Reed - College Graduates

Even though it wasn't easy doing summer school to graduate on time along with Reena, it was definitely worth it. Getting my degree was a great accomplishment because it's the next step to ensuring Claire gets a good life, with my degree, I can do more as a father and husband.

We're at a hotel staying for a few days, my dad came up with the idea. We're hours away from where the graduation ceremony will be held. Right now, Reena is up with Claire, reading her a story and each time she stops to show Claire the pictures she glimpses over at me and grins. It's obvious she's excited and I can't lie, I am as well. My parents are in the other room sleeping, they had Claire all day while Reena and I did last minute preparations.

Claire has been growing non-stop. Just like her mother, she's stubborn and beautiful. She's also definitely daddy's girl and whenever her mom tells her no to anything she comes right to me and of course I say yes. My dad tells me I need to say no because it's going to cause her to be spoiled but the irony in that is that he never tells Claire no either, in fact, he's worse but he makes the excuse that he's a grandparent, so he's supposed to spoil her.

Claire began speaking a month after her first birthday and of course, her first word was "Dada". So, Reena lost that bet to me but a couple weeks later she started saying "Mama".

I watch as Reena closes the book and Claire leaps from her lap and comes around the couch, she climbs up into my lap and rests her head on my chest and places her thumb in her mouth. then Reena gets up and comes over, pulls her thumb out her mouth and places a carrot in her hand instead along with a science playbook. Claire relaxes and places the book in my hand and starts nibbling on her carrot. I turn down the volume on the t.v. and turn my attention to her,

"You want me to read this for you?" She nods, and I turn the t.v. off and start reading her the book.

After fifteen minutes, I check to see if she's following just to see that she's out cold. I take the carrot from her hand and lift her up to take her to the other room me and Reena stay in. When I put her down to sleep, I return downstairs and see Reena looking at her graduation gown, I go to her.

"Can you believe it? We finally did it." She looks at me and grins.

"Well, I never doubted you for a second." She rolls her eyes at me and I hold her hand.

"I know I don't say this a lot but thank you for everything. You've been there through everything and I can't imagine being here if it wasn't for you."

She closes the gap and puts her arms around my neck. "And I'll always be here for you, that's a promise."

"I love you." She says smiling and I kiss her.

"I love you more."

It's not until two hours later that we start getting ready to go to the ceremony. Reena is wearing a yellow dress and her hair is in twists that reach the middle of her back. Yellow is my favourite colour on her, it always makes her look even more stunning.

Out parents descend the stairs and my Dad is holding Claire, she's also wearing a yellow dress and I can't help but think that today is going to be an amazing day. I really couldn't be any happier.

It doesn't take us five minutes to get there. Mom and Dad keep Claire while Reena and I join the others, because of our surnames, we are seated far apart but she messages me and sends me pictures of her and her some of her friends. After all the important matters have been attended to, we are told to stand. They start calling names and although it feels like forever before they get to mine, when they do, I proudly march on to the stage, shake the Chancellor's hand and collect my cylinder. I hear Reena shout "That's my baby!" in the proudest voice possible and I turn to see her stand and waving at me, she blows a kiss and I wink at her.

Once I'm off the stage I sit and wait for her to make it on to the stage. Then I hear her name and I stand, she walks to the Chancellor and I shout, "Go Reena! I love you." She spots me and waves, grinning from ear to ear. I'm about to sit when I see Sheldon, he's grinning and winks at me.

As the Valedictorian's speech ends, I get a message from Reena. "Move your tassel to the other side." I had completely forgotten, and I look around to see that I am not the only one. So, I start telling those closes to me to do the same thing and they begin passing on the information. I message her and tell her thanks.

After everything has been concluded, I try to locate my parents first. When I do, I take them along to find Reena. When she sees me she practically jumps into my arms, glowing with excitement.

"We did it! We got our degrees!"

My parents begin applauding us and Claire stretches out her hands to me. I take her, and Reena snaps a picture, then I pull her in and my parents snap pictures of us together. Sheldon and his family join us, and everyone starts taking pictures, Sheldon even gets one with just him and Claire.

I see Reena standing with my parents and I go over to them, "... I just want to say thank you because if it wasn't for you guys all of this wouldn't be possible. Thanks for welcoming me into your family and for always being there, and especially for taking care of Claire while we attended college."

My mom hugs Reena and my Dad rests his hand on her head.

"What about my thanks?" I say, and she turns to me.

"Thanks for getting me pregnant."

I stare at her in shock until my parents begin laughing and I do too.

Our friends and classmates all come over and take a picture with Claire and surprisingly she's very calm about it. Then after a hundred shots, she begins to get fussy and Sheldon takes her.

"We are graduates." I say, then I turn to her, "What do we do now?"

"Well, we need jobs and our own place, and we can get married."

At those words, she has my full attention. She notices and laughs.

"You're being serious?" I can hear my heart beating in my chest.

"I am being very serious." She kisses me then and I knew that today was going to be a wonderful day. I feel like the happiest person on the earth and all I want to do is tell everyone, but I settle for telling the just the love of my life.

"You've made me the happiest person alive. I love you."

She looks me in my eyes, "I love you too Reed."

***

Hi everyone, the last couple of months have been very hectic. Finishing university, stating an internship, finishing that internship and trying to find a job, doing job interviews, finally landing a good job and graduating a couple days later.

Thanks for the continuous support! And as always, Happy Reading!