Category: Creative Pieces

Various clothing items are being tossed out of a closet; sweaters, jeans, scarves, and missing socks. 26-year-old Jennifer walks out of the closet, visibly out of breath. The extra pounds she now carries being a couple of months pregnant is now taking a toll on the normally petite woman. She sits on the bed and retraces her steps until she hears music being played in the living room. She gets up and walks out of the bedroom door to see what’s happening in the other room.

She walks out and spots her boyfriend, Milo, dancing along to the music as he puts on his tie near the mirror. She watches him from afar, smiling at the sight. She reflects back on the year she’s had. Today marks her 26th birthday, and for her birthday last year, she spent it in North Carolina with her ex-fiancee, taking care of him as he grew sicker from his chronic illness. She loved her ex-fiancee, and she did everything she could while he was still here. Now a year later she’s back in NYC, living with her boyfriend who happens to be her best friend of 22 years, now expecting her first child with him. Time truly is a crazy thing.

Her train of thought comes to an end when she realizes Milo is dancing towards her, singing along to the 90’s R&B music playing on the speakers. She laughs as he takes her hand and spins her around to dance. 

Milo: *hugs Jennifer* Whatcha doing out here watching my dance moves?

Jennifer: *smiles* I just had to see if you’re coming for my career, Mi. Gotta say, you need some more improvement.

Milo: Oh? You’re offering lessons, Miss Castro?

Jennifer: Hmph, call me back in 6 months, you’ll be the first on my list.

Milo: Aren’t I the lucky one?

They kiss and release each other from their embrace.

Milo: But enough about me; are you almost ready to…

He realizes that Jennifer is still in her sweatpants.

Milo: … I thought you were getting ready, Pep?

They both walk to the bedroom together, and Milo notices the explosion near the closet.

Milo: I guess that answers my question.

Jennifer: I can’t find a decent pair of shoes that will go with this dress. I know I have some flats in there somewhere…

Jennifer walks back into the closet to try to find a decent pair of shoes to wear. Milo walks behind her and sees her digging through the closet. He isn’t upset about the view. 

Jennifer: *while digging in the closet* Hey, Milo?

Milo: Yeah?

Jennifer: We’d be out this place faster if you’d help me find something to wear instead of staring at–

Milo clears his throat and goes into the closet behind Jennifer. He reaches towards the top shelf to a box of shoes, opens them up and shows Jennifer. She looks at them and takes the box and walks out of the room. Milo pulls the string to turn off the closet light.

Later into the night:

The ambiance of the restaurant is romantic, lightly-dimmed, and fancy; the restaurant is packed with couples celebrating Valentine’s Day. Milo is in a black suit, his dreadlocks are tied back so that his face is clean and exposed. Jennifer is wearing a blush pink maternity dress, her red curly hair is tied back into a bun with a couple of curly red strands framing her face. She barely has makeup on, but instead has that natural glow and color on her face. 

Milo can’t stop staring at the woman sitting across from him.

He remembers spending last year’s Valentine’s Day at home, eating the box of candy he bought for him and his 8-year old son. His son is asleep on the loveseat after watching cartoons for most of the night, so Milo picks his son up from the sofa and places his son in his bedroom for the night. Once he’s put into bed, Milo pours himself a glass of wine and hits at the tiny kitchen table. Besides having to go to work earlier that day, this day, in particular, was just like the other days, but in the back of his mind, he knew it was Jennifer’s birthday. He takes out his phone and starts writing out a message to send to Jennifer: “Happy Birthday, Pep. I hope everything is well with you and Cullen.” After thinking about it, he erases the message and doesn’t say anything.

In the present day, Jennifer notices Milo in some sort of trance. She tries to snap him out of it.

Jennifer: Everything okay, Mi?

Milo: *snaps out of it* Yeah, I’m… great, actually.

He smiles at her and she smiles back at him. They are looking at the menu, when Milo starts fidgeting in his seat, trying to get comfortable. 

