Chapter Three: Singing Bird
Whitney's strength returned after a long phone call with her mother. Becky had missed her daughter dearly, even though they lived in the same city.
Becky had remarried five years earlier to a man named Williams. Whitney's father had not remarried but had moved to New York, hoping to expand his career in the automotive industry. It had been a long time since he had spoken with his only daughter.
Whitney and her mother shared a strong emotional bond. Becky, at 36, looked youthful and radiant, often mistaken for Whitney's sister rather than her mother. Whitney, proud of her mother's beauty, often spoke highly of her among friends like Mary and Martins, who were eager to meet Becky.
During a Mother's Day celebration at Whitney's school, Becky volunteered to sing—a talent few knew she possessed. Her performance captivated the audience, earning admiration from parents and confirming Whitney's praises.
Whitney was reluctant to change schools a year later. She had built a reputation and received admiration largely due to her mother's charm and charisma. The change was necessitated by her parents' divorce, and she completed her final year of high school elsewhere.
A year after the divorce, Becky reconnected with Dave Williams at a party honoring Michael Lakeson, a seafarer returning after 31 years on the Mediterranean Sea. Becky sat a short distance from Dave. Her performance at the event reignited Dave's admiration for her.
Though surrounded by friends, Dave struggled to express his feelings. He eventually confided in his friend Alfred, who noticed Dave's unusual silence during Becky's performance. Alfred encouraged him to pursue Becky, but Dave was hesitant, fearing rejection or awkwardness if her husband was present.
Complicating matters, most of their friends had been drinking heavily. Alfred himself was drunk, leaving Dave without support. As the event ended and guests departed, Becky surprised Dave by approaching him to ask for a ride home. Stunned, he agreed and drove her to her apartment, where he politely asked for her phone number.