AN: Here's a new one for you all. I can't believe I've hit thirty chapters! Thank you all so much for your support.

Ps. One more to go...

Southern Minnesota, 2008

Spring in Minnesota is an ungodly experience, and anyone who doesn't agree is as wrong as a person can be. Weather doesn't just change year to year, but day to day. I remember one year in particular when the girls had a snow day on a Monday and were wearing shorts by Friday. That made recess a nightmare for the teachers. That year a rule came into being stating "If there's snow, children must wear full length pants." The girls were less than thrilled.

While the year I returned to Minnesota wasn't as crazy as that, it was still less than ideal. There may not have been fluctuating temperatures, weird snowfalls, or tornadoes requiring everyone to huddle together in some smelly basement, but what it did have was the most horrendous humidity I had experienced since I had left seven years prior. To be fair, as miserable as I was, poor Remy seemed ready to collapse in the sweltering heat.

"You shouldn't have worn that," I muttered while pulling his hat from his head. I cringed and quickly put it back in its place. "Nice hat hair…gross. I told you it was going to be hot today."

"This isn't hot. This is Hell. How on God's green earth is it possible for a place this far north of the Mason Dixon to be this hot? And more to the point…what made your ancestors look around and think "Aha! This is it; this is home!" and choose here to settle?"

I shrugged. "And what do you mean my ancestors? You know…it doesn't matter, just take off your jacket if you're so uncomfortable."

"You said to look good," Remy replied with a grimace. I raised an eyebrow as he straightened his hat to perfection. "Are you going to tell me I don't look good?" He shot me a wink, and I rolled my eyes in my typical "whatever" fashion.

I glanced up and down the line of families and gestured toward some of the other men. "They didn't feel the need to wear jackets and ties, and they actually have reasons for being here…look! That guy's wearing shorts and a t-shirt."

"Well, I like to think I have a little bit of class, cheri. Besides, we do have a reason to be here, do we not?" I could feel a blush rush to my face. Trying and failing to ignore the looks ranging from subtle irritation to outright contempt from our neighbors in line, I gave Remy shove and flicked his forehead.

"Stop being a jackass…and don't be stupid. I have a reason for being here; you're just tagging along. Honestly, you're a like a puppy who can't be left on his own." He chuckled and wrapped one arm around me. I pushed him away as I continued to look up toward the front of the line.

"God I wish they would let us in already; what's taking so long. I'm dying out here." I started fanning myself with one hand, desperately trying to create some semblance of a breeze. I shivered when I felt Remy blow a cool breath behind my left ear. "Get away," I laughed while scratching the spot he had hit.

Releasing a small cry of surprise, I stumbled as Remy grabbed my shoulders and rotated me to look up the line. "We're moving!" he cried excitedly.

"God, calm down," I replied as I wrestled myself free.

"Yeah, might as well settle yourself, bud." I turned to look at the man in front of us who was grinning widely at mine and Remy's antics. I gave him and who must have been his wife a questioning look. "It'll still take a bit while they check tickets," he explained.

"Tickets?" The man looked at me expectantly.

"Families are given tickets to get into the graduation…you have yours, don't you?"

I shot a look at Remy. Immediately his hands were up, and he was backing away. "Don't look at me, cheri. This is your quest of self-absolution."

I cringed. "Jesus, would you stop calling it that?" I caught the confused looks of the couple in front of us and smiled before turning back to Remy.

"It is not a quest," I muttered, pulling him closer. "And how was I supposed to know you needed tickets to get in? It's a public high school for crying out loud…"

"Okay, so what now?" Remy asked, brushing a sweaty strand of hair from my face. The act was even grosser in my mind considering I was wearing a tight fitting wig to hide my bright red hair. I crossed my arms in front of my chest and bit my lip. Suddenly the heat was all the more pressing and the sun far more blinding than it had been just moments before. I could feel my breath catching in my throat as I started to realize I had no answer for Remy. There was no plan.

