Making our Future in History

Day one hundred and eighty

     Kendal and I woke-up early to go downstairs and eat breakfast. We could smell my mom cooking downstairs. When we got down there we saw that my mom had made a huge breakfast. It was on the kitchen table. And of course true to Minnesota's nature he woke-up as soon as he smelt food.
     "Put a shirt on." Kendal said.
      "I'm good."
     "Seriously, no one wants to see your so called abs."
      Well... they weren't 'so called' he had a pretty defined 6-pack. I mean he was well built in high school, and he still has his wrestling weight of 230 pounds. And it's has been two years since then.
     "Back me up on this." She pleaded to me.
     I looked at him.
     "Come on, Kate. I know you. You can't resist."
     He wasn't wrong.
     "He's fine like that." I said, "you know. Until my mom tells him to put on a shirt."
     "Come eat breakfast." Kendal said, "I never win with you two."
     He sat next to us at the kitchen table. My mom came downstairs and back into the kitchen.
     "Tony... where is your shirt?"
     "Good morning Ms. Bailey. It's in my room."
     "Then I advise you to go and get it."
     "Yes ma'am."
     He got up and went back to the spare room.
     "Men, I swear." She said, "are you girls excited?"
     "Yes we are." Kendal said.
     I was very nervous and very excited all at once. I wasn't ready for today, but at the same time I was.
     Minnesota came back in with a t-shirt on and sat back across from Kendal.
     "Can I eat breakfast now?"
     "Yes you may."
     The three of us are breakfast then Kendal and I went upstairs to get dressed.
I took a shower then got dressed in a simple shirt and jeans. I wasn't going to put on my white graduation dress until tonight. Kendal took a shower after me and put on a tank top and shorts.
"I'm so excited!"
"Yeah, so am I."
"What's the matter?"
"My dad's coming."
"At least you know your dad."
"This is no time for a pity party, Kendal. I'm serious. I don't know how I feel about it."
"You should ignore him. He's the one that missed so many years of your life."
     "But he is my father."
     "Like I said. At least you know your father, Tony and I never knew them."
     "At least you had your mother for 17 years."
     "I guess. I mean she really wasn't there and involved. I mean Tony basically raised me."
     "Let's talk about something else."
     "Kyle's here!" My mom yelled up to us.
     Kendal and I walked downstairs to the foyer. She ran to him and hugged him.
     "You act like I just got back from war to something."
      "Nope, I'm just happy to see you."
     "Okay..."
     "Come and have cold breakfast." My mom said.
     "No thank you." He said, "I had a big breakfast this morning."
     Kyle has a big breakfast every morning. His dad is rich, so he lives it up doing things that many kids in our town can't.
     "All right then. Where are you four off to?"
     "Nowhere important."
     "Going for the memory walk around the town with everyone else?" My mom asked.
That was what we were going to do.
     "Yes ma'am, we are." Kyle said.
     "So, you are going somewhere important."
     "Yes."
      That was my mom. Backing poor Kyle into corners so she could confuse a confession out of him.
     "Well, you three have fun. I'll be here."
     We walked out to Minnesota's car. He drove us to the downtown square where the rest of the graduating class was.
     It was a huge tradition, walking the town. It made us look around and remember everyone and everything that had happened or had been in our lives up until this point. It was pretty emotional.
     "All right guys. I will see you later. Walk home safely, and Kate... don't do anyone or anything stupid."
     I opened the passenger door.
     "Very funny, Minnesota, very funny."
     We all got out of the car and walked to where the rest of the class was. When everyone showed up we started the walk.
"Walk with me." Principal Stewart said.
We all started on our walk around the town. It was good, clear, bright, and warm day.
     The walk about lasted for about an hour. It made me cry.
     "Kate, are you okay?"
     I looked at Kendal.
     "Yes. It's just that this part of my life is really over."
     She gave me a hug.
     "But the new chapter is just beginning."
     "That it is."
After the ceremonial walk I walked down to the Methodist church that we go to almost every Sunday.
I told Kendal and Kyle that I wanted to go alone. I walked to the front doors and found that it was open.
    The church was wood and brick with stained glass windows that lined the sanctuary. They depicted Jesus's life from birth to his resurrection.
"Didn't peg you as a Methodist."
I turning around and looked at Mr. Hanes.
"No, you see I didn't peg you as one."
"I'm not. I'm southern Baptist."
I scrunched my nose.
"What?"
"I don't like being yelled at about Brimstone and fire."
"That explains it."
"Then why are you in here?"
"I followed you." He said looking around, "it's really beautiful in here."
"Yeah, beautiful and original."
"That it is."
