Epilogue
Teddy
“Finnegan Harrison,” Kara called out proudly.
The crowd around me surged to their feet, stomping and yelling and clapping as my boy crossed the stage, his cheeks red with embarrassment.
“Yeah, Finn,” Dylan yelled, putting his fingers to his mouth to whistle sharply.
“That’s my boy,” Curtis added, clapping his hands so hard that he jostled Jesse’s girlfriend and had to stop to apologize.
I laughed as Kara shot us a glare, waiting for everyone to quiet down so she could call the next name. It took a minute, since we’d filled an entire section in the auditorium. There were Aces cuts in every direction.
“He probably should’ve thought twice before he agreed to the name change,” Dylan said as we sat back down. “He sounds like a lawyer’s office. Finnegan Harrison, how can I direct your call?”
“Shh.” I elbowed him in the side as I laughed.
“I know, right?” Jesse said, whisper-shouting as they leaned around Curtis. “What a nerd.”
“He just graduated with honors,” I reminded them both. “Better than either of you did.”
“Nerd,” they both repeated at the same time.
“Your nerd brother is gonna kick your asses if you don’t shut it,” Curtis said, tightening his arm around my shoulder. “Practically dislocatin’ his neck down there tryin’ to shut you up.”
I scanned through the crowd of caps and gowns until I found Finn, the only kid turned toward us. He was staring in horror, his eyes wide.
Then, after a moment, his face softened, and Finn lifted his hand in a small wave.
“We did it,” Curtis whispered in my ear as all around me, Aces shifted in their seats and our family waved back at him.