I felt Remy wrap his arms around me as I tried to refrain from freaking out and causing a complete scene in front of the strangers around us. "Shhh, I got this, cheri. Give me a sec –"

I pushed myself from Remy's hold while violently shaking my head. "No way," I hissed. I could feel my anger overriding my earlier feelings. "We are not stealing someone else's tickets to get in. Someone who actually belongs here."

"Well what then?" he asked pinching the bridge of his nose. I looked forward once more and sighed. We were getting closer to the front of the line and closer to being asked to leave. The idea that I had traveled twelve hundred miles to be here and wasn't even going to get in was nauseating.

"Okay," I murmured. "Okay…when we get closer there will be a strong and highly unexpected breeze. Tickets will go flying, and in the confusion, we'll just walk right through. Will that work?" I gave Remy an expectant look and he shrugged.

"We'll find out, won't we?" I nodded and smiled as Remy took my hand in his own. It was amazing how such a small gesture could still make me so happy. As I thought on how lucky I was to have found Remy despite my shit luck in life, I felt Remy place his hand on the small of my back.

"Ready?" I looked up and saw there were only a few groups ahead of us. I nodded and rubbed my hands together to create some friction. Moving my hands to my sides and facing one palm forward and the other back, I let loose a burst of energy. I couldn't help but snort at the reactions of the people around us. Hats were blowing away, skirts were flying up, and tickets that had been held too carelessly were scattering every which way.

I heard Remy laugh next to me as he grabbed my hand and pulled me forward through the throngs of flustered families. I was careful to maneuver through the crowd so as not to cause any more confusion. Despite my efforts, I still knocked over a little boy. I cringed at his wails and tried to stop, but Remy forced me forward.

"He's fine; come on," he urged.

I nodded and sighed as we finally made it into the building. Even though the entryway was packed with other sweaty people, the air conditioner made all the difference.

"Cheri, I grabbed this." Remy waved a program in my face before leading me through the crowds.

As we made our way past couples and families, I was amazed at how many people I actually recognized. I pulled my sunglasses down over my eyes and readjusted my dark wig as Mary and Leroy Ross passed by. Their twin boys were in the same grade as Lydia, and I had babysat for all of them a number of times. If anyone were to recognize me, it would be those two. My eyes continued to roam the halls as Remy and I made our way toward the gym, with me recognizing more faces all the while.

Mr. Praline who owned the Piggly Wiggly. Mrs. Cranmer who used to sit on her porch and throw rocks at kids who ventured into her yard. Jo's neighbor Rodd who had declared his love for me on more than one occasion. Alice Wade who had always been bitter about those declarations. I don't know what had made me think I would return to a city of strangers.

We finally reached the bleachers that would lead down into the gym, and I led the way down. Remy gripped my elbow when I started to stumble forward. "Let's not fall down the stairs, cheri." I rolled my eyes as he moved in front of me. He probably figured if I fell, his own body would break my fall and, he could make sure I didn't kill myself on my way down the needlessly steep steps.

I followed him farther down and allowed him to choose our seats. We were about half way between the walkway behind us and the main floor below. We were close enough to the main stage so I would be able to see the graduating students easily as they walked across to receive their diplomas. Twisting my head back and forth, I couldn't help but look for Jo, Daisy, and Greta.

If I had any sense, I wouldn't have been searching them out so obviously, but after seven years I was desperate to see the family I had once cared for so deeply.

"Who is it we're here for again?" Remy asked, one hand on my knee to get my attention. I continued to look through the crowds while I adjusted my sunglasses on my face.

"Lydia. Why?"

"Lydia Wyatt?" At that I turned to Remy and made a face.

"How did you know that?" I asked. He held up the program he had swiped on the way in and waved it in front of my face.

"You never said she was a smart one," he laughed. I frowned in confusion. Lydia did all right in school. I remembered her struggling in some areas and even crying a couple times over homework.

"What are you talking about?" I finally replied as Remy once more shoved the program into my face.

