A/N: Thank you all for your patience. Here is chapter 17! Took forever to get over a block!
Chapter 17: Seniors Remember
Mollie was never one to sit outside during Spring Break and wait for Mr. Norris, the mailman to arrive. Over the past few weeks Mollie had begun to receive her college acceptance letters. Along with her acceptance letters she was also receiving her scholarship approval notices. At last count she had gotten fourteen acceptances. The one she was waiting for hadn't arrived yet. Her dream school since she was a little girl: Wellesley College. Mollie had wanted to attend Wellesley before she could even remember. It was the school her mother would have gone to had she not married her father. Mollie sighed and looked down the street and saw Mr. Norris walking towards the mailboxes. Mr. Norris had grown accustomed to Mollie waiting for him outside the mailbox. There were a few others in the town who were doing the same thing.
"Good afternoon Miss Reynolds," Mr. Norris called to her.
"Anything for me today Mr. Norris?" Mollie replied.
"Not that I know of young lady," Mr. Norris said. He pulled out the stack of mail for the residents of the Reynolds house. "You sure have been getting a lot of those big college envelopes of late. Pick one yet?"
"No sir," Mollie sighed. "The one I want hasn't arrived yet."
"You must have patience little one."
"That's what Mom keeps saying," Mollie sighed. "But it's getting really, really annoying."
Mr. Norris smiled and place the large stack of mail in the box. He nodded to Mollie and continued on his way. Mollie waited until he was out of sight before she attacked the defenseless mailbox. Skipping anything that didn't start with the letter "M", Mollie tore through the mail. Dropping everything, save for one very large envelope, Mollie let out a huge scream. Ripping open the envelope Mollie searched for the one sheet of paper that would make that the greatest day in her life.
"Dear Mollie Reynolds, We at Wellesley are pleased to offer you acceptance to Wellesley College!" Mollie half read and half shouted. "Holy shit! Mama! Daddy!"
Mollie ran into the house, screaming her head off. She flickered the lights repeatedly. "Mama! Daddy!"
Jack Reynolds ran into the foyer. He heard his daughter screaming and thought she was hurt. The scene he came upon was Mollie jumping up and down with the biggest grin he had ever seen on her. Bigger than when she was five and won the soapbox derby. Something very big had just happened.
"What's going on here?" Jack asked.
"I got in! I got in!" Mollie shouted, still bouncing worse than Tigger on speed.
"Got in where?" Jack asked, trying to play dumb.
"Wellesley Daddy! I can't believe I got in! This is by far the best day I have ever had!"
"I knew you could do it Mollie. Be sure to call your father and let him know."
"I will. I have to tell Mama first," Mollie said, her voice now calming down and returning to a normal volume. She hugged her father tightly and then ran up the stairs to her mother's room. Since Christmas Katherine had slowly been getting worse. It seemed that the better the weather got the worse off Katherine was. She had stopped her chemo just after Valentine's Day. She was having fewer good days and more bad days. Her doctors were convinced that Katherine wouldn't make it to May, only a few short weeks away. Katherine disagreed. She told her doctors that she would see her two children graduate from high school.
Mollie took a deep breath and knocked on her mother's door. She looked round the room and didn't see her mother inside. The breeze was blowing the curtains softly and Mollie figured her mother was taking in the warm spring day. Katherine was sitting out on the balcony in her favorite rocking chair, staring out over the water of the lake. Mollie wandered out and sat next to her mother.
"Hi Mama," Mollie said. "My acceptance letter from Wellesley came today Mom."
"Oh praise God," Katherine exclaimed. "That is fantastic. Be sure to call Gavin."
"I will Mom. I can't believe that I got into my first choice school. Not many people are able to say that these days. It's a dream come true."
"That it is. Just remember Mollie, just because Wellesley is your dream school doesn't mean it's the right school for you. One of the other wonderful schools may have just the program you want. Do you have an idea of what you want to study?"
"Art History and photography," Mollie answered. "It's what I have always loved. Ever since Gavin and Amy took me to Paris just before Eddie was born."
"Remember to pray about it. Choosing a college is the most important choice you will have to make in your life."
"Mom do you ever wish you had gone to Wellesley like you had planned?" Mollie asked.
"Mollie, I was so in love with Jack that I would have followed that man anywhere. The FBI hardened him, but he was the sweetest, most caring man I have ever known. I never imagined that Jack would want to be with me while we were in school. He always made me feel like the most precious thing in his life. He knew as I did that we were meant to be together forever."
"That's awesome Mom," Mollie sighed. "You got your fairy tale."
Katherine took a labored breath and looked over the lake. There was so much that she wanted to tell her daughter without it sounding like the last advice of a dying mother.
"Mollie when you choose your school, leave your feelings for Casper out of the process. I want you to make this choice on what's best for you and not what you think Casper wants for you."
"I know Mom. Casper wants me to go wherever I want. He's proud that I got into so many great schools."
"Just remember to be your own person. I never want you to feel like you have to be with someone in order to be happy or have a purpose. God made you special and precious. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise."
"Mama, are you feeling ok?" Mollie asked, the concern rising in her voice.
"I'm good."
"You don't sound good. Mom, what's going on?"
Katherine didn't want her children to know the extent of her prognosis. She wanted to live out the last few months of her life without her family worried every moment of everyday. She didn't want them to miss out on anything just because she was dying. Even in her time of dying, Katherine Reynolds thought of the well being of others before she thought to herself. But Katherine couldn't lie to Mollie.
"Dr. Patton doesn't feel like I'm going to make it to June," Katherine said.
