Catherine[mary]

            Emmeline

            Time flew by so quickly. Touring happened so fast it seemed so short this time. It could have been because I knew what was coming after another year. Soon enough it was a month before Alex and I were getting married. I was concerned with all the last minute details with the wedding and he was finishing out the last leg of his tour.

Of course there was school too. It was my senior year and I was in my last week of school. All my tests had been for the most part taken and I was just waiting to see what my grades were going to come out to be. I finished all the hours I had to in order to get my masters in Physics. I had a job lined up with Six Flags for working on the design of roller coasters and I couldn’t wait to start working.

Alex is coming to be home in a week to see me graduate and then we are going to fly that night back to the tour he is currently on and finish it out before coming back here. Once we get back here it’s the last details and then we fly to Essex to get everything ready for our wedding and then get married.

So many things were happening at once it was hard to focus on anything. That week flew by and before I knew it I was standing in the airport waiting for Alex. He walked out of the gate and pulled me into a hug.

“Hello my little graduate!” He said kissing me.

“Not yet, that’s tomorrow.” I said kissing him back.

“I have a surprise.” Alex said.

“Mmm?” I asked just enjoying holding onto him.

“Everyone is back to see you walk across that stage!” He said.

“What?” I asked and looked up to see Rian, Jack, and Zack smiling.

I just about squealed and hugged them all. I wanted them all to be here and I was only expecting Alex because it would have been hard for them all to come but they came for me. This was also good because Courtney and Mikaela had been staying with me for a week since her school had let out earlier than mine so Zack could see his wife and his baby girl.

Everyone piled into my small car and I drove home. Courtney had no idea as far as I knew that Zack was coming home. She had said she was sad he wasn’t going to make it so that made me think that she had no idea.

When we walked in I called out her name. She wandered out sleepily and looked at me. Then she looked around and saw Zack standing in the entryway taking his shoes off.

“Baby!” She yelled and ran to him.

He caught her and spun her in a circle.

“I thought you weren’t going to make it!” She kissed him all over his face.

“I couldn’t miss Emmy graduating and I couldn’t miss seeing you and Mikaela.”

“She’s sleeping right now. I just fed her.”

They went hand in hand down to the guest bedroom to see their baby. Zack hadn’t held her in two months and I guessed that he wasn’t going to wait for her to wake up to hold her. Rian went down to his room and curled up on his bed while he waited for Kara to get home. I guess she knew that he was coming home but she was at work today.

Jack asked me to take him home so he could see his Stephie. I said I would and told Alex to go lay down because he looked tired. He wanted to go with Jack and I though.

The three of us got back into my car and we drove Jack home. He went inside and I headed home. Alex and I got lost in talking about what was coming. There were so many things a head of us and somehow we knew that we were going to make kids fit into it.

When we got home Zack was on the couch with little Mikaela sleeping on his chest. Courtney was sitting at one end with Zack’s head in her lap. She was playing with his hair while he slept.

I smiled when I saw that and couldn’t help but imagine Alex and I like that. He put his arm around my back and took me to our room. Sebastian leapt off the bed as soon as he saw Alex and started jumping and crying. Alex picked him up and let Sebastian give him kisses.

“I missed you buddy. Soon we got to go on tour together. Are you excited? You and mommy!” Alex said taking Sebastian to the bed with him.

I followed and put my head on Alex’s shoulder. Sebastian gave us both kisses and demanded attention until he was satisfied and laid down against Alex’s hip.

Alex lifted my face to his and pushed his lips to mine. We kissed for a long time. It had been so long since we’d been able to do this. I had missed him so much. Sebastian realized he wasn’t going to get any more attention and got off the bed. He left the room.

I stopped Alex and got up to shut the door and lock it. When I came back to the bed I pulled my shirt off and he did the same. That made it pretty obvious what I was thinking. Alex undid my bra with one hand and with the other worked on my jeans.

It was a sweet way to say hello to each other after two months of talking on the phone and not being with each other.

I woke up the next morning on the other side of the bed. Alex was stretched out over most of it and I had the edge. I didn’t miss this part. I was happy to have to bed to myself when he was gone because I wasn’t forced off it, but it was his originally before I moved in.

Alex was on his back so I got up and crawled to lie on top of him. He made a face and curled one of his arms around me. I started kissing his face and neck.

“What?” He mumbled.

“I have to get up soon.”

“Why?” He asked sleepily.

“Graduation, remember?”

“Oh, yea. That.”

Alex curled himself up around me and snuggled his face into my hair. I took that as him saying I wasn’t going anywhere for a while. With one glance at the clock I decided I had plenty of time to lie here with him.