He was looking at me when he said it.
"Flattery will get you nowhere."
"Tell that to my math teacher my senior year of high school. How else did you think Devin and I passed?"
I laughed.
"You think I'm kidding."
"That's what's funny. I don't."
He smiled at me.
"Why are you in here?"
"I told you. I just followed you."
"Well, I want to be alone."
"No you don't. You think you do, but you really don't."
I looked at him.
"What do you know?"
"That you're not happy about something. What that something is... I have no idea."
"How do you know?"
"Because the Kate I know only wants to be alone when she really doesn't need to be."
     "You, Mr. Hanes, know nothing."
     "Good thing I don't have to. God does."
     I looked up at the massive chandelier that was hanging from the ceiling.
     "Fine, I'll tell you." I said, "come here."
     We walked down the aisle to the pew that my mom and I sit with Kendal and Minnesota. Their mother used to sit there too.
     "So... this is where you sit?"
     "Yep."
     We sat down there in the pew.
"So, what's so wrong?"
"My dad is coming to my graduation and I don't know how to feel about it."
"At least your dad is coming to your graduation."
"Oh God. Don't tell me that yours is dead, or he was deployed at that time."
"No, my mom and dad came. He actually surprised me there. I was just saying that you're lucky."
"Oh."
"How did you come up with that?"
"Kendal and Tony don't know their fathers."
"Well I most certainly do know my dad."
"That's good." I said, "so, I should stop complaining about having my dad come to graduation?"
"Yeah, something like that."
We sat in silence for a moment.
"I want to be married in this church."
I felt him look at me. I looked back at him.
"What?"
"You just told me that you want to get married in this church."
"Yeah, and I'll tell you that I want five kids."
"Wow, maybe like three."
"No, five."
"All right then." He said, "five kids."
"You two are so adorable."
I jumped at the sound of Devin's voice.
"Did you know that's a sign of guilt?"
"Funny."
"Hey man, what do you need?"
"How do you find us?" I asked.
"It's a gift." He said, "actually I came here to make sure nothing goes wrong. I am a police officer."
"Yes." Mr. Hanes said standing up, "we know you are a police officer. You have always wanted to be one."
"Yeah... you know everything."
I jumped in before Mr. Hanes said anything back."
     "I guess this is over." I said standing up, "I should go home."
     "Give me a minute and I'll walk you home."
     "All right. I'll be outside."
     I went outside and stood on the front steps.
      "Kate, why are you here."
     "Dr. Greene... I was just inside."
     "I know. You and Raymond seem close."
      "Yes sir. We are."
     "It's always good to have a friend you can talk to about different things."
     "Yes sir."
"Talk of the town is that you guys are more than friends."
I looked at him.
"Sir, we can't. I'm still technically a student of the school..."
"Right. Until 7:30 tonight."
"Correct."
"I'll be there to watch you all graduate."
     "That's great." I said, "and thank you."
     "For what?"
     "Everything."
     He smiled. Mr. Hanes and Devin came out of the church.
     "It's beautiful. Your church." Mr. Hanes said.
     "It's God's church. I just preach in it."
     "How true." Devin said, "Well, you two can continue on."
     "Was he like this in high school and college?"
     "Well... yeah he was."
     "So, was he always this invested in your love life?"
     "Yeah... but that's just Devon being Devon, and him being invested in my love life had nothing to do with Joanna leaving me for him."
     "I love how casually you just said that." I said.
"That's the thing. I'm over it. I don't care what he did back then because she is someone else's problem."
"I won't cheat."
"I'm well aware."
We walked down the street a little ways to his car.
"Do you need a ride home?"
I looked around.
"I don't know..."
"You don't know what?"
"Kendal and Kyle might still be down town."
"Why don't you text Kendal and find out?"
"Because if she's in the middle of a make-out session and I interrupt Kyle will be mad at me."
     "Your two friends are weird."
     "And your and Devin's dynamic..."
     "We're people. Not perfect." He said.
      "True." I said looking around for a second.
"Kate, get in the car."
     "All right."
     I got into the car and he drove me home. Minnesota and Kyle's cars were in the driveway, but my mom's wasn't.
     "My mom must be out with her boyfriend."
     "Whose her boyfriend?"
     "Bennett's dad."
     "And mine and Devin's dynamic is weird?"
     "You have no idea."
      I got out of the car.
     "Want to come in?"
     "If that's your car, I'm assuming that the truck is Kyle's, and your mother is gone, then who's here?"
     "Minnesota."
     "I don't know about that. He seems serious about hurting me if I hurt you."
     "Oh, well, he's dead serious." I said, "but you can still come in."
