Title: Never an Absolution
Author: DarkFaithSlayer
Rated: PG-13
Classification: Drama/Romance
Plot Summary: This is the story of Elizabeth Marks, before she became a wife and mother, before she was Elizabeth Thomas-Brewer, and before Kristy was even born! This is about how Elizabeth grew up in the turbulent 1960s, how she fell in love with Patrick Thomas, and how she became the extraordinary woman that Kristy looks up to so much.
Chapter One1969. New York City, New York.
On a warm Friday night in late June, New York City was as alive as ever. The "city that never slept" lived up to its name, especially to the recently graduated class of 1969. Seventeen year old Elizabeth Marks sat perched Indian-style on top of a small table at a nightclub in downtown Manhattan. The club was packed, with the majority of the party-goers being the students of Manhattan-Dakota High School who had graduated that morning. The club was dimly lit and smoky, with the scents of alcohol and cigarette smoke clouding the atmosphere. Behind the bar, a sequined banner that read "Congratulations, Class of 1969!" was hung.
Elizabeth was sitting with her three best friends: Grace Guettler, Laura Rush, and Amy Watson. "Dude," Amy was saying between drags on her cigarette. "I cannot believe that we're graduates! High school is finally over. I thought it would never end. And I turn eighteen next week---I am so out of here."
"Why leave?" asked Grace. "New York is the best place in the world! And now that the sucky part—school—is over, it's nonstop partying until college."
"College is a nonstop party," Elizabeth joked.
"Actually it's a nonstop peace protest," Laura put in with a roll of her eyes. "My cousin is a freshman at UCLA. She says that down there, the students are way into peace organizations and war protests."
"Oh yeah?" Elizabeth asked.
Laura nodded. "Yeah, but I don't know why they're going to all the trouble. The war will be over soon. Remember that President Johnson stated he was going to take 25,000 soldiers out of Vietnam?"
Grace looked bored. "Great, great," she said, rolling her eyes to accentuate how un-great she thought it was. "In case you guys didn't notice, it's graduation night," she continued. "Forget politics and let's have some fun!"
No sooner were the words out of her mouth then a Jimi Hendrix song began to play. Grace hopped up from her seat and grabbed Elizabeth's arm. "Let's dance!"
Laughing, Elizabeth allowed herself to be swept onto the dance floor. She was having a great time, despite thinking about the war-torn world their diplomas stated they were ready to join. Tonight, all she wanted to think about was having a great time and dreaming about what her future had in store for her.
* * * *
Elizabeth lived in a twentieth floor apartment on Central Park West, a beautiful apartment with a view overlooking the park. Mr. Marks was a successful journalist and provided a comfortable home for Elizabeth, her younger sister Judy, and their housewife mother. Elizabeth normally loved coming home to the fresh-smelling apartment, with its cream colored carpets and plush furniture, but on graduation night, as she slowly turned the door knob and eased the door open, all she could think about was getting some sleep. Her head was still an achy mix of dancing, music, and alcohol swirled together with mixed-up thoughts of Vietnam and college. All she wanted to do was lay down and sleep for a few hours.
Elizabeth let herself into the apartment and locked the door behind her. The door had at least five locks on it, because you could never be too careful even in a plush apartment with a doorman in the lobby.
As Elizabeth was turning each of the locks, someone said, "Did you have fun?"
Elizabeth jumped, and then turned to see her mother standing in the doorway to the front hall, wearing a bathrobe and holding a mug of coffee. "Mom, don't scare me," Elizabeth said, flipping the last lock into place before completely turning to face her mother. "Yes, I had fun," she answered. "Too much fun. I need sleep."
"I bet," her mother said. "Liz, it's nearly three in the morning. I know that it was your graduation night, but it's certainly not safe for a young girl your age to be wandering New York City in the middle of the night."
"I wasn't wandering," Elizabeth said. "I was in the club until about fifteen minutes ago, when I took a cab right here. The only times I was on the streets were getting in and out of the cab, which couldn't be avoided."
"Elizabeth---"
Stop being such a smart ass, Elizabeth finished mentally. She knew her mother would never actually say it, but she knew that's what she was thinking.
Hannah Marks sighed, and then attempted to give her daughter a half smile. "I've been waiting up for you," she said. "At least give me the satisfaction of scolding you a little."
Elizabeth smiled at her mother. "And give me the satisfaction of being a pain," she replied.
Elizabeth had always gotten along well with her mother, mostly because Mrs. Marks was such an amazing person. Growing up, Elizabeth had heard all sorts of stories of her mother's life before she'd married and had children. Hannah had been eighteen in 1944, when she'd enlisted as an army nurse and had gone overseas to the war in Europe. That was where she met Frank Marks, Elizabeth's father. The two married after the war was over and moved to New York City, and in 1952, Elizabeth had been born.
Mrs. Marks was a great mother, both to Elizabeth and to ten-year-old Judy. She and Elizabeth were especially close, which was why Mrs. Marks wasn't more angry at Elizabeth's broken curfew. She was just glad to see Elizabeth was in one piece.
Suddenly, Elizabeth wasn't tired anymore. She headed for the kitchen to pour her own mug of coffee, and then sat down at the table. Hannah joined her.
"So, what are you planning on doing now?" Mrs. Marks asked her daughter. "You can do anything you want, you know. I know your father wants you to major in journalism, but is it what you want?"
Elizabeth shrugged, looking out the tiny kitchen window. The view was only of the side alley and the apartment across the way, but Elizabeth liked it anyway. She stared at the fire escape of the next apartment building, before turning back to her mother. "I don't know," she said. "I like to think I can do anything I want, but that's not realistic, is it? I have to have concrete plans that will get me somewhere. Dad's right, journalism is a good career."
"Why is it unrealistic to want to do whatever you want?" Mrs. Marks asked. "Look at me. I was only a year older than you when I became a nurse. I desperately wanted to do something more than ration sugar or sell war bonds---so I did."
"Yeah, but what did your parents think?" Elizabeth asked.
"They hated it," Mrs. Marks said matter-of-factly. "My mother wanted me to marry right away and marry someone rich, for that matter, so I could be a proper housewife. And as things turned out, we both won. I went to the war, married your father and had two beautiful daughters. And I'm still a proper housewife." She smiled at Elizabeth.
Elizabeth nodded. "I don't want to be a housewife. No offense, Mom, but I want to have a career."
"Then have a career," Mrs. Marks replied. "The world is at your fingertips, Elizabeth. Use it." With that, she got up and rinsed out her mug, said goodnight, and headed down the hall to her bedroom.
Elizabeth sat there awhile longer, mulling over their conversation. Hannah was right, of course. Elizabeth would never be able to return to this moment—this time when she'd just closed the door on the past and everything that could hold her back. She was standing on the threshold of the future, and all she needed to do was open that next door.
She better pick the right one.
* * * *