“I’m excited.” Alex said later on when he could keep his eyes open.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Lots of things are happening with us. You’re graduating, I’m in an awesome band that just keeps getting better, we’re about to get married, and you’ve got a great job lined up for when we get back from our honeymoon. Somewhere in all of this we are going to have kids. It’s just all so amazing and surreal at the same time.”

“Surreal?”

“It seems like yesterday I couldn’t have you and the day before that girls were icky.” Alex giggled. “It’s just going fast.”

“Isn’t that how everyone says life goes?” I asked looking up at him.

He was staring at the ceiling with his eyebrows pulled together in the middle. He was thinking on something before he answered. I reached up and let my fingertips trace the stubble on his cheek while he thought.

“I just hope it slows down for a little. This is where I want to be right now and I want to have time to enjoy it.” Alex smiled down at me.

“I love you.”

“I love you my graduate!”

“You really like that, don’t you.” I said.

“I’m proud of you. I could have gone to college and been boring but I chose this life and you went through college to get a great life and all that.”

“Oh, so now I’m the boring one.”

“No! I didn’t mean it like that. Ahh, that came out wrong.”

“It’s okay. I’ve known you long enough to know what you mean.”

“Okay.”

“I have to get up now.” I sighed.

“Me too?”

“If you want to go have breakfast with my mom and I.” I said.

“Yea, that would be nice.”

Alex pulled me in for a kiss. Softly his lips touched mine and moved slowly. I melted into him and got lost in the kiss. We were lost to each other and everything that meant the world to us was at our lips. If we let go it felt like it would have been a crime.

When I did get out of bed it was one of the hardest times I’d had. There were no words for how much I really loved Alex. He followed me out of bed and into the closet.

“Hey.” Alex said as I started looking at possible clothes options for the day.

“What?” I asked.

“You look good naked.” He smirked.

“Thanks.” I blushed and then looked at him. “So do you.”

“Cool, I just wanted you to know that.”

“Maybe when we live on our own I’ll be naked more often.”

“I’ll do the same.”

He walked deeper into the closet past me and pinched my butt as he walked by. I was quick and slapped him on his butt. We both laughed and then went to getting dressed. He was ready before I was.

I was pulling on a button down shirt while Alex stood there with his arms folded over his chest. It was hard to not stare at him instead of buttoning my shirt up. There was nothing more I wanted than to get back into bed with him. It was just one of those days I’d rather be lost in the sheets than go out into the world.

“Let me help you.” Alex said unfolding his arms and walking towards me.

His lips were against mine before I could tell him I was capable of dressing myself. His hands went to the buttons on the bottom of my shirt and started pushing them into their corresponding holes.

This was a win-win situation. I got dressed and got to kiss Alex all at the same time, though I wished it was kissing him and getting undressed.

“I bet that was weird.” I smiled at him.

“I’m used to the other way.” He laughed. “So it was a bit of a challenge.”

The clock told me it was time to leave already so we left our room and went to his truck. My mom met us for breakfast, a little surprised to see Alex but happy with it.

Our morning went well. We talked about what I planned on doing as soon as I was back here and married. My mom had to bring up the fact that when I came back here to the US I would be a British citizen rather than a US citizen so I’d have to have a green card. Alex thought that was kind of funny and then let my mom see his when she asked what they looked like.

“How come you don’t want to be an American citizen?” My mom asked.

“When I get old I plan on going back to England. It’s where I was born and where I’m going to die.” Alex said simply. “Besides, England is the only other girl that has stolen my heart.”

“Who is the girl other than England because it’s not me!” I smiled.

“Oh, this girl who’s about five foot seven with brown curly hair and the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen. The standard, you know.” Alex shrugged and the kissed my nose.

 At this point my mom was absolutely melting in her seat. When she saw Alex and I like this she got all mushy. I kissed Alex quickly and then turned back to my mom. Alex’s hand slid to my leg. I scooted closer to him.

When I looked at my mom she had a tear in her eye. I smiled at her and she smiled back.

“My baby is all grown up.” She said.

“Awe Mom!” I said not wanting her to cry. “Don’t do that.”

“I can’t help it. Today you’re graduating, tomorrow you’re leaving to go on tour, then you come home for all of three days before we all go to England and then you get married.”

I wanted to hug my mom but she was on the other side of the table. So as soon as breakfast was finished I got up to hug her and told her everything was going to be okay. Alex hugged her to and she made him promise as she had on many occasions that he would take care of me for her. As always Alex sweared to her in the most sincere way that he would take care of me and that assured her.

