Unintended Consequences

Epilogue

I got out of the car and caught sight of my reflection in the smudged window. Madeline had managed to get my red graduation cap to sit jauntily over my curls and I made a mental note not to let any hugs ruin it until after the ceremony. 

"Okay, let's do this," I said determinedly to my reflection. 

The small kitten heels I'd bought just for today clacked against the smooth pavement. Madeline lead the way through the growing crowd that loitered around the flower gardens outside the auditorium. The USC grad classes were so large that each program went in one at a time to have their ceremony. 

"There's my girl!" I heard before I was crushed into a hug. 

"Ah! Careful with the cap I won't be able to recreate this!" I shrieked as I grasped the hard edge and held it in place. 

"Good lord Lotty, of all the things to care about on your graduation day," Dad chastised. 

 Mom and Oliver came up behind him and pulled me into hugs before congratulating Madeline too. She was on her tippy toes looking around the crowd for her family who were meeting us all here. 

"Mrs. Johnson is really sorry she couldn't be here today," Oliver said as he slung an arm around my shoulders. "She told me about 100 times to apologize to you." 

"I know she called me a few times too," I laughed. "I get it, Annie couldn't miss that recital." 

I smiled as I thought about the confident little girl Annie was becoming. After the divorce had been finalized Mrs. Johnson sold the house and was able to afford therapy for Annie. They had suggested that she put her into some organized activities, and turns out the littlest Johnson was a bit of a dance prodigy. At eight-years-old she was raking in the first-place trophies at almost every competition. 

"Obviously James sends his love too," Oliver added. His tone was a little tight and I could tell the Instagram pictures still bugged him. 

"Ollie," I hummed knowingly. "You know as well as I do that those pictures mean nothing. It's all for the cameras." 

"I know." He said defensively. "I just hate that he can post a million pictures with them and a million pictures with Emmett, but god forbid anyone knows we live together." 

Oliver and James had been going strong since the second they finally made things official. It warmed my heart how happy they were together but I knew it wasn't a perfect situation. San Fransisco was only an hour and a half from Bellmere so James spent most of the season travelling back and forth. 

Both men had decided it was better to stay low-key in Bellmere for the sake of James' career. It took a toll on Oliver to stay out of James' public life, but the two of them seemed to make it work usually. 

"Okay cranky you better perk up because you are ruining my graduation mood," I joked as I pushed his shoulder. 

He cracked a small smile and nodded. "So is this everyone then?" 

My heart squeezed and a shadow of disappointment washed over me. "Yep," I clipped. "This is it." 

I waved to Madeline as she caught sight of her parents and rushed forward to grab them. The organizers at the door were calling her grad class forward to go inside. 

Nerves started to prickle the tips of my finger, knowing that I'd be next. 

Our family moved towards the door and leaned up against the brick wall while we waited for my turn. I giggled as my mom clicked a million pictures and kept straightening my dad's tie. 

My heart hadn't fully recovered from Oliver's question, and I couldn't help but mope internally that today wasn't happening exactly the way I'd imagined it.