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Mary pulling up alongside.
The group piled out of the cars, assembling by the
Cadillac. "I'll catch up with you after," Jeremy said,
clutching Noah briefly in a hug. "Be looking out for
me."
"Break a leg, hon." Mary enfolded Jeremy in her
arms. "We'll be watching."
Jeremy trotted off, suit bag containing his gown slung
over one shoulder, flowing into a sea of similarly
burdened students. The gesture reminded Noah of how
Jeremy used to carry his backpack a few days ago.
Fallen Angel 88
A hand fell to his shoulder. "Follow me," Mary said,
tugging at his arm. "I graduated from here. We need to
find a seat before the good spots are gone."
Mary and her mother made comments about several
students they knew, single and forty-something Kevin
checked out any attractive mothers with no man in tow,
Doc shuffled along silently, and Lark huddled in on
himself, nervous eyes furtively darting here and there,
seemingly at random. What kind of thoughts are flitting
through his head? Noah wondered. Mary grasped Lark's
arm, pulling him down beside her on a bleacher. "I'm
Mary," he heard her say. Noah motioned for Kevin to sit
on Lark's other side, in case of an escape attempt. You
can't be too careful.
Not long after they found their seats, the main event
started. The band played, the students marched out onto
the field, and an eternity of last names ending in A - J
were called to the stage. At last, "Jeremy Kincaid,"
echoed through the stadium. As one, Jeremy's entourage
stood and clapped, Mary catcalling and Kevin shouting
"Way to go!" Jeremy graduated top of his class. After
witnessing Jeremy's success at the awards ceremony, the
announcement came as no surprise.
The festivities lost Noah's interest after Jeremy
received his diploma and returned to his chair in an area
reserved for graduating seniors. The moment the
students threw their caps into the air he and all the others
sitting on the bleachers rushed the field to congratulate
the graduates. Jeremy weaved through the crowd,
crushing Noah in a bear hug. "I did it!" he whooped,
dancing back and forth, taking Noah with him.
"Hey, Kincaid!"
Jeremy released his hold and stepped back, visibly
bristling. A handsome, gown-clad youth taunted,
"Which one's your dad, or couldn't you narrow it down
past three?" gesturing at Noah, Doc, and Lark. He
snickered and backed away, leaving a decided chill in
the air.
"Don't mind him none," Mary said, stepping up to
knead Jeremy's shoulders. "His father's a total prick, and
Fallen Angel 89
the apple don't fall far from the tree." If looks could kill,
a charred body would be lying a few feet away, wearing
a smoldering graduation gown, and Mary would have
some explaining to do to the cops.
"I'm flattered to be considered this young man's
father." Doc staggered, dropping an arm across Jeremy's
shoulders as much for stability as for comfort. He
blinked hard.
"You all right?" Noah asked.
Doc shook his head, appearing dazed. "Just had a bit
of a dizzy spell. Nothing to worry about."
Noah sought out Lark, to find him hiding behind
Mary. He didn't know who to feel more badly for: Doc,
who appeared unsteady on his feet, or the man who, at
less than thirty, appeared old enough to be Jeremy's dad.
***
After the final tossed mortarboard had been retrieved
and the beaming graduates enmeshed in their families,
Jeremy's entourage piled back into the cars, Jeremy
seemingly forgetting Lark in his excitement. "Did you
see me?" he asked, twirling a dark blue tassel in his
hands, knocking a knee against Noah's in the Caddy's
front seat. "That was the bomb!" He grinned so wide his
face had to hurt. "Um& where's Lark?" he belatedly
asked. In the parking space next to them, three blond
heads ducked into the Malibu, brown-haired Kevin
shutting the car door after Lark had crawled into the
back seat beside Mary. Kevin drove.
Noah couldn't help noticing Lark's reluctance to get
in unless Mary sat beside him, or her plying him with
jelly beans like she did her kids.
"Noah? Doc?" Jeremy asked, concern wiping out his
mirth, hesitant gaze sweeping from Doc, to Noah, to
Lark and back again.
"It's okay," Doc said, leaning up from the back seat to
pat Jeremy's arm. His eyes sparkled. "I believe Mary's
adopted him. But not to worry; Kevin won't be swayed
by docile behavior. He'll keep an eye on things."
Fallen Angel 90
The elderly man gazed out the window. His mustache
lifted at the edges, giving away hidden smiles at
Jeremy's light-hearted, rapid-fire banter. Several times
Jeremy held up his diploma, reading the inscription over
and over. Noah wished he had a dime for every time he
heard, "I did it! I abso-frickin'-lutely did it!"
The Malibu trailed the Caddy through congested
traffic, winding down back streets and toward the old
mill village on the outskirts of town. Noah's house sat in
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