Chapter 5 Finn
FINN
After passing Lexie in the hall, I’ve been unable to shake the look on her face at my words.
Realizing how starved for attention and approval she must be makes my heart ache for her.
I will never understand her folks. I try to shake off the moment and work to steady my emotions that are pinging all over the place today.
As proud as I am of my little girl, my heart is also heavy knowing that she's moving away soon.
I have some very big plans on the horizon, and as hard as it will be to live far away from her, I'm ready for this new chapter.
Vivian and I decided we would sit together for the graduation ceremony for Marcee’s sake, but I’m already dreading having to see her. We haven’t seen each other since the divorce was finalized last year, and that has been fine with me.
I have thrown myself into work, and I’m about to launch a new business venture in the fall.
Outside of work, I go to the gym and try to spend time with Marcee.
That’s my life, and ironically, I feel lighter than I have in ages.
I hadn’t realized just how miserable I was until we ended things, and suddenly, I was able to sleep at night and the near-constant stomach aches vanished as well.
I found myself enjoying old hobbies like surfing again and running on the beach.
In all the muck of my marriage falling apart, I had let myself fall apart too, but it felt like I was finally climbing out of that hole and reclaiming bits of myself.
As I leave the house with a large bouquet in hand, my phone dings, and I smile when I see Marcee’s picture on the screen.
Marcee:
Hey Dad! Lexie’s dad flaked and isn’t coming. Jerk didn’t even have the decency to call himself, had his old biddy of an assistant call her. Anyways, after the cookout can I crash at her place so she isn’t all alone?
My heart drops, remembering how excited she had been when she told us her dad was going to be there.
As much as I want Marcee at home tonight, I don’t want Lexie to be alone.
Thinking back to the night that she stayed with Marcee as my marriage crashed into the rocks, I shoot back a quick text saying yes.
Then I call the caterer and head to the florist.
I speed the whole way from the flower shop to the graduation venue, nervous the stop might make me late.
In the end, I make it just in time, even grabbed a single seat near the front since Vivian didn’t bother to save me a seat after all.
As the graduates file in, I instantly spot Marcee and my chest swells with pride.
She looks so grown up, a far cry from the little girl with an overbite and pigtails that insisted on reading Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs every night for a whole year. I can still recite it from memory.
Tears prick my eyes as I watch my daughter walk to her seat.
As soon as Marcee is seated, I spy Lexie coming in.
Unlike the rest of the graduates, she isn’t searching the crowd looking for anyone, knowing no one showed up for her.
I smile and follow her progress on the off chance she looks out into the crowd.
I want her to have at least one friendly face.
The ceremony drones on, and the speeches are insufferably long.
My God, the valedictorian is a preening douche, and I pity anyone that had to suffer through being in a class with that narcissist. Finally, it's time to call the graduates to walk the stage and get their diplomas.
Marcee steps onto the stage, and I stand and cheer, hearing her mom, aunts, uncles, and grandparents doing the same for her.
My baby smiles brightly and waves to both cheering sections.
Although I'm glad Vivian's family came out to support her, it does make me feel very alone over here by myself. My family and I aren’t close and haven’t been in a very long time.
Maybe that’s why I have such a soft spot for Lexie. I know how it feels to not have a family, like you’re alone in the world. It gives me some comfort knowing Lexie has a great friend like Marcee, and I hope she feels a sense of family when she’s with us.