Hey all. It's not the longest update for this one, but I liked how I ended it. I am currently working on the next chapter as well, and I am hoping to have it posted Monday for everyone.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Enjoy!

The last 18 years had gone by in a blur, you could say. Zoe sat on the couch, having woken up at 5 in the morning, not able to fall back asleep, instead of waking her husband up, she headed downstairs. She made a cup of coffee, and made herself comfortable on the couch with her son's baby book. Silent tears rolled down her face as she went from the very first picture taken of him when he was a few minutes old, right on through until his 18th birthday. 18 years seemed like forever to her when she held him for the very first time, curious to know what type of baby he would be, the type of child he'd grow into and the type of man he'd be. She could only hope Will would be every bit like Wade, she also wanted some of her father to shine from within her boy. So far she likes the type of man her son has grown into. What she's not ready for is for him to leave the nest.

"Not such a complete shock to see you down here," Will shared, sitting next to his mom.

"Couldn't sleep," she told him. "How are you holding up? Excited to be graduating?" She asked, shutting the book and placing it on the couch opposite the side her son sat.

"Excited for sure," he nodded, resting his head on his mom's shoulder. "Nervous," he confessed.

"Talk to your ol' mom and let's see if we can quil those nerves, huh?" She questioned, maneuvering to slip her arm around her son's shoulder to hold him.

"I don't even know," he sighed. "I've been waiting the last four years to be done with high school. To be out there in the world, but now that it's here, I wish I had a bit longer," he shared.

"It's okay to be scared of what the world holds for you, Will. We've given you everything that we could to teach you how to be a respectful, responsible young man. And once you get out there, away from your parents, you're going to flourish and become the person you are meant to be," Zoe smiled, sniffling just a little at the prospect of her son leaving home.

"I won't be far from home, I'm only going to Bama, and that's not until the fall," he chuckled. He got a full ride scholarship to Bama, his second choice for school. Will's first choice school, rejecting him, it hurt, but it was better that way, at least that's what he's starting to learn. "I'll be here a bit longer yet."

"You haven't seen your mother a wreck, yet," Wade piped up, entering the living room with a fresh cup of coffee for Zoe and a cup for himself. "I'm afraid she's going to be insufferable when we take you to college," Wade smirked, seeing how that car ride home was going to be, with Zoe in the seat next to him crying about her little boy moving off to college.

"Nothing like getting embarrassed before starting," Will sighed, shaking his head.

"You'll be surprised at how many crying mother's you will encounter when we drop you off at college," Zoe retorted, having seen it for herself. She's lucky that she had one of the cool parents, as her dad didn't cry until after he was alone. "Your father can joke all he wants, but he won't be as cool as he thinks he will be," Zoe stated, placing her hand on her husband's right leg.

"Moral of the story is, we're going to miss you when you're gone, but we'll be here when you visit. We want you to go out there and explore, to become the non-Bluebell you," Wade stated.

"What does that even mean?" Will asked, visibly confused as to what his parents were going on about. How can you be a non version of yourself?

"Because this little town changes who you are, most of the time for the better," Wade smiled, giving Zoe's hand a gentle squeeze.

"It's all months away," Zoe said, not wanting the summer to go by fast at all. She wants every single day to drag on, wanting as much time with her son, before he leaves. "Today is all about your once little boy, graduating."

"Mom," he whined.

"Will, just let her, there's no one here she can embarrass you in front of like she can your friends, and Nina," Wade pointed out for his son. There's something going on between Will and Nina, both teens denying they have any sort of connection with each other. But it was there, just like it was there when they were 15.

"Right," Will nodded, sighing heavily.

"This reminds me of Will's first day of kindergarten," Wade smiled. "Talk about a hot mess," he laughed, pressing a kiss to Zoe's knuckles. "Who knew that these last 13 years would just fly bye, like we didn't even live them," he sighed, thinking back to the first day they sent their son to his first day of school.

"I did," Zoe sniffled. "He grew up so fast in front of our eyes, it's surreal," she shared, running a hand through her son's hair. "As sad as I am to see this part of his life end, I'm excited to see him excel at the next phase of his life."

"Thanks, I think," Will said, not sure what his mom meant with her comment. "I'm gonna try to get a few more hours of sleep," he said, removing himself from the couch.

"As long as you're ready by 9. We need to be at the school by 10," Zoe told him.

"Yeah, that's still another 3 and a half hours from now. I think I'll be okay," he nodded, making a quick exit.

"Are you going to be good?" Wade asked, situating them both, so they were laying down on the couch, Zoe laying on top of him.

"I think so," she sighed, relaxing into her husband's warm embrace.

Will is ending one chapter of his life, getting ready to start the next one. A bigger, better part of his life, one that will help further shape the man he will grow into in the future. It's a bittersweet feeling to watch their son reach this milestone in his life, anxious to see what will come next for Will.

Zoe sat in the bleachers the gymnasium offered, the gym floor filled with blue and gold graduation caps and gowns. She tried to keep it together as the principal and select teachers talked. She did lose it when Lavon got up on stage to address the graduates, giving them words of wisdom as they moved off into the world that awaits them. Zoe got herself under control as the valedictorian made his speech, a select few other students making their own speeches. It wasn't until they started to call the students up in alphabetical order handing them their diploma's as they walked across the stage.

"Here," Wade whispered, handing Zoe some Kleenex, as they were getting close to saying Will's name. Zoe smiled, leaning into her husband. Happy to have the Kleenex, as she's ready to start crying seeing her son standing in the wing ready to walk.

"William Hayes Kinsella," the principal called.

Wade, Zoe, Aurora and the rest of the little Kinsella clan, plus friends and family, cheered for him as he walked across the stage, shook hands with the principal, took his offered diploma, and walked to the middle of the stage, where the photographer was at, snapping his picture as he moved his tassel, officially becoming a high school graduate.