| |
Jeff just about tripped over four-year-old Shona as she burst into their Mount Albert home and tugged on his neatly pressed trousers. It was May and graduation day for Ava, Fluer and himself. It was now mid-morning and the two women both hogged the bathroom so he had to use the shower, handbasin and mirror in the laundry.
His tiny sister looked up at him with sparkling eyes. "Are Terri and Karson here yet? We're going to the zoo and KiddieLand afterwards."
Jeff picked Shona up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I know you are and aren't we lucky with the weather?" The report was for mainly sunshine.
Shona nodded wriggled out of his arms. "Mummy and Daddy are here," she said and rushed out of the room.
Jeff finished tying his tie and walked out to where Chloe and Adrian arrived with arms filled of bits and pieces for Shona.
"Where are the girls?" Adrian asked.
"They're along in the bedrooms," Jeff replied. "Damned if I know why it takes them hours to get ready. I can do it in ten minutes."
Chloe laughed. "Want a hand with your gown and mortar board?"
"Yeah, guess so. If I get it back to front, I'll get nagged by two women, not just one."
There was a brief knock on the opened front door and Terri walked in carrying three-year old Karson on her hip. "Sorry, I'm running late," she said. "That traffic is diabolical." She grinned at Jeff. "My you do look grand. Reckon this is the first time I've seen you wearing a tie."
"Stupid things," Jeff muttered. "The girls are up in the bedrooms."
"Hi Shona," Terri added and plonked Karson down beside her. "Now don't get all those toys out of the spare room. We're be going soon."
Like himself, Terri was now working full time at Switched on Components but Adrian had given them all the day off. Terri had offered to babysit Shona who like Karson, had a day off from the crèche that Switched on Components provided.
Fluer still lived with them but had settled her differences with her parents and often the three had a Saturday evening meal with her parents at their place. Even though Bardon was now an elder at St George's Presbyterian Church and had more liberal views, Fluer refused to go near her parents on a Sunday.
Not long after Fluer had shifted in with them, she had told him she had had an abortion but like Ava, he had promised not to tell her parents or anyone else about it. Since then, he had no idea whether she had told her parents but suspected that she had subsequently told her mother. Over the last three years Fluer had had no boyfriends around and seemed to be becoming one of those academics destined to be an old maid.
He grinned. A Bachelor's degree was enough for him though both Ava and Fluer were now in their first semester of their Master's degrees. Ava and the girl he was thinking about, walked into the room, dressed in upmarket clothes, graduation gowns and mortarboards. He grabbed Ava and kissed her on the lips but she politely pushed him aside. "You'll ruin my make-up," she said and turned to welcome Terri and her son.
"There's plenty of food in the fridge and stuff for the kids. Don't let Shona watch too much Disney or Nick Junior on the television." Chloe said.
"We won't have time," Terri replied. "It's a big day out for us too, isn't it kids?"
The two pre-schoolers smiled before they ran into the spare bedroom that had become a playroom with, in Jeff's opinion, far too many toys to play with.
Fluer glanced out the front door to where a silver Rolls Royce pulled into the driveway. "Dad's being ostentatious again," she muttered. "I think the only reason he offered to drop us off at the university for the ceremonial walk to the Aotea Centre is to show off his new car."
Jeff laughed. "Let him have his fun," he said. "You must admit it's better than being squeezed into Ava's Jazz or your car."
"Yeah, why don't we all go in your Mazda sports with the top down?"
"And ruin our hair." Ava moaned.
"Who sees it beneath the mortarboard anyway?" Jeff asked.
Hannah and Bardon walked in and joined the family.
"You look just perfect, Fluer," Bardon said and gave his daughter a brief hug before doing the same to Ava. He smiled at Terri and glanced at his watch. "Shall we go? It'll be a slow trip for the traffic is terrible."
"There are some family photos to take first," Adrian said. "I've got the tripod set up on the back lawn."
Everyone walked out and gathered together on the lawn. Only Terri stood aside with Karson held by the hand.
"Come on Terri," Chloe said. "You're family, too."
"Me?" Terri replied.
"Of course," Chloe replied. "Isn't Karson really my step-son?"
Terri grinned. "I never thought of it that way."
"So join in., both of you," Adrain said.
Terri smiled, lifted Karson up and joined the families gathered around Jeff and the other two graduates in their academic attire.
Afterwards, Jeff, Ava and Fluer fitted in the back of the Rolls Royce easily and Jeff couldn't resist waving at several neighbours who stood on the footpath watching them.
"Makes one feel like royalty," he said with a grin as the massive car reversed into the street and they drove away.
*
WHEN THE ROLLS ROYCE pulled to the kerb outside Auckland University the trio stepped out and began to follow the crowd assembling for the grand march through the city.
"Oh my God," a familiar voice screamed at them. "You did make a grand entrance, didn’t you?" It was Deanne who rushed up to them wearing her own graduation gown "Where did you hire the Rolls from?"
"We didn't," Ava replied. "It belongs to Fluer's dad."
"Oh hi Fluer," Deanne turned to the other girl. "Are you still at Jeff and Ava's place?"
"I am," Fluer replied.
"And no boyfriends?"
Fluer looked annoyed but just shook her head.
"And what about you?" Jeff asked. "Still in your apartment with that English guy?"
Deanne laughed. "My you are out of date. I left Marcus last year. He was ... oh I don't know. You'll know my new or shall I say old partner?" She glanced out at the crowd and waved. "There he is!"
Ava glanced across the lawn and grinned as the guy saw them and came across the lawn.
"Hi you old bugger," Jeff said and gave the newcomer a hug. "The last I heard you were doing that working holiday in London. When did you get back?"
"Yeah well, it's a small world, I guess. Met up with Deanne over there at one of the pubs New Zealanders meet in. We hit it off and came back together for her graduation," Ryan glanced around. "Hello Fluer, how's it going? Hi Ava, still got the old boy under your thumb?"
Ava and Fluer both grinned. Ryan hadn't changed at all, nether had Deanne.
After agreeing to meet again to have a meal together, the pair wandered off.
"Wonders will never cease," Fluer whispered. "Fancy them getting back together. Are they trying to relive high school days?"
"Possibly," Ava replied and squeezed Jeff's hand. "Come on. The march has started."
"Sure?" Jeff replied and grinned at Fluer. "Coming?"
"Of course," Fluer replied.
Arm in arm, the three walked across the lawn and blended like blossoms in the wind with the graduates beginning the ceremonial walk. A pipe band began a lively marching tune, banners waved and spectators clapped.
Ava looked up and noticed Chloe, Dad with Shona hoisted onto his shoulders and Logan at the edge of the crowd. Beside them was Terri holding Karson. She grinned at Jeff.
"The family's here," she said and waved at them.
Jeff smiled. It was a proud day for them all.
*
The End
Thank you for reading my 50th novel. You can see them all in my catalogue at: -