Milo: Wow, it’s like they have the heat on in this place or something.

Jennifer: Well, it is the middle of the winter, babe. *laughs*

Milo: *nervously laughs* True, very true.

Milo takes a sip from his water glass and clears his throat. He needs to get the spotlight off of himself.

Milo: How are you feeling though? Still feeling as sick as before?

Jennifer: I mean, it was the first day where I didn’t wake up this morning puking the dinner from the night before. Maybe this is the baby’s birthday gift to me or something.

“The baby”. Milo’s stomach flutters with butterflies. He still can’t believe that the person he’s forever been in love with is now having his child. He embraces the excitement this time around; he was only 15-years-old when his then-girlfriend told him she was pregnant with his first child, and instead of celebrating, the anxiety and nervousness were the only things on his mind. 

Milo: Hey, maybe she’s finally listening to me to give you a break every now and then.

Jennifer: And what makes you so sure it’s a girl?

Milo: I don’t know, it was just something about that night and the way we–

Jennifer chokes on her water in laugher, putting one finger on her lips to tell Milo to keep quiet. Milo laughs along with her, and gives her his napkin so she could wipe her face. 

Milo: In all seriousness though, Happy Birthday, babe. I’m so glad to be one spending your birthday with you this year.

Jennifer: Thank you, Mi. I wouldn’t spend it with anyone else, in all honesty. Remember that one year when we were kids, you knocked my face into the birthday cake?

Milo: How could I forget? My mom asked me where I got the big ass bruise on my leg from.

Jennifer: You always knew I could beat you up, yet you always did things to test me.

Milo: *smiles* Our friendship wouldn’t have worked if I didn’t.

Jennifer: *sips her water* Mmph, despite that, you always spent my birthdays with me, even when you were dating Gwen when we were teenagers.

Milo still remembers the confusion on his ex-girlfriends face when he wanted to spend Valentines Day at Jennifer’s house and celebrate her birthday with her. Gwen didn’t understand why her boyfriend, and soon-to-be dad of their child, would want to spend the one romantic day out of the year with another girl. Milo loved Gwen to pieces, but he would’ve hate to break the tradition he had built with Jennifer. He just wanted to still be the one normal thing in her life during the time when her family was changing and going through it.

Milo: Yeah. I mean, it was nothing, really.

The plates of food finally arrive at the table, and they both begin to eat in silence. Once Jennifer realizes the awkward silence between them, she starts up the conversation again.

Jennifer: I don’t know if I ever thank you enough, Mi.

Milo: *looks up from his plate* Thank me for what?

Jennifer: For just always being there, y’know? I know the last year and a half was difficult for the both of us, that we were on different paths and such. And for me to just come back and you with open arms and then just… be where we’re at now. Just, thank you. You didn’t have to.

Milo: I wanted to, Pep. I’ve always been in love with you, and for you to tell me you came back to NYC for me, I think my fate was sealed. You don’t need to thank me. I think I’m the luckier one out of the both of us.

Jennifer smiles and continues to eat. Again, Milo can’t stop staring at Jennifer. They spent the majority of our lives together, and he still feels like it’s not enough. He has the love of his life, his first-born son, and now his second child on the way; what more can a man ask for at the age of 25?

Milo: Hey, Pep, can I ask you a question?

Jennifer: No, I told my mother to bring Milo back to the apartment by 9…

Milo: Huh? No, no, not that.

Jennifer looks up at Milo and gives him her undivided attention. Milo, yet again, is taken back by his girlfriend’s beauty.

Milo: I hope this doesn’t come out too cheesy or anything, but I can’t help but remember your birthday last year. It was the first birthday that we didn’t spend together. No cake, no birthday prank or punches or surprise scares. Yeah, we’re a lot older and our traditions have changed since we were kids, but it still killed me not having to spend your birthday with you last year.

Jennifer is completely immersed in Milo’s words, yet she doesn’t know what to say.