Mollie's eyes filled with tears. Her mother, her best friend, her confidante was dying. Mollie shook her head in disbelief. She refused to believe that her mother could be gone in less than two months.
"Can't anything be done?" Mollie questioned. "A treatment they haven't thought of?"
"Mollie. Sweetheart, I'm ready to go home. I don't want to hurt anymore."
"I'm not ready to let you go Mom. God can't have you yet!"
Mollie threw her arms around her mother, crying into her chest. Mollie cried for several moments, before she calmed down. All she wanted to do was crawl into her mother's lap and be held like she used to do when she was younger. She never wanted to be without her mother. Mollie just sat next to her mother, watching the sun dance on the lake. Katherine fell asleep and Mollie went down to get her father. Jack carried his wife back into their room and laid her down. Mollie watched the tenderness Jack showed for Katherine. It was what Mollie wanted in her life.
Jack and Mollie retreated to the kitchen. Mollie made a pot of tea and sat down at the table with her father.
"Did you have a nice talk with your mother?" Jack asked.
"Yeah I did. She gave me some great advice on which college I should choose. She told me that she doesn't regret going with you all those years ago. She said you always made her feel special, which you still do."
"One assignment I went on, the agent in charge wanted me to take off my wedding ring. I refused. I have never once removed this ring from my hand. Katherine bought me this ring with the little money she got from her relatives for her high school graduation. Katherine didn't come from a wealthy family like I did. Her family had to work very hard for everything they got. We grew up in a time where deafness was something that people wanted to cure. As a child Katherine learned to speak and read lips. She was so beautiful. I was this big, tough guy from the 'right' side of town. But Katherine was my princess and I began to court her."
"You and Mom courted?" Mollie questioned.
"Yes. We spent time with each other in the company of others in her church. I was not a Christian at the time Katherine and I were together. It was her father, your grandpa Hannah who led me to Christ."
"I never knew that," Mollie said, sipping on her tea. "When did you know that Mama was the only girl for you?"
"When I thought I was going to lose her forever."
"What happened?"
"The factory that Mr. Hannah worked at went under and they were going to lose everything. I couldn't bear to not have Katherine in my life. I would have married her sooner to keep her with me. Since I couldn't do that, I begged my father to give Mr. Hannah a job within his company and to let the family move into our small cottage on our property. Mr. Hannah became my father's driver and close friend. The thought of losing Katherine Hannah at seventeen was devastating. Now, watching her slip farther and farther away and me powerless to stop it, is much, much worse."
"I know Daddy. Would it be ok if I go over to Jo's for a little while? She just got back from Paris and wanted to show me the new things she got."
"That would be fine. Remember Mollie, fairy tales, can come true."
Mollie smiled and kissed her father on the cheek. "I'll be home later. I love you Daddy."
Jack watched his little girl walk out of the kitchen. There was so much about his children's lives the she wished he could have seen. Hi job caused him to be away and miss so much. He was proud of what he had accomplished and that he had provided for his family. At the same time Jack weighed the tolls his job had on his family. Now, in his wife's last days he wondered what he could have done differently.
Mollie drove over to Jo's place on the even side of town. It was strange to think that Jo was at home. Usually every spring she and her moms would go back to Europe for the week to get an early start on the new fashions for the season. Instead of staying longer with them Jo opted to come home early and hang out with her friends and get some paperwork done at her moms' office.
Jo showed off all her new clothes for the summer that she had picked up in Paris. Mollie loved how Jo could be so fashionable in such a small place. Everything Joella Constable owned was some fancy label that Mollie could never even dream of wearing. To Jo, it didn't matter what she wore. She knew that even if she lost all her fancy stuff she would still be the same girl that moved to Wyoming three years ago. Mollie lay out on Jo's bed flipping through the latest In Style magazine.
"Did it come?" Jo asked, as she was hanging up her prom gown in her closet.
"Did what come?"
"The Wellesley letter?"
"Oh yeah. Today. I am so-so...Pick an emotion and I'm feeling it. What about you? Have you finally decided on an Ivy League?"
"Yale for pre-med and Princeton for medical school," Jo answered.
"You do know that there is no Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital with a cranky, Vicodin popping Dr. Gregory House?" Mollie teased.
"I guess I can't do my residency at Seattle Grace then?"
"No Dr. McDreamy or McSteamy for you. What does Marc say about you going to Yale?"
"We decided that if we're meant to be together, we'll find each other again. I mean he has his football dreams and I want to be a doctor," Jo replied. "For the record Marc left me completely out of his decision to sign with Notre Dame."
"I'm sure he didn't mean to leave you completely out of the process."
"It doesn't matter too much anyway," Jo replied plopping down next to Mollie. "I just want him to do what makes him happy. And playing football for Notre Dame is going to make him happy. My moms have done just fine without a man in their lives for a long time and they have always told me that I don't have to be dependant on anyone to make my way in life."
"You have really great parents," Mollie sighed.
"It hasn't always been easy but we sure have had our fun doing it."
For the rest of the afternoon Mollie and Jo talked about their college plans and played big girl dress up with Jo's new clothes. Mollie was more at ease when she returned home to face her mountain of college acceptance letters. After chatting with Jo, she felt less pressured to choose somewhere just so she could be close to her friends. She knew that they would support her in whatever choice she made.
Before she even began looking over any of her letters and brochures; Mollie prayed. She prayed for guidance and peace of mind for when she was sure of her choice. With her mother and dad's words in her mind about their college choices Mollie began her process.
She sifted through her fifteen acceptance letters; placing them in three piles; yes, no and possibly. In her "Yes" pile was: Wellesley, Gonzaga, Princeton, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Ohio State University. In her resounding "No" pile lived: University of Wyoming, Arizona State University, Washington State University, University of Montana and Idaho. And her back-ups were: Yale, Brown, Notre Dame, University of Virginia and New York University.
