Pregnant At Sixteen

Reed - College Graduates

Even though it wasn't easy doing summer school to graduate on time along with Reena, it was definitely worth it. Getting my degree was a great accomplishment because it's the next step to ensuring Claire gets a good life, with my degree, I can do more as a father and husband.

We're at a hotel staying for a few days, my dad came up with the idea. We're hours away from where the graduation ceremony will be held. Right now, Reena is up with Claire, reading her a story and each time she stops to show Claire the pictures she glimpses over at me and grins. It's obvious she's excited and I can't lie, I am as well. My parents are in the other room sleeping, they had Claire all day while Reena and I did last minute preparations.

Claire has been growing non-stop. Just like her mother, she's stubborn and beautiful. She's also definitely daddy's girl and whenever her mom tells her no to anything she comes right to me and of course I say yes. My dad tells me I need to say no because it's going to cause her to be spoiled but the irony in that is that he never tells Claire no either, in fact, he's worse but he makes the excuse that he's a grandparent, so he's supposed to spoil her.

Claire began speaking a month after her first birthday and of course, her first word was "Dada". So, Reena lost that bet to me but a couple weeks later she started saying "Mama".

I watch as Reena closes the book and Claire leaps from her lap and comes around the couch, she climbs up into my lap and rests her head on my chest and places her thumb in her mouth. then Reena gets up and comes over, pulls her thumb out her mouth and places a carrot in her hand instead along with a science playbook. Claire relaxes and places the book in my hand and starts nibbling on her carrot. I turn down the volume on the t.v. and turn my attention to her,

"You want me to read this for you?" She nods, and I turn the t.v. off and start reading her the book.

After fifteen minutes, I check to see if she's following just to see that she's out cold. I take the carrot from her hand and lift her up to take her to the other room me and Reena stay in. When I put her down to sleep, I return downstairs and see Reena looking at her graduation gown, I go to her.

"Can you believe it? We finally did it." She looks at me and grins.

"Well, I never doubted you for a second." She rolls her eyes at me and I hold her hand.

"I know I don't say this a lot but thank you for everything. You've been there through everything and I can't imagine being here if it wasn't for you."

She closes the gap and puts her arms around my neck. "And I'll always be here for you, that's a promise."

"I love you." She says smiling and I kiss her.

"I love you more."

It's not until two hours later that we start getting ready to go to the ceremony. Reena is wearing a yellow dress and her hair is in twists that reach the middle of her back. Yellow is my favourite colour on her, it always makes her look even more stunning.

Out parents descend the stairs and my Dad is holding Claire, she's also wearing a yellow dress and I can't help but think that today is going to be an amazing day. I really couldn't be any happier.

It doesn't take us five minutes to get there. Mom and Dad keep Claire while Reena and I join the others, because of our surnames, we are seated far apart but she messages me and sends me pictures of her and her some of her friends. After all the important matters have been attended to, we are told to stand. They start calling names and although it feels like forever before they get to mine, when they do, I proudly march on to the stage, shake the Chancellor's hand and collect my cylinder. I hear Reena shout "That's my baby!" in the proudest voice possible and I turn to see her stand and waving at me, she blows a kiss and I wink at her.