Milo: I spent this day last year at work, came home to Milo, watch some television until he fell asleep, and then I sat in the kitchen with a bottle of wine with nothing but you on my mind. “Is she having a good birthday?” “Is she making new traditions with her fiancee now?” “Is she happy?”

Jennifer’s smile disappears and now she’s in deep thought.

Milo: I know Ihad no right to think those things back then, Pep. I mean, you were getting married and we weren’t on good terms anymore. The horrible things I said about your relationship with Cullen were inexcusable. If anything, I should be thanking you for allowing me back into your life. To even be sitting across from you in this moment. In some sense, it still doesn’t feel real.

Milo reaches out for Jennifer’s hands; the touch made Jennifer’s mind focus on the present, on what’s in front of her. 

Milo: I was stupid for letting you go the first time, Jennifer.

He takes back his hands and reaches into his pocket. After realizing what Milo was doing, Jennifer panics.

Jennifer: Milo–

It’s too late; the box is out of his pocket and Milo is now pulling his seat back to stand up.

Jennifer: *puts her arm out in front of her* Milo, please! Don’t.

Milo stops in his tracks and sits back down in his seat. He doesn’t seem to understand what’s going on. 

Jennifer: Milo, I- I’m not ready to get married.

Milo: What?

Jennifer: This isn’t what we should be focusing on right now, Mi. *sighs* Milo, there’s no doubt in my mind that I love you, but- everything is going so fast for us.

Milo: *confused* I mean, we’ve known each other for 22 years, Pep. I don’t think it’s that fast…

Jennifer: Yeah, but we were just friends, Mi. We only started dating 5 months ago and it wasn’t until 2 months in when we found out we were having a baby.

Milo’s once-glued smile fades, he looks like his heart is breaking, and Jennifer hates she caused it. 

Jennifer: Milo, look at me.

He looks up at Jennifer. She takes a second to gather her thoughts.

Jennifer: I want to get married to you.

Milo is now visibly shocked, but his guard is still up a bit. Jennifer knows this.

Jennifer: But not right now. I was engaged once already, I’m not ready to be engaged again. But I’m also not going anywhere.

She smiles to reassure Milo. The mission is successful once he smiles back at her.

Milo: So, the answer is yes?

Jennifer: No.

Milo: *scrunches his eyebrows* Huh?

Jennifer: No. But ask me again after the baby is born, after we get our lives together, as a couple, and most importantly…

She gestures him to move closer to her. He proceeds to lean across the table.

Jennifer: Ask me in the least grandioso way possible, Mi. You know this isn’t us all the time.

Milo smiles and sits back in his chair. Jennifer takes a sip of her water.

Milo: I’ll remember to ask you when you’re breastfeeding our newborn in a couple of months. Titties all out and everything.

Jennifer chokes on her water again due to her laughter. She throws her napkin at Milo as he lets out the loudest of laughs.

 

— The End —

Light rain hits the bedroom window of a 27-year-old woman named Jennifer. She’s pacing back and forth in her bathrobe, curly red hair tied up in a bun, arms crossed across her chest. She looks at the digital clock on her nightstand; it is 3 o’clock in the morning and she can’t sleep. She has a long day ahead of her and her insomnia means that she’s really excited or immensely nervous. She’s a combination of both. She stops in the middle of the room to rub her face in frustration. After taking in a deep sigh, she decides maybe a glass of water would help her breathe a little bit better. 

She quietly closes the door to her bedroom and walks to the kitchen without waking anyone else up in the house. It seems like it’s been decades since she sat in her mother’s kitchen table at this hour of the night. She closes her eyes and remembers when she was a teenager sneaking back home at all hours of the night and sat at this very table to grab something to eat before bed. She smiles at the memory.

She doesn’t open her eyes until she hears the stairs creaking. She looks towards the dark hallway to see who it was. She finally exhaled once she realized it was her mother, Lydia.

Lydia: Hey, girlie – what are you doing up so late into the night?

She sits across the table from Jennifer.

Jennifer: Just couldn’t sleep, that’s all.