Upon further thought and reading Virginia, Brown, Gonzaga Ohio State and North Carolina landed in the "no" pile. She then began the age old process of the "Pro/Con" lists. It was late in the evening when she finally got down to her top three choices: Wellesley, Princeton and NYU.
NYU was an excellent choice because of it's proximity to her bio-daddy and his family; along with all the amazing and awesome museums she could visit. There was the slick vibe of New York that she would love to capture on film.
Princeton made the list with its high caliber of teachers, staff and programs. Princeton was far enough from New York for her to feel safe, yet close enough so she could go see Gavin anytime she wanted.
Then there was Wellesley. Located in Boston, a wonderfully historic city with beautiful landscape and scenery. Wellesley had been her dream for years. It had everything she wanted in her dreams. Wellesley had the location, the programs, and the teachers she wanted. Satisfied with her choice she tacked the Wellesley letter to her corkboard and sat back from her desk. Glancing over at the clock by her bed she calculated that it wasn't too late to give her father a call. Her pseudo-big brother Gavin.
"Gavin Reynolds," he answered, after the second ring.
"Hey Daddy Gavin," Mollie said cheerfully.
"Well, hello Miss Mollie," Gavin said smiling to himself. "To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"
"Well, Mama and Daddy told me that I needed to call you when I made my choice for college," Mollie explained. "I'm not sure why, other than to share my good news."
"I sure whatever school you chose will be just perfect. So where am I sending the check?" Gavin asked, leaning back in his chair.
"What check?" Mollie questioned. "What are you talking about?"
"I am paying for your college. Every cent."
"Why? I have scholarships and the money Mama and Daddy set aside."
"Because Mollie, you are my daughter and I want to do this for you."
"You should save that money for Eddie and Dylan. Spend it on them."
"Mollie, don't argue with me on this. I know you have your scholarships, which I think is great. I just want to help you ease the burden of the cost of living away from home. Speaking of, where did you decide?"
"Wellesley," Mollie sighed. "I'm going to Wellesley."
"Wonderful! That's just wonderful. Oh before I forget, Edward wanted you to know that he took first place in his school's spelling bee last week. Oh and Dylan told me yesterday that he is no longer Dylan."
"And who is Dylan now?" Mollie asked, moving from her desk chair over to her bed. She loved hearing about her little brothers.
"He is convinced that he is the long lost son of Capitan Jack Sparrow and he is the true captain of the Black Pearl."
"What has he named himself?"
"First Mate Commodore Jack Sparrow, Jr.," Gavin answered with a laugh.
"Does he not realize that he is in contradiction of terms?" Mollie asked, also laughing.
"We just humor him. He'll grow out of it in a few weeks."
Mollie was quiet for a moment. She thought about Gavin's offer. "Dad, you don't have to pay for my college. You should save it for Edward and Jack Jr."
"Mollie, let me do this for you. You can pay me back if you want. Just think you could graduate with very little debt."
"What does Amy think of all this?" Mollie asked.
"Amy supports all my choices when it comes to you," Gavin replied. "Mollie why are you being so difficult about this?"
"Well up until a few months ago you weren't my dad. You were my older brother. It's going to take me some time to adjust to you wanting to do huge things for me. How about this: I will think about it."
"You do that. Let me know when you decide. And Mollie?"
"Yeah Gavin?"
"You did good."
"You made the right decision."
"For the both of us. I'll talk to you later. Call Amy later about your prom gown. It's taking over her studio."
Mollie laughed and said goodbye to her father and hung up her phone. She laid back on her pillows and stared up at the ceiling. Gavin was offering such a huge gift. She didn't really know how to respond. It was a huge gesture and she really appreciated it however she was unsure of how to accept it. Mollie did the only she knew how to do at that moment. She rolled over onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows, bowed her head and prayed. She prayed for the wisdom to know in her heart what she was supposed to do, what choice would be right for her. She prayed for her mother's health to improve, for Becca's heart to mend and for Emma. Everyday, two, three times a day Mollie prayed for Emma. Mollie never knew what to pray for when she prayed for Emma, she just prayed.
Four houses down Becca was visiting Kim, Matt's mom. Becca made it a point to visit the Montgomery's at least twice a week to update them on her life as well as the baby's.
"Bex?" Kim asked.
"Yeah Kim?" Becca replied.
"Do you know anything about the six hundred and fifty pound of green and gold M&M's currently living in the basement deep freeze?" Kim questioned. "They arrived a few months ago and I had no idea what they were for."
"Six hundred and fifty pounds?" Becca questioned, her eyes bright and inquisitive.
"That's what I said," Kim laughed. "I'm not sure I want to know what that boy had in mind when he ordered them."
"I think I may have an idea," Becca said. "Do you mind if I take a look around Matt's room? I think the plan may be stashed somewhere in there."
"Go right ahead. I haven't touched his room since the accident."
Kim helped Becca stand and she wandered up the very familiar flight of stairs to Matt's bedroom. Becca had many, many fond and wonderful memories in Matt's room. Most of them dirty but all of them good. Becca opened the door to the overwhelming scents and memories that poured out of his room. It took all the strength Becca had not to cry.
A few weeks after the shooting at Emma's, Matt and Becca road tripped to Denver to see Wicked. Becca loved the theatre and Matt tolerated it for her sake. Before the show she and Matt had a fancy dinner. After the show, Matt had gotten them a hotel room so they wouldn't have to drive back to Hidden Rocks in the dark.