"I think I'll go to the school and get ready for the graduation."
"You do that." I said, "bye."
"Bye."
I closed the passenger door, and then walked to the front door of my house. I walked into the house and found Minnesota sitting on the couch.
"You're late." He said looking away from the TV.
"Is your sister here?"
"No."
"Then I'm not late." I rebutted.
"Where is my sister?" He asked ignoring me.
"Probably making out with Kyle somewhere."
"Oh, okay."
"They get an 'okay', and I get a 'you're late'. Why is that?"
"Because their relationship, as weird as it is, is not illegal."
"Technically it is. Kyle's 18 and Kendal isn't."
"But I trust them."
"And you don't trust Mr. Hanes and I?"
"The fact that you still call him Mr. Hanes means that this relationship isn't right in some way."
"I can call him Raymond or Ray. Does that help?"
"A little." He said, "come sit with me on the couch. I'm watching the news."
"Okay."
I sat next to him then looked at the clock on the wall.
"We still have a while before graduation. I'm freaking out."
"You should. It's a great achievement to survive 13 years of school. Public school at that."
"You're not wrong."
"I know."
We sat there in the couch until Kendal and Kyle came bursting though the door.
"You two are way too late." Minnesota called, "sister, virginity status."
"Stop being such a pick, Tony."
"I'll take that as in tact."
"You guys are weird." Kyle said, "my dad needs me home."
"I'll walk you to your truck." Kendal said.
Minnesota jumped up from the couch.
"Nope, you Kendal Jones, are staying in the house."
     "Fine I will, but don't expect me to be happy about it."
     "I would expect nothing less."
     Minnesota walked Kyle out to his truck. Kendal sat down next to me on the couch.
     "When is your mother coming back?"
     "I don't know. I didn't know that she had left until I came home."
     "How did you get home?"
     "Mr. Hanes."
     She nodded but didn't say anything more.
"What are you thinking..."
"That if you two don't end up together I'm going to be really mad."
"Kendal, this isn't a book. It's not like someone is writing about our lives. I have no idea if we're going to end up together."
"Wouldn't that be cool though?"
"What?"
"If we were just characters in some book. That our town was made up, but modeled after some real town in Georgia."
"Kendal, don't be stupid." I said, "there is no way that's true."
"Whatever."
We sat there for a moment.
"This is creepy."
I looked at her.
"What are you talking about?"
"That everything we have ever done and said was written..."
"Kendal, we're not in a book. Stop talking about it. I'm just so ready for graduation."
"Yeah, me too. Are you and Mr. Hanes going to have a make out session after you graduate?"
"Do you have any self control?"
"No..."
I rolled my eyes. We sat in silence again. Minnesota walked back into the house, and stood by the door to the living room.
"Okay, you two need to take showers or whatever you two need to do in order to make it to graduation on time."
"Okay, I'll go." I said standing up.
I walked passed him.
"Oh and tell your sister that we are not characters in a book."
Minnesota's jaw dropped and he looked at me.
"We're what?"
"Go to Hell, both of you."
He laughed as I walked up the stairs.
"I'm kidding." He said, "I know we're not."
I rolled my eyes.
"Whatever."
*****
After my second shower of the day I put on my graduation dress. It was a pretty, simple, white dress. It was solid with no lace and had spaghetti strap sleeves. I looked in the mirror and put on my gown over it. I was on the verge of tears again.
"Do you want me to zip it up?"
I looked at Kendal. I just nodded. She zipped it up and she put on her dress and gown. I zipped her up. We stood next to each other in the mirror.
"This is it. Isn't it?" I asked chocking back tears.
"Yep." She said doing the same, "at least the three of us are going to college together."
I nodded again. I picked up my cap and looked at the tassel.
"Let's do this thing."
"Yes, let's."
We put on our caps and walked down to the first floor of my two story childhood home.
"You two look great." My mother said, "don't they, Tony."
"They sure do."
My mom took pictures of us together and separately. She took some of Kendal and Tony, and Tony took some of my mom and I.
"Okay, Kendal, Kate, and Tony over there by the fire place."
The three of us stood in front of my wood burning fireplace. Tony stood between Kendal and I.
"Say college."
"College!"
"Beautiful." She said, "come on. If I keep taking pictures we'll be late."
*****
     The band started playing Pomp and Circumstance. It took everything in me not to cry. Of course they were tears of joy... for the most part. We walked to our seats. And waited for it to start.
     Our valedictorian said her speech.
