Off Limits(61)
Brittany thought, then made a sound that was half-laugh, half-sigh. “I guess you're right. Still, if Patrick wants it, I'll keep doing my best to open doors for him. And I’ll at least drag Abby to at least one social event a year.
The graduation ceremony itself was actually pretty long and tedious, a lot different from the ones I'd attended before. Then again, my high school graduating class was only a hundred and thirty-five people, and graduating Basic Training was quick as well. Both of those ceremonies could have been started, completed, and probably cleaned up in the amount of time it took for Georgia Tech to graduate the five thousand students who were scheduled to walk the stage that day.
The students walked the stage according to a complex system that left me baffled, until I finally had to lean over to Brittany for help. “When is Abs walking again?”
“She’s still got a while.”
There was one disruption, when during the College of Engineering's ceremony, Shawnie was announced. She had just been released from the hospital that morning, just in time to make the ceremony. As she made her way across the stage, summa cum laude, a wave of applause broke out. She was shocked, but recovered and stood tall, waving to her supporters as she crossed the stage to shake hands with the Dean of the College before walking off stage.
“I underestimated that girl. Abby was right about her,” Brittany commented.
When Abby walked, she paused to hug Shawnie when she came off stage before retaking her seat, and the ceremony continued. I had to admit I tuned most of it out, nodding off about halfway through the College of Liberal Arts and having to be woken up with a polite pat on the arm in time for the final playing of the alma mater.
Outside, in the craziness that was the post-ceremony group celebration, I found Abby and Shawnie hugging and exchanging farewells, with lots of people in their graduation robes. Seeing me, Abby ran over, jumping into my arms and an embrace. “I saw you up there,” she said, kissing me with a wet smack. “Thanks for staying awake through my part at least.”
“How could I not?” I asked with a grin, spinning her around before setting her down. “Although I know you're going to be doing the same thing in a few years again anyway when you get your Masters.”
“And what about you?” Abby asked with a grin. “You could do a lot of things if you set your mind to it.”
I raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. Me, college? Until I met Abby, I would never have thought of it. “I don’t know about that one.”
Shawnie finished shaking hands with a professor and came over. She seemed in a good mood, but I wondered how long it would be before the vivacious, wisecracking woman who'd impressed me with her wit and her insight the little bit we talked came back. I didn’t know the extent of the details of what she’d been through, and honestly, I didn’t want to know. But she seemed to be doing okay, and that’s all that mattered. “How're you doing, Shawnie?”
She pointed with her chin, where a small group stood looking at us. “My family's here, so I'm doing okay,” she said with a smile. “Dane, I haven't had the chance before, but let me just say thank you.”
I shook my head, holding up my hands. “I should have been faster, Shawnie. Trust me, I think about that every minute.”
She nodded, then shrugged. “We move forward, big boy.”
“So what are your plans?” I asked, putting my arm around Abby's shoulder. A well-wisher came by, greeting Abby and Shawnie as they passed, and Shawnie paused before answering.
“I'm going to take a month or so,” She finally said. “Then I think I'm going to head out West, get a jump on settling in.”
“In the meantime, you know that I've got all the time in the world on my hands,” Abby said. “Maybe a girl's weekend out somewhere?”
“As long as there are no lakes involved, I'm fine with that,” Shawnie said. Someone in her family called her name, and she turned and waved. “All right, guys, I have to get going. Family party and all. I'll give you a call tomorrow or something.”
As she walked away, I looked at Brittany, who was still smiling broadly. “So, how about the three of us changing clothes and getting over to the hospital? I bet Patrick wants to see that video as soon as possible.”
Brittany nodded and patted her camera bag. “Sounds good. I'll drive.”
Chapter 19
Abby
I was barely able to contain my excitement when Daddy came home, assisted up the steps by Brittany and the occupational health nurse who'd been hired to help him during his rehab protocol. Monica was a former Marine drill sergeant who’d gotten into occupational health after an injury cut her time in the Corps short. She was tiny, just over five feet tall, but built like a truck with a ripped six-pack that rivaled Dane's. I'd met her one time before when she came over to stake out her room, as she'd be living with us for the next month. “We're running out of guest bedrooms,” Brittany said in a good-natured complaint. “Pretty soon, Abby, we're going to be kicking you out to live on your own.”
“I guess she can move in with me then,” Dane teased as he helped him down into his easy chair. “Since you can't chase me off right now.”
“I can still use a shotgun,” Daddy growled in good humor. “Besides, I bet that Monica could kick your ass. I always heard Marines were tougher than Airborne.”