She looks down at the mug of water that’s in her hands on the table.

Lydia: I mean, I hate to break it to you, kid, but there’s no way a makeup artist could erase the tired off your face if you don’t get some sleep.

Jennifer deadpans at her mother. The joke wasn’t funny.

Lydia: …Okay, so something is clearly bothering you. Is everything okay? *gasps* Are you having second doubts?

Jennifer: What? No, mom, no, sheesh. *sighs* It’s just, everything.

Lydia gets up from the table and goes into the fridge and takes out the leftover cake from earlier that night and slices a piece and puts it on a plate. Jennifer is visibly confused. When Lydia places the rest of the cake back into the fridge, she grabs two forks and places the plate in front of Jennifer.

Lydia: Cake helped me get through it the first time I went through this, but I was also very pregnant with you and cake was my favorite thing in the world.

Jennifer: *smiles* Then what explains the rest of the 27 years since I’ve been born?

Lydia: *raises an eyebrow* Well I’m glad you’re not too distraught if you can still crack jokes on me, Pep.

Pep. She remembers the exact moment she got that nickname. She was in preschool when her best friend at the time — for life really — called her “Pepper” for her fire-red hair and her “spicy” personality. Somehow that nickname carried on to the rest of her family and friends; all because of that one best friend she met back in 1996.

Lydia: Seriously though, what’s going on? You’ve been acting weird all night.

She snaps back into reality when she hears her mother’s voice.

Jennifer: I’m just… nervous.

Lydia: Well, it’s normal to be nervous, honey. We all were nervous the night before ours.

Jennifer: I know, but… what if I’m making the wrong decision?

Lydia sits up from her seat in shock.

Lydia: Do you not want to do this?

Jennifer: It’s not that, mom, it’s just… I think about the first time I was supposed to do this and–

Jennifer takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a moment. She remembers the moment she arrived in New York after living in North Carolina for a year and a half. She remembers sitting in a cafe with her childhood best friend after not speaking to one another for a year and a half. When her best friend asked if Cullen came with her to visit, she remembers telling her best friend, “Cullen passed away from his illness three weeks before the big day. So no, he didn’t.”

Jennifer opens her eyes to the sight of her worried mother, now leaning forward to empathize with her.

Lydia: Things happen for a reason, Pep. I’m not saying Cullen was a mistake; maybe at that moment, that was the right choice. But you were also young. You packed your whole life to be closer to him. You guys were doing it because he was dying, Pep. You know how intense were between you two.

Lydia takes Jennifer’s hands and holds them from across the table.

Lydia: You came back home for a reason, Jennifer. Don’t forget that.

At that moment, the last three years flashed right in front of her eyes.

She remembers the airplane ride back to NYC, leaving her old life back in North Carolina after leaving Cullen’s house for his parents and only taking a carry-on of her essential belongings. She remembers the first moment she laid eyes on her best friend at their mutual friend’s baby shower. The adrenaline rush of seeing her best friend again after so long was intense: her best friend grew taller. Her best friend’s hair grew longer. Her best friend looked so different in a good way. And the nervous smile her best friend gave her when they said “hi” to each other for the first time in a long time was unfathomable. 

Lydia: Don’t forget that because you came back home, so many blessings came from it.

Jennifer remembers the exact moment she confessed that all this time, she was in love with her best friend, and on that calm Halloween night, they shared their first-ever kiss.

She vividly remembers her first date with her best friend being so natural like it was always like this; like they were always supposed to be together like this. 

She remembers them both stumbling into her best friend’s apartment, taking the opportunity of her best friend’s 9-year-old son being at a sleepover to finally show each other how much they’ve been in love with one another, after all these years.

Lydia: And don’t forget that if you didn’t come back home, you wouldn’t have had Micah in your life.

