The Unusual Suspects Book 2

Dom

I was standing in front of Kevin, fixing his tie for him. I was so proud of him. He was really graduating with a high school diploma and an Associate's degree today. More than anything I was glad to be able to support him through this and to watch it happen. I fixed the tie and then he pulled his gown on over top of it. I smiled at him and he smiled back.
"What?" he asked me.                                
"I'm just happy to be here." I told him as he looked over and saw everybody begin to line up. "Go ahead! I'll be ready to scream for you when you're crossing." he pecked me on the lips before he went with the rest of them. I went ahead and tried to find a good seat.                                "Domonique?" I heard this man say softly. I stopped and looked at him.         
"I'm sorry, do I know you?" I asked him and he smiled and rolled his wheelchair back to show me a seat beside him.          
"I'm Harold, Kevin's dad." he said and it surprised me so much. "I seen you guys perform together and everything. I saved you a spot." I'm in shock.                
"Thank you." I said sweetly as I took a seat beside him.                                                 
"You're very welcome!" he seemed so polite, I imagined him differently. I focused my attention on the ceremony. When I knew his name was coming up, I got prepared. I stood up.                       "Kevin Simon. Graduating with an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education and a scholarship to Emory University." They called out and I heard so many claps, whistles and screams in that instant. I was so glad he got to feel that. I watched him walk across the stage until his eyes met mine and his smile widened. That moment defined a lot for me. I smiled as I took my seat.      
"Thank you." his dad said to me.             
"What you thank me for?" I asked him.   
"For loving my son the right way. I don't think we were ever able to give him that. But I see it." he told me as he released the brakes on his chair.      "You're not gonna stay to see him?" I asked him.    "He probably doesn't want to see me."
"I disagree." I told him and he stopped in his tracks. We waited until it was over and I wheeled him outside as we waited for Kevin to come out. I saw him coming and I walked up to him and he grabbed me and embraced me tight as hell.           "Thanks Love! For everything. I appreciate you being here." he told me.
"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now." I told him as he kissed me for what seemed like hours before I pulled back a little. "But someone else felt the same way as me." I told him and he looked at me confused as I walked him over to his dad. He was shocked.             
"Hey Kev, I found out when this would be and I had to be here. I needed to see you. I watched you and literally sat in my chair and cried because you turned out so well. I know I had nothing to do with your success and I'm sorry. But I just wanted you to be better than me. You are." They both had tears in their eyes at this point. "I love you son." he said as the tears fell down his face. Kev walked over to him and hugged his dad.
"Can I get this picture?" I asked and they both nodded as I got the picture of him holding the degree and diploma next to his dad. It was beautiful.                               
"Now let me get you two." his dad said as I passed him the camera. Kev stood behind me and wrapped his arms around me and held the diploma and degree in his hands as his dad snapped the picture. "Yall make a beautiful couple. I was telling her, thank you for loving you correctly. I'm not sure if me or your mother ever really did. But this here, I can see clearly." he said.                  
"Yall loved me correctly, you just battled addiction. I get it, I don't understand, but I get it. I still love you too Dad. Thank you for the effort to be here. It means a lot. And you're right, she does love me correctly. I'm thankful for that." he said as he looked from his dad to me.                "Good." he said with a smile.                      
"Are you gonna come see Keisha?" he asked his dad.                                                   
"I can't today, because activities brought me out here. But you tell me when is an okay time and I can come to you. Or yall can visit me whenever. I'm at Signature of Buckhead." he said as he started to leave.                                                 "Dad..." he called out. "Thank you again and we'll be there to see you." he told him and his dad put his hand over his heart in gratitude.                  "Can't wait." he said as he left.                        "Thank you so much." Kevin told me as he cradled my face in his hands and looked into my eyes. "You just don't know how appreciative that I am." he said to me and I smiled at him before I leaned in and kissed him.                             
"Early Childhood Education has nothing to do with making babies now." We heard Charles say as him, Iris, Riek, Aries, Araya, Depth, and Rodney walked over. Kev laughed as him and Charles shook hands. "Congrats my boy! You know we wouldn't miss this." he said.   
"Congrats my guy! You did that!" Aries said as she hugged him and the rest followed behind. I knew when I heard all them whistles and screams that the gang was all here. I turned and Paradox and Onyx were coming up from behind us as well.                                                            
"Oh shit, somebody became that man today!" Paradox said all loud and him and Kev shook on it and hugged each other. Paradox pulled out his diploma too. "I came right after mine was over. That's why everybody was a little late." he said and I took a step back to catch the picture of Paradox and Kev together. This was a great example of black excellence right here. I felt so whole right now.