of Trinity Hall

Volume 1

By Kym Datura

Copyright © 2014 by Kym Datura

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

ISBN: 978-1500875213

Prologue

In 1966 Julie, Ginger and I graduated from the Trinity Academy, also known as Trinity Hall. It was an all girl Catholic boarding school up on a mountaintop that overlooked the city below. The school was a prime piece of property anyone would have been proud to own. Trinity Hall was a mansion that was donated to the school in 1945, the same year World War 2 had ended. There were many speculations on who had owned the mansion previously. Some say it was a World War 2 Nazi soldier, who had quickly disappeared after the end of the war. All we knew was that his last name was Van Druff and no one knew anything about him.

There were no records of him living or dying. In fact, he seemed like an apparition to us. Some kind of myth and a legend. In my freshman year, I heard the juniors and seniors telling the other freshman girls stories of a ghost that appears here every year on April 30th. Some nights I lay in bed wondering if I would ever see that ghost. My sophomore and junior years went by and I never really thought about it until I became a senior and was rooming with my two best friends. You see, as a senior, you chose who you wanted to room with. There are four girls to a room. Julie, Ginger and I decided to room together, the fourth was a girl named Hannah.

We never got to know Hannah very well. Halfway through the year, she had committed suicide. So, it was us three who were left. Us three to find out the truth about Van Druff. Us three who would find out a lot of truths. Us three who might have changed history as everyone knew it.

In September 7, 1965, I started my senior year of high school. Only one more year of school to go and then I was off to college. I looked out the window of my first period German class and watched the leaves fall from the trees. I always liked autumn. It reminded me of a fresh new start. The trees were shedding their leaves and school was starting…. all the makings of new beginnings.

I couldn't wait until this weekend. The Beatles were going to be on the Ed Sullivan show. John Lennon is just so dreamy. I would love to meet him in person someday, but I would probably get mauled by the other diehard fans. I remember when they were on the television last year. John's accent just sent me over the top. He is so handsome. I didn't know if I ever wanted to get married, but if I did, it would be to John Lennon.

Oh, and ff course Elvis Presley. The world was changing, but I was stuck in here for another year. I wanted to be out in that world making a difference. Making my mark in life. I couldn't wait until college, then I could be truly free. I wanted to go to a college far from home, so I would truly be on my own. Not under the sisters' rule here. I loved and missed my parents dearly, but they were always so busy with their careers as diplomats, they really had no time for me. At least I was able to see them on summer vacation and holidays. Also, being a senior this year and turning 18, I will be able to go off campus on the weekends. I turn 18 years old in February. That was just five months away. I couldn't wait.

My summer was fun. I spent it in Europe with my parents. We visited the Louvre, the Champs-Élysées and of course the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Castles of Frederick II in Sicily, the Vatican and the Tower of Pisa in Italy.

A boat cruise down the Rhine River and a weekend stay at the Castle Liebenstein. Needless to say, my summer was not boring. I love culture. I love European History. I love traveling. By the time spring break comes, I will be 18 and I plan on going back to Europe alone. Jules and Ginger won't be 18 until this summer. I feel bad leaving them behind, but there will be time to take trips together.

We plan on being friends forever. We have been so far, since first grade. I wasn't sure what part of Europe I wanted to visit, but my parents have set up a bank account for me and all I have to do is purchase my tickets and book my hotel stay.

I heard Ms. Baum talking in the background about our curriculum for the year. Mr. Fritz was raking up the fallen leaves. The old man had to at least be in his 70's. How sad to be that old and still working, I thought, he doesn't have any family to speak of. Many of the girls made fun of him because he was so gaunt and creepy looking. I never had a problem with him, but so many of the other girls did.

I was drifting off as she spoke, her voice sounded so far away, as if she were in Germany shouting to me as her voice was a faint whisper.

"Fräulein Cooper ... Fräulein Cooper", I didn't hear Ms. Baum calling me. "Fräulein Cooper!" She shouted.

"Yes?" I replied.

"Sprechen Sie Deutsch! Sprechen Sie Deutsch!"

"Ja?"

"Aufmerksamkeit! Aufmerksamkeit!"

She knew that I wasn't paying attention. Somehow they always knew.

The bell rang and I was off to assembly. I find assemblies to be so boring and trivial. Every time we have one it's about the same thing... We're supposed to conduct ourselves as ladies... We're supposed to show school spirit... If any of us are caught with boys on campus, we would be expelled... Our skirts are not to be above our knees... If we show our knees, then our skirts are too short... Smoking and drinking are prohibited... we may see movie stars smoking... but for ladies it's vulgar... and drinking alcohol is out of the question... especially on campus.... If we're old enough to go off campus... then we are not to partake in any illegal activities... real ladies abide by the law... and we are not to be having sex before marriage... oh no... real ladies do not conduct themselves in that fashion... and real ladies don't wear make-up... we must be proud of our natural beauty... and we won't need to wear make-up if we clean our faces three times a day... because if we do that then our natural glow comes through... remember cleanliness is Godliness... and if we break any of these rules then we will be sent to the Board of Discipline and the pits of hell apparently. If you ask me, I would rather face Lucifer himself in hell rather than the Board of Discipline.

The Board of Discipline.