Jennifer remembers sitting hunched over the toilet one night, her best friend sitting at the edge of the tub holding up her hair, then looking at each other like they knew what was the next thing to do. In pajamas, her best friend comes back to the apartment from the pharmacy with a bag and tells Jennifer that “the pharmacist congratulates us in advance if the test is positive.” Jennifer takes the test out of the box and throws the box at her best friend, who seems to be more excited and happy rather than scared and anxious.

In the present time, Jennifer smiles and her mother then notices the calmness her daughter has now. 

Lydia: You wouldn’t be where you are now if you didn’t already know that Milo was the one, honey. *leans back on chair* I mean, anyone with a brain knows that you were always meant to be. You guys, even at a young age, were so inseparable. And you guys fought like you were a damn couple all these years anyway.

Jennifer: *laughs and smiles*  Hey, we just always had each other’s backs.

Lydia: Even when the universe pulled you guys apart. I don’t know if he ever told you this, but he always asked about you whenever he came over to pick up his son from a play date with your little sister. Ever failed to not ask me if you were doing okay in North Carolina.

Jennifer: *in shock* He… he never told me that.

Lydia: I’m telling you, Pep. I know you always think you’re making the wrong decisions in life and you run away from them. You always have, and I know Milo knows that as well. But if there’s one right decision you ever made in your life, it’s this one.

Lydia gets up from the kitchen table.

Lydia: Go up to bed, girlie. You only have a couple of hours before the wedding.

She kisses Jennifer on the forehead and heads into the dark hallway towards the stairs. Jennifer smiles and looks down at the slice of cake on the table. She picks up a fork and begins to eat it.

— The End —

 

 

 

It’s a hazy, Summer dusk in New York City; the sound of cars driving by and outside conversation is coming through the open window in the bedroom. A couple is laying down on the bed; a naked 20-year-old woman with straight black hair and olive skin, SUMMER, is laying against a naked 20-year-old man with black hair and warm-toned skin and body tattoos, EVAN. They both just finished having sex. Evan is caressing Summer as he looks up towards the ceiling, at peace. Summer brushes her fingers on Evan’s chest as she is holding a sheet to cover her body with her other hand. Silence fills the room, but it isn’t an awkward silence. It’s a… cathartic silence. 

Summer looks up to Evan, who is still looking up at the ceiling, relaxing, emptying his mind of anything and everything worrisome or stressful. His best moments are when he’s with Summer; she makes all the bad things go away in an instant. Summer, on the other hand, can’t stop fidgeting her fingers against Evan’s chest. Her eyes look glass-like, about to fall and break from the weight of her thoughts at this moment. On a normal day, Evan’s presence is enough to get her through the day. His contagious smile that he tends to do, the one where his eyes smile along with his mouth, is her daily drug, and she can’t live without it. 

Today is a little bit different. 

Summer randomly takes a deep breath and stares into nothingness. It’s time.

Summer: He used to abuse me.

Evan’s staring contest with the ceiling is instantly broken, and he turns his head towards Summer, looking concerned. 

Evan: What?

Summer: Frankie; my ex. He used to hit me and mentally abuse me. For three years, that’s what my days looked like. It’s why I’m now afraid of relationships. It’s just a reminder that maybe I’m not worthy of being treated right.

Evan looks at Summer with a surprised expression; not knowing how to handle the random confessions of Summer.

Evan: Sum, we don’t have to talk about this if you aren’t ready; it’s okay.

Summer turns her body to face the ceiling, speaking to it like it was a confessional.

Summer: Frankie and I meant in high-school. I was 16, naive, and insecure. He was the only boy to see me past the nerdy clothes and pimply face. He was an athlete; all built-in muscle and hypermasculinity, like every other sports guy in the world. But in the beginning, he was sweet. He walked me home on days when I had dance rehearsal. He made sure the bullies didn’t mess with me anymore. He cared for me in a way I didn’t think any guy would want to care for me. Maybe that’s why I thought his methods of showing his caring nature were normal.

Summer closes her eyes, reliving a memory. 

