Pure Love

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No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/22/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0495-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0494-7 (e)

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CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter 1 Pure Love

Chapter 2 Kyle Allen

Chapter 3 Life On The Farm

Chapter 4 A Family And Tragedy

Chapter 5 Trouble From Chicago

Chapter 6 The Escape

Chapter 7 Mrs. Thorton’s Boarding House

Chapter 8 The Revenge

Chapter 9 San Francisco

Chapter 10 To California

Chapter 11 A Career Change

Chapter 12 The Reunion

Chapter 13 The War And More

Chapter 14 A Gun Battle

Chapter 15 The Korean War

Chapter 16 Paul Drake’s War

Chapter 17 The Appearance Of Kim

Chapter 18 The Trip

Chapter 19 The Move

Chapter 20 The Vietnam War

Chapter 21 The Return Home

PREFACE

This is a story of two children who lose their parents to the Spanish flue that killed hundreds of thousands of American during and after the First World War. They met at a satellite orphanage in Chicago. The traumatic way they came together brought a love so deep that it superseded the love that anyone can have for another. It was deeper than the love a mother has for her baby or the love a father has for a devoted son or the love a young girl with her first boyfriend.

They pretend to be brother and sister so they could sleep together and nothing would be thought of them being together constantly.

They adopt parents in a unique way. Their adopted father is a key part of their lives. He loses the children when a gangster kills their adopted mother. They disappear as the boy won’t chance the life of his true love, even if it means losing their adopted father.

Some of their actions and wording are graphic, but realistic. The story goes from the mid nineteen-thirties, through the Vietnamese war.

This story illustrates what love can be when two people are completely devoted to one another as these two. They look at what they can do for one another and never condemn each other as their love supersedes that.

I would like the reader to see other books I have written shown above. I have several genres to choose from. My flagship is the first book I wrote, The Mystery of Table Mountain. It is followed my two books that take the main character from nineteen through his entire life.

I have written several books with Germany as a central setting. Many of my books are about the cowboy era and the Civil war. Check my website to see the covers of several of my books. novelsbywilliampost.com Or you can simply google, William Post, author.

CHAPTER 1

Pure Love

In 1918 the Spanish Flu inundated America. Thousands died. In North Chicago, although several years later, Alan Reclin lost his parents and sister to the Spanish Flu. His sister, Lee Ann, had been eight, and had always been sickly. Alan read to her and told her stories. She would look at Alan and tell him how much she loved him. There was such sincerity in her eyes that it nearly made Alan cry. Losing his folks was terrible, but losing Lee Ann devastated him.

Alan was only twelve and had no place to go, because his parents had immigrated to America from England. His father had lost his job as he was unable to work. The family had used up all their assets paying for doctors, nursing and food while they were sick. Before Alan’s father died, he told Alan about a tin box he kept in the attic. He told him to make sure he took that with him as he knew Alan would be put in an orphanage. Alan found the box and it contained five, twenty dollar gold pieces and fire silver dollars. Alan knew that someone would insist on looking into the box which also contained several letters, keepsakes and his birth certificate.

He had a wool coat that had a hole in one of the pockets. He knew he could put the money in that pocket and the money would go down into the lining of his coat, so no one would know the money was there.

Alan was put in a private orphanage with nine other children ranging in age from eight to twelve. He was the oldest at twelve years old. The home was financed by the state of Illinois as the state orphanages were all full, so they had private homes taking in children who had no place to go. Nearly all the children had lost their parents to the flu.

Mrs. Gordon owned and ran the home where Alan was sent. She was strict, as she had to be. She had two women helping her, but she laid down the rules. As she did not believe in corporal punishment, she had another method that was worse than beatings. She would lock the children in the basement overnight with no lighting. As the children were still young, this was a terrible thing.

The first day Alan was at the home, he was introduced to the children. One of them was an eight year-old girl named Betty Sue Aster. She looked a lot like Lee Ann. Even her mannerisms were like Lee Ann’s. She looked at Alan, and held her eyes on his for sometime, and there was an immediate understanding. Alan could tell she was scared and broken hearted after losing her parents. He could just imagine Lee Ann facing life with no one, so it pulled his heart strings.