For Becca that night was the most romantic and enchanting evening she had ever known. She and Matt had made love before but there was something about that night that made it all the more special. In that night Becca knew a part of Matt that no one else would ever get to know. In that night Matt had told her that no matter where she went he would go to. He made her a promise that night that he would always be with her.
Looking around Matt's room she was always amazed at what a total disaster that boy had been. In the three years that she and Matt had been together, there wasn't a day that Becca didn't remind Matt to tie his shoes, pull up his pants or even get him a clean shirt out of her locker because he managed to drop half of his lunch on it.
Becca always knew when her boyfriend was up to no possible good. He would get nervous and fidget even more than normal. Matt couldn't hold still for more than five minutes before he needed to be moving. Movies and long road trips were never a good thing to take Matt on. He could drive you crazy after ten minutes. Jesse once kicked Matt out of his car on the way up to the lodge because Matt couldn't hold still.
Matt always had a prank, plan or crazy idea brewing at any given time. Matt always planned an end of the year prank. Mollie once told her that for the last day of seventh grade Matt released thousands of the tiny bouncy balls down the halls of the school. It took the administration three hours to collect them all. Becca could only imagine what Matt had in store for the school this year. Becca looked around the room for Matt's prank journal. Matt would record every prank and stunt in a black journal so he wouldn't ever repeat the same one. Becca had a good but foreboding feeling that Matt's plan for the senior prank would be planned out in immense detail in that book. Becca pulled the book off the shelf and began to read.
"I, Matthew Edward Montgomery III. Do hereby swear that I am up to absolutely no good and am planning the very best senior prank known to man. In the basement of my house, in the deep freezer, you will find six hundred and fifty pounds of green and gold M&M's. With these M&M's we are going to write on our football field, 'HRH SENIORS ROCK!'"
Becca stopped reading as another memory flashed through her mind.
"Tell me again why were asking the local businesses for donations to the Student Council?" Becca asked, one Saturday afternoon she was spending with Matt.
"So we don't have to raise the prices of everything else we do this year to pay for prom," Matt explained.
"Why do I get the feeling that you're up to something?" Becca teased.
"Because I always have something up my sleeve," Matt replied, pulling Becca closer to his side. "If all goes the way I want it to, you can always deny knowing me."
"I could never do that," Becca sighed. "You're my whole world."
"Ditto."
"Who let you watch Ghost?"
The realization of what Matt had planned hit her like a ton of bricks. She tried very hard not to laugh. Becca wondered if anyone else knew what Matt had been planning. She called Jesse but got no response. The only other person that had been around Matt in his last days had been Ty. She quickly dialed the Morris' house number.
"Hey Ty. It's Becca. Hey listen, I got a-sort of strange question. Call me back when you get a free moment. Thanks!"
Leaving everything the way Matt had it, Becca backed out of his room. Becca enjoyed her time with the Montgomery's. They were such amazing people that Becca couldn't help but love them immensely. Edward and Kimberly loved Becca and were thrilled about getting a grandchild. The circumstances left them feeling sad but as long as Becca stayed in contact with them they would always have that little bit of Matt with them.
"Kim, would you feel weird if I gave the baby the Montgomery name?" Becca asked, just before she left.
"Not at all," Kimberly replied. "I know that if Matt had gotten the chance to be a father, he would have married you. In fact I think he was planning on it anyway. Ed and I would be very honored if you chose to go by Becca Montgomery later in life."
Becca's eyes filled with tears. She ran into her second Mommy's arms and held her tightly. "Thank you. Matana's so lucky to have you for a grandma."
"Matana?" Kimberly questioned.
"It's Hebrew for gift," Becca explained. "Matana Edith Montgomery."
"Mattie for short?"
"Yeah. Our little scheming Mattie Montgomery."
Kimberly held Becca tightly as they let memories of their favorite boy wash over them. Becca declined to stay for dinner and made her way out to the car. As she was opening her door her phone buzzed in her pocket.
"Hello?" Becca answered, climbing into her car.
"Hey Bex, it's Ty," Ty said. He was sitting at the counter of Comic Kingdom waiting for his last customer to leave so he could lock up and go home. "I got your message. What's up?"
"Thanks for getting back to me so soon," Becca replied. "It's about Matt."
"What about him?" Ty asked, flipping through a copy of a Spider-Man comic.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about a prank he was planning involving a great deal of M&M's?"
"To cover the football field with?" Ty questioned.
"That would be the one."
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything he ever told you."
Monday after spring break was never a good day. Never a good day for the students or for the teachers. Many seniors had clocked themselves out and were only thinking of graduation and prom. The rest were burnt out from late night movie marathons and all day Guitar Hero playing. Mollie was waiting by the fountain for her friends to arrive. She was bursting at the seams to tell everyone that she got into her number one choice school. She was excited to tell Maddie most of all.
Maddie had gone with Frankie and the boys to Vegas for Race Wars. She had told Mollie and her other friends that it was just Frankie who was racing but in reality it was Maddie who was racing and Frankie and the boys were just the crew and bodyguards. In the underground racing community, Royale Kingsly was making quite a name for herself. By the end of Race Wars she had made off with sixty-four thousand dollars in cash and three new cars for Frankie and the boys to sell off for parts. Maddie figured that if she raced all summer and spent very little of her earnings she could pay for college on her own.
Maddie and Frankie made it back to Hidden Rocks bright and early Monday morning. Maddie didn't even go home first. She slept at the garage with Frankie and headed straight to school. She was barely in the realms of the dress code. She still had on her purple leather halter corset, her skin tight black pants and her knee high racing boots. She had spare clothes in her locker that she could change into if needed. She saw Mollie sitting by herself and made her way over to her friend.
