Grace spotted us up in the stands and waved enthusiastically.
We all waved back and to me, Willow said, “She looks good. It’s been too long.”
I slung an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. “It has, Will. We’ve all missed you.”
“Bleh,” she groaned, ducking out from under my arm, “I’ve missed you guys too, but I haven’t missed that nickname one bit.”
I laughed heartily at that.
Willow had tried to get all of us to stop calling her Will a long time ago, but it was so far ingrained in me that it was practically in my DNA.
“At least it’s better than Willie,” I reasoned.
Her younger siblings had called her that when they were growing up since they couldn’t pronounce Willow.
“Oh yeah, that’s much worse,” she agreed.
“Shush you two,” my mom scolded.
Willow made a silly face and then mimed zipping her lips.
We grew quiet as different students, teachers, and the principal took the stage to speak.
By the time they finally started calling names I was sweating profusely and cursing every sun god I could think of off the top of my head.
Re.
Sol.
Helios.
I loathed them all at the moment as I melted in the humid summer heat.
Beside me Willow wiggled around restlessly.
The girl hated to sit still. I had no idea how she thought she was going to make it all the way across the country and back in my little car.
This was going to be interesting.
“Oh God,” Willow pulled at the top of her dress, fanning her chest, “they’re only on the H’s.”
“It sucks having a last name that starts with W.” I agreed. “You’re always last with everything.”
“Mhmm.” She nodded her head in agreement. “I need some water.”
“Here.” I reached down and handed her the water bottle I’d brought with me. I knew she wouldn’t mind drinking after me.
“You’re always prepared,” she muttered, taking the offered bottle.
I grinned. “All those years of Boy Scouts paid off.”
“Dean, be quiet,” my mother groaned, her eyes zeroed in on the field.
“Why?” I spread my arms, exasperated. “They’re only on the K’s.”
She turned to glare at me.
Even at twenty-one I knew that glare still meant trouble.