We parted ways with my mom and headed back to the house. Zack and Courtney were on the couch. I asked where Mikaela was and Courtney said she was sleeping. I nodded and went down to change for graduation.

This didn’t take that long since I had everything laid out days in advance. When Courtney had first arrived here with Mikaela the first thing we did was go shopping for some thing to wear for this.

After I was dressed I picked up my graduation robe and came back out to the family room. Zack had curled himself around Courtney and they were engaged in a slow deep kiss. I felt my face flood with heat and turned around. I still felt strange watching other people’s intimate moments.

Rian, Kara, and Alex were all in the kitchen so I went to join them. There were still a few minutes before I had to leave. I had to go half an hour before them to get into line and prepare for graduation.

Alex stood behind me with his arms wrapped around my waist. He leaned against the counter and I leaned back into him. I put my left hand on both of his. He reached with one of his hands to absentmindedly play with my engagement ring. That was something that we both did all the time.

The time came that I had to leave so I kissed Alex goodbye even though I’d see him in an hour or so. Everyone else got hugs and then I was in my car and on my way to school.

What seemed like forever was only half an hour. People were in the wrong spots in line, things were lost, speeches were being prepared and all I was doing was just watching.

To me graduation held nothing special. It was the same way for high school. I just wanted to get it over with. Sure it symbolizes moving on and becoming an adult or whatever else you want to tack onto it, but I just didn’t care. I felt like I was more of an adult because of what I had ahead of me, not because of what was happening at this moment.

The long line of caps and gowns started to move out of the building. I pushed off the wall I was leaning against and waited for the girl in front of me to start moving. It wasn’t a long walk to the ceremony area. We sat down in our chairs as the row was filled.

Speeches from the dean, principal, and teachers started. I half listened and half day dreamed. I just wanted to walk across the stage for my degree and then get out of here. I wanted Alex.

My row stood up and I followed them to get into line. Names were being called out and students were becoming graduates. Soon enough it was my turn to walk up the steps. I waited a moment while the girl who was in front of my left the stage and then my name was called.

I heard a whole bunch of cheering going on and looked over to see family and friends. I smiled while I shook hands and received the paper that said I had a masters in Physics.

When I walked off the stage a photographer snapped my picture. I have no idea why because I wasn’t going to buy it. My mom might though. I sat back down in my chair and talked to a few people that I knew near me.

As soon as all the graduates had been across the stage and we all had our degrees there was the hat toss. I threw mine into the air with everyone else and then picked up whatever one landed near me. I didn’t care if it was mine or not.

Families started poring from the stands. I walked around aimlessly waiting to be found or to find someone. It would have been slightly easier if I had taken my phone with me.

I felt hands sliding around my waist and kisses on my neck. I turned and threw my arms around Alex. He pulled me into a tight hug and lifted me off the ground. I kissed his cheek and then snuggled my face into his neck. Nothing else mattered much.

The rest of my family and friends, even Alex’s mom and dad were there, found us so we stopped ignoring everything around us. It was congratulations all around for me and for my parents. My mom and dad were civil considering they were in such a close space together but I knew that they were trying. I attempted to ignore their pretend kindness to each other.

It was my choice of where to go for dinner. I wanted breakfast for dinner so I said we were going to Denny’s. That was a crowd pleaser so we all piled into the various cars. Alex had come with Rian and Kara so he told them he was going with me and hopped into my car.

I took a moment to get in because I was taking my robe off. I didn’t want to eat in it. As soon as I got in the car Alex was checking me out. His hand ran up my leg and then over to the inside of my thigh.

“You know, you look nice in dresses.” He said. “I think you should wear them more often.”

“Special occasion.” I said moving his hand.

I straightened out my dress and then pulled my car out of the parking lot. I led the way to Denny’s. Alex held my hand the whole time. We didn’t talk but we smiled and giggled a whole lot.

We made it a little before anyone else so Alex leaned over and kissed me. I kissed back and then we were lost. When he heard another car behind us he pulled back. It was just in time too because it was Jack and Stephie.

Jack got out of his car and came up to our window tapping on it like a police officer.

“Now,” he began like he was a policeman, “you kids are just to young to be doing this in a parking lot. Move along before I have to call your parents.”

“Jack, you don’t have to do that.” I said smiling up at him.

“It’s Officer Barakat to you.” He said pointing dramatically at his imaginary badge.

“Okay Officer Barakat.” Alex sighed.

The two of us got out of the car.

“Now cooperate or I’ll have to do a full cavity search.” Jack said slipping out of the cop voice and into his normal voice while wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I pushed his face away and laughed telling him he had no chance.

Everyone arrived and we went in for breakfast as dinner.