Laughing, Barbara choked on cigarette smoke.
"He doesn't have to be rich or the handsomest or brainiest of men," Gail said. "He just has to be a decent man and have a job he cares about. And love me as completely as I will love the man I marry."
"Ditto," Barbara agreed, then thought for a moment. "But overly masculine men turn me off. I've heard other girls call them 'too macho.' I want my future husband to be masculine, but not a brute. He should like sports, but not be consumed by them, such as football or boxing where one guy tries to crush the other or pound him senseless. I don't see the sense in that. And he shouldn't be like a bear in bed, but have a gentle side."
"A bear in bed!" Gail laughed over that. "I think I know what you mean. Maybe he should be more like a deer than a bear. 'Deer' spelled 'dear.'"
Barbara agreed. "And maybe I'd want mine to be a flyer, too. Do you have anyone particular in mind for your future husband?"
Gail blushed slightly. "Actually, I do. Definitely." She hesitated a moment, looking as if it was painful for her to think about it. "But he's not interested."
Barbara felt her friend's unhappiness, but did not know what to say or do. She waited for Gail to tell her more, but she didn't.
"I'm sorry," Barbara said. "I'll pray he changes his mind."
Barbara thought her response might lighten her friend's spirit, but Gail winced. She suspected then that she had chosen the wrong words, but did not know why.
After another moment, Gail shrugged off her sadness and surprised Barbara by changing the subject.
"That reminds me. You wanting your future husband to fly an airplane makes me remember, mine has to like to ride a horse."
It prompted Barbara to tell Gail all about her love of Ivanhoe, and her girlhood dreams of a knight on a white stallion sweeping her up into his arms and riding off with her to his castle.
"I never read Ivanhoe," Gail admitted, "but I've had the same dream."
They laughed over that, and hugged, and laughed some more.
"Oh, Gail, I'm so happy when I'm up here with you, and we share dreams and secrets like this." Barbara was near to tears from emotion. "My mother once told me that friendship was sacred to her. That's how it is with me, Gail. Can we pledge, we'll always be best friends, and never jeopardize our friendship? No matter what, forever?"