Summer: He once saw me talking to another guy from one of my classes; we were assigned a group project together. When he saw me at lunch talking to him, he grabbed my arm and took me away to yell at me, telling me that I was lucky to even have him as a boyfriend because guys only want to talk to me for “virgin ass” and test answers. He invited me over to his place to talk about it, but all it did was cause this huge fight. When I snapped back at him, that’s when he first slapped me in my face.

Summer opens her eyes.

Summer: He said he was sorry, that it would never happen again. That he loved me and he had a hard time expressing that to me. I believed him. I forgave him. I should’ve left that night and never looked back.

Evan’s attention is fully on Summer. As he sees her struggle, he gently holds her hand for comfort. It calms her down.

Evan: You don’t have to do this, Sum. I understand.

Summer takes her hand away and sits up from the bed. Evan sits up at well, still focused on Summer.

Summer: At school, we were everyone’s favorite couple. He was the rising athlete on honor roll, I was the “girl that came from nothing to something”; everyone loved us together. People really thought Frankie loved me, man. They would say how Frankie never let go of my hand when walking down the halls without realizing he just never wanted me out of his sight. Behind closed doors, we fought like dogs. we argued every single day and disagreed on almost everything. He told me I was too ugly for anyone else, that nobody really liked me and they only wanted to use me for their personal gain. He made me believe that I was this horrible person so when the slaps turned into punches turned into tossing me across his bedroom like a damn piece of sport’s equipment, I always felt like I deserved it; like he wouldn’t be doing that to me if I wasn’t doing anything wrong.

Summer holds her body in an uncomfortable manner. She closes her eyes again, now with her eyebrows scrunched together, with a distasteful expression on her face.

Summer: One night, he had invited me to his place to celebrate some good news he got about college. Of course, I went, I loved him, and I was proud of him for getting the scholarship to one of his top schools. When he wasn’t an asshole, that’s all he talked about: his athletic dreams and studying sports medicine while playing in college. It was a different side of him when he spoke about his dreams and goals… maybe that’s what attracted me in the first place.

Summer is now squirming in the bed, grasping on the sheet to cover her body up even more.

Summer: I got there, and clearly he’d been drinking his dad’s wine or some fancy shit that was stored in his house. He just reeked of alcohol. I offered to take care of him and that he needed to stop drinking for the night… so I tried taking the… the bottle away from him…

She’s now taking in deep-breaths; she needs to let this out of her throat. 

Summer: He hit me so hard that I got bruised on my face. He tried helping me out by putting ice on it, and when he thought it was helping, he started to kiss it, and then kiss me without me kissing him back… he then, he–

Evan: Summer.

Summer: *hysterical* I kept saying no, I just wanted it to end, he wouldn’t stop–

Summer breaks down in tears. She covers her eyes in shame, shaking her head no continuously. Evan takes Summer into his arms and rocks her side to side, trying to calm her down.

Evan: You are worthy of love, Summer. Always remember that.

The air is full of silence again, the sunset comes through the bedroom window and hits on the wall above Evan and Summer. Evan is stroking Summer’s hair away from her teary, wet face as she looks up at him. They stare at each other for a moment.

Evan: Gwaenchanhayo.

 

 

March 12th, 2007:

Milo walks home from the hospital, head down towards the sidewalk; his world has completely just crashed to the ground. He takes a deep breath in, closes his eyes, and the last year has flashed before his eyes: meeting Gwen, first kissing Gwen, first time making love to Gwen, Gwen tells him that she was pregnant, Gwen giving birth to their son, up until this morning when Gwen passed away. He had thought his world was complete when his son, Milo Jr, was born – not knowing that the rest of his life would come to the place where he is now. 

When he entered his house, it was empty. No noise. Peaceful. He just needed to sleep away the sadness for a bit, until he felt okay enough to start making the next moves in his life. Will he raise the kid by himself? Would her parents take custody of his son because he was only a 16-year old teenage boy? He didn’t know what route he was going to take, but at least he had some time to figure it out, or he thought he did. 

