Chapter 5
Sally woke up the next day and went to get the classifieds. It was time to find another job and save up for her fashion design classes and live in Paris, France.
“I will go to Paris, and I’m going to be in Paris one day! I can feel it in my bones.” Sally pumped herself up.
She circled a few jobs and called to set up interviews.
“Hey mom, I have a couple of interviews today and am going to do my passport.” Sally said as her mom entered the room.
“Are you going to get it sped up or not?” Her mom asked.
“No I think I’ll just get a few more jobs and work to save up the money. I would love to get more than I need saved up, and the time waiting for the passport will give me it!” Sally told her mom her plan.
“Oh that’s a really good idea. Where are your interviews?” Her mom asked.
Sally told her mom and then went to get dressed for her interviews and other things she wanted to get done for the day. She had an extra hop in her step as she went out the door to get it all done.
Coming home later that day she was even happier than ever.
“Hey how did the interviews go today?” Her mom asked when she came in that night.
“Great, I got part-time at each of them, now I have three jobs! By the time I get my passport back I’ll be able to by a flight and go!” Sally jumped up and down with excitement.
“That’s great news sweetie, I’m so happy for you!” Her mom hugged her and joined in the celebration.
“I have to get ready, I work two hours tonight. Then tomorrow I have a full day between the other two places!” Sally kissed her mom on the cheek and ran upstairs.
The weeks flew by and Sally added her money to the kitty. Each day she came home to see if her passport had come yet or not, but so far nothing.
“Mom you didn’t get the mail today did you?” Sally asked as she came in the door.
“No sweetie, didn’t you get it yet?” Her mom replied.
“No, I was hoping you got the mail and it was here.” Sally answered.
“Well how long has it been now?” Her mom questioned.
“It is a little over three weeks now. But they said it could come as quick as two weeks. Also that it could take a couple of months.” Sally looked down at the floor.
“Don’t worry honey, just remember how much money you might save!” Her mom tried to cheer her up.
“its okay mom, I’m so busy with work I don’t really think about it much.” Sally admitted.
“Good honey. But you look tired, are you off the rest of the day?” Her mom asked.
“I have a couple hours before I got in tonight. I’m going to go and get some sleep.” Sally said and went upstairs.
“Alright sweetie, do you need me to wake you up?” Her mom yelled up the stairs.
“No mom it’s okay, I’ll set the alarm.” Sally yelled back.
Her head hit the pillow and Sally was out. Her dreams were of Paris and creating the most beautiful designs. She saw her name on the labels of clothes that people, including celebrities, would buy and wear.
This was a dream she’d had all her life and now to know that she was so close, it was exhilarating. She thought back to when she was only four years old and making dresses for all her dolls. Her parents had congratulated her on her skills.
They had helped to increase her love in fashion design by buying her books as she got older. When she was 12 they had found a summer program in Lincoln for Fashion Design and had taken her to it. Her mother and her had stayed the week in Lincoln and would come home on weekends to visit her dad.
She smiled as she thought of the many sacrifices her parents had made for her. This dream wasn’t just hers anymore, it was her parents as well by now. The gift of money on her birthday had proven it to her.
When she had first learned that the top designers studied in France and had talked about going; it had seemed like they didn’t agree.
They had wanted to be happy for her, but she could see in their eyes their pain. She knew it was because of their desire to keep her close. But hadn’t really understood it much. However, like her mother said, maybe once she had kids.
However, now it was just the desire to finish her dream to a completion. Even if she didn’t ever become a top designer that everyone knew. The fact that she could say she had lived in Paris and studied fashion design was enough.
Sally woke up an hour and a half later. The remainders of the memories that had led her dreams still there in her mind. She smiled and felt refreshed and ready to go to work.
She ran downstairs to see a note on the table.
Hey sweetie, we went out for supper. I made you a sandwich it’s in the refrigerator. Eat before you go to work.
Love you, Mom & Dad
P.S. Johnny stopped by to see you
She grabbed the sandwich, and ran out the door. Johnny would have to wait, she didn’t have time right now. She thought in her mind when she might have free time, but didn’t know. “I’ll get to him later, I’m sure he only wants to know how much I have saved up.” Sally said to herself as she got behind the wheel of the car and drove off to work.
It wasn’t until a few days later that she had a few minutes to go see Johnny. She walked next door and knocked on the door. Johnny’s mom answered the door.
“Hi Mrs. Young I came see Johnny.” Sally smiled at his mom.
“Oh hey Sally, I’m sorry he’s not home right now, he’s at work.” His mom said.
“I didn’t know he had a job.” Sally said shocked.
“He just got it a few days ago. He’s working at the mechanic shop.” She said. “If you want you can stop by and say hi to him.”
“Maybe if I have the time, thanks.” Sally responded.
Sally knew she didn’t have time today, so she figured maybe they would meet up soon. She was due at work in half an hour and it took 20 minutes for her to get there.
One day blurred into another and a few more weeks had passed when she had a little time again. Sally was far too tired to go over to Johnny’s though, she thought as she opened the mail box. Bending over to look inside she saw something that could be her passport.
“Oh my god, I got it, I got it!” She ran in the house yelling.
Her mom met her in the living room. “You got your passport?” Her mom asked, already knowing the answer.
“Yes, yes, I got it. I’m going to buy my ticket today!” Sally ran off to the computer.
She turned on her computer and pulled up one of the sites to find cheap airline tickets. She looked over specials that included at least a hotel and maybe a car. Sally was so excited she felt like she was overwhelmed with it.
“Once I get over there I’ll find a cheaper place to live, but one month in the hotel. Oh here’s a great deal.” She said as she looked over the various offers.
She clicked a few buttons and picked a flight. She knew her friends would be upset with the date she picked, it was just a few days away.
