another past Lindanny*

Linda O'Shea held the envelope in her hand. She sighed and remembered the first time she decided she wanted to be a nurse.

"I'm gonna be a nurse!" A five year old Linda stated to her teddy bear dressed in a nurse's uniform. "I'm gonna help people! And I'm gonna be the bestest nurse ever!"

Linda smiled as she remembered making that promise to her favorite stuffed animal. She had graduated high school with numerous scholarships, was top of all her classes, and had gotten her LPN in her freshman year of college.

Now she held her future in her hands. She had just taken the test for the RN, the highest "level" of nursing. She had devoted all her free time for studying hard, making her boyfriend feel neglected. But she had smoothed the waters with him, and now she was dialing his number.

"Reagan," Danny answered as he looked through papers.

"Danny, it's Linda. I just got my test results back."

"That's great! Didja pass? I know you did, you're too smart not to."

Linda blushed at the praise. "I haven't opened it yet; I'm too scared to do it by myself. Isn't that silly? Twenty two years old, and I'm scared to look at a test score."

"Nah, it's not silly. Not really. Want me to come over?"

"Would you mind? It'd mean a lot to me."

"Sure. I'm in the middle of something, but I could come later then take you to a celebration dinner?"

"You really expect me to pass?"

"You may be the smartest woman I know. I'll be over as soon as I'm done."

"Thank you, Danny. I love you."

"Love you more."

"Love you most."

Danny came to Linda's humble apartment around six o'clock. He was dressed in something he'd end up wearing nearly every day for the rest of his life- a casual suit.

Linda smiled and took the champagne from Danny's hand. "1969. Good year." She was dressed in a yellow dress with thin white lines. She loved that dress as it could easily be dressed up or down.

"Ready to open the letter?" Danny sat down on the couch.

She nodded and retrieved the results. She sat down next to her boyfriend and sighed. "Here goes..." She opened it up, and quickly scanned the letter. When she saw what she wanted, she laughed and hugged Danny.

"You were right!"

"Course I was right."

"I passed!" Linda excitedly kissed Danny and smiled. "I'm an RN!"

"Congratulations! Let's go celebrate? Where ya wanna go?"

"I don't know! Some place fancy!"

"Let's go find some place fancy!" Danny put an arm around his girlfriend and led her to the car.