Stolen Innocents (The Shadow Series Book 2) (47 page)

Joe smirked mischievously as he grabbed a velvet box from his back pocket. He got down on one knee and grabbed Jenna’s hand.  She had a look of pure shock on her face.

“Jenna DiNolfo, won’t you be my bride?”

A look of pure amusement took over her face as she stood up and hugged Joe. Bridgette thought she saw a tear in her eye, but a second later it was gone.

“Of course I will, Joe!”

“Wait until I tell my parents!”

“Your Dad already knows.”

“Oh, my God, a wedding! Dad can they have it here?!” Tristan gushed.

Jack laughed, “If they want to.”

Joe pulled Jenna in to him and said, “We wouldn’t want it any other way. “

Jenna suddenly got a serious look on her face and grabbed Joe by the chin, “But let’s get one thing straight. This is a partnership and I’m not picking up your socks or your dirty underwear. Capice?”

Joe grinned widely.

“Capice.”

“And kids…” DiNolfo said to Cole and Natalie. They peeked up at her as they both smiled.

“I can never replace your Mom. I will never try. But I do love you all, and nothing is going to change that. I promise.”

Cole and Natalie leaned in to give their future step-mother a hug as Joe couldn’t cold back his emotions any longer. Tears streamed down his face as happiness swelled his heart.

As everyone celebrated, Shane nearly forgot to share the good news with everyone.

“Yo Tommy!”

Tommy lifted his head. He looked sleepy but happy.

“Yeah, Shane?”

“You passed your finals!”

“Are you serious?!” said Tommy in excitement.

“You got a higher score than me,” quipped Shane.

Jack gave his nephew a stern look, “Please tell me you passed…”

“Of course I did… We all did.”

“Hallelujah!” cried Jack, thrilled to have the school year over with. “They are all walking at graduation tomorrow!”

Chapter              34

June 30, 2000

Steeplechase Academy

Auditorium

Elkhart, PA

8:15 A.M.

Tristan shifted nervously as “Pomp and Circumstance” began to play loudly from the speakers in the auditorium at Steeplechase Academy. The graduating class at Steeplechase consisted of seventy-eight graduates, and Tristan was the thirty-second from the front of the line. Blake who stood in front of her, and Cole who stood behind her, urged Tristan to settle down.

“I’m not a public speaker!”

“You’ll do fine,” said Cole. “Just read off of the speech you wrote.”

“Imagine everyone in their underwear…” suggested Blake.

“That is
not
helpful!” Tristan quipped.

The line began to move and one by one the students made their way down the hallowed aisle where their parents had graduated before them. Tristan watched as Blake proudly marched up the aisle as Jenna, Moira and Bridgette’s cameras flashed brightly. Now it was Tristan’s turn. After all her hard work, she felt frozen in place.

Cole put a gentle hand on her back and whispered, “You can do this. I’m right here behind you.”

Tristan smiled as she took the first step towards the future.

***

Tristan sat in between Blake and Cole on stage and watched as the rest of the students took their places. The music continued to play after Nathan Zawicky had taken his place.

“What are they waiting for?” Blake said to Tristan.

“You’ll see…” Tristan responded with a broad smile on her face.

Suddenly the double doors of the auditorium sprung open. Dressed smartly in a white button down shirt and a pair of black slacks, Jack pushed Tommy in his wheel chair up the center aisle. Tommy looked studious in his cap and gown and his broad smile caught the attention of everyone in the room. Jack did not rush up the aisle. He let his son enjoy his accomplishment. He deserved this moment. After all he had been through, he deserved his moment of glory. Tommy’s smile beamed as Moira blew him a kiss. Bridgette and Jenna’s cameras went off like wildfire.

A tear escaped Tristan’s eye as the graduating class of 2000 applauded her brother as he was wheeled up to the stage. Cole felt it too. It tugged right at his heart. Tommy was like a brother to him. As Tristan breathed a sigh of great relief, Cole smiled and squeezed her hand tight.

“I know.”

Jack wheeled Tommy to the front of the auditorium and placed him in plain view. Jack backed away out of sight until he was needed again. Vice Principal Irwin walked on stage and greeted everyone.

“Good morning parents and staff, esteemed colleagues and graduates of the class of 2000. It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the Steeplechase Academy commencement ceremony. Before we begin with the distribution of the diplomas, we will listen to some words from our Valedictorian Tristan Morrow.”

“That’s you, kid…” Blake said as he nudged his sister.

Tristan rose from her seat as her panic began to intensify. She approached the podium with shaky hands, but when it was time to speak, she found that she was confident.

“Good Morning Parents, Teachers, Alumni and the Class of 2000. We’ve learned a lot this year, but often we question, how much of this will we use in real life? The answer depends solely on you.  The other day, I heard my brother, Blake say, I will never use Algebra in real life, and I told him, he might, if he looks at it a different way. Steeplechase taught us language and reasoning, problem solving, deduction, business skills, and communication skills. I will use the education provided here and put it to greater use. It is up to you to do the same.”

Tristan paused for a moment as she took in the crowd. Parents and teachers looked up at Tristan as though she had some wisdom to share.

