Spring 1964

The McCawley's had been on pins and needles for days, waiting.

Danny called his parents from Colorado the previous weekend to let them know that he was about to take his qualifying test flights. After working so hard and for so long, it would come down to a series of solos that would show his instructors what he learned over the last four years.

Ann was kept apprised of what was going on through Sarah and knew that they should receive word at any time.

"Unless he doesn't pass." Sarah worried as they walked on the beach near the shoreline and then stopped. "Annie, what if he doesn't pass?"

Ann stopped next to her and took her hand for a moment. "You worry too much Sarah. I don't know how many times I've heard your dad say that Danny has flying in his blood. It's the only thing he's ever really wanted to do and I have no doubt that he's going to become a pilot." And she continued to walk up the beach.

The warm water washed over her feet and Ann hoped that she sounded more confident than she felt. Danny could be the best pilot at the Air Force Academy, but all it might take for him to be denied his wings would be a series of bad flights. She knew Sarah was aware of that and she wasn't about to give voice to it.

"Does Caroline know that he testing?" She asked instead.

"Danny told me that he called her to tell her and that she didn't seem particularly impressed."

"I don't understand why they're still together. You've said yourself that they miss each other more than they see each other." Ann observed.

"She's got him on a string that's why." Sarah frowned.

"I don't understand."

She sighed. "My brother is her insurance policy because I don't believe for one second that she's back in New York being the faithful girlfriend."

Sarah's frankness surprised Ann. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Caroline Harris fancies herself as some kind of New York socialite and those kinds of girls don't stay home and pine for their long distance boyfriends, even if they are at the Air Force Academy."

Sarah McCawley was one of the nicest girls that Ann ever knew and in the years they'd grown up together, never heard her say a bad word about anyone. But Caroline proved to be the exception because Ann never heard her say anything nice about her. It started during Sarah's junior year after Caroline transferred to Pearl High and it went downhill from there.

Ann also knew that Sarah wouldn't dislike Danny's girlfriend so much if she didn't have a reason. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Do I need to draw a picture? She neglects him." She answered as though Ann weren't aware of it.

"That's always been obvious Sarah. I've overheard your parents talking to mine about it and they aren't too happy about the situation either."

"Mama would never say it, but I don't think she likes Caroline very much. She's always polite to her even though Caroline doesn't always show her the same courtesy."

Ann nodded. "I know. Your dad has had more than a few choice words about her."

Sarah looked surprised before she laughed. "And how would you know that?"

Ann smiled back. "You forget that my bedroom window faces the backyard and my desk is under the window. Sometimes, when I'm doing my homework and our dads are by themselves on the back porch talking, I can hear them and your dad says exactly what he thinks. And he doesn't think too highly of her."

"I wonder if Mama knows."

"I'm sure she does. Your parents seem to tell each other everything, just like my parents do."

Sarah nodded. "You're right about that. They've always tried to set a good example for us by not speaking badly of someone in front of us. I guess I just never thought that they would be so frank with each other."

"You told me not long ago how you, Danny and Joe saw your parents really kissing last Christmas. They're different people when it's just them and I forget that sometimes."

"And when it's just them, they aren't just our parents." She nodded again. "You're a smart girl Annie, I hadn't thought of it that way."

Ann shrugged. "If I hadn't heard them talking I probably wouldn't have either. But if my mother knew I heard them, she'd be mortified."

"I won't tell anyone, don't worry." Sarah promised.

"And you still haven't told me anything."

She looked at Ann. "It's nothing I can put my finger on, just a feeling."

"And what is it that you're feeling Sarah?" Ann was becoming increasingly curious.

"One of the girls that I graduated with got accepted to NYU and we've kept in touch since she left Pearl Harbor. Anyway, she told me that she's seen Caroline out with the same man several different times over the last couple of years and Fran seems to think it looked pretty serious. But she also said that Caroline looked pretty unhappy."

"Maybe she misses Danny."

Sarah looked at Ann as though she's said something silly and shook her head. "I don't think so."

"So what do you think?" Ann wanted to know.

"I think Danny is a dupe. I think that he's so busy with his last year at the Academy that he doesn't know which end is up. And knowing that he's so focused, Caroline is using that to her advantage."

"And you think she's cheating on your brother." She stated.

Sarah couldn't seem to say it and only nodded her head. The silence was deafening, as the old saying went and Ann didn't know what she could say to disabuse Sarah of the notion that Danny's girlfriend was being untrue. Mostly because she didn't believe it herself.

Caroline Harris was a girl who went after she wanted, when she wanted it and the consequences didn't matter. She'd done it in her pursuit of Danny and now it appeared as though someone in New York had caught her eye.

"Do you think she's holding on to Danny because this guy she's seeing isn't available?" Ann didn't know exactly where the thought came from, but it all seemed to fit and it made sense to her.

"It wouldn't surprise me." Sarah answered and gave Ann the impression that at some point it had crossed her friend's mind as well.

She looked up the beach then because it looked as though someone was trying to get their attention. They walked away from the surf and began to walk up the beach toward the road. It was then she heard the voice of her sister Shelby. "Sarah, your parents want you home. Danny's on the phone and it sounds like good news."

As soon as they hit asphalt, Sarah ran up the road toward the house and left Ann and Shelby behind. "You looked so serious coming up the beach." Shelby commented. "Is everything okay?"

"She's been waiting for that phone call to see how he did with his test flights." She told her sister. "Major and Mrs. McCawley have been waiting for days to hear what happened."

"I heard Dad and Mama talking about it and they were feeling bad because there wasn't anything they could do. But that isn't what I meant."

Ann smiled because she knew what was coming next.

"You were talking about Caroline weren't you? Every time Sarah mentions her she gets this look on her face." Shelby observed.

She wouldn't betray Sarah's confidence but Ann knew her sister wouldn't let it go until she told her something. "We were talking about Caroline and this long distance relationship she has with Danny."

"It was more than that." Shelby persisted.

"It was, but that's all I'm going to tell you. Sarah tells me things because she knows I won't repeat anything, even to my nosey sister." She said with a smile before she put an arm around the younger girl's shoulders.

"I'm not nosey." She said defensively. "I'm curious."

"You're nosey, but that just means that you'll be a great reporter or a detective." Ann laughed.

Shelby looked up at her. "You really think so?"

"I know so." She replied as they as they walked back to the house to hear the news about Danny.