Chapter 5

When they came back to the apartment it was already six PM, which meant they needed to get ready to go to the Old Brewery and attend the Movement's meeting. They freshened up a bit and decided to put on their evening dresses since they will go dancing right after the meeting.

Emma wore a beautiful parlour black dress which she paired with red Stiletto heels. Her hair was flowing down her back and she just touched up her make up look from earlier. Valerie put on green fit and flare dress. The same one her mother once forbade her to buy while they were out shopping, which is why she came back for it when she was alone. She completed her look with black flats, not wanting to be daring and try Emma' Stilettos that night. Emma put a fresh coat of mascara and this time she also added the lipstick, nice shade of pink, called Pink Jade, while she herself put on more of a scarlet colour.

They hurried out of the apartment and went to the bus station. Taking a bus was always a hassle, especially when they were wearing this type of clothing. Of course, Emma brought all the attention on herself by swirling strands of her fiery hair. This helped Valerie fell less nervous.

They were so engulfed in their conversation that they almost missed their stop. When they noticed the stop, they quickly got out of the bus, giggling the whole time.

In front of the Old Brewery crowd was already forming. The crowd consisting mostly of young and older women. There were also some men, most of them dressed in nice suits or work clothes. The Old Brewery was always a safe space for meetings, since the owner's wife was also a feminist.

The march that was going to be discussed that evening was another radical student movement, for better equality, for women and especially for women of colour. Emma and Valerie walked into the spacious room, which was slowly filling with people. There were chairs neatly placed around the room for everyone who needed or wanted a sit. They decided to sit next to Mrs. Olivia Peers, an older lady.

Mrs. Peers was sitting on a chair dressed in long black dress accented with a large hat. Her pale skin looking even paler. She recently became a widow, so her clothes were expressing her grief. She was one of the first in movement organisations. Always a voice of reason. Sadly, she was also quite firm with her beliefs. When she was young, she was also having her liberal beliefs she fought for. However, sometimes she thought that young people nowadays were asking for too much liberty.

"You sure are dressed nicely for this meeting." she smiled at the girls.

"Well, we thought about going dancing later." answered Emma with her recognisable smirk.

Mrs. Peers didn't really like Emma. Even though she was a woman advocating changes and equality, Emma's confidence, hair colour and style of dressing always got on Mrs. Peers' nerves. She looked Emma up and down then rolled her eyes.

"In my time, it would be very scandalous to go dancing in this kind of fashion." she turned to Emma. "You don't want to bring unwanted attention to yourself, dear."

Emma turned her head towards the woman and simply smiled. "It's okay, I like attention."

Valerie decided it was enough of this talk, since she knows Emma could say something so much worse and so could Mrs. Peers. She said goodbye to older woman and dragged Emma to the other corner of the room.

"What was that about, Emma?" Valerie scolded Emma. "Why must you always pick a feud with Mrs. Peers?"

"Well, she just doesn't like me." she huffed almost like a child. "And she is always judging me, and she should know better, with everything she went trough and with every single thing she stands for."

Before Valerie could utter another word, the meeting started. At the front, addressing everyone were three figures, each more different than the other.

Laura Schmidt, a taller lady standing at the right end. She was thirty-eight years old and of German descent, living alone in the north part of the city. She had a high stature and always looked full of pride. She was quite skinny, most people often teasing her she never ate, and had pinkish white skin. Her hair was dark blonde and was tied in a ponytail. She wore trousers with suspenders, her signature look. She was often teased to be a hippie, which she just smiled at.

Standing left of Laura, right in the middle was Donna Johnson. Shorter lady in her fifties, but bloody powerful. She was somewhat of a leader of this movement. She was making a stand for herself and all other African American women throughout the States. She represented something for those women, their cause. She was dressed in a purple dress and had her hair neatly combed into a bun. Her whole body oozed with might, with justice.

Next to her, on the very left end, stood a man. He was dressed in blue tailored suit. He was tall, his short maroon hair moving while he talked. That was Jarvis Fletcher, a main politician in their movement. He supported the movement both politically and financially. He was in his mid-forties. He was also a World War II veteran. He would always preach how war in Vietnam should've never even began and that young men are dying for a lost cause. Well, that would be mostly when he got drunk as a skunk. Then he became very pessimistic. He would say he saw enough suffering in the world and that brought him to help bring equality toward sun.

The meeting lasted for about two hours before they concluded it with the spot and time for next march. Next march would happen at Thomas Jefferson Memorial. It would bring in the crowd.

After the meeting, Emma and Valerie said goodbyes to others there. Just as they were about to exit the Brewery, Mr. Fletcher called upon them. "Now, where are you ladies going this evening?"

"Oh, Mr. Fletcher, we were going to go and dance." said Valerie.

"I can give you a ride if you want to." He suggested. "I also have to talk to you about something."

Trusting Mr. Fletcher to give them a ride to correct place, they got into his red Chevy Corvette. It was one of those cars without a roof, a convertible, but it was also one of those fast road cars. Mr. Fletcher did have a thing for car racing.

"So, what did you want to talk to us about, sir?" asked Emma sitting in front seat with wind blowing through her hair.

"I wanted to ask you if you two would like to be new faces for our pamphlets." he smiled at Valerie, who was sitting in the back.

"I think you two on the front of a pamphlet would bring much more young people to the movement than if we put me or Mrs. Peers."

The two girls looked at each other, like they were communicating with their eyes. Emma's eyes filled with joy and sparkle while Valerie's were showing caution, hesitation and a bit of fear.

"Sir, could you give us a few to think about it?" asked Emma since she noticed Valerie's discomfort.

"Of course, of course." He smiled. "I wanted to tell it to you in advance so you wouldn't be rushed and forced into something you didn't want to do."

"Thank you, sir." said Valerie. "Oh, we are here."

They finally noticed the lights of the dance club with a crowd of people standing at the front of the club. From inside loud music could be heard, now they were playing something fast. Maybe it was Twist by Chubby Checker, but they couldn't be sure. Girls got out of the car and thanked Mr. Fletcher for the ride.

"Have fun, ladies! Dance till your feet hurt, that's the best feeling." He added as he was starting the car back up to drive away. Red Chevy Corvette rode so fast before their eyes, making the noise that made everyone turn their heads towards the source of it.

"So, are we ready?" asked Emma and offered Valerie her arm.

"Yes, let's go and have fun." Valerie hooked her arm under Emma's, and they went following the bright lights and loud music, prepared to have a good time.