Epilogue
EPILOGUE
Five Years Later
“Alright girls. Listen up. As I’m really no longer able to be out here with you girls in the way I like, I have a mid-season replacement. She’s a college student, working on her degree at Bluebell State, with plans to teach and coach here. I expect you girls to show her the respect you show me, and work as hard for her as you do for me,” Riley says, her hands poised on her lower back. “Girls, this is Jolene Turner, my step-daughter and former Bluebell High cheerleader.”
“Hi,” I wave at the girls, thinking how young they look even though I’m only five years older than them. “You guys can call me Jo Jo.”
A wave of voices reply, “Hi, Jo Jo.”
Riley gets practice going, and once the girls are well into working on their routine, Leah Mitchell appears in the gym door. She clicks her way across the shiny floors until she stands before us in her bright crimson suit and loud, fuschia beaded necklace.
“Jo Jo, there you are. Once you’re done with practice, stop by the office and grab your intake forms, okay?” Leah says, smiling.
I nod. “I will. And thank you again for giving me an internship with you my freshman year. I realize freshman year it’s really unheard of but–”
“You can handle it. And four years with me is better than two. You’re gonna learn a lot. I just hope you don’t change your mind about this,” Leah says.
I’m student teaching, and I’m also junior coaching while working on my undergraduate degree, and if that weren’t cool enough, last week I told Ms. Mitchell that one day I hoped to be the principal. Obviously you need years of being a teacher before you can move up to a job like that, but the next day, Leah laid out an internship for me. She told me I could work with her for as many or as few hours as I wanted to every week until I graduate, giving me an edge over other teachers down the road when it’s time for me to apply.
I jumped at the opportunity, and as I stand here, blowing a whistle at the girls, the principal by my side, I know I have my stepmom to thank. She’s always gone to bat for me, always wanted more for me, the best for me. I love her so much and can’t wait to meet my baby brother.
After a full day of classes, coaching cheer and a short meeting with Leah, I’m exhausted. When I open the front door, the smell of homemade lasagna fills the space, and I drop my bag at my feet, floating in after the scent.
“Oh my god, Dad, that smells so good,” I moan, turning the corner to find my dad crouched by the kitchen table, Riley in a chair next to him. He looks over his shoulder at me, a bubbling hot meal sitting untouched on the table. His eyes are wide.
“Riley’s water just broke.” He shoves a hand through his hair. “Jolene–the baby’s coming.”
I nod my head, and my fatigue disappears as I grab control of the situation. “Okay, how far apart are the contractions?
“Two-” Riley groans, and dad strokes her knee consolingly when he finishes her sentence. “Two minutes apart.”
I try not to let my eyes go wide. “You just left the gym like an hour ago! When–”
“Broke on the way home, contractions just keep ramping up,” Dad explains to me.
I take a steadying breath and survey the scene. Riley is bearing down, pale and sweaty. Dad gets to his feet, and talks quietly. “Bags are packed. You grab them while I get her in the car. You drive with us and sit up front, in case.”
I nod. “Sounds good.” Dad and Riley talk in hushed tones, soft kisses passing between them before he carries her to the truck, and I follow with their bags. We ride to the hospital together, and as we pull up, Riley asks me if I can call her parents.
They continued therapy for over three years, followed by two solid years of a healthy relationship behind them now. I like her parents, but my loyalty will always be with Riley. “Sure, I’ll call them.”
I do call them, and then Dad and I sit around Riley’s bed, waiting for our family to grow.
Rawley comes in with drinks and food around hour eight, and Leah and Denae show up shortly after. I poke my head out to give them an update and see the chairs filled with the people that love us.
Hudson and Dolly, Ms. Mitchell, Dean McAllister, Denae, Cadence Caine, Trace, Ivy–everyone.
An hour later, Riley gives birth to a boy, who they name Mason Turner. We pass him around,showering him in kisses, overwhelmed with so much joy and happiness.
The End