onward and upward

Josie met her soon to be step-brother, who was living with her father in Chicago. Maybe her Dad would marry Chad's mother. Chad seemed pretty content with the situation, and her Dad was smiling as if he'd been the best influence in her life.

She tried not to dwell on that. She really wanted to forget everything with her Dad, and his pompous attitude. But as she thought back on it now, she might take after him. She knew she hated that about herself.

Maybe she should have been there for Henry. Who knew..Henry might fall in love with her step-brother. But then again, Chad was only here for the weekend.

Naturally, when the time came at graduation, she went over and gave Henry a hug. Asked if he was doing OK.

"Never better." A kiss on the cheek. He said he was going to work at the library full time.

"Great." She smiled back, wondering how that happened. Something, about someone retiring. It wasn't like he'd be head of anything. It was a full time job in circulation and he'd be taking some courses on his own to be fully accredited. "At least I'll have insurance."

Funny, how something like that would make him happy. She thought he wanted to design clothes, see the world, not be stuck in an old library that needed a new roof.

"Congratulation." She smiled back, thinking this was the first day of the rest of her life, and she was going to see her friend in England.

Of course, She'd see Ian and his family. For the first time, this crushed her. She'd been to Halie's before, but it would be so different this time. In fact, everything was different. Even Henry.

Leo thought how formal the long morning began. All the relatives, stuck in nose bleed seats in the gym. It was cloudy and gray. He expected rain, but it never came. Only the humid perspiration lingered.

He was so happy to get out of the graduation gown. He'd thrown his cap in the air with the others, and then he saw Henry standing there in the plush grass in front of the high school.

"Well, looks like we made it." Henry reached for his hand first. Of course, it was Garvin who captured it on camera.

Leo could hardly make small talk, but he made an effort to introduce Henry to Sal. It wasn't but a second, but Garvin got a shot of that too.

"I don't think you're really over Henry." Garvin said later while they were at Leo's parents back yard cookout.

"I want it to be." Still, he was glad to know Henry when he did, but things were solid with Sal. "I'm happy you're kind of family." Leo admitted.

"Yeah, kind of." Garvin chuckled.

Leo wondered if Garvin was serious about his sister. He might never know, but he could keep praying they weren't.

Derrick didn't sit with Josie's family. It felt so awkward to see Josie's Dad, but here he was holding on to Aasha and freedom. No more ankle bracelet. Thankfully, Rossie went with him. He was happy to be at his old school. He'd talked a little with old teachers. They'd remembered his sister Amanda, who taught school there before she was killed her own home.

 They mentioned what a fine music teacher she was.

"Are you thinking about music?" His music teacher remembered him.

"No." He shook his head. Thinking it would take a lot patience to be a music teacher.

"But, you're such a natural." And then his old teacher said something that stuck with him. "If you can't do it for yourself..then do it for your sister."

It made him a bit weepy, but soon enough Camille was moving them along to the place where she'd made reservations for them to eat, after Josie's high school graduation. Camille said it was paid for, so they better come to lunch.

Derrick smiled and took Rossie's hand. After all, they were family.