"Hey Mollie!" Maddie called. "God, I thought I was so late!"
"What are you wearing?" Mollie questioned, looking her friend up and down.
"My-uh-racing gear?" Maddie answered, sheepishly.
"And you have racing gear because?"
"I wasn't just watching Frankie. I was racing too."
"That's cool," Mollie replied, not really hearing what Maddie was telling her. "Did any of your college letters come while you were gone?"
Maddie looked at her best friend with a blank stare. "Yeah. Gonzaga and UNLV showed up. Most likely going to take UNLV. Did the Wellesley letter come?"
"Oh yeah it did. And the peace de resistance? Gavin offered to pay for all of my schooling. Every cent."
"No shit! Are you going to take it?"
"I haven't decided yet," Mollie answered, truthfully. "On the one side it would save me from having to pay back thousands of dollars in student loans. But on the other side, Gavin still is my cool older brother who took me to Paris when I was thirteen. It's too big a present. It freaks me out." Of Mollie's friends, only Casper and Maddie knew the truth about Gavin.
"I say take the money," Maddie said. "All he's really going to be paying for is your room, board, books and supplies. You have enough scholarships to support yourself all four years if you chose. But that's just my opinion."
"Thanks Maddie," Mollie sighed. "So, UNLV? You've been watching too much CSI."
"Can't fault me for wanting to be in the pleasure capital of the world."
"I guess not. Wait a minute. You street race?!"
"Three minutes," Maddie said looking at the clock. "Not the longest delayed reaction on record but pretty damn close," Maddie teased. "Why do you think the Porsche looks the way it does? Don't open the back."
"How have you managed to keep something like this a secret for so long?" Mollie asked.
"Mollie, I'm Maddie Kingsly. Who here would believe that I, prissy, Carrie Bradshaw wannabe, am a hardcore street racer?"
"Point, Maddie," Mollie laughed. "Are you any good?"
"Made damn near eighty grand this week alone."
"It never even crossed my mind."
As Maddie and Mollie were chatting by the fountain, an eight month pregnant Halle was walking with Ty, reminding all the seniors she saw about the class meeting that morning during second period. She and Ty stopped in the quad and saw Mollie and Maddie at the fountain. Halle waddled her way over to her friends.
"Hey M&M," Halle said. She carefully sat down next to Mollie. She grimaced slightly, pressing her hand to her round belly. "Ok kid. You can stop kicking Mommy at any time."
"Restless baby?" Mollie asked, setting her hand where Halle's was to feel the baby kick.
"And if he doesn't knock it off soon, the eviction notice will be served much sooner than planned."
"Admit it Mrs. Morris, you're loving this," Ty teased.
"You stay out of this or you'll end up in the fountain!" Halle snapped at her husband. "You are never coming anywhere near me ever, ever again!"
"You say that now," Ty said, slipping behind his wife, rubbing her shoulders.
"Go away."
"You love me."
"Not today," Halle sighed. "Honey, can you get that knot out of my neck?"
Maddie and Mollie watched the young couple in their banter. For Mollie it reminded her of Emma and Jesse's good days. It took her back to a time when Matt and Becca were the ones to be acting silly and loving towards each other. Ty's hands slipped down along Halle's ribs, tickling her slightly. Halle jumped and elbowed Ty, sending him flailing backwards into the fountain. M&M tried very hard not to laugh as Ty climbed out of the fountain, soaking wet. He glared at his wife.
"Oops?" Halle smiled, holding up her hands and shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm going to remember this when you want Karamel Sutra ice cream at three am," Ty threatened.
"That reminds me. Baby wants sugar cookie dough and peanut butter," Halle said. "Oh! And cold sesame noodles from Chen's Dragon Wall."
"You just pushed me in the fountain and now you want me to go all the way to Greeley for Chinese food!?" Ty exclaimed.
"It's not for me. It's for Baby," Halle said, pointing to her belly and pouting. "Please Ty? Please?"
"Peanut butter and cookie dough I can do, but Baby will have to live without Chen's cold sesame noodles."
"Fine. Daddy's being mean to Mommy, Baby," Halle whispered to her belly.
Just then the bell rang and it was time to head to class. Mollie stood up, still trying to hide her laugh. She held out a hand for Halle to help her up. She, Halle and Maddie started to walk away from the cold and dripping wet Ty.
"Ty!" Mollie called back. "Casper has some extra clothes in his locker. Number 243 in the west hall. Combo is 25-37-16!"
The three girls laughed all the way to AP Government and Drawing and Painting. The first period class flew by quickly and soon all the seniors were gathering in the theatre for their class meeting. Halle waited at the podium for her classmates to quiet down. She had prom to discuss and Ty, Becca and Jesse were going to present something that she had no idea about.
"Good morning seniors!" Halle greeted. "I hope everyone had a great spring break and are ready to kick these last few weeks of school to the side. I'd like to start this meeting off by getting right down to the important matters. First being prom. Because of the food fight at Winter Formal the Lang's are still stonewalling our requests to hold prom at the lodge."
"What about the youth center?" A voice called out.
"I have spoken with Pastor Scott and he has a group there that weekend," Halle answered. "Thanks to the Prom Committee's various booths at the Carnival we were able to earn enough to hold prom in the lobby of the Sheridan Holiday Inn."
Applause echoed in the theatre. Halle was pleased and the location for prom was checked off her list. They voted on a theme for the dance, graduation and they discussed the yearbook. Once all of Halle's business as Senior Class President was concluded she turned the meeting over to Student Council Student Liaison, Becca Cornwallis.
