That was a really nice morning. The air was cool despite the summer at the door. The day of the graduation ceremony, the end of a road, something that seems like a goal but is actually a departure. A start for new paths.
Blanca was fixing her hair. The blue tunic of the West Bev hanging from the closet like a wedding dress. She had also obtained the golden band of merit. Her teachers had called her brilliant and Blanca felt really brilliant at the time. The love story with Nate had continued gently for that last year of school, and the school seemed to have no trace of what had happened to his father, it had simply gone into the background, then in a third, then it was a missing news and replaced by the next one, by the new gossip.
Blanca heard a knock on the door.
Dylan immediately appeared with a beautiful smile.
"Are you ready?"
Blanca smiled at him.
"Yes," she sighed, "I'm ready."
"There's a surprise for you if you come down"
Dylan winked at her, leaving Blanca in doubt.
When she went down the stairs she saw Xavier and Isabel waiting for her in the living room. They had flown from Ecuador just for her, their little Blanca. Their little girl who seemed like a lost life and that they had had the strength to recover. Their little jewel as were jewels all the children they recovered from the street and kept with them.
Blanca ran down the stairs and hugged them both very tightly under Brenda's moved eyes.
It was a secret, a surprise they had wanted to keep until the last.
Isabel couldn't hold back her tears. They saw Blanca every summer, they knew all her progress, they even knew about Nate.
"I can't wait to introduce you My Nate," Blanca told both of them.
Dylan looked at the clock "I really think it's time to go."
"Yes," Brenda said, clutching her husband's arm.
The West Bev football field had been set up for the ceremony. There was the parterre, the first rows of chairs were intended for the students. Parents, relatives and friends were all around as if in a big hug.
Cindy and Jim were already sitting and had kept the seats for their family. Two of their grandchildren would graduate that day.
Inside them they felt that they had done a great job, that they had built something solid that then spread through Brenda and Brandon and went further, from generation to generation. Their marriage had never suffered terrible or insurmountable shocks and perhaps the secret was precisely in their roots, in knowing how to fix things when they broke, in knowing how to wait, in knowing how to fast.
Brandon and Kelly and little Grace arrived shortly after. They saw the Walshs sitting and nodded to them with their hand.
"Hi mom" said Brandon kissing Cindy on the cheek "dad..."
Jim reciprocated the greeting with affection.
"Samuel?"
"He's together with Emma and the others, he's so excited," Brandon smiled.
"Never as much as me," Kelly said with a sweet smile, her pregnancy was beginning to be seen, she was on the fifth month. Her shapes had softened and so had her mind. A little miracle. Another little girl who could have held their heart inside the palm of one hand.
It had taken over two months for the therapy to give Kelly some results, and over six months for her to be able to return to work, her form of disorder had not disappeared but it was definitely under control. Kelly had learned to handle it, she knew what to do in times of anxiety, she knew how to take measures of what had happened to her, and she knew every effect, every symptom, every solution by heart.
And then one day the pregnancy test lines had turned positive, the one gave Kelly more strength. It was as if she had an ally for her battle and day after day things started to get better. Samuel would go to college, Grace would start middle school, and this little girl was a way to start over, to try to see life enlightened.
She wouldn't have gotten back the life she had before, but what had happened had somehow made her a different woman, more aware, more attentive to the important things, keeping her balance, escaping addiction but above all loving sharing.
Grace sat next to her grandfather who held her close to him. That little girl was a real jewel, a diamond light in the days of all the people she met, she looked like her mother, there was no doubt about it. She looked like her physically, but inside it was as if she kept the best part of all of them, of each of them.
She had Cindy's patience, Brenda's strength, Brandon's intelligence, Kelly's sensitivity, Dylan's wisdom, and much more.
"How are you feeling?" Cindy asked her referring to the pregnancy.
"Happy," Kelly replied.
"Samuel decided which college to go to?"
Kelly nodded her head "decided for California University"
'Really?'
