Summer 1985

Twenty-three-year-old Jakob Brimmer had graduated college and had just completed his first year of teaching ninth grade math. During the summer, he helped his Uncle Matthias at the Volkswagen lot. One day, two young women entered the office while he was adjusting inventory. One of them looked vaguely familiar.

"Can I help you?" asked Jakob.

"I hope so," said the familiar-looking woman. "I'm starting college in the fall, and my husband has to use our good car to go to work on every day. All I have is this piece of junk that keeps breaking down. Neil suggested I trade it in for a slightly better piece of junk, if possible."

"Well, let me see what shape your piece of junk is in and I'll see what we can work out." Jakob smiled. "You look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"

"I'm Lili's friend, Hope Sands."

Jakob snapped his fingers. "Oh yeah, that's right! You have a baby boy, don't you?"

"Rocky." Hope beamed in motherly pride. "He's almost two. He sure is a handful!"

"I'll bet!" Jakob nodded toward the other young woman. "Is this one of your sisters?"

"No, this is my cousin Julie from California. She's staying with us for the summer."

"Great to meet you! I'm Lili's cousin, Jakob Brimmer."

Julie smiled. "It's nice to meet you, too." She had shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. Jakob thought she was very pretty, but there seemed to be a sadness about her, a melancholy he couldn't quite place.

"My car?" Hope's voice interrupted his reverie, and he realized he'd been gazing at Julie longer than was appropriate. He blushed a deep red as he glanced away.

The exchange was quickly arranged. Hope's old car had some minor problems, but Jakob was confident he could soon get them repaired with no problem and resell the car for a significant profit.

For the rest of that day, he couldn't get Julie out of his mind. The look that had been in her eyes when Hope had mentioned her son haunted him. He sensed she had a dark secret, perhaps something shameful that had happened in her past. He longed to hold her and tell her everything would be all right.

This is crazy! he told himself. I only just met this girl!

That evening, he called his Uncle Matthias's house and asked to speak to Lili.

"Hey, what's going on?" she asked when she came to the phone.

"Hey Lili, have you met Hope's cousin, Julie?"

"A couple of times. Why?"

"Well, she came to the car lot with Hope earlier today. Hope introduced us, but we never really got the chance to talk. She's staying with Hope and Neil, right?"

"I think she's staying with the Browns. Hope's mom and her mom are sisters."

"Oh, well, do you have their number?"

"Let me check. I used to have it when Hope still lived there." He heard her rummaging around in a drawer. "Oh, here it is!"

She gave Jakob the number, and he thanked her. Afterwards, he paced around the room a few times, trying to get up the nerve to call her. Come on, Jake, you've called girls lots of times, he said to himself.

But none of them were Julie.

At last he sat down, drew a deep breath, and reached for the receiver. Here goes nothing.

Mrs. Brown answered the phone. Jakob introduced himself and asked to speak to Julie.

"Hi there," he said when she came to the phone.

"This is Jakob Brimmer from the Volkswagen lot. Remember me?"

"Oh, yes! How are you?"

"I'm doing all right. How are you?"

"Pretty good. Hope's been taking me sight seeing. This town sure is different from where I grew up!"

"And where would that be?"

"A little town just outside San Francisco."

"That's a place I've always wanted to see. So much to do there."

"There is. It's a fascinating place." An uncomfortable silence followed. "I just needed a change of scenery."

"I hope you're enjoying your visit. Listen, Julie, do you like Italian food?"

"Sure, it's all right."

"It wouldn't have to be Italian," said Jakob. "It could be Mexican, or Asian, or whatever you'd like!"

Julie laughed. "Just a plain old hamburger's fine with me."

"What about the fifties diner?"

"That sounds perfect!"

"How about if I pick you up at six thirty Saturday night?"

"I'd like that."

Jakob was giddy with relief and joy.


Saturday evening, he put on blue jeans and an Izod polo shirt. He combed his hair, added a couple squirts of cologne, and headed for the Browns' house.

He rang the doorbell and waited anxiously for a few minutes. At last Mrs. Brown opened the door, and Jakob could see Julie standing right behind her. She wore black shorts with a light pink blouse. Jakob thought she looked very nice.

"Hi, Julie," he said softly.

"Hi, Jakob." Her smile made his heart begin to beat faster.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

They walked to his Volkswagen together, and he drove the fifteen-minute ride to the fifties diner. It was a white building with a sign in neon pink. Inside, there were booths, a black-and-white-checkered floor, and a juke box in the corner. A waitress wearing a poodle skirt and saddle shoes took their order. Jakob ordered a coffee malt, and Julie ordered a strawberry malt. They both ordered cheeseburgers and fries.

"What kind of music do you like?" Jakob asked as they were waiting on their food.

"Before I only ever listened to Christian rock, but lately, I've been getting more into British new wave like Duran Duran and the Thompson Twins."

"Don't forget Adan Ant," said Jakob. They both laughed.

"Do you go to church?" asked Julie.

"I've been Lutheran my whole life," said Jakob. "What about you?"

"I've always belonged to the Assembly of God church, like the Browns," said Julie.

"I don't know too much about them." Jakob fiddled with the napkin dispenser. "Lili told me Hope's folks put her out of the house when she got pregnant."

From the look on Julie's face, Jakob could have sworn he'd just slapped her. Stunned, he waited for her response.

"Hope was the lucky one," she whispered, staring at the table top.