I Will Follow You Into the Dark

CHAPTER 73

Five months later............


Derek looked around the auditorium nervously. He had arrived early. He tried to relax, but he was nervous. This was a big day—a huge day. His son was graduating from high school—with honors, of course. Derek watched the families that were milling around. Moms were crying. Dads were strutting around looking proud. It's been too short. Our time has been too short.

With all the year end activities, Derek hadn't seen his son in a while. So he was overly eager to see him and terribly excited for him and..........nervous as hell about seeing his mother.

Glancing around again, Derek saw them walking toward him. Meredith looked........wonderful. He knew he was stupid to even let his mind wander over how absolutely breathtaking she was, but he'd never been able to avoid doing that in her presence.

Attacked by his son's strong embrace, Derek hugged him tightly while trying not to gawk openly at Meredith. Trent leaned over and whispered, "Stop drooling" before he said more loudly than necessary, "You're not gonna be all misty, are you, Dad? Mom's a complete wreck. I can't handle both of you freaking out. C'mon, Dad. Don't embarrass me..........."

Derek grinned, "OK. I'll try. But no promises....." Derek looked back up at Meredith and got a huge lump in his throat. Just then, Trent saw Allison, and Derek saw his son's whole face light up at the sight of her, "Now who's drooling," he whispered as his son made his way over to greet his girlfriend. Trying to distract himself from the object of his own drooling, Derek hugged Allison and told her congratulations on her graduation. In a flash, Trent and Allison made their way off to the room where the graduates were gathering. Derek got fly-by kisses and hugs from Jenna and Ariella as they flitted around chatting with their friends.

Trying to start with something safe to talk about as he and Meredith took the seats marked on their tickets, Derek said, "The girls are growing up."

Meredith's eyes trailed her daughters' path around the room. "Almost teenagers," she said, her mind obviously occupied with wonder at how they had grown up so quickly.

Derek looked over at her and was hit with a rush of affection that was overpowering. All of his plans to be Mr. Cool and ignore her went right out the window. She had such a power over him, and he couldn't make himself care.

"You look beautiful today, Mer. Nostalgia and wistfulness look good on you. You can't possibly have a kid graduating from high school," he said, looking forward and trying not to wince in anticipation of what her retort might be.

"Thank you," she said, looking away and not saying anything else. Derek didn't know how to read that reaction.

The girls returned to their seats, and everyone's attention was focused on the stage and the ceremony. Anticipation and emotion built up in all of them as they waited for Trent to walk across the stage to receive his diploma. Meredith got teary-eyed, and Derek took her hand, "You can do this. You've done a wonderful job, Mer. Steve would be proud of him."

"Thanks, Derek," she said as she wiped her tears away. She squeezed his hand and then let it go. Derek sat quite amazed at how his whole body had reacted to that one friendly gesture.

After clapping wildly for him, Derek turned to Meredith. Caught up in the emotion, she smiled at him, and he pulled her into a quick hug.

As the ceremony ended, they wandered into the crowd to find and hug their graduate. It was a truly happy time for all of them. Nobody was uncomfortable or awkward. This was Trent's day, and they all loved him dearly, so it was easy to put the focus on him.

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ter graduation, Trent rode with Derek in his rental car to the restaurant. Derek couldn't put his finger on it, but Trent didn't seem himself. He supposed it was the emotions of graduation—the end of high school, the fear of facing the unknown world of college, etc.

"You OK?" Derek finally asked.

"Yeah," Trent said as he stared out the window.

"You seem.....I don't know.......nervous or something," Derek added.

"Well," Trent responded, "This is a big deal. Dinner with you and with mom and with Allison's parents."

"Seriously?" Derek asked, surprised that Trent would be worried. But then he thought about how strained communication between the parents had been lately and understood why Trent would be concerned.

"Yeah," Trent said.

"I'll behave," Derek said, "No peanuts up my nose or anything."

Trent grinned at him, "Good. Hey dad?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks for being here."

"Wouldn't have missed it," Derek said as he relaxed a little knowing that he had helped his son calm down. Now if only he weren't so nervous about spending this time with Meredith.