Hello and welcome to my readers. I appreciate your votes, comments and feedback on my previous submittals. It is always a pleasure to hear from you. Thanks to my editor Rogue Lurker for her invaluable assistance in the preparation of this story.
_________________________
"Attention, everyone, attention. One more selection and rehearsal is over for today. This will be the closing number, 'Moonlight Serenade'. One, two…"
Preston Barstow's stentorian voice echoed through the empty ballroom as the Waterside Swing Band moved easily into the familiar melody of the Glenn Miller signature tune. Kelly Johnson loved the gentle swing refrain; it always brought tears to her eyes. Lately, it made her think of romance in the moonlight; something that had been missing in her life since her sometime boyfriend had gone home after graduation. In fact, all of her college friends had gone home after graduation, scattering to the four winds from the campus of Clear Lake City College.
Kelly had decided to remain in the city instead of going home. She was determined to make it on her own and not depend on her parents for support.
I'm twenty-two years old and I can make my own decisions
, she thought. With her degree in Music, she considered teaching or possibly trying out for the City Symphony Orchestra. Her major was in the Classical Guitar and she was at the top of her class at graduation. Her professors said she had great potential, but needed more training.
First, she needed money. After answering an advertisement in the paper and a successful audition, she was playing her guitar in the rhythm section of a swing band. The band was the featured attraction in the Waterside Pavilion for the entire summer. As her fingers strummed the chords, Kelly looked about her at her fellow band members. Almost all of them were men in their fifties and sixties, older than she was, but not old enough to have been there when the song made its debut in the late 1930's. They were a fascinating group and had 'adopted' Kelly when she joined the band.
Once rehearsal was over, Kelly was on the move, she had to catch her bus. Saying goodbye to her friends, she placed her guitar in its case, gathered up her music and ran for the entrance. She also wanted to avoid Mr. Barstow, the bandleader. Since he had hired her, his demeanor had changed from friendly to vaguely predatory. He was the only person in the band she did not like. He was always putting his arm around her, calling her 'his little girl'. It made her flesh crawl. In her haste to leave, Kelly collided with someone coming in the door. She fell back, dropping her guitar. "Oh my, are you okay, sugar?" said a woman's voice in a gentle southern drawl.
Kelly looked up at one of the prettiest women she had ever seen. There was a look of genuine concern in her big brown eyes as she helped Kelly to her feet. Her chestnut hair hung to her slim waist, flowing over a blue tube top barely restraining her large, firm breasts. Her long, shapely legs were bare and her round ass filled out her tight white shorts to perfection. Kelly was captivated by the woman's heart shaped face, full lips and long eyelashes, not to mention those eyes. Getting to her feet, she suddenly felt frumpy and inadequate in her t-shirt and jeans. "Is your git-tar okay, darlin'?" the woman was asking, lifting the case and handing it to the staring Kelly. "Ya'll better check it and see."
Kelly placed the case on the floor and opened it. Her guitar wasn't damaged. She looked up at the vision before her and shivered. Although Ted had been her boyfriend in senior year, she had secretly desired her dorm mate's friend Sarah. They had a few tentative embraces and kisses at parties, but were afraid of what their friends would think, so they went no further. Gazing into this woman's lovely brown eyes, Kelly could feel the stirrings begin anew. "I... I think it's okay," she replied, running her fingers over the instrument. "It's pretty well cushioned in its case. I'm sorry I ran into you. I wasn't looking where I was going."
"It's my fault, sugar," the woman replied, "I'm always bustlin' about, getting in folks way. I'm SandyLou Crawford. Call me Sandy or Lou, whatever suits ya'. What's your name, little lady?"
"Kelly, Kelly Johnson. It's a pleasure to meet you." Kelly grasped the woman's extended hand and felt a tingle pass through her body. She saw SandyLou's eyes widen and knew she felt it as well. Kelly's face broke into a smile and SandyLou grinned back at her, brown eyes flashing. Both women stood staring at each other before Kelly asked, "Are you a member of the band? I haven't seen you before."
"I start tomorrow", SandyLou said happily, "I'm your band's new vocalist." Kelly was thrilled. Marion Peck, their previous vocalist, had decided to do a summer stock musical and left abruptly, sending Mr. Barstow into one of his famous rages. "Is Preston Barstow around?" SandyLou asked, "I wanted to let him know I was in town and ask him if he knew where I could stay until I found an apartment."
"You can stay at my place," Kelly blurted. "My roommates moved out and I've plenty of room." She was surprised at her impulsiveness. This woman was a total stranger and she was inviting her in her home.
It's better that she stays with me than letting that letch Barstow get a hold of her...
"Well, that's mighty neighborly of you, Miss Johnson," SandyLou said with a smile. "Ya'll have a car? I'm parked over there." She pointed at a red Honda Civic coupe crammed with suitcases and boxes.
"I rode the bus," Kelly replied. "Will you have room for me?"
"We'll make room," Sandy replied. "If we have to, we'll throw some of this crap in the dumpster. Don't know why I brought so much stuff anyhow."
Kelly was able to wiggle into the passenger's seat, her guitar in her lap. The scent of Sandy's orange blossom perfume filled the coupe's interior. Kelly leaned as close to her as she dared, their bare arms rubbing together as Sandy shifted gears and turned the steering wheel. Sandy seemed to be enjoying the contact as well, leaning against Kelly with a broad grin on her face.
***
They parked at Kelly's building and carried Sandy's belongings inside. Kelly was embarrassed at the appearance of her sparsely furnished and decorated apartment, but Sandy said it looked 'right pretty' and thanked her for letting her stay. Kelly showed Sandy the spare bedroom and the futon she could sleep on. Sandy insisted on buying Kelly dinner, so they walked the half block to Angelo's Pizzeria and shared a pizza and a pitcher of beer.
In no time, they were chatting like old friends and enjoying each other's company despite the difference in their ages. As Sandy put it, she hailed from a little town in Alabama that no one had ever heard of and she was in no hurry to return. Sandy had heard about the vocalist job opening from a friend of a friend who lived in the city and knew Sandy might be interested. When Preston offered to hire her after she sang for him over the phone, she loaded her car and hit the road.
Kelly told Sandy about her hometown, her college experience and her desire to make it on her own in the big city. Sandy congratulated her on her willingness to make a life for herself, saying she wished she had left her birthplace sooner than she had. Now she was gone and glad of it.
Kelly and Sandy were pleasantly surprised to learn that they both had their first exposure to swing music while visiting elderly relatives after school or in the summer. Both Kelly's uncle and Sandy's grandfather had large collections of 78-rpm records of the big bands that they played on old phonographs. For some reason the music spoke to them on a deeper level, and they enjoyed singing and dancing to the clever lyrics and upbeat rhythms.