Day – Ear

mony buzz had

ry now and then as families took photos and students shouted acros

looking for

th the honor cords?" a familia

nd Crizzle's mom chatting near the flower

hing a speck of dirt from her blouse. "A

d like the spotlight. Even as a

d to a nearby bench, bouqu

stayed close enough to list

om sighed. "This is the first time he's slowed down in

imes men don't realize how fast these m

ast. Always trying to make up for lost time. Henry's like

es flickered not in alarm, just recognition. A name.

d politely an

sh, the background noise of th

w Crizzle all the time when they were freshmen

e he's her anchor. She used to say he listens

h laughe

one who understood him. Someon

zle to meet someone who s

ze rustled the corner o

iful hearts," Mildred said

did

r Hall

le about the din

n't what stu

and then faltered in barely-noticeable ways. The way her mom ha

omething about it felt like st

e lay on the bench, her arm draped over h

," she murmured, "like the

looked

quietly. "I thin

d at the gran

s suddenly cold. The driver rolled down the window. Ahead,

e Ledger resid

eath h

dg

st stared at the gat

dg

uldn'

Not here.

pped her bag just a

But her mind wou

e, she tol

cide

s warm, tastefully lit, filled with quiet mus

in Mildred's ches

epped through the

nr

es. Chan

t

pa

s body stiffened, h

locke

ything she'd buried retur

speak. Neit

re, stepped forward to

nry," Mikey said, g

said n

held her

d them with such grace that it fil

as impossible to ignore for th

er b

table full of smiles, laug

s around the edges. Crizzle glanced once at h

t of nerves for the meal bu

keep it in

ert, he stood up and

one t

this speech. I probably should've

oked at hi

parents first,

tremor in his hands. "I've loved her for a while. And I know w

he table. Crizzle's fork

permission to court her. Properly. Wit

s breath

spine we

ass froze

le

all at

t!" they shou