Sally then called the places she worked and told them she wasn’t coming back, she was going to Paris. She knew she should have given them more time, however, she had waited for Paris for 20 years now, and it was finally here.
“Mom I’m leaving in 3 days.” She came running down the stairs.
“Are you going to be able to be ready by then?” Her mom asked shocked by how quickly she would be losing her only child.
“I’ve had a bag packed for about a month now! The rest of what I need to do isn’t much really. Mostly saying goodbye to people.” Sally admitted.
“Well I’m so happy for you, but I’ll admit I’m really sad you’re leaving too.” Her mom stated.
“Me too mom, me too. I have to call a few people. I know they’ll want to spend some time with me, but really if I can I’d like to spend a little with you and dad too. You know mom I realized the other night that this is just as much all of our dream now, as it is mine.” Sally said.
“Oh your right sweetie, ever since that time you first designed that cute little pink dress for your Barbie.” Her mother laughed.
“Yeah I know. Hey have you seen Johnny around lately?” Sally asked, knowing that she still hadn’t seen him since the one day he had stopped over. She felt bad, but knew that she should say good bye to him. He was her neighbor and friend for the past 10 years after all.
“I think he came home a little bit ago, I heard his motorcycle.” Her mom stated.
“He has a motorcycle now? Are you kidding me?” Sally said shocked.
“Yeah, he was explaining everything about it to me one day, but I didn’t understand a word.” Her mom laughed.
“Probably all technical stuff that only a geek like him would know. But honestly I wouldn’t expect him to have a motorcycle, it seems far too dangerous for him.” Sally had to laugh at the thought of Johnny on a motorcycle. “I think I’ll run over and tell him that I’m leaving in a few days.”
“Alright, see you in a little bit sweetie, and congratulations on the ticket!” Her mom hugged her before she left.
Sally started to go next door and stopped at the motorcycle. Not only was it a nice one it was a Harley Davidson. “How and why did he get this?” She asked herself as she headed to his door to knock.
Johnny opened the door and saw Sally there. “Oh hey, how are you?” He asked and opened it to let her in .
“Is that really your motorcycle? I’m good, but how are you?” She asked. Sally looked over him, there was something different about him, she wasn’t sure what, but it was not the old Johnny.
“Yeah that’s my hog, I got it from a guy I work with, nice isn’t it. I love it, hey you want to go for a ride?” Johnny asked.
“Sure, I’ve always wanted to ride on one.” Sally agreed.
“Come on.” He said and walked out the door.
“Do you have a helmet?” She asked as she started towards the bike.
“A helmet, are you kidding me? Helmets are for pussies.” He laughed.
“Okay, since when did you become this tough guy?” Sally asked.
“I’ve always been like this, but you never really noticed it since I was always playing games. But I’ve quite those childish habits and moved on. Time to make my way in life and have fun.” Johnny stated.
“Wow.” Sally didn’t know what to say, and even if she did, her voice would be drowned out as he hit the gas.
Sally clung to him as he drove down the street and headed towards the interstate. She loved the feel of the air in her hair. Oh this would be so nice to enjoy on a daily basis, she thought, and then remembered she was leaving in three days. Being on the bike had actually made her forget about Paris for a bit.
“Hey I have something to tell you.” Sally yelled to Johnny.
“What I can’t hear you?” Johnny said. He pulled the bike back into the driveway.
“I’m leaving in 3 days for Paris.” Sally said.
She saw his face fall quickly, and then he recovered slightly. “That’s great. I wish we could have hung out more before you left. If I would have known I would take a few days off. But honestly, today is the only day I have off for the next week.” Johnny said.
Sally wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or not, she felt anger under the surface. “Yeah, well we can always talk online if you want.” She offered.
“I don’t know, maybe, we’ll see.” He said.
She was confused by his behavior. She had always been used to the boy who was swearing his love for her. This Johnny was different, he hadn’t said anything once about how he felt about her.
“Okay well, I need to do a few things for my mom and I have to work early in the morning. I’m sorry I don’t have more time to spend with you before you go.” Johnny said and gave her a hug.
“Yeah, okay. The bike is really cool, I like it a lot. You’ve changed somehow too, I’m not sure how, but you have.” Sally said and watched as he left her standing there and went inside his house.
She was so confused as she walked back to her house at his behavior. The last three days she was in town Johnny was in her mind more than he ever had been. She almost wished that she hadn’t bought the ticket yet and could find out more about how much he had changed.
As she was boarding the plane to go to Paris her thoughts were of Johnny and her parents. She had watched him go off to work that day as they were leaving. He had barely looked over at her and waved. He had to remember she was leaving, did he not care anymore. Sally felt sad that she had lost the one person who seemed to care for her so much. Well besides her parents, but in another way that they couldn’t offer.
She fell asleep on the plane and hoped that Paris was everything she hoped it would be and more. Her dreams were filled with a vision of Johnny riding his bike and picking her up at the airport.
Waking up she realized it was almost time to land in Paris. Any thoughts of her old life were quickly replaced by a sudden wonder and excitement of another country.
She walked off the plane and into the airport. The hotel had sent a representative to pick her up. She wasn’t sure why, but it had been a nice addition for a traveler who had no idea where to go.
“Excuse me, I’m Sally Leach, you are waiting for me?” She walked up to a young man who had been holding a sign with her name on it.
“Oh yes mademoiselle, I am Pierre from the hotel. I hope your flight was good. We can get your bags and I’ll take you to the hotel.” He said, his French accent thick. He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it. His lips lingered on her hand just a little too long. But he looked at her like it was a challenge.
Sally looked at him, he had dark black hair and this look about him that made her forget everything. I think I’m going to like Paris a lot, she thought.
THE END