“He blew an airhorn and started howling when they called my name.” I laugh, brushing hair behind my ear. “It was embarrassing but it felt like the first time we were siblings. Then Danny joined in and I wanted to murder them.”
“Do you think he’ll cause a scene today?”
I doubt he will. I wasn’t even sure he and Ren would come, so I have no clue what to expect from them. Whatever it is, it’ll be interesting. Though, I wouldn’t mind if he were quiet. Just showing up means something to me.
When we say our goodbyes, we’re given a five-minute warning before lining up. I take a deep breath and smile to myself knowing I’m moments away from moving forward with my life.
Walking across stage once my name is called, I stop dead in my tracks when I hear my friends and family yell. But it’s not my older brother’s loud cheers or my father’s even louder clapping. It’s a high-pitched scream that comes from the same section. There, perched on Easton’s shoulders, is Ainsley.
And. She. Cheers.
Tears instantly flood my face as I watch her scream and smile and clap, all while Easton holds onto her so she doesn’t fall. Both my parents watch me with proud expressions as I snap myself out of the shock and finish my walk.
Instead of going back to my seat, I run over to where my family sits. Ainsley wraps her arms around my neck, latching onto my body as soon as I’m in reach. I squeeze her to me like I can absorb the sound she made.
She doesn’t say another word.
And I’m okay with that.
She signs, I love you.
I kiss her cheek, her forehead, her hair, everywhere before whispering, “I love you too.”
Her eyes go from me to Easton, where she signs something that I can’t quite make out because of the angle I hold her.
But he does something I don’t expect.
He signs back.
He. Signs. Back.
It’s my father who wraps me in a hug when I finally make it back into the crowd of family and friends watching the graduating class. He kisses the side of my head and congratulates me, flicking my nose and calling me a brat. I beam at him over the name I haven’t heard him call me in forever.
“Proud of you,” he says against the top of my head, finally letting me go.
“Thanks, Dad.”
Jesse walks over to me and ruffles my hair like he used to when I was younger. Like old times, I swat his hand away as he draws me in for a quick hug. It’s a nice gesture, but awkward. We haven’t spoken since the incident on campus. I didn’t know what to say, and evidently neither did he. I’m used to it though, so I never let my mind ponder it.
Ren comes up to me and smiles. “I’m really happy for you, Piper. You’ve done so many amazing things and accomplished a lot despite the circumstances.” Her smile falters for a moment before she adds, “And I’m truly sorry for how I’ve acted. You didn’t deserve it.”
I glance between her and my brother, knowing everybody else is waiting for a response from me too. Carter stands off to the side, hands in his pockets, interested in what I’ll say. He’s asked me once since the tense conversation if I’ve reached out to either of them, but I admitted I couldn’t be the one to invest energy into building a relationship I wasn’t sure they wanted. Thankfully, he understood.
“Thank you, Ren. For what it’s worth, I know you and my brother will make great parents. You’re the kind of people who are meant to have kids.”
She pulls me into a hug, her arms gentle around me. Quietly, she whispers, “Even though you didn’t plan for it, you are too. I wouldn’t have been able to do what you did. Part of me has always been jealous of how you handled it.”
I snort as she pulls away. “There’s nothing to be jealous over. I’m a mess. If it weren’t for my family and friends, I wouldn’t have managed.”
“Your family is amazing.”
“They are.”
We smile and step back from each other, Ainsley and Easton walking over before Carter can say anything. Ainsley wraps her arms around my legs and stares up at me as Easton hooks an arm around my back and tugs me into him. His lips caress my ear. “Your father informed me he owns an old paintball gun of your brother’s and that it