"It was his decision and Brandon and I didn't oppose it, it was really something he had to choose, I think it has a lot to do with Emma, with the fact that he was born and raised here, but I think for me too" Kelly lowered her eyes "it seems like it's not a problem even the fact that I teach there."
Cindy shook her hand "I think he loves Los Angeles, and CU is a great college, sometimes you don't have to go too far to find the same sun you'd find here every morning and then in San Francisco it's cold and Samuel can't stand the cold, like you"
Kelly smiled, Cindy always knew how to find the words to put her at ease, to smooth out that guilt that sometimes overwhelmed her, for the wrong choices made, for the lies told, for not knowing how to make the right decision. Not even when it was discovered that Samuel was Brandon's son, Cindy and Jim showed her the slightest grudge but had always welcomed her with joy, sometimes undeserved, but with extreme joy. Kelly thought that's how she would like to become, too, a woman capable of joy.
The little girl moved and Kelly could feel her distinctly. She twisted her fingers at him.
Her personal, little miracle was in the faces of the family she had been able to build herself, a family of her own.
XX
Brenda and Dylan appeared at that very moment, followed by Xavier, Isabel and the twins.
They all greeted each other with an emotion and a joy that seemed not to be contained in any way. History repeated itself, history demanded its debts but also gave days like those, full of sun and smiles.
"Is Blanca ready?"
"Yeah," Brenda smiled as she kissed her brother on the cheek.
XX
Blanca, Samuel, Nate and Emma looked at each other with extreme pride. They were still together, still four of them, they had gone through so many together and had often been forced into sudden setbacks.
Now they were facing each other, beautiful with their blue tunics. Blanca also had the band of merit.
"Then did you decide?" Blanca asked Emma and Samuel.
The looked at each other with a smile and a shining look.
"California University" they said in unison.
'Are you going to stay here?' Nate asked.
"Yes, that's what we both want," Emma confirmed.
The discussion had actually been very short, Samuel had also been accepted at Stanford and deep down San Francisco was not that far away, but the truth is that he really loved Los Angeles and preferred to stay close to his family and Emma who had obtained admission to California University. Emma would take courses for the pre medical and maybe try some scholarships for higher education on the east coast, they could indulge in a few more years together, to see how strong their roots were. It was something they really wanted and more than anything else.
"What about you?"
"New York," Blanca said and then pointed his finger at Nate as well, "both of us."
'Seriously?' Samuel looked at his friend. Blanca and Nate's choice had probably also been influenced by the desire not to break up and still take time.
Blanca nodded.
"I'm going to take creative writing classes, who knows maybe I could have regained my father's talent"
Emma hugged her very tightly "You are a person who has millions of talents, I will miss you very much" the tears began to rise for both girls and in a more discreet way for the guys.
"We will always come back" Blanca whispered to her "we will see each other often, for the birth of Samuel's little sister, we will always see each other, we will never get lost"
Samuel looked at Nate, his brother, his best friend, that umbilical cord that had formed instantly on the first day of elementary school would now be missing it.
Rethinking the months they had kept them apart was something that still hurt Samuel, his unreasonableness, the stubbornness in pointing the finger at Nate.
The two boys hugged "I'll miss you bro"
"You too," Nate replied with tears.
Donna and Joe came to sit down soon after, they had been a couple for months now, and Joe seemed to make Donna extremely happy; a happiness that Donna had also known with David, but for some reason had no luck.
Joe had a superior sensitivity, he had always had it and maybe Donna was not ready to welcome him when the opportunity presented itself to her but now it was different. The suffering from betrayal and divorce had given her an indelible scar that Donna could touch on her heart and that was part of her. Joe could kiss the corners and even make her forget it.
David knew that too.
'Valerie?' Brandon asked, noticing his friend's absence. Dylan stared at David but didn't say a word.
"Do you want the truth? I have no idea. She said she had a commitment but that she would arrive on time," David said, looking around.
XX
Valerie passed the women's prison checks, looked nervously at the clock and noticed that she was getting late. She sat and waited.
Ashley was led by her a few minutes later.
"How are you?" Valerie asked her.