"She's Valedictorian, cheri." I blinked a couple times and took the program. Sure enough, there in bold print was Lydia's name labeled with the word Valedictorian. "Impressive, no?"

I gave a quick nod and felt a smile appear on my face. "I didn't know…wow, I had no idea. Remy, look how wonderful she is!" I immediately threw my arms around his neck with a laugh and kissed him hard on the mouth.

"Do you think they're all like this?" I asked excitedly. "Shit…wow, I bet they are. I mean Greta was only four when I left, but she was always so curious, you know? And Daisy was a numbers freak. Seriously, Rem, you should have seen this girl. She was doing math problems in her head that took me forever on paper. Do you see them?"

"Over there!" He pointed wildly across the gym and to our left. A minute a frantic searching later, I remembered that he had no clue what these girls looked like. I looked back to Remy and gave him a shove as he continued to chuckle at my excitement.

"Hilarious…really, you're a riot."

As the minutes passed and the gym filled with more and more families, I grew more impatient. I checked my phone and sighed. It would be another ten minutes before the ceremony began and I was getting antsy. Remy was doing his best to keep me distracted by asking be about various people in the audience. Just as I was explaining to Remy why the Cooper girls were the most horrific little shits in the neighborhood, I froze at the sight of three familiar faces directly across the gym from us.

"And there they were, pulling at Daisy's pigtails like a couple of – oh." Remy seemed to sense the change in my demeanor and leaned closer.

"Cheri?"

"It's them. Oh wow…" I bit my lip as my eyes locked onto three of my favorite people in the entire world. Jo was older…obviously. She had cut her hair short, which I'm sure she was glad for on a day like today. She was smoothing the dress of the small girl next her and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

Greta would be eleven now and starting sixth grade in the fall. I briefly wondered if she was still afraid of bees and if she still slept with her stuffed giraffe Mara. Her hair was still the whitest blonde I had ever seen and the dress she wore reflected her girly girl personality. I wasn't sure why, but I was glad to see she still looked so similar to when she was small.

My eyes shifted to Jo's other side and I couldn't help but release a snort of laughter. Daisy was wearing the biggest pair of glasses I had ever seen on a child. Her strawberry blonde hair was in a messy bun behind her, but she kept having to sweep stray strands away from her glasses. Just as Greta was a girly girl, Daisy was a tomboy like no other. I could tell by the way she tugged on her skirt and blouse that Jo must have forced her into them.

I watched as she pulled a book from her bag and began reading. Jo started saying something, and Daisy rolled her eyes and nodded. I wished my power included super hearing.

"What do you think she's reading?" I asked Remy. "What the fuck are you doing?" I yelped.

Remy had pulled out a small pair of binoculars and was looking across the way at the group. "Could you be any creepier?" I asked, pulling the binoculars from his hands.

"What? You wanted to know," he replied with a wink. I gave him another shove and sat back, keeping my eyes ahead of me.

"Flatland," Remy stated suddenly.

"What?"

"You wanted to know what's she's reading. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions."

I paused and shook my head. "What does that even mean?" Remy shrugged before straightening up in his seat and looking down at the folding chairs on the main floor.

"Here they come," he stated. I quickly turned and watched in anticipation as the couple hundred graduating seniors made their ways into the space. I could see the flashes of dozens of cameras surrounding us and the near deafening applause from parents, grandparents, and siblings. I was quick to join in as I tried to spot Lydia through the sea of dark green gowns and caps.

When I finally found her, she had made her way to the stage and was sitting next to who I assumed was the principal. She was stunning. She had always been a pretty girl, but seeing her grown and full of joy made my eyes sting. I missed it happen. They had all grown up to be so perfect, and I had missed it. I tried to shake my thoughts from my abandonment as Remy took my hand once again.

"You okay?" He asked, concern lining his features.

I shot him a look and offered a small smile. "I'm fine…honest." I assured him. And I was.