A writer and his muse

Chapter 22

"Cosmo Castle,"

Cosmo stood. He walked up the wooden steps, careful not to fall in front of a hundred sets of eyes. His class mates, family, and friends. The wooden stage creaked under his footfall. His heart jumped and he could feel his cheeks start to burn. The podium seemed to be miles away from the stairs. Cosmo straightened and squared his shoulders and continued walking.

Victoria Gates, older now, gray hairs peppered throughout her hair, stood at the podium. Her crisp black uniform reeked of authority and her chin was tipped up. She smiled warmly at Cosmo. He could tell she was thinking of his mother. His chest tightened thinking about her too. He finally reached the podium.

Gates extended her hand and Cosmo firmly took it. She handed him a shiny golden badge. A real one. Shiny and new, unlike the one at home, which was tarnished and worn after years of service. He looked down at the shield in his hand, brushed his thumb across the engraving.

1-Lincoln-40.

Gates pinned the badge across Cosmo's heart. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause.

"Your mother," Gates paused, keeping herself collected. "Your mother would be proud to see you today. She'd be proud you were the one to wear her badge."

Cosmo thanked Gates and quickly walked off stage, tears threatening his eyes. He caught Johanna's eye. She offered him a small smile and a weak thumbs-up. The corner of his lip turned up in the smallest smile. He knew Johanna would see it when no one else would. Royce and Hunter sat to Johanna's left, while Rick sat on the right. He has tears in his eyes. He nodded his head in approval. Cosmo sat back in his seat and rested his forehead on his palms.

"Castle,"

Cosmo turned to see Gates standing in her office doors. She called him over and shut the door behind her.

"Usually this would only happen if you specially requested, but I thought it only seemed right."

Cosmo could clearly see she was choosing each word very carefully, elucidating each word and choosing the best. It made him uneasy.

"I've selected a badge already for you. 1-Lincoln-40. Would you like it?" Gates asked, studying his face. He nodded solemnly and left.

Cosmo studied the badge pinned to his shirt and closed his eyes. He could feel his mother with him then, watching over him. He sighed and opened his eyes, watching his new brothers and sisters walk across the stage, receive new shields of their own.

"It's been a long and rigorous past year. We've put every student in this room to the most utmost tests, testing strength, endurance, intelligence. You see before you one fifth of the original students that started training. New York, your new detectives of the Twelfth Precinct."
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Only days after, Johanna was called up on a stage of her own. She received her diploma. A piece of paper in a maple frame. And a snake/staff thing. Johanna had called it a cadducious.

Lanie stood before anyone else did, but Cosmo whooped the loudest. He ran up to her afterward and spun her around. She giggled and returned the hug.

"Look at you!" Johanna eyed his crisp black uniform. "Have you even taken it off since the ceremony three days ago?" She laughed. Cosmo's eyes twinkled. He laughed and pulled her back in to him.

"We did it, Jo!" He smiled into her hair. "Mom would be proud." He handed her a thin wrapped box. Her smile widened.

"Cosmo, you didn't have to!" Johanna said as she tore into the gift. Inside lay a neatly folded, crisp white lab coat. Embroidered clearly across the top, "Johanna Castle."

"Cosmo!" Johanna gushed. She hugged him once more. Rick interjected, tapping on Cosmo's shoulder. He cleared his throat and stepped aside. Rick, with tears in his eyes, hugged Johanna.

"I'm proud of you, baby" Rick's voice cracked on the last word. "And Mommy's proud of you, too. I should go. I have a book signing." Rick wiped his nose and pulled away. Ever since Kate passed away, Rick buried himself in his books. He made a few more Nikki Heat novels, some sequels, some new faces. But all of his main characters were based off Kate.

Johanna sniffled and nodded. After seven years, she was used to Rick running away to his books. Rick gave her a pat on the back and a sad smile before turning away.

"So I'll see you tomorrow at the lab, correct?" Lanie cut in. Johanna snapped her attention up at Lanie.

"The lab?"

"At the precinct."

"But I haven't even sent in an application." Johanna said, confused. She. brushed a lock of caramel hair behind her ear. A habit she picked up from Kate.

"Sweetie, I promised you a position the first day you touched ou've been coming to the precinct since you were ten. I know you like the back of my hand. I don't need an interview to. know you're highly qualified for the job. Now, I will see you at the lab tomorrow." With that, Lanie gave Johanna a quick hug and walked away.

"Try it on!" Cosmo demanded. Johanna smiled at looked around at her family.

"Congratulations, Jo," Royce hugged Johanna.

"Yeah, great job!" Hunter gave Johanna a hug and a small kiss. They left shortly after.

"Come on," Cosmo hung his arm around Johanna's shoulder. She grinned and leaned into Cosmo as he walked her outside.

They drove down to the cemetery. Johanna requested they get flowers first. Cosmo obliged. They stopped to get lilies.

Johanna carefully set the lilies in front of the grave. She kissed her finger tips and pressed them against the large "K" on the gravestone.

"I love you, Mom." Johanna whispered and stepped aside. She watched Cosmo step up, stare at the stone, say his silent words. Cosmo fished around in his uniform pocket. He bit his lip in his pursuit. She could see the light bulb flash on as he found what he was looking for.

The small medal Captain Gates had given both Cosmo and Johanna. Cosmo knelt by her grave and gently placed the medal down in the bright green grass. He watched as the grass lazily swayed tkone side and swayed back. The bronze medal in the grass read, Junior Detective. Sadness consumed Cosmo, nearly pulling him down. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath in.

"We did it, Mom. We made it."