“Beyond the classroom, there are no practice tests or second chances. You have to use the tools you were given and hone in on the skills that you excel in. The world is a mystery, but there is no secret that we cannot unravel. There is no problem that we cannot solve. We just have to apply ourselves.”

Tristan turned to face her fellow students.

“Class of 2000… Stand up. Pledge to your family and friends. Repeat after me: We, the class of 2000, will strive for greatness. We may not all be Harvard bound, but we have a bright future ahead of us. It is up to us to continue down this bright path. We have the tools… Let us use them to build our own path. There will be bumps, but regardless of the challenge, we have the courage, strength and intelligence to overcome them.”

Both the audience and the students cheered loudly. Once the noise ceased, Tristan continued.

“Many graduation ceremonies have a feeling of farewell. In Elkhart, we will continue to live amongst each other. Even if you go away to college, move to another town… Elkhart will always be home. Let us hold each other responsible for keeping our town safe and supporting each other to a new level of success and happiness. Go forth into the world and show the world what Elkhart stands for. I believe in you. Class of 2000, the world awaits you.”

As Tristan stepped away from the podium the crowd got to their feet. Her speech was exactly what this town needed to hear. As she took her seat Cole leaned over to her, “Are you running for mayor?”

Tristan laughed, “God, no.”

“That was great.”

***

The commencement continued and awards were handed out for excellent commitment to education, volunteer efforts, and good citizenship. Cole won a $100 good citizenship award for his efforts in helping his fellow students. Shane won a $500 Sportsman award for his time dedicated to the Steeplechase gridiron. Meanwhile, Tristan received the highest honor: The Principal’s Scholarship for $10,000 for sixteen consecutive marking periods on the honor roll. She graduated top in her class and acted as the president of the Honor Society at Steeplechase. Jack could not be more proud of his children. When he rolled Tommy to receive his diploma, he struggled to keep him in his seat. The last thing he needed was for Tommy to blow out his stitches. But Tommy was so excited that he wanted to jump out of his chair and hug the Vice Principal. The very same Vice Principal that had suspended him countless times for reckless or rowdy behavior.

“Our high school days are over…” said Tristan.

“And there are far better things on the horizon,” reminded Cole.

As the recession music began to play, Tristan held Cole’s hand and departed up the aisle. The future had never looked brighter.

Chapter              35

July 2, 2000

St. Mary’s Cemetery

Elkhart, PA

10 A.M.

A murder of crows lined the roof of 27 Caribou Road as Gwen and Roger O’Mara stepped out into the late morning gloom. The day that they both had dreaded since this ordeal began had arrived. Courtney O’Mara would be laid to rest. Roger escorted his wife to the car with a strained look on his face. As he shut her car door, he cast a weary look at the three birds that lined his roof. Something about them cause him greater unease.

***

A harsh familiar ache overtook Gwen O’Mara’s body as the funeral directors lowered Courtney’s casket into the ground. She wished that she could say that she felt heartbroken, because even that would be better than what she currently felt. She felt hollow inside. It was a heavy emptiness that wore her down. Her worries and devastation echoed through her, unchecked and unresolved, in the great empty space where her heart used to reside. She wanted to cry as she watched her sweet granddaughter being lowered into the ground, but her tears were all cried already. Roger wept into his palm as he kept a firm grip on Gwen’s shoulder.

Tommy Morrow sat in his wheelchair as he somberly looked at his ex-girlfriend’s coffin. Tristan and Cole stood by him like bookends, offering whatever support they could give. Jack stood behind Tommy, keeping a firm hold on his shoulder. Tommy was doing better than anyone expected. Jack wheeled Tommy closer to the coffin and Tommy dropped a single red rose into the grave. As a tear slid down his face, Roger O’Mara approached him. Tommy looked up at him with an almost fearful glare. But Roger did not approach him with ill-intent.

Roger held out his hand firmly and he waited for Tommy to reach out to him. Tommy shook Roger’s hand firmly and looked him in the eye. Roger had a strained look painted upon his face.

“I’m sorry I ever doubted you, Thomas,” Roger said with a pained expression.

Roger continued to grasp Tommy’s hand for a moment, then shook Jack’s hand and departed with his family. Tommy sat where he was and watched the O’Mara’s leave the burial site with a look of shock and pain on his face.

***

Gwen O’Mara walked home from the funeral with a distant stare in her eye. One daughter was laid to rest in a respectful, peaceful way. The other daughter would get exactly what she deserved. Gwen marched upstairs to her bedroom and retrieved the simple silver urn that contained Angie’s remains. She would not be laying her to rest peacefully, but in a way that would not only have sent her obsessions into overload, but also sent her delusions running amuck. Gwen walked alone to St. Mary’s Cemetery. The funeral party had dispersed, and Gwen was alone as she walked through the older section of the Cemetery. Some stones were toppled over. Others nature had tried to reclaim. Finally, she approached the twin stones. Both stones were fairly new. Dorothy Kendricks had purchased the plots when she became engaged to Bernard’s father Nathaniel Crowe. The plots were intended for Dorothy and Nathaniel, but instead she lay there with her beloved son instead. Gwen hovered over Bernard Kendricks gave with a look of pure rage on her face.