Page 68 of A Fine Line

Dallas: Shit.

Dallas: SHOOT.

I smiled and turned the phone to Winnie who snorted and shook her head. We’d left most of our stuff back in Philly, my parents wanting to make sure we knew we had a guest room so we could come by anytime we wanted. We’d already were planning to make it up there in two weeks, a surprise trip for the boys thirteenth birthdays and to see my new baby niece.

Winnie and I tucked the phone away before working on the order, a simple carne asada taco and a slice of cinnamon toast tres leche cake. Back to our roots.

Winnie bumped my hip with hers when the order was out of the window. “How much are you with me, Crew?”

My hands trailed down to her waist, pulling her in. “Right now? A hundred and ten.”

And knowing there’s a ring back home waiting for the perfect moment for me to slide it on her finger? A hundred and twenty.

“These seats really hurt my ass.”

“Maybe you should’ve brought cushions like we all told you to.”

Mom rolled her eyes at my middle brothers arguing. “Could we please, just for once, all sit together without all this drama?”

“Come on, Mom, you know Liam’s all about drama.” Calla nudged her.

“That’s true,” I piped in. “I’ve already seen him cry four times since this morning.”

Liam gave Nathan and I both death glares. “My sons are graduating, give me a break.”

The sun was shining bright against us, but there was just enough breeze to keep the day comfortable. I could feel the excitement building as we sat outside, waiting for the ceremony to start.

We thankfully found seats near the front, under a big oak tree for some shade, and I could see them from here. Dallas and Miles in their caps and gowns, standing tall with their friends, lining up in alphabetical order with them at the very end. It wasall too hard to believe they were graduating high school already. That the last eighteen years had just…faded away.

I remembered when they were just little boys, running around during family dinners, obsessing over all things Lego and Star Wars, and occasionally kicking me in the nuts, and now here they were, young men ready to take on the world. Heck, I remembered Dallas having a diaper explosion in the back of my truck the first time I babysat him. He was always kind of a shithead. But he might be my favorite too. But then I thought of Miles and his art, always turning nothing into something, and it reminded me of my Winnie girl. And maybe he was my favorite also.

The school band started playing, the students all taking their straight laced places and we all stood as the graduates marched in. My chest tightened as I caught glimpses of their faces through the crowd, sitting side by side, laughing together. Having no clue just how much was out there waiting for them.

Winnie sat on my right side, hands wrapped around my arm. She was now six months pregnant with our first baby boy. We’d had some infertility issues when we first got married and decided after a year of trying to give up on the whole baby thing. We gave our lives fully to each other and our food truck. Every day we parked somewhere new, and every day we were met with bright shining faces ready to eat our food and desserts.

Then, just six months ago, Winnie had a stomach bug that was less of a bug and more of a tiny gummy bear looking blob growing in her belly. I guess God knew when we would be ready because now we were both in full blown baby prep mode.

We usually visited Philly to see everyone about six to seven times a year, always coming in for Holidays and any spare chance we felt a tad Wells Family sickness coming along. But this year with Winnie being so nauseous, we hadn’t got to visit in a few months and the need to see everyone was killing us both.So we vowed there was no way we were missing my nephews graduation. We flew in and surprised them at their party last night at my parents and that time I was the dramatic one, squeezing their necks so tight their cheeks turned red. Sobbing about how my little troublemakers were grown up. Which made Liam cry too.

Luke sat on the other side of me, his and Layla’s second baby girl strapped to his chest, sleeping happily despite the commotion around us. She was just like her daddy, always happy and always down for a nap. Rachel and Adam were on the other side of them, happily wrapped up together with their hands intertwined.

When the speeches were done and they finally called out names one by one, taking their sweet time all the way to the W’s.

“Dallas Wells!” the announcer called, and we all erupted in cheers, clapping so loud that I’m sure he could hear us even from up there. He shot us a timid thumbs-up, his grin wide and proud. My parents brought out the airhorns again, much to the people around us dismay. Then came “Miles Wells!” and again, we cheered, my hands almost aching from clapping so hard.

Luke, Nathan, Liam, Adam, my parents and I each stood up, whooping with our hands wrapped around our mouth. Except Luke was less of a whoop and more of a whispered shout, considering his baby on his chest who was somehow still asleep. Layla, Marigold, Calla, and Rachel looked to Winnie beside me shaking their heads and laughing.

“Those are my boys!” Liam shouted and I was pretty sure he was about to start crying again.

“Is Daddy crying again?” My five year old Niece, Amelia, groaned as she leaned into her Mom’s side.

“You know how he gets, honey.” Marigold patted her short brown curls.

They walked across that stage with such confidence. Clear heads and hearts, they haven’t even began truly living life. There was so much ahead for them. And in that moment, watching them hold their diplomas, I felt an overwhelming mix of pride, joy, and even a little sadness.

It’s the end of an era for us, but the beginning of something so much bigger for them. I glanced at Winnie beside me, her hand resting on her swollen belly of our unborn baby boy.

It was the beginning of something new for Winnie and I too. And I couldn’t wait to see where it took us.

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