Castle in the Air

Fourteen-year-old best friends, Dee and Lana, give up their castle and imaginary prince charming for real boys who like them a lot. Both teens have jobs, home responsibilities, and school work. The talented young women love to sing and perform at school and other events. Lana’s momma dies, and Dee’s body revolts in a series of illnesses that keep her from school for many weeks. Troy is Lana’s special guy. Dee and Lana have a fun summer together before their sophomore year. Lana becomes pregnant after her first sexual encounter with Troy. Dee and Michael care for each other. They realize that friendship is all their relationship can be at this time. What looms ahead for them is Dee’s desire for her university degree and Michael’s desire for both his degree and his military commission if he does get admitted to West Point. Dee and Michael date, go on a family ski trip, attend Prom, and spend time together.

Troy and Lana decide to marry. Lana and her dad move her from her home in Kansas to Iowa where Troy now lives. Lana changes her mind and does not marry Troy. She stays with Troy’s aunt and uncle and finishes her sophomore year of high school and prepares for her GED exam. She plans to take the exam before her baby is due in July. Lana works weekends as a waitress. Dee and Lana continue their friendship by writing and calling each other.

Lana sings, lending her soprano voice to her high school choir. Troy graduates, and with a draft number of four in his Iowa county he decides to sign up for the Army. He wants to be a medic. He asks Lana to marry him. She is now more determined than ever to go it alone. While waitressing Lana meets Jeff who is studying for his bar exam in Iowa. They become friends. David is born soon after she completes and passes her GED. David becomes her reason for living, a part of Troy who will remain with her. As she always planned, Lana wants a career in the health field. She trains to be an X-ray technician after she completes several required classes at a junior college where she also works. While in training Lana is asked to sing at a hospital foundation talent show.

Senior year is difficult for both Dee and Michael as they see a time out coming in their relationship. They take a choral class together. Michael always wanted to be part of a singing group, and every day he gets to hear Dee’s voice. They are special friends who share memorable moments at Senior Prom and their high school graduations.

As Dee promises, she visits Lana in Iowa, and they spend a nostalgic weekend together. They will continue to write and call each other. Dee and Lana wish each other safe journeys in the next phase of their lives.

Lana completes her training program and spends a somewhat frantic summer applying for jobs in her field. Troy finishes his two years of duty, the last one spent in Vietnam as a medic. He gets malaria at the end of his tour and is hospitalized. He returns to Grand Valley and sees David for the first time. Again he asks and is rejected in his desire to marry Lana. Lana and David move on; she has an X-ray technician position at a medical center at the University of Iowa. She says goodbye to Troy, and to Jeff.

Dee and Michael part at their high school graduation. Their love endears them to each other. Dee continues her summer bank job, and Michael enters West Point. Dee and her friend, Lindy, sing one time with a country band. Dee meets a guy in the band. He asks her out. They date twice; Kent knows of her plans and urges her to never stop singing. He appreciates her musical talent and wonderful voice. She dances almost every weekend with Michael’s friend, Ben. Fall semester Dee and Ben attend Kansas State University.