divulgence // luke hemmings au

34

June

This was it. This was graduation day and Luke lined up with the other graduates and sat down on the chairs lined up on the stage as family members and friends watched.

The Dean and a few professors said some words on behalf of the school and the graduates all Luke could think about was how soon enough he would have his hard earned degree in his hands.

He worked super hard to get to this point and it was worth all the stress in the end.

When it was time for the pinning ceremony one by one the graduates walked up to the podium while dawning their white attire and white coats.

Luke got called up after a dozen or so people and Elsie appeared walking up the stairs. She was wearing a dark blue dress and the top of it was sparkly, she had her hair tied back and dangly earrings on.

She made it over to her dad, where the Dean handed her a special pin.

"Thank you for letting me be apart of this event, Dad. This is such an honor for me. I was just a little girl when I watched you become lieutenant and it was only a short while since I saw you become captain. It's always amazing to watch you move forward in your career." Elsie explained, holding the both pieces of the pin in both of her hands. Her and her father exchanged cheerful faces.

"It's been a rough couple of months hasn't it Elsie? We've been through a lot this year."

"It has been tough but look you and I made it. I'm so so proud and happy for you Dad. I'll never forget this moment."

Luke leaned over allowing his daughter to pin his coat, even though she was already on her tippy toes trying to reach.

"Thank you baby-girl, I'm gonna cherish this moment for ever." He responded after Elsie secured the pin.

Elsie smiled real big. "And just like that you went from medic to nurse. Congratulations Dad."

After the pinning ceremony was complete, the degrees were handed out making all of this a lot more surreal for everyone involved.

Onto the next night, where Luke was now standing at a podium dressed proudly in his EMS attire in a packed banquet hall.

There was a lot of chatter and noise so he tapped the microphone attached to the podium a few times to get everyone's attention so they could quiet down.

Once the eyes were on him he took something out from his pocket and unfolded it placing it on the podium itself.

He took a deep breath in before saying a word.

"Hello, good evening everyone. We are all gathered here today for one reason and for one reason only, I, Captain, Luke Robert Hemmings is formally resigning as Captain and as a paramedic." He broke the news, pausing looking around, it shook some people up, others not so bothered. A lot of people already knew that he was going to be doing this.

"I know for some people this comes as a surprise and others is does not. I know there are people who thought I'd never leave Martinsburg EMS, but here I am formally announcing my resignation from the service as I move on and further my career as a nurse."

Sabrina held tightly onto the wine glass in her hand as she watched her husband do one of the hardest things he ever had to do in his career.

"Twenty years. I have been here twenty whole years. It's incredible isn't it? I never ever thought this would be the place I'd end up, ya know? The world definitely works in mysterious ways.
When I first started out here my son was just a wee little baby. Back in those days I couldn't wait to come back home after a long shift and I'd take Elliot and put him on my chest and we'd snuggle for hours. Now he's twenty years old and is following in this old man's foot steps." Luke paused for some laughter.