Free Hope's Angel by Rosemary Fifield Page A

easily. I’m looking forward to
having someone else drive.”
    The
playfulness in his voice caught her attention. She gave him a sideways glance. “Come
again? I thought you were offering me rides.”
    Smile
lines crinkled around his gray eyes as he watched her. “I believe the operative
word was share . I’m very willing to share the driving. And the riding.”
    “I
see. Well, if you insist,” she said, doing her best to keep her elation from
showing. “I’ll even offer to drive first, just to show you I don’t hold any
grudges for you forgetting.”
    Greg
grinned. “You are one classy dame. The Park and Ride on Forest Ave, seven thirty
tomorrow?”
    “Classy
dame?” Connie laughed. “Don’t tell me you’re a Bogie fan.”
    “One
of my many vices.” His smile broadened as he briefly touched her on the
shoulder with his fist, then veered away toward the green. “I’ve got to run and
meet somebody. See you tomorrow.”
    ***
    Marilyn
had saved a seat for her in American History, and Connie slid into it just
before the professor began his lecture on the underground railroad. She leaned
toward Marilyn and whispered, “Prepare for a Margo Lister hissy. I’m riding
with Greg Fairchild starting tomorrow.”
    Marilyn
leaned closer. “Did you see the war protestors in front of the admin building? Why
don’t we talk about stuff like that in this class? That’s American history in
the making.”
    “Too
political.” Connie gave her a sardonic smile. “It would require an opinion.”
    “Too
close to home, you mean. This school’s in bed with General Dynamics and the
ROTC.”
    Connie
sat back in her seat and tried to listen to the professor’s words but, thanks
to Marilyn, her mind kept drifting to Nino and Frankie. They didn’t have the
luxury of protesting while protected by a student deferment. All they had was
the hope to be sent somewhere other than Southeast Asia.
    ***
    After
supper, Angie sat at the gray Formica-topped kitchen table and pulled out her
trigonometry book. Connie settled into the chair across from hers and watched Angie
scribble out her equations. Angie seemed to be more at peace lately, as though
whatever had been weighing on her had lifted, perhaps with the start of school.
    With
her head down, Angie’s long dark braids lay to either side of the paper, and
Connie playfully picked one up as she said, “Any news on the Topo Gigio front?”
    Angie’s
eyes danced with fun as she looked up from her work and gave Connie a
conspiratorial grin. “She’s going up to St. J tomorrow. Cousin Tony is lending
her his car.”
    “Is
she excited?”
    “Hard
to say. More nervous, I think. How did you get Papa to change his mind?”
    “I
think he was already feeling bad about his attitude toward David. I just
confirmed that he was being a bigot.”
    Connie
expected Angie to laugh, but the latter simply looked back at her homework.
    “How
about you?” Connie tugged gently on the braid as she watched her sister’s face.
“I haven’t heard any more about you needing to go help whomever. Did their
problems get better?”
    Angie
kept her attention on her paper. “A little.”
    Connie
had hoped for more of a conversation on the topic, but obviously it was not
about to happen. “Any more news from the neighborhood that I should know?”
    Angie
gave her an inquisitive smile. “You’re awfully talkative. What’s going on?”
    “Nothing.
I’m sorry. You’re trying to work.” Connie dropped the glossy dark braid and sat
staring at it. What was going on? She felt restless, agitated almost.
Apprehensive, but about what?
    Angie
set down her pencil and looked at Connie with serious dark eyes. “I saw UVM
students on the news walking with picket signs about the war. Did you see them
today?”
    “No,
but I heard about them.” That’s why she was apprehensive. She was
driving with Greg Fairchild the next day, and she was keeping it from her
parents. There was no way she was going to tell him he