He entered his bedroom with his parents sitting on his bed, with two suitcases full of belongings, and his son. They found out about his son. His mother couldn’t even look at him; his father couldn’t stop yelling at him. He called him a “waste of life” while pointing at his weeks’ old son and calling him “the son of a bitch”. The kid was crying, his mother was crying, and he couldn’t take it anymore. When his father yelled, “get the fuck out of my house!”, he did not disobey. Milo took his son, the suitcases, and left.

June 25th, 2026 – Morning:

Milo straightens his navy blue tie in his bedroom. His wife, Jennifer, walks into the bedroom with her green dress on, barefoot, panicky putting things in a bag.

Milo: You’re okay, Pep?

Jennifer: *keeps looking in the closet* Yeah, I’m fine – I’m just trying to bring some extra things for the girls to keep them quiet and busy during Milo’s graduation.

Milo: They really don’t call it “terrible 2’s” for nothing.

Jennifer: Reagan and Dylan are the definitions of that saying, that’s for sure.

Milo laughs and helps Jennifer pack some things for their twin girls. Their 8-year old son, Micah, comes running in the bedroom.

Micah: Mom! Have you seen my game charger?

Jennifer: No, I haven’t, and you aren’t bringing that game thing anyway.

Micah: *whines* Why can’t I?!

Jennifer stops what she’s doing and takes a deep sigh. Milo looks at Jennifer, then at Micah.

Milo: It’s Milo’s high-school graduation, Micah. There’s going to be a lot of people there, and we don’t want you to lose this game again. Now go put your shoes on; we’re leaving in 15 minutes.

Micah turns around and huffs and puffs as he walks out of his parent’s bedroom.

Milo: *calls out* Keep stomping on the ground, Micah, and that game will be gone for a month!

Milo looks at Jennifer, who is now sitting on their bed, putting her heels on. She looks up at Milo when she’s done.

Milo: That’s your son.

Jennifer: *crosses her arms* Oh, so he’s only my son now?

Milo: Only when he acts like you.

He winks at his wife, and she rolls her eyes. Milo Jr. walks into the bedroom, with his graduation down on.

Milo Jr: How the hell is this little cap suppose to fit over my hair?

While Milo Jr. attempts to put on his cap without it falling off his head, Jennifer walks over to him to help him out.

Jennifer: *with bobby pins in her hands* I had the same problem with all my graduation caps. Thick curly hair wasn’t fitting in this little cap, so dreadlocks weren’t going to neither.

She secures the cap with bobby pins on Milo Jr’s head. Milo smiles at the sight of his wife and first-born together. He remembers when he first introduced Milo Jr. to Jennifer: it was when he frantically banged on her front door 18 years ago with two suitcases, crying to her that his parents kicked him out and he had nowhere else to go. He will forever be grateful for her family taken him in when he needed someone the most.

Jennifer pats Milo Jr. on the back when she’s done. She hears the twins being loud in the other room and walks over to see what they were up to.

Milo Jr. stares at the mirror in his parent’s bedroom.

Milo Jr: God, I’m nervous.

Milo walks over to his son and looks at them through the vanity mirror.

Milo: There’s no reason for you to be nervous. It’s high-school graduation, not a military draft.

Milo Jr: Funny, dad. I don’t know, I just can’t believe this is the end, y’know?

Milo: It may feel that way now, but you worked hard to get where you’re at. You’re going to a great college within the city, you have a supportive group of friends around you, you have a very nice girlfriend that cares about you; all of that isn’t going away.

Milo Jr: It’s still scary. Y’know, growing up.

Milo: Well, you’re 18. This chapter may be ending, but you’re still young and you have a lot of life to live still. Call me when you’re my age.

Milo Jr. smiles at his dad’s “dad joke”, then straights out his gown and the tassel ropes around his neck. Milo puts the finishing touches on his outfit as well.

Milo: You must be very proud of Sophie for being Valedictorian.

Milo notices the huge smile on his son’s face just by mentioning his girlfