The morning of the graduation, Emma was up at dawn. Her groggy sisters woke up one after the other, mumbling about how they never got any sleep. Erin grinned when she saw Emma trying to put her hair into a complicated bun.
"Let me help you with that." Erin blinked sleepily, crawling across her bed before dragging her sister into the bathroom.
"Thanks." Emma sighed, letting Erin fiddle away. "How much makeup should I wear?"
"Well, you don't want to be too heavy... mabye just a touch of rouge."
"All right." Emma let out a soft wail. "What am I going to do? I can't just stop school. Why am I graduating? You know I hate change."
Erin sighed, a smile pressing at her lips. "I know. You always have hated it. But, it has to happen."
"Here I am, listening to my little sister give me advice." Emma rolled her eyes before hugging Erin close. She then headed into the bedroom as Erin started a bath.
John Boy bumped into her. "Whoa! What's wrong?"
"Oh, John Boy, everything." Emma sighed in disbelief, pulling her brother into a hug.
John Boy kissed her head. "I know you'll do great at your graduation. You will. I know it."
"Thanks, sprocket." A mischievous smile tugged at Emma's lips.
"Shut it! I haven't heard that nickname in years..." John Boy flushed, before giving her a playful shove and walking downstairs.
As Emma took her graduation scroll, she felt such a burst of emotion that she swallowed some tears. How could the years have gone so quickly? Grandpa was getting more short of breath, Ben had admitted he actually liked the kiss, and Mary Ellen and Curt had been married for four months. Turning, she sat back down and smiled at Nancy, who went next. Then it was Ben, who took the scroll with a huge grin, giving his family a thumbs up. Then it was all over, and Emma tried to go through her whole graduation ceremony in her head, failing slightly, as it seemed so vague and fast.
As Emma sipped some milk at supper, she couldn't help but notice that Mary Ellen and Curt kept exchanging glances, and she could only guess what that meant. As they were both very blunt, it was unusual for them to keep their thoughts to themselves.
"Mama, Daddy, Grandpa, Grandma, guys, we have an announcement." Mary Ellen said finally, her cheeks flushed with colour.
Curt kissed her cheek. "We're having a baby."
Erin shrieked, throwing down her fork. "You what? No!" She dashed out of her seat and threw her arms around Mary Ellen.
"I'm gonna be an uncle!" Ben hollered, joining Erin. Everyone else gathered around the happy couple, congratulating them and giving them loving hugs.
"Congratulations, sister." Emma held Mary Ellen close. "I know you're gonna be a great mama."
Mary Ellen smiled softly. "Thanks, Em."
Curt, who was standing off to the side, rolled his eyes happily. "Who's the father here?" Elizabeth laughed and hugged him, the other following suit. The ecstatic family never got to finish their supper.