
“Me too. ” Julia adjusted in her seat allowing her friend more window room. “But he couldn’t say no once that scholarship money came through for next fall. After all, my college fund money was money I earned and-”
“I know, I know. And now you can use it for the trip instead of college.”
“Okay, so I’m still a bit mad at my dad over the whole thing.”
“A bit?” Kim said. “Let’s just say that if I have to hear one more time about your dad and college, and how you have to major in nursing ‘cause your dad doesn’t appreciate theater, I’m going to jump out of this plane.”
Julia sat back in her seat. “I still can’t believe he won’t let me major in what I want.”
“That’s it, I’m jumping.” Kim laughed, but gave her friend a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. “Look. You can’t think about that now, okay? Just relax and have a good time and worry about it when we get back. Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet some little old guy in lederhosen who owns a pub and he’ll fall madly in love and marry you. Then you’ll dress up like Heidi and serve drinks to the locals for the rest of your life.”
“Oh, like that sounds promising.” Julia playfully pushed Kim back into her own seat.
Despite the dismal and drizzling Frankfurt weather, the plane landed safely. The girls gathered their belongings and transferred to a tour bus. It would be another two to three hour bus ride to their overnight stay in the medieval city of Rothenburg, Germany.
The excited chatter of the thirty choir members filled the bus. Occasionally they joined in song to practice one of the melodies they would perform in the towns they toured. As Julia joined in, she felt Kim nudge her in the ribs.
She looked at Kim who donned a mischievous smile.
“Rumor has it we’re making a break for it tonight, Jules.”
“What do you mean?”
Kim dropped her voice to a whisper. “Bob in the bass section has an older brother who went on this trip last year. There’s a small pub in Rothenburg, and since the drinking age in Germany is only sixteen-”
“Oh no.” Julia disliked the idea already. She fidgeted with the gold cross around her neck, a gift passed on to her from her mother.
“Bob and some of the others are going to sneak out tonight and go. ”
“And why does this concern us?” Julia already suspected the answer. Kim was head-over-heels for Chris Elliott, Bob’s best friend. Where Bob went, Chris went, and where Chris went, Kim was sure to follow.
