Walk the Line

12 - The Time He Comes to Her Graduation and They Both Get a Little Drunk

I'd like to thank you all for being patient. More to come xxx Madds

12 – The Time He Comes to Her Graduation and They Both Get a Little Drunk

"Congrats, Ellie Belle, you're officially smarter than me by a degree," Ford joked. He was referencing my double major, and I was surprised he remembered.

"Yeah, I suppose," I laughed lightly, and he hugged me tightly. I hadn't expected him to come to the ceremony. But he did and it was nice. It reminded me of when I graduated high school. He was kind of the only thing that kept me grounded in these kinds of events. Everyone else was always so a buzz and rushing and Ford was there, calm and steady.

"You didn't have to come all this way just for the ceremony. Mom's having a small reception back home," I said. It would have been enough for him to have just come to that.

"Ellie, I wouldn't miss it for the world. Besides, who else is going to help you pack up your apartment? Lord knowns only Kyle and I can lift any furniture."

"Thanks, Ford. I really appreciate it," I said, trying to hide the slight sadness in my voice. He smiled and nodded, kissing the top of my head in a brotherly gesture.

It should be one of the happiest days of my life, graduating college, but I was leaving the town that I did a lot of growing up in, leaving behind friends that had become my family, and going back...to Franklin. I didn't have a job lined up. I didn't have a future anywhere. I felt like everyone was moving on with their lives and I was just going backwards.

The past three months of rejection had hit me a little harder than I'd hoped. I'd had several job interviews, but without true journalism experience, the best I was offered was an unpaid intern position that might lead to something more. But might didn't pay the bills or the student debt. So I was headed home to get a job at the Franklin County News Agency. I may be reporting about the new farmer's yield projections or how the cops spent the past three hours chasing one of Mr. Donahue's loose cows, but at least it paid.

"Eleanor!" Kyle hugged me and Blythe followed behind, smiling. She was my favorite sister in law. And my only one, but that was beside the point. Caroline showed up next with Brandon in tow. Apparently Caroline had been getting on everyone's nerves back at home. Her wedding was in less than a month and she was going full bridezilla.

"Eleanor! I'm so glad you graduated and you're moving back home! I need my maid of honor close by!" she said and I felt my stomach drop ten feet at least. It was going to be a rough transition. I was used to having my time to myself and solitude and now, well, now, I was going to be waiting on my sister hand and foot until she was married.

We spent the next few hours celebrating and going out to dinner. The traffic and wait time had been especially terrible because of the graduation weekend. I felt completely overwhelmed in the loud conversations that my family made over dinner. I'd missed out on a lot while I was away at college and they all had their own inside jokes and stories that I didn't know anything about.

"I'm sure that the Franklin County News will be grateful to have you. Mandy Benton's daughter, Kara Leopold, you know her, she graduated a year after you, got married a few years ago, has a one year old, the cutest kid you've ever seen? Anyway, she just got a job as a receptionist there! She loves it!" my mother said. I didn't remember Kara getting married or that she'd had a kid, but she sure made me feel pretty inadequate. Married with kids and I was just graduating college.