"As many of you know, Matt Montgomery was a great prankster," Becca began. "Weather it was switching avocado with wasabi or just dropping water balloons on people walking down Main Street Odd, his jokes were always filled with humor and good will. Before he died, Matt managed to get six hundred and fifty seven pound of green and gold M&M's donated to the Student Council."
"What the hell do we need that many M&M's for?" Troy Hart, Student Council Secretary questioned. "And how did we not know about it?"
"Ty, Becca and I asked ourselves that same question three days ago and this is what we came up with. Matt, being Matt, had the candy shipped directly to his house over the summer. He kept them hidden in the deep freezer in his basement. We never would have even known of their existence if Mrs. Montgomery hadn't had groceries that needed to be stored there. Becca found Matt's prank journal with this prank planned and well thought out. We're going to use these M&M's to write on the football field 'HRH SENIORS ROCK!'."
"That has to be the most insane idea Montgomery ever came up with!" another student yelled. "There's no way we could ever pull it off!"
The theatre began to fill with chatter as everyone began to protest.
"We're aware that this is a huge undertaking," Ty said, raising his hands. "We also get how insane it all sounds."
"What do you know about it, transfer?" a nasty voice yelled.
"I know that this senior class has had one very shitty year. I get that I'm only a transfer student, that I have only been a part of this class for not even a year. But Matt Montgomery was my friend too. I think that as a senior class, we do this. Not only to honor our fallen classmate, but for ourselves. To bring this class together and do one good thing to help ease the pain that this year has been."
"Please, guys," Becca's soft voice added. "Please. For Matt?"
The theatre was oddly quiet. For a moment Becca, Jesse and Ty wondered if their classmates would even go for the idea. A lone figure stood up in the very back of the theatre and made her way forward. Climbing the steps of the stage, she faced the most critical and fearsome group of people in her life.
"I'm in," she said, plainly, looking over the crowd. "Y'all may hate me and want me the hell out of this place, but you know that this is the right thing to do. I don't know how I'll do it, but you can count on me. I'm in."
Jesse placed his hand gingerly on her shoulder. "Thanks Emma. That's four. It's going to take a whole bloody mess more people to pull this off."
The theatre was still oddly quiet. Another person stood up in the back. "I'm Cohen Atwood and I'm in."
Soon large groups of people were standing up to join in. Soon all two hundred and thirty seniors were on their feet clapping and cheering. Ty and Jesse were grinning and Becca wiped a tear from her eye.
"Ok everybody, simmer down now!" Ty yelled. "Here's the plan…"
Ty and Jesse broke down the plan. Becca passed down the rows a grid of the football field and the design of the wording. Jesse and Ty had plotted it on leftover drill sheets from marching band.
"Any questions?" Jesse asked, after he and Ty finished explaining it all.
"How are the individual groups decided?" Odette Williams asked.
"Alphabetically by last name," Jesse replied. "Becca will send an email to everyone with their group number and corresponding letter."
"When are we going to do this?" someone else shouted.
"The Thursday night before prom," Ty answered. "That Friday will be our senior skip day."
"That's in two weeks!" someone exclaimed.
"Don't worry. Just get with your group beforehand so you can get to know everyone," Jesse said. "It's going to take all of us working together to pull this off in one night. 'Seniors' on three! One, two, three…"
"SENIORS!" shouted two hundred and thirty voices.
Two Weeks, Four Days, Twelve Hours and Forty-seven Minutes Later…
In a small town such as Hidden Rocks, secrets were hard to keep. The two hundred and thirty seniors did their best to hide what they were up to that Thursday night from their parents and younger siblings. Many of them snuck out of their houses and met up with their friends to get to the school unnoticed. Jesse was waiting at the Albertson's on the even side of town with the coolers of M&M's. Casper was at the school to let small groups of students onto the field at a time.
"007 to Home Plate," Casper called over the radio. "007 to Home Plate. Come in Home Plate."
"Home Plate," Jesse answered. "Go ahead 007. Wait why are you 007? I'm British. I should be 007."
"Talk to your brother Home Plate. He came up with the code names," Casper replied. "The first two groups are in and setting up, over."
"Five more coming your way. ETA five minutes," Jesse said. "Home Plate out."
"Copy that. 007 out," Casper answered. "007 to Coffee House. Come in Coffee House."
"Coffee House," Mollie answered. "Go ahead 007."
"ETA on the coffee booth?" Casper asked.
"Twenty minutes," Mollie replied. "Coffee House out."
"Copy that. Will have space ready for you Coffee House," Casper radioed back. "This is going to be one crazy ass, loco night."
And what a night it was. Cars lined the football field with their lights on and music blaring. What an eclectic sound coming from the field that night. Katy Perry mixed with Metallica crossed with Broadway show tunes stirred in with Jeff Dunham recordings and topped with the harmonious curses of Eminem. The groups were as eclectic as the tunes. Kids from different classes, from different clubs; some meeting for the very first time. That night became less and less about the prank itself but about a senior class healing itself from the inside out.
Emma managed to talk her court appointed officer into allowing her to do the prank. She knew the risks to everyone involved if she was caught out there without permission. She didn't want anyone to blame her if they got caught. Mollie and Emma were in the same group. It was the first time since August that the two girls had been in that close proximity to each other. They were unsure of how to break the ice. Mollie being the bigger person, spoke up first.
"Hey Emma?" she called.
"Yeah Mollie?" Emma replied, looking up from the line of M&M's she was pouring.
"I was thinking about that time capsule we buried in your backyard before freshman year."
"What about it?"
