California, Autumn, 1936
Two days after her air show success, Barbara found time for a ride in the mountains with Becky. In the cool shade of a trail, she finally reflected on two of the most important events in her young life. She had made a good start on a success for an airport she co-owned, and the man she had loved so deeply had been killed. In that, she not only had her own grief to bear, she grieved for Gail, now a young widow with a baby son; her godchild.
Barbara wondered what the future would hold for the three of them, and how could it possibly be happy, without Paul.
A partial answer came that night. She was at the airport office when the phone rang. She had gotten so many calls from people who had either been at her air show or had read about it in the newspapers, she was prepared to tell the present caller about the next show she was planning for that weekend.
But the call was not from a new customer.
"Barbara?" a woman's unfamiliar voice asked. "Hope you don't mind me calling you that. We don't know each other, yet, but I'm Jackie Cochran and..."
Barbara almost dropped the phone. It can't be! Not one of the most famous women fliers in America! "... are you there?"
"Y-yes, I'm here. It's just... Jackie Cochran! I'm so surprised!"
"Well, I'm flattered you know me. I read about your wonderful air show and want to congratulate you. It's being talked about all over the country. I know, I've been on a cross-country flying trip. I hear about it at every airport I go to. What you and Leila Jackson did is very exciting, to us all."
"Us?"
"Women fliers everywhere. Anytime we fly the pants off men, it's a big boost for us. Not only in recognition, but in our own morale."
Barbara didn't think Jacqueline Cochran needed either, but was glad to hear it.
"I'm throwing a little party at my ranch in Indio on Friday and hope you and Leila can make it. Some other women pilots will be there and want to meet you both. My ranch is in the desert near Palm Springs. It's not far from Mohave and you can fly your planes right to it. Please say you can make it. The girls and I would love to meet you both."
Barbara could hardly say yes, she was so overcome with excitement.
Afterward, she wanted to call Leila, but she and George did not have a telephone at their Bakersfield apartment. She would have to call Ken Knowland and ask him to relay the message to George in the morning, and from him to Leila.