Betty Sue reminded Alan of a rabbit he once had. Its mother was taken away. The poor thing trembled so, that Alan picked it up and held it for a long time until the rabbit quit trembling, and was warmed by Alan holding it.

The next day Mrs. Gordon gave the children the instructions and rules. It was summer so there was no school. However, Mrs. Gordon knew the children must be kept busy. She gave everyone chores. Each one was to make their own bed and make it correctly. Betty Sue had never made her bed, and was not good at stretching the sheets tight and tucking in the blanket like Mrs. Gordon demanded. She was the youngest and couldn’t do many of the things that were demanded of her.

At supper one night she broke a glass and spilled water on the table. This was the end of Mrs. Gordon’s patients. She told Betty Sue, she would spend the night in the basement. Betty Sue was terrified of the dark. Alan knew that it would be terrible for her. He waited until Mrs. Gordon returned from the basement where she left Betty Sue, then turned to the boy next to him, and gave him a hard shove right in front of Mrs. Gordon.

She said, Alan you will join Betty Sue in the basement tonight.

It was just what Alan wanted. Betty Sue was already in the basement, and he knew she was scared.

Betty Sue saw the light in the doorway and Alan coming down the stairs before the light of the doorway turned to darkness again. When Alan reach Betty Sue, she came into his arms. She was trembling all over. It immediately reminded Alan of the rabbit he once owned, whose mother was taken away.

He held Betty Sue and said, It’s okay now, Betty Sue, I’ve got you, and will keep you safe.

She said, Oh, Alan I am so scared I thought I might die.

You won’t die now, Betty Sue, because I’m here and always will be. I’ll see that you are never scared again if I can help it.

She clung to Alan tightly, and they both cried as Alan was reminded of Lee Ann. Alan said, "I will be your mother, father and brother all in one, Betty Sue, and keep you safe forever. She had now quit crying and the trembling began to wane.

Nearly fifteen minutes passed before Alan said, Let me light a match, Betty Sue. I remember they had candles down here. I was sent by Mrs. Gordon to fetch a jar of preserves and took notice of the basement’s continents.

Betty Sue reluctantly let him go as he struck a match. He said, I swiped these matches from the kitchen because I knew sooner or later you or I would be put down here. I knew you would be scared all alone in the dark.

You did that just for me, Alan?

Sure. Alan then located a couple of candles and lit them. He then turned to Betty Sue and asked, Are you hungry, Betty Sue?

Oh, yes, and thirsty, too.

There are some canned peaches in jars along the back wall. We can drink the juice, and eat the peaches. Alan found the peaches, and they just drank from the jars and ate the peaches.

Betty Sue smiled at him as she drank the juice, and ate the peaches.

Alan said, I had a sister just your age and you remind me of her.

Where is she now, Alan.

She’s with Jesus. The flu took her. I have missed her very much. You remind me of her, Betty Sue. The first time I saw you, I noticed you had many of her mannerisms. I think that is why I love you.

You love me, Alan?

Sure, neither of us have any family, so we will be a family, if it is okay with you.

Oh, yes Alan. I wish we were married so we could sleep together every night and never be apart. Married people always sleep together.

Well, if I am to be your brother, we can’t get married, but that doesn’t mean I love you less.

Nor me neither, Alan. I have never loved anyone like I love you.

We mustn’t let the others know, Betty Sue, or they might try to keep us apart, so don’t tell anyone.

Betty Sue said, I see what you mean. It will be a secret between just the two of us. Hold me again, Alan. I feel so safe when you hold me. I love you so much I wish I could stay in your arms forever.

After that night everything went okay for several weeks. Alan and Betty Sue spent some time together, but not that much. However, they found time to be together each day.

During that month Mrs. Gordon hired a handyman, named Lyle Edwards. She had bought two cows to supply the children with milk. Lyle was put in charge of caring for them and milking them. Mrs. Gordon asked Alan to assist Lyle in milking the cows. She knew from experience that if someone was needed, you needed a back up. If Lyle should become sick or not come to work, Alan could fill in.

