First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 129

  Graduation day seems to have snuck up on us.

  It is the first Saturday in June and the morning feels charged, like the air already knows something is ending and something else is about to begin. I wake up before my alarm, one hand on my belly, the other reaching across the bed without thinking.

  Taytum is already awake. She is lying on her back, staring at the ceiling, cap and gown hanging from the closet door like a promise. Her jaw is set in that way she gets when she is holding nerves tightly in her chest instead of letting them run wild.

  "Hey," I whisper.

  Her head turns immediately. The tension in her face softens the second she sees me. "Morning, beautiful."

  I smile because she says it like it is a fact, not a compliment. She slides closer and presses a kiss to my forehead, then my cheek, then my lips. Slow. Grounding. Familiar.

  "I'm nervous," she admits quietly.

  "You're graduating college," I say. "You're allowed."

  She exhales against my mouth. "I just want today to be good."

  "It will be," I say. "You did the work. Today just witnesses it."

  A few seconds later our bedroom door opens and KK climbs into the bed like a whirlwind, already dressed, shoes on the wrong feet, excitement vibrating off her. "Is it time yet."

  Taytum laughs and pulls her into her chest. "Almost."

  By the time we get to campus, the parking lot is full and buzzing. Families spill across sidewalks. Graduation music floats faintly from speakers. Everything smells like sunscreen and cut grass and anticipation.

  Taytum refuses to leave my side until we make it to our seats. I move slower than usual and nobody rushes me. Her hand stays at my lower back, steady and warm. I am thirty two weeks pregnant now and my body makes no apologies for it. My belly leads. My feet ache. My hips feel loose and heavy but I feel beautiful anyway.

  Once we reach our seats, Taytum slips into her gown and cap and suddenly she looks different. Taller. Finished. Like she stepped fully into herself when I was not looking.

  KK stares at her like she is seeing a superhero. "Mama T looks important."

  "She is," I say.

  Taytum goes to get lined up and we take our seats right before the ceremony begins. Welcomes, speeches, names and aplause that rolls in waves. I watch Taytum more than I watch the stage. She stands straighter than she ever has. She keeps glancing toward us, checking, anchoring herself.

  When her name is finally called, it feels like my chest cracks open. Before I can even inhale, KK stands on her chair. "THAT'S MY MAMA T," she yells, voice sharp and clear and proud.

  Laughter ripples through the crowd. Applause swells louder. Taytum freezes for half a second, eyes wide, then she finds us. Her face breaks open. She waves at KK, at me, joy spilling out of her like she cannot hold it in anymore. I clap until my palms sting. Tears blur my vision. She did it.

  When the ceremony ends, everything explodes into movement. Graduates spill into families. Cameras flash. Names are shouted across the lawn. Taytum finds us immediately. Her moms reach her first. Kyler wraps her in a hug so tight Taytum lets out a surprised laugh. Lauren's arms come next, one hand cradling the back of her head like she used to when she was little.

  "We're so proud of you," Lauren says, voice thick with tears.

  "So proud," Kyler echoes.

  My parents are right there too. My dad grips Taytum's shoulder, firm and steady. My mom pulls her into a hug that lingers just a little longer than expected. "You did something big," my mom says softly.