"Are you still going to want to open it after graduation?" Mollie asked, filling in the section she and Emma were working on.
Emma paused as she thought about the time capsule she and Mollie had put together so many years ago. Back when everything was normal. Back when she wasn't the most hated girl in school.
"I don't know," Emma said. "I'd be shocked if I'm not carted away to prison as soon as my name is called and I walk across the stage."
"I don't think they'll do that Emma," Mollie said, sincerely. "Just think about it ok."
Emma nodded and was quiet for a few minutes. "How's Mom doing?"
Mollie smiled as Emma referred to her mother as 'Mom'. "Her good days are farther and farther apart. It won't be much longer before she goes home," Mollie said, her face dropping the smile it once wore. "She asks about you."
"I'll make an effort to go visit her," Emma said.
"She'd like that."
Emma felt bad that she had been neglecting her other mother. In the five or so years that the Reynolds' had lived next door, Katherine had become a second mother to Emma. Emma was able to talk to Katherine about things she couldn't tell her grandmother.
As the sun came up on the mountains, the seniors put the finishing touches on their project. By 7:17 am, the football field of Hidden Rocks High School had a new phrase written on it. Marc, Ty and Jesse had gone to Sheridan and had cleaned the Wal-Mart bakery completely out of fresh donuts. They got back just time to hand them out. The seniors gathered on the bleachers and Mollie took a picture for the yearbook. It was only a matter of time before the rest of school arrived to see their handiwork.
Many of the seniors returned to their cars and headed home or to Billings for last minute prom shopping. All but one left the school. Emma had to attend her classes that day or be in violation of her suspended sentence. It was a very lonely and quiet day for her.
Saturday arrived much sooner than anyone had expected. Halle left her prom committee in charge of the set up so she could get ready without the added pressure of making everything absolutely perfect. Kids from the committee sent her picture messages all day with updates on the set up. The lobby of the Holiday Inn Sheridan had never looked better. If she was honest with herself, after all the planning and preparations that Halle Morris had done for this dance, she didn't want to go. She didn't feel young and vibrant. She felt huge and older than she should be. She and Ty didn't have the extra money to spend going out to dinner or even for them both to take the night off from their jobs.
Halle looked at herself in the mirror in her bathroom. She and Becca had gone to David's Bridal in Billings in hopes to find a dress that would make them look not only beautiful but hide their enlarged midsections. Both girls got the same dress. It was a simple Greek style drape dress that Halle liked because it hid her belly. She got it a size bigger than she needed just so it would. Becca's was red and hugged her in all the right places.
"Halle? Babe, are you ready yet?" Ty called from the living room. "Marc, Jo and Becca are going to be here any minute!"
"May I remind you that I am eight months pregnant, unable to see my own feet and move at the speed of a turtle with a limp?" Halle called back, feeling frustrated. "And where the sodding hell are my clogs!?"
"Halle, your clogs are by the door where you kicked them off Friday morning," Ty said. "May I also remind you that you have never looked better?"
"No I don't," Halle sighed, gingerly lowering herself to the couch. "I'm huge."
"You're absolutely beautiful and I am the luckiest man in the whole world."
A horn sounded outside and Ty looked out the window. Marc had rented a limo for the night and he, Jo and Becca were rounding everyone up. They were going to meet the rest of their friends at the school before going on to Buffalo for dinner.
Because it was slim pickings in Sheridan, Buffalo and Hidden Rocks, the senior class had to split themselves up between the very few restaurants in the three towns. Mollie had made their reservation at the Virginian in Buffalo weeks in advance.
Mollie hadn't told Casper a thing about what her dress for prom looked like. All she told him was that it was going to be the best thing her sister/step-mother had ever made her. For Casper's attire he was told to get a black tux with tails, a black bowtie, white gloves, a black top hat and a cane. Casper not only felt oddly overdressed but was also very embarrassed over the fuss his mother and sister were making over him. Because he loved Mollie and wanted her to have everything she wanted, he endured the teasing and the over needed pictures. He had planned on letting his black hair stay its usual wind and crazy self but his sister Greta wouldn't hear of it. She slicked his hair back in the same fashion as Billy Zane's hair in Titanic. She topped his head with the hat.
"You look good bro," Greta teased.
"You sure do, Uncle Casper," Bianca said, poking her head in the living room.
"I think the proper term is gay," Casper's younger brother Kent added.
"I'm going to have to send some of these pictures to Oliver," Greta said, grabbing her Blackberry. "He's going to love these."
"Oh no! Please, Greta! No send pictures to Oliver!" Casper begged. "I am begging you!"
"Afraid he's going to pick on you worse than we are little brother?" Greta quipped, snapping a few with her Blackberry.
"Going to? Have you met Oliver?"
"Point, Casper," she sighed. Her phone buzzed in her hand. She read the text and laughed heartily. "Ollie wants to know when you're going to get your balls back from Mollie."
"Aww man," Casper moaned.
While Casper was getting teased Mollie and Maddie had spent their whole day getting ready at Mollie's house. Mollie didn't dare leave the house in fear she would miss the FedEx guys with her gown. It was close to four, almost an hour before Casper was to arrive and Mollie was having a panic attack. Her dress still hadn't arrived.
Her sister/step-mother Amy made all of Mollie's gowns for her various dances. They were always originals and no one else ever had the same dress. For prom, Mollie wanted something unique and elegant. She was watching The Duchess one night when she got inspired. She picked up her phone and called Amy at her studio and told her the idea. Countless phone calls, emails and one trip to Hidden Rocks later Mollie's dress was finished. Amy made sure it looked more couture than costume. Her efforts were shown. Mollie was by far going to be the best dressed girl at prom.