"It's less worse than I thought"
Ashley had been convicted of slander, for falsely accusing Dylan. Ten months to serve in the women's prison.
"Dylan knows you're here?"
"Yes," Valerie replied.
Valerie faith a sigh " Dylan knows that we agreed that day, that you went to Jackson with the definite intent of making him confess everything, Dylan knows that somehow you saved him, but unfortunately you were also his sentence for a few months and so I don't think he will ever come here."
"Yes, I understand that," Ashley said, looking down.
"But I'm here," Valerie said, "I don't know, I felt with you right away a contact, a bond, something in common, maybe the spirit of survival."
Ashely hinted at a smile.
"Yes, me too," the girl confirmed.
"Tomorrow you'll go out and you can start a new life again, away from Los Angeles," Valerie told her.
"It's really going to be a start from scratch," Ashley sighed.
"That's not necessarily it," Valerie replied.
"What do you mean?"
"I've done so many things that I regret too, I've really made a lot of mistakes," Valerie confessed, "but all I wanted was a chance, I don't forget that you helped me when I looked you in the eye and explained to you that if you wanted you had a way out."
"I don't understand," Ashley said.
"When you and Jackson were arrested I had the cose and I moved the money to a bank account in my name"
"Your money, your second chance" continued Valerie remained silent all this time "when you get out of here tomorrow go to the National Bank, you will find a safe in your name, inside you will find the coordinates of the new bank account in your name, the password is Leslie" Valerie winked at her.
'Why?' Ashley asked.
"Because some of us deserve a second chance." Valerie replied, then looked at the clock "I have to go"
Valerie stood up "good luck Ashley" she told her.
"You too, Valerie," she replied.
They would never see each other again, everyone would go their own way but that commonality, that looking in the mirror, would stay. They both knew that.
XX
The graduation ceremony was wonderful.
"Janet Blunt!" Janet appeared on the catwalk and was even more beautiful than the other years. She took her diploma under her mother's spoiled eyes.
She had tried to seduce Samuel at the beginning of the senior year but she had failed and not because she had not offered herself to him, she had tried several times, or because she was not sexy, or beautiful, or rich enough, simply Samuel was in love and deeply loved Emma because Emma had saved him, in every way a person can be saved.
Janet would go to study at Southern California University, expensive and for privileged people like her.
Janet left with a firm step from the stage under the unwitting applause of those present.
"Sean Cortez" Sean took the stage, withdrew his diploma, maintained that cheerfulness that had always distinguished him, the CU was also waiting for him, along with Emma and Samuel. He would have joined a fraternity, he would have liked to become a sports manager, rich, beautiful, and full of women. As he walks away, I think he would have really liked to have a love of his own.
"Nathaniel George Gasling" Nate made his entrance under the eyes in love with Blanca, if it were possible he was even more beautiful, they would go to New York together in September, it seems that Nate was interested in computer forensics or something like that. Nate winked at her as everything applauded.
"Blanca McKay!" Blanca was called onto the stage as Brenda's tears fell down. Her little girl. It occurred to her when she first saw her, so small and alone in the world and yet so full of strength and pride. Blanca had brought the light back into her life, had given her support in a dark moment along with the love of her life whose surname she bore. Xavier and Isabel cried out loud when they saw her there, standing, proud with all the opportunities in front of her.
And they were truly wonderful opportunities.
"Emma Scott" Emma immediately looked for Samuel who smiled at her, walked under the proud gaze of her parents, she would become a doctor like them, maybe she would go to John Hopkins, she would have saved lives by profession as she had managed to take Samuel's in her hands.
"Samuel Walsh" when Samuel was called Brandon felt full of pride, saw himself again, saw again that day of so many years before, same sun, same place, Samuel wanted to study law, so he had said, and that was exactly what he would do.
One by one all the students were called, full of dreams and hopes and still with all those precious years ahead that many others would have wanted back.
They all hugged each other at the end to the applause of their proud parents, grandparents, siblings.
Brandon helped Kelly get up "are you okay?" He asked her.