Lyle instructed Alan how to milk a cow, and soon Alan was milking one and Lyle the other. Alan told Betty Sue about the milking. She wanted to watch him, so Alan asked Mrs. Gordon if Betty Sue could come with him. He assured Mrs. Gordon that Betty Sue would be helpful, so she was allowed to go with him.

Lyle didn’t like Betty Sue, as she was constantly asking questions. He was in a bad mood one morning as the three went to milk the cows. Betty Sue and Alan opened the gate to go into the milking area. Lyle was a few steps behind them. Lyle stopped to light a cigarette, and one of the cows saw the opening of the gate and bolted toward it, knocking Lyle down. This infuriated Lyle, and he yelled at Alan.

Alan said, You were at the gate, it wasn’t my fault.

This further infuriated Lyle and he swung his fist at Alan knocking him to the ground. He then jumped on him and began hitting Alan, who was pinned to the ground by Lyle’s knees.

Betty Sue saw an axe handle on the ground that was in front of her. She picked it up and swung it at Lyle’s shoulder with all her might in an effort to get Lyle off of Alan. Instead of hitting his shoulder the blow went to Lyle’s head, and he was knocked unconscious.

Betty Sue looked at Lyle and asked, Is he dead?

Alan felt his pulse and said, No, he’s just unconscious. However, we had better get Mrs. Gordon, she’ll know what to do.

Mrs. Gordon saw Lyle lying on the ground with a huge lump just above his ear. She said, What happened?

Alan told the story as factually as it happened.

Betty Sue said, I didn’t intend to hit him on the head, I swung at his shoulder, but I missed and hit his head.

Both Alan’s eyes were blacked and his nose was bleeding. Lyle was a foot taller than Alan, and outweighed him by fifty pounds.

Mrs. Gordon was aware that something had to be done or she might be held liable. As the state had put a telephone into the home, she called the person at the main orphanage that supervised her operation.

The supervisor, a Mr. Alfred, said, I had better call the police as Mr. Edwards may file a complaint.

By the time a detective arrived, Lyle was awake, but had a terrible headache. The detective heard all three stories. Lyle tried to lie about who hit whom, but the evidence of Alan’s black eyes were undeniable. Mrs. Gordon followed the detective and Mr. Alfred outside away from the children.

Mr. Alfred looked at the detective and asked, What should be done?

The detective said, If the children are taken to a new facility, I don’t think anything will come of it. Mrs. Gordon, do you have a place to keep the two children away from the others, until Mr. Alfred can make arrangements to move the children?

Yes, I have a basement to keep them in. What about Mr. Edwards?

I see you need him to milk the cows, so I suggest you keep him, but don’t let him mix with the children. Can you do that?

Yes, I will tell him to just leave the milk pails on the back porch.

Then it’s settled, the detective said.

After the detective left, Mrs. Gordon said, The detective said to take Betty Sue and Alan away, Mr. Alfred. I hate to separate those two, as they have a natural attachment for one another.

All the more reason to separate them. There might be more trouble if they are together. he replied.

Mrs. Gordon and Mr. Alfred were unaware that both Betty Sue and Alan were listening at the door. When Mrs. Gordon turned to go in, they both went back into the living room as if they were there all the time.

After supper that night, Mrs. Gordon said, "Alan I want you and Betty Sue to get your things together. You will be sleeping in the basement tonight. I had Mrs. Lambert make you pallets down there. You will be alright. I’ll leave a lamp for you.

Alan and Betty Sue got their things together. Alan had his knapsack and Betty Sue had a cloth sack. They carried everything they had to the basement and Mrs. Gordon had a lamp and went ahead of them. She lit the lamp in the basement. She showed them where they would sleep, then turned and left.

Alan knew why they were there, but asked, Why are we in the basement, Mrs. Gordon?

The detective asked that you be separated from the other children. You will be going to another facility tomorrow.

Will we be going to the same facility?

No. Mr. Alfred thought it best to separate you two. He thought if you stayed together, more trouble may occur. Now go to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning at breakfast.

Betty Sue said, I can’t live without you, Alan. Can’t you do something?

"Yes, I can, Betty Sue. We can run away. It will be