Mollie kept watching the front window for a sign of the FedEx truck. She looked back and forth from the grandfather clock in the living room to the window. She was half-tempted to call Amy again. Just as she picked up her phone to call her, a horn sounded in the driveway. Mollie pulled the curtains back and saw Amy getting out of a car. She opened the back door and pulled out two very large garment bags. She popped the trunk and took out two more large duffle bags. Mollie rushed outside to help Amy bring in her bags.
"I can't believe you're here!" Mollie exclaimed.
"You really think I'm going to trust an Aged Reynolds original to the creeps and morons at FedEx?" Amy quipped. "Besides I wanted to how everything fit myself. Well, don't just stand there, girlie! Help get all this inside for me!"
Amy and Mollie lugged everything inside the house and soon kicked Hunter and Sebastian out of the den. Jack and the boys kept trying to sneak a look at Mollie but kept getting shooed away. Her hair and make-up was already done so the only thing that Mollie and Maddie had left to do was get dressed.
Ariel, Maddie's mom, laced the top of Mollie's hair, like they used to do for cheerleading and left the rest in soft ringlets. Maddie pulled the sides of her hair up into Harry Winston diamond combs and left it straight.
It took, Maddie, Ariel and Amy to lace Mollie into the corset and side hoops needed for her gown. Then Mollie vanished under twenty yards of green and gold satin brocade. Amy carefully laced Mollie into the dress and covered the lacing with a matching cape. All that was left for Mollie to do was put on her shoes and Amy to hem the dress. Maddie had gone up to Mollie's room and brought down her full length mirror.
"Holy shit!" Maddie breathed. "You look better than Keira or Kirsten did! Casper won't know what hit him."
Mollie smiled brightly and nodded to Amy who went up to help Katherine down to the den so she could see Mollie first. Amy carefully guided Katherine down and sat her in her chair. What little speech skills that Katherine still possessed with her disease taking everything away from her, left her completely at the sight of her daughter looking absolutely stunning. She managed to only get one word signed and it said it all, "Beautiful."
Amy and Ariel took pictures of the girls and soon the doorbell rang. Maddie slipped out of the den so she could capture the look on Casper's face when he saw Mollie for the first time. Casper was greeted at the door by Jack, who gave him the quick "I-Am-A Federal-Agent-Who-Knows-the-Right-People" speech.
"Hey Mollie?" Maddie called into the den. "There happens to be a very well dressed boy out here to see you."
As if everything had been orchestrated and timed to the last possible moment, Ariel and Amy stepped aside to let Mollie walk into the hallway and into the living room where Casper and Maddie waited.
"Good evening, Casper Lang," Mollie said, executing a perfect curtsey.
"Holy crapoli!" Casper gasped. "I can't think of anything else to say."
He came closer to her and kissed her gently, as not to mess up her make-up. More pictures were taken. Mollie and Casper couldn't take their eyes off of each other. Maddie noticing the time, cleared her throat to get the sickening sweet, teen romance novel couples attention.
"Michael and Mia, can we get going please?" Maddie quipped. "Marc and the car will not wait for us indefinitely."
"Did you just make a 'Princess Diaries' reference?" Mollie questioned, linking hands with Casper.
"Been hanging out with you for too long," Maddie replied.
The three teens left the Reynolds' home and met up with Marc and the others at the school. From there the ten teens traveled on to Buffalo for dinner. Dinner itself was filled with laughter and fun. Matt's absence was felt but the thrill of the day overshadowed any major Matt memory moments.
Once they were at the hotel in Sheridan, things began to get fun. Seniors were chattering together, some with new friends they made during the course of the prank. The music was going and for the first time in a very long time, everyone didn't have a care in the world.
Back in Hidden Rocks, alone and making herself more miserable than needed was Emma. She was lying on her bed, blasting Good Charlotte's Chronicles of Life and Death album on repeat. Emma had requested permission to attend prom but was denied. She had wanted one more chance to make things right with Becca, Jesse and Mollie. She figured she'd have to try during the school day.
With the music as loud as it was Emma didn't notice her grandmother standing there until she noticed the music was lower than she had it. She looked up and saw her grandmother standing in her doorway.
"Sweetheart, there is someone here to see you," Isabel said.
"Who is it?" Emma asked.
"Come down and see for yourself."
Grumbling Emma crawled off her bed and out into the hallway. At the foot of the stairs, with his back to her was a boy. A boy with shaggy black hair. He turned around just as Emma came into the foyer. He had on a tux and was holding a red rose.
"Cohen?" Emma gasped. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going to prom with Leah or Harriet?"
"Change of plans," Cohen said. "Since you can't go to prom, I brought prom to you."
Emma's eyes filled with tears. She and Cohen had barely spoken since their very loud break-up at the carnival. Neither had been very happy about being apart but they had endured.
"Stay right there," Emma said. "I'm going to go change. Please don't let this be a dream."
Emma ran back up to her room and dove into her closet. She grabbed the first dress she could fine and threw it on. She ran some gel through her hair, getting it to spike in all the right places. She didn't bother to put on any make-up or even shoes. When she came back down to the foyer, Cohen was still standing there, almost as if he hadn't even moved once.
The pair walked outside onto Emma's back porch. The sun was just sinking into the lake. Cohen took his iPod out of his pocket and slipped one ear bud into his ear and the other into Emma's. Switchfoot's Dare You to Move played in their ear. Cohen held Emma and they danced. They danced at their own private prom. Away from a world that misunderstood them both. Away from all the trails and tribulations that plagued them. For once they were on their own and they loved it. It was Emma and Cohen against the world. They were happy.