The Way We Were

The Way We Love Laurie

Laura was nervous. Her stomach had been upset all day and she couldn't relax.

She was graduating college today.

Marc took her hand. "Babe. You have to calm down."

"I can't." The blonde fretted. "Everyone's coming and I have to give the speech and-"

"Come here." He led the way to their bedroom and shut the door.

W.W.W.

Laura spoke clearly as she addressed her fellow classmates and their families and faculty. She talked about the future, the past but most importantly the present.

She talked about how every choice they made in the now affected everything in their lives and the best choices weren't always best for others but best for them.

By the time the valedictorian went to go sit down, everyone was sniffling. The ceremony went on and then the class was called up to receive their hard earned diplomas.

Softball captain, head cheerleader, sorority secretary Laura went up for her diploma as her family acted a fool in the audience. She blushed as she received honors for her grades, clubs and community service work.

When the ceremony concluded, she went to take pictures with friends before going to her family.

"Laura!" Judy cried. "You graduated university!"

Laura giggled.

"I guess you really do know it all now." Mike pouted.

Laura hugged him, not letting him spoil her day. "I love you, too Monster."

He stuck his tongue out.

"Who is that?" Karou eyed the salutatorian.

"Ooh!" Paris whistled.

Marcy gave him the Nod. "Good-lookin, good-lookin!"

"Hey!" Mal, Jude and Yuria were offended.

Laura pinched the trio of girls. "Stop that! He's a grown man!"

"I can be his grown woman!" Marcy caught his eye.

Mal blew fire.

Jeanette giggled. "Marcy, you're sixteen years old."

"He don't gotta know that!" Marcy blew him a kiss.

He winked at her.

Mal got in his line of sight and held up a fist.

"Stop blockin!" Marcy giggled.

Mal wrapped his arms around her. "Mine!"

"Oh Mal..."

Laura shook her head.

"What are your plans now that you've graduated?" Richard asked in Swedish.

"Take a year off." Laura waited.

Everyone older than her stared at her like she was crazy. "Take a year off?!"

"Yes." Laura gulped. "Marcy brought up a good point."

"Sweetpea!" Marcus was hurt.

"I stand by it." Marcy defied.

"Do you even remember what it was?" Marc lifted a brow.

"Is that required?"

Laura's lips twitched. "You said how you don't want to be in Lima for the rest of your life."

"Oh! Yeah. That's not happening. I'm getting away from this Podunk town as fast as possible."

"I agree. But I have to wait for Marc to graduate. He wants his degree from State so he's going to go to school and I'll get things ready so that when we come up with a final plan on where we want to go and what we want to do, we can just pack up and go."

"It's not a terrible idea." Michael unbent.

"Final plan?" Marcy caught that.

Laura pouted. She knew she would. "Yes."

"What are your possible plans?" Jonathan wanted to know.

Laura looked at Marc, who took her hand and addressed their family. "I've been recruited."

"By who?!" Jeanette worried.

"The NFL."

They all looked at him in shock. "What?!"

He scratched the skin between his braids. "Yeah. They paid me a visit before Christmas and a few teams have been to see me since then."

"What's NFL?" Mally asked.

"Football, little man."

Mally perked up. "Yay! Football!"

"That's one happy person. Dad?"

Marcus chewed on his lips. He'd played football in college, too but it had always been secondary to his studies and he hadn't played since.

"PM?"

Michael was just as unsure. He'd always stressed the importance of studying and the medical field. "I don't know, son."

Jeanette hit both Michael and Marcus before hugging Marc. "This is great! I can't wait to cheer on my pro football son! Wait. Which team are you signing with?"

Marc grinned. "It's between the Seattle Seahawks, the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Rams."

"Seahawks!" Mal cheered.

"Ravens!" Marcy frowned.

"Hello?! Rams!" Mike and Mercedes sputtered.

"I think you should be a Ram, too." Maddie hugged Marc. "California sunshine."

"Yeah. Get burnt to a crisp." Marcy taunted.

Gertie set her hands on her hips and spoke in rapid fire Japanese. "And just what will you be doing while he's pursuing this sport?"

"I want to pick up a few business classes so no matter where we go, I can open my own design firm." Laura beamed.

"What about your art history degree?" Mercedes worried.

"I'll be looking for a gallery to intern at so it doesn't go to waste."

"And modeling?" Caroline wanted to know.

Laura sighed. "I'll still model."

The grandmothers were happy.

Marcus came to a decision. "I think sun will be just what you need."

Marc's heart lifted so fast, he thought he was having a heart-attack. "You mean it?"

"No!" Michael snapped. "Seahawks!"

Marc laughed as he hugged Laura. "And you were worried."