I never have had to go there. But, I have heard of girls who had. Most of the time, they weren't seen again or they were gone for a semester. I always imagined the Board of Discipline as this empty room with nothing but a long table lined with nuns and a paddling board. Just being in a room alone with a bunch of angry nuns is punishment enough.

Then the interesting stuff was announced...

"This year for theater, we are performing ... Bye Bye Birdie!" The cheers went up throughout the auditorium. "And, for the male roles, seniors from St. Francis will be playing those roles!" The cheers went up even louder. Now, this is something to be happy about.

"We are actually going to be socializing with men!" Ginger squealed.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call the guys at St. Francis, 'men'. I mean they're male and all, but, men?" I responded giggling.

Then there was Doug Turner. He was the dreamiest senior at St. Francis. Tall, blue eyes, broad shoulders... and when he smiled...oh when he smiled.... it just made your heart melt.

"What about Doug?" Of course, leave it to Jules to bring him up.

"Doug Andrew Turner is man in all shape, way and form. He's also a God." I retorted and we all giggled. "If he's going to be in Bye Bye Birdie, then by all means... so am I!"

We all stood up to sing our school song.

Julie Torrance, also known as "Jules", was the first friend that I met when I came to the Academy. It was the first day of school for our first grade class. Jules was a shy little pretty girl, blues eyes, porcelain complexion and with wavy light brown hair cascading over her shoulders. The teacher paired us up as friends on the first day. I guess they figured pairing us children up. would be a good support system, since most of the children here had never been away from their parents before for long periods of time.

Even at six years old, I was a veteran of being without my parents. I had been without them almost my whole life. My parents, Katherine and Walter Cooper, were foreign diplomats, their duties included; issuing visas, protecting U.S. citizens overseas, accompanying foreign officials, reporting on diplomatic issues, and conducting press conferences for ambassadors.

Their duties kept them away from me most of my childhood and teen life. But, I've managed to adapt. I had a nanny who took very good care of me. Agneta Johansson was an immigrant from Sweden. She had taken care of me my whole life. She was a surrogate mother to me. I loved her dearly.

Whenever my parents would come back from a foreign trip, they would bring Agneta something back as well. She was part of our family, even though she worked for us. My fondest memory, as a child, was coming home for spring break and smelling Kanalkakor baking in the oven.

Kanalkakor were Swedish cinnamon cookies. The smell of the baking cinnamon always warmed my heart and tummy. Home wasn't the same without the smell of them permeating throughout my family home. Pairing them with a cold glass of milk or some warm hot cocoa would just make me feel so relaxed and loved. It was hard to describe the exact feeling, but it was definitely a good feeling; one that would always remain in my heart and soul.

Now back to Jules. She had never been away from her parents before. Both of her parents worked here in the city. She didn't know what it was like to be alone. She had four brothers and two sisters, a traditional Catholic Family, with traditional Catholic values. My parents were Catholics, but they couldn't have a big family.

Well, one for obvious reason, there were never in one place too long and another reason was because shortly after I was born, mother was having female problems and had to have a hysterectomy. So, any more children weren't a possibility.

Jules was frightened that first day of school. Once I had befriended her, she seemed a little more relaxed. From that day on, she and I were the best and dearest of friends. Jules sometimes joined us on family trips and outings. I think she liked us being the only two with my parents. She was so used to having to share her parents' attention with her brothers and sisters that once in a while, I really believed that she loved taking a break from the big family that she was so used to. Regardless, I loved her like a sister. Even when we didn't share the same dorm room, she was still my best friend. I will hold her closely to my heart for as long as I shall live.

Virginia Bixby, also known as Ginger, lived with her mother. Her parents divorced when she was five years old. Her father had an affair with his secretary and ended up divorcing her mother and marrying his secretary. Her mother has never remarried, and refuses to, because she wants Ginger's father to pay her alimony for the rest of her life as punishment. Ginger's mom just has a slew of boyfriends that cater to her every need. Her mom should have been a movie star because she was so beautiful and fashionable. Which makes you wonder what happened to Ginger?

Don't get me wrong. Ginger was attractive in her own right, but her fine reddish-orange hair, freckles, semi-large ears, pointy nose topped with horn-rimmed glasses, wasn't exactly what one would call a dream girl. Not to mention that she had such a lanky body that almost bordered on boyish. Ever since I have known her, she has never changed.

Jules and I had befriended Ginger when were in the sixth grade. She was new to the school and didn't know anyone. Jules and I decided to befriend her because she seemed like a nice enough person. Even with her non-attractiveness, she made up for it in her personality. She was outgoing, humorous and sometimes she reminded me of a boy. But, she was Ginger and we had grown very fond of her.

And then there was me.

Madeline Gweneth Cooper. Everyone called me Maddie. I was named after my paternal grandmother who had passed away before I was born. I sort of resemble her too. I was born on February 14th. My pre-birth was somewhat of a story in our family. My mother didn't know that she was pregnant until she was 7 months along. She had mistaken my movement as gas. When her belly began to swell, she thought she had contracted some sort of illness from a foreign country that she has visited. Her morning sickness and constant fatigue dictated something else. She was pregnant with me. I was born around 5:30 a.m. She was in labor with me for 16 hours before I was introduced into the world. And once I came out, not to be boastful, but everyone thought I was the most beautiful baby born. I was coddled and kissed by everyone. I was, in fact, truly loved.