She looked at him "everything perfect" she said kissing him.
XX
Cindy and Jim Walsh arranged dinner at their house.
It was a family dinner but intended for all those who over the years had joined that family that was no longer made only by Jim, Cindy, Brenda and Brandon but also of all those lives that had been intertwined with theirs, that had changed with theirs.
Dylan took the floor calling attention "Brenda and I have an announcement to make."
Everyone turned to them.
"As you know Brenda wants to go back to the theater and I think my wonderful wife is right, she was born for the theater although in my opinion she could really do anything in her life" Dylan kissed her quickly.
"I love you," Brenda said with her lips.
"My last book, the Last Monte Cristo, is going very well, and I'm full of ideas and things to do, along with my family" Dylan smiled "my family, when you Walsh came here to Beverly Hills I didn't have one and now I have a wonderful one. Who knew how to forgive, who knew how to fight, who had courage." Dylan was evidently moved.
"Our beloved Blanca is going to study in New York and Brenda and I have decided to move our family there. Brenda will have the opportunity to accept the proposals in the theater.. and well I.. I can write anywhere but I can't write without my family. We are moving but we are not going to get lost. We wanted to tell you."
The news of the McKays leaving for New York was shocking to everyone but it was also understandable.
Families do this, they support each other together. For Brenda it was time for new experiences, something to start over after Hollywood and her world and Dylan loved her so much that he followed her everywhere.
Brandon got up and went to hug his sister.
"I love you," he told her.
"I love you," Brenda replied.
She would have missed him, he loved to have Brenda around him, she gave him security, but the streets are divided without breaking up as had always happened among the twins.
"We're not going to leave until Alexandra is born," Brenda whispered in Kelly's ear and caressing her belly.
The two women smiled at each other and shook hands tightly.
That bond that had dissolved years before, had regenerated, as the water had dug into the hard stone and even though it had taken years, it had finally found a way. A safe road to channel yourself into.
The bonds.
Some had never been lost.
Others had created new ones.
Steve put his hand around Brandon's shoulders "you'll never leave me again right?" He said laughing.
Brandon laughed "true"
"Thank you so much" Clare nudged him.
"But you are love," Steve told Clare and Clare knew it. Since they had found each other that night in London Clare knew it was her second chance to be happy. They had decided not to get married for the time being. Yet Clare sometimes surprised herself dreaming of a proposal, Steve on his knees, and a church full of flowers. Clare couldn't stand her father not accompanying her to the altar, she feared the sadness of not seeing her mother helping her prepare for the big day. That's why he refused marriage. For the lack. However, when he thought about it, it was Steve who saw next to her. A love forever. His, stubborn, beautiful, cheerful, Steve.
David sipped some wine while Valerie sat next to him.
"Where have you been today?" He asked her, raising his eyebrow.
"I went to close accounts," Valerie replied.
"Is that something you're going to tell me one day?"
Valerie smiled, lowering her eyes.
"Do you really want to know?" She sighed.
David put down the glass and took Valerie's hands among his "I want to know everything about you."
Valerie smiled, kissed David deeply.
"I'll tell you tonight when we get back to our house," she said. Things had settled, Valerie was trying to chase away what caused her pain, it was what she had learned; but she had never been able to send David away and deep in her heart she knew she would never succeed.
The kids ran out and asked that they could go around a bit to celebrate. Dylan gave the keys to his car to Nate "Hei please be careful"
He scolded him cheerfully.
Nate took the keys and boarded the car. Nate Emma Samuel and Blanca walked away greeting while the others looked at them with a smile, how beautiful youth was, so full of light and things to do.
They came all back inside slowly.
Only Brenda and Brandon were in the garden.
They looked at each other.
Brandon put an arm around his sister's shoulders.
"I will miss having you here with me"
"I'll never be too far away from you," she smiled.
The Walsh twins returned to the house. The dinner continued with old memories, laughter, hands intertwining, laughter was heard in the neighborhood.
It was the family. It was love that made himself feel strong.
The end. Thank you for reading
