Diamonds In The Attic

Chapter Thirteen

After grandpa died, I took a job working as a cashier at a convenient store to save up to get my own place. I had college on my mind when I worked so I was always efficient with my work.

I had already saved up enough to rent out an apartment not far from where my parents and Jake lived. I started to move things out when I took a trip to the attic for a final look around. I walked around when I saw something shiny sitting in one of the boxes. I looked at it confused. It couldn't possibly be. I walked over to the box and saw that what was shining wasn't necessarily a diamond but rather a silvery picture frame. I smiled and set it back down on the box. Then, I saw something rather peculiar about the box. The box had a logo on it that happened to be in the shape of a...

"Diamond." I said to myself. I went to the box and opened it up, brushing the dust and cobwebs away. My eyes began to water once I saw what was inside. I immediately went and got my mom. She was a little skeptical at first but when I showed it to her she started to cry too. Inside the box lay diamonds. Not just any ordinary diamonds...they were the diamonds of life.

Memories. Moments of life that were once in a lifetime but were captured on photos, video tapes, and many more formats of which memories could reside outside our minds. Grandpa was right all along, there were diamonds in the attic...we just had to look for them. And they were valuble than anything else. They hid in plain sight. Those diamonds in the attic.

And that folks, is the end of my story. I decided to put my story to paper a few days ago. I met a man who I hadn't seen in years. A wonderful man named Patrick Thomaston. He came into the store I worked at and surprised me with his presence. It was the happiest I had been to see someone. He told me that he had moved back to Melanch and decided to do so because of me. We are now engaged. We're gonna get married pretty soon.

I still keep in touch with Frank Lyon. He moved to LA and has a wife and two children. He's so proud of them. He has a boy named Miguel and a daughter named Veronica. They are his world. He makes an incredible father.

James became part of a movement that helped raise awareness to the queer community. And as far as I know, he is still an avid member of that community. And he has me as a full supporter and a dear friend.

I may not have the best job in the world, but I am saving money to get into college where I long to be a nurse. After caring for my grandfather, I realized that that was my true calling. Patrick is very supportive of this dream of mine and is working to make it a reality just as much as me. I couldn't be prouder.

So even though my career life is not anything out of the ordinary, I had an amazing past. Amazing friends and awesome family. I still talk to Nicole. God, I miss her so but I moved on just like she wanted me to. But I am going to end this story with a question. Think long and hard on this. Have you found your diamonds in the attic? I have....but have you?

THE END!