The More Boys I Meet

“I can’t believe it!” I jumped into Marcus’ arms and he spun me around a few times. “I fucking graduated!” I shouted.

Alice was laughing next to me, tucked away in Viktor’s grasp. “I know, right? We are done with school!”

“Now. . . now we just have to find jobs,” I sighed.

She smacked me with her hat. “Don’t you dare ruin this moment Ellie Reese!” she yelled at me.

I laughed and Marcus set me down. “Okay, okay. Jesus, we’re done! Is the car packed?” I asked Marcus.

He nodded. “The car is packed with everything that was left. All of your things are sitting in boxes in the house. Pat is flirting with a girl over to the right, and. . . and someone is walking towards you looking like he knows you,” he answered all of my unasked questions.

I turned around, wondering who I hadn’t talked to yet. Probably my English professor. . .

My eyes widened and I dropped my hat. The man strode up to me, looking very confident and very nervous. A bouncing brunette clung to his elbow like she might get lost if she let go. “Hello Ellie,” he cleared his voice.

“Hi. . . Dad. . .” I said uneasily.

I quickly turned to find the three staring with their mouths open. I couldn’t really blame them. I rarely spoke about him and then there he was in the flesh.

“Babe we’re going to go find Pat and Johnny and Crow, okay?” Marcus kissed my cheek before dragging Viktor and Alice away.

I looked behind me and low behold, my father was still standing there with his. . . . . wife. “Hi. . .Mandy,” I said quietly.

“Hi there sweetheart!” she took that as an invitation to let go of my father and smother me in her abnormally tight grasp and kiss me multiple times. “Oh you looked so great up there! Can’t believe you’re all grown up!”

“I was sort of all grown up when I left for college,” I reminded her.

Her mouth formed an “O” shape as she went back to my father’s arm. “Oh, right of course! That’s not what I meant. . .”

I nodded slowly. “I understand what you meant. Dad? What are you doing here?” I asked.

“It’s your college graduation kiddo!” he awkwardly ruffled my hair. We weren’t that close. We used to be, believe it or not. Not anymore.

“I realize that. You haven’t come to see me for the past four years, so why are you here now, is what I meant,” I clarified.

His eyes were clouded with hurt. “You could have come home too kiddo.”

I shifted my eyes to Mandy. “I’d never get a moment to myself since you guys hold all those big charity balls and parties. And I’d never get a moment with you, so I found it useless.”

“Ellie. . .” he started, but I bent to pick up my cap and straightened myself up and calmed myself down.

“Look, I’ve got to go. I’m in the midst of moving and I just graduated, and I have friends waiting for me.”

“Right,” he said slowly. “The one who kissed your cheek?” he asked.

I waited. “What about him?” I asked when it was clear he wasn’t going to add to it.

“He’s a good player and a good person,” he said, looking over at where the guys and Alice were picking on Pat. “I’m glad you found someone.”