     "We are leaving... when said like that it sounds like we hated all four years of high school, well, I cannot confidently take my diploma with that thought in my mind. High school was a pain and difficult, but we all became someone here. We branched out and grew up due to these amazing teachers and our own best self interest. (A shout out to Mr. Kane the best economics teacher ever.) As we walk up here to receive our greatest achievement so far in life I want you all to think of all the people that have shaped your lives up to this point. Thank you."
     That was my speech written for Lyla. And she read it better than I wrote it.
     Everyone else who had to do a speech did one. Principal Stewart said some words then started to call names. As I inched closer to the front of the line it seemed unreal. It seemed like a dream. I was scared to pinch myself just in case it actually was.
     "Katelin Annmarie Bailey."
     I walked up there stairs to where the principal was. I took the diploma and shook his hand. He congratulated me on receiving my diploma. I walked off the stage, took my picture with the diploma, then sat back down in my seat.
This is it. It's all over.
     He went down the list. Then it transferred to the superintendent of schools who started calling out names.
     "Kendal Sarah Jones."
     The look on her face said it all. She grabbed her diploma, took her picture, then sat down.
     The superintendent kept going for a little while. Then the first vice principal started to call out names after him.
     "Kyle Andrew Parker."
     He triumphantly walked up the stairs to receive his diploma. He walked off the stage, took a picture, and then sat back down. When it was Bennett's turn the second vice principal stepped up.
     "Bennett Cade Turner with high honors."
     He walked up there with presumably a huge smile on his face. She gave him a good hand shake and a huge congratulations. He walked off, got a picture, and then walked all the way back to his seat.
Congratulations, Bennett.
     After everyone else got their diploma and picture taken the principal stood back up at the podium.
     "All these students have worked hard to get to where they are. Let's give them all a big round of applause."
     The stadium exploded in a loud chorus of claps and wolf whistles. That didn't help us with our overwhelming sense of accomplishment.
     "All right, all right. All of you rise."
     We all stood.
"Presenting the class of 2017 graduates."
We all threw our caps into the air. And of course custom to our school tradition they blasted 'Sweet Home Alabama' through the speaker system. Our principal was from Alabama. It was his thing.
In the middle of being so excited I didn't watch where my cap landed.
Crap.
I eventually found it... I was hoping.
My mom walked over to me with Minnesota in tow. I gave her a huge hug.
"How does it feel to be a graduate?"
"Liberating?"
"Funny."
We stood there until Kendal and Kyle found us.
"You two can fine each other in the dark." I commented.
They looked at each other.
"You bet."
The five of us moved over closer to the fence.
"Where is my dad?"
"Oh Kate. I forgot to tell you. He couldn't make it."
I shook my head.
"He's never here for me."
My mom hugged me again.
"I know sweetie, but you have us."
"I know. And I thank you."
Raymond eventually found me.
"Raymond, meet my mom."
"Hello, Ms. Bailey." He said.
"Ginger, please."
"Ms. Ginger." He said, "I was wondering if I could steal your adorable daughter for some dinner?"
"Go ahead."
"Thank you."
I hugged my mom one more time then followed Raymond out of the stadium.
"Where are you taking me?"
"That, my dearest girlfriend, is a surprise."
"I hate surprises."
"Too bad."
I got into his passenger seat. And he pulled out of the parking lot. We made small talk all the way out of town.
"Um... where are we going?" I asked.
"The next town over."
"Why?"
"Because our tiny town doesn't have a Waffle House."
"Wow, I haven't had Waffle House in years."
"Exactly."
We drove twenty minutes or more into the next town over. He pulled into the parking lot and parked.
"All right, let's go"
We walked in and sat down.
"Welcome to Waffle House. What would you like to drink?"
"Sweet tea." I said.
"Sweet tea."
"Coming up."
She left to go get the drinks. We sat next to a window and looked out at the street full of cars going by.
"That's a pretty dress."
I looked down at my white dress.
"Thank you."
I had taken the cap and gown off in the car. I had walked into the restaurant in the dress and the white flats that I had on with my cap and gown.
The waitress came back with our drinks.
"What can I get you to eat?"
"I will have a chicken patty melt with covered hash browns."
"And I'll have the same thing."
"All right."
She left and I looked at him.
"Copy cat much?"
"Kind of."
We sat there looking into each other's eyes.
"The first day you walked into my class I knew you were something special."
"The moment I walking into that class I thought you were hot."
"Well, I'm flattered."
I couldn't help but smile at him.
"I was thinking... never mind it's stupid."
"No, you can tell me. You can tell me anything."
"Well, I was just thinking. We met in history class, and we actually have a future together..."
He propped his arm up by his elbow and elevated his cup. I did the same.
"To making our future in history."
I laughed, and we hit our glasses together.
"Yeah, to making our future in history."