Broken Lantern

Chapter Twenty-Seven

It's graduation day, the town is all decorated and lit up; people are so excited and just about everyone has come out to support us. The gymnasium is packed as we all gather on the stage to take our seats for our commencement ceremony. We're all wearing our dark green cap and gown, waiting eagerly to have this done and over with.

None of our group are sitting together, as everything is done in alphabetical order.

The gym is very noisy as excited voices fill the room, echoing off the walls. Moms and dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and all kinds of extended family sit staring at us, talking about how proud they are of their student about to take that last walk through high school to accept their diploma and signify and end as well as a beginning in their lives. All I can think about is the fact that Darry isn't here to accept his diploma. Again, something else he was robbed of.

I try my best to shake off the thoughts now dragging me down on a day that should be happy and exciting for me. I scan the crowd, looking for that one face that I need to see to bring me back around. There she is. That light in the darkness, mommy's little love; Dallas is sitting on Bobby's lap, looking at the crowd, smiling at everyone. She turns toward me, and I wave at her. She sees me and smiles, making me forget anything negative or bad.

They begin calling students up and I watch as kids I've known my whole life step into adulthood, leaving behind the childhood that we all shared. We're moving forward, whether we're ready or not. One by one each of us takes our walk across the stage. Families are standing and clapping for their student, so proud of their achievement.

When it's each of our turn to walk, all of our families stand and clap, making a big scene on purpose, hooping and hollering as we walk down the stage to get our diplomas. I watch Dally, looking from each of her grandparents to the other as they act a fool, and she's smiling so big, clapping along with them, kicking her feet as they dangle over her Pawpaw's arms.

It's the cutest thing to watch; her reaction to them; the poor girl not realizing they'll be doing this to her one day too.

When Kevin walks, I feel a lump in my throat, as I fight back happy tears. Kevin, Jessica, Joel and I came a long way in a short time, fighting for our chance to be here today; Joel especially. I am so proud of each one of us.

When it's my turn, I get up to walk, expecting the same thing that the other's got; all of our families' standing up, clapping and making a scene.

Almost the entire audience stands, clapping for me as I make my way across the stage. And I realize immediately that they're not only clapping for me, they're clapping for Darry; these are all people who had their lives touched by my husband in one way or another. It's very evident that this show of emotion is out of respect for him and the life that he never got to finish.

When I get to the other side of the stage and reach my hand out for my diploma, I see the tears in our Principal's eyes. Mrs. Popovitz leans in to hug me and whispers that there's a surprise inside of my diploma, that she has now placed in my hand. I smile and thank her, turning to walk back to my seat.

When the last person takes their walk, and we're all seated back where we started, Mrs. Popovitz announces, "We're proud to present to you the graduating class of 2019!" And we all toss our caps into the air.

After the ceremony, we all come together outside for photos and congratulations. It's a big to-do, with so many families, that we cover the entire front grounds of the school.

I hear of at least three different graduation parties going on tonight, everyone's happy to be finished with school, but sad to be going in different directions now that it's all over. Some of them are leaving for college, traveling as far as New York, and as close as one or two states away.

A lot of us are staying right here, and though Kevin should be pursuing a career in art, he's staying here too, to marry me and help raise Dally. I'm not sure I like the idea of him giving up his dreams for us, but at the same time, I would be lost if he decided to leave to chase after bigger things.

I know it's a selfish thought, and I should want him to go make something more of himself, but I want him to stay and be my husband, and Dally's daddy. We'll be plenty happy on our little pumpkin patch and tree farm, I think.

"Hey, where are you right now?" I hear Kevin's voice break through my thoughts, bringing me into the conversation happening around me. He's holding Dally on his hip, as she tries to grab the tassel hanging down from his cap, laughing every time he moves his head and it swings just out of her reach.

"Huh? Oh, I'm here. I guess I was just thinking of our future." I tell him, and notice him flinch a little, unsure of how different my idea of "our future" may be from his idea of "our future".

"You aren't getting cold feet, now are you?" he asks, a loo of anxiety coming across his gorgeous face.

I reach up to kiss him and tell him, "Not at all, it's nothing like that. We can talk about it later if you want." He nods and we agree to come back to this discussion at another time.

"Congratulations, Mr. Jones." We hear an unfamiliar voice say and turn around to see a gray-haired man in a dark blue suit, with a patch that holds a familiar logo that I can't quite place right now. Kevin turns to the man, greeting him and shaking his hand.
"It's nice to finally get to meet you, Mr. Jones. My name is Frank Messer and I'm from Montana State University. I work as a recruiter for the Academy of Art & Design", he tells us, and I feel my heart begin to sink as Kevin's eyes light up, but then watch as his expression quickly turns to confusion.

"Wait, I haven't submitted anything..." Kevin begins to tell him, trying to figure out how this man even knows about him or about his art.

Kevin looks at me, his expression asking if I did this. I shake my head and shrug my shoulders. He looks to his parents, but they react the same as me.

Mr. Messer continues, "A Mr. Daryl Williams submitted some of your work to us last year, along with a letter asking us to come out and meet with you today. He told us that you would be a wonderful addition to our University's Art Program. The pieces that he submitted inspired me to be here today, as I tend to agree with Mr. Williams, and we'd like to offer you a full scholarship to the Program. If you're interested that is."

The look on Kevin's face is one of confusion, then gratitude to his best friend, then joy and happiness over this opportunity, and then when he sees me and looks down at our daughter, still in his arms; fear and uncertainty.

"I-I don't know. I had not even thought of college." He manages to stammer.

"Is Mr. Williams here with you all today? I'd like to meet this young man." Mr. Messer asks us, looking around as if he'd somehow manage to pick Darry's face out of the crowd.

"No, I'm sorry, but he passed away in a car accident last August." Kevin tells him, looking to me and back to the man standing in front of us, trying to change our lives-again.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. I can tell by the letter he sent to me, that he was a great fan of yours and admired you and your ability greatly. I wish I could have met such a person that would look out for a friend's future in such a way."

I see the tears beginning to well in Kevin's eyes and look around at all of the faces standing around us that I love so dearly, all of which now have tears threatening to roll down their cheeks as well.

"Well, Mr. Jones, I don't think I have to tell you what a great opportunity this could be for you. Why don't you think on it for a few days and give me a call when you've made a decision? We'd love to have you." He hands Kevin a card and turns to walk away, leaving all of us speechless and not sure what to think or how to act.

Mary is the first to break the silence, coming over to hug her son, and pat him on the back. "This is a big decision son; you need to take the man's advice and think it over. It could mean big things for your little family here."

Kevin looks down at Dallas and back at me, sensing the anxiety beginning to creep up in the pit of my stomach, he puts his arm around me and pulls me into him, kissing the top of my head. "It's ok, Alley. I'm not going anywhere." He tells me, and I instantly feel bad for him.

He's an amazing artist, one that could go far in that world. But that world isn't our world. Now, I really have to think about some things. Now nothing seems as clear cut as it did just a few moments ago.