Stay Gold

Henry noticed Josie was so subdued. He thought for sure she'd be at Dean's side when graduation was over and everyone was standing around outside the school visiting with the graduates and their families.

"Is everything ...all right?" He winced in the sun, wishing he'd worn shades. "Why aren't you with Dean?"

"No need to, I guess." She shrugged it off as if she really wasn't going to stay. As if graduation parties were out of the question.

"What?" Henry squinted more in his suit that really should have been lighter. He didn't know why he even tried. Wasn't like everyone was in their Sunday best.

"Oh, didn't you know, we broke up." She was ever so solemn.

"When did that happen?" He wanted to know.

"Prom." She barely said.

"Why didn't, you tell me?" He pulled her away from the crowd as they walked toward the parking lot on the bright sunny day. Leo was off to bring his pickup truck around.

"What was the point?" She hugged herself as he did his best to be there for her. She wouldn't dare let him console her.

"Nothing, I can do about it." She looked back. Vada was with Dean. They were close.

"He's like a brother to her, you know." Henry reminded her.

"Yeah, maybe he'll write me one day and say something like..you were like a little sister I never had." She sighed.

"I hope you won't let this bring down your whole summer." He pushed back a wisp of hair that fell over her big green eyes.

"There's my Mom's wedding. Its next week." She sounded as if she did have things to do. "I just hope Derrick remembers he's in charge of the music."

"Oh, he'll come through. It might be last minute, but he wouldn't have it, any other way." Henry's smile was faint. "And to think there was a time, I thought I'd be graduating by now. Took summer school all those years ago. Like I was a man with a plan, or something."

"Yeah, well, just one more year." She sighed as if she could manage it and so could he.

Just then Leo pulled around with the pickup truck.

"You, need a lift?" Henry gave her a hug to let her know he was there for her.

"No." She shook her head as if she'd find her own way home.

Henry looked back at Vada who was surrounded by all her Foster kin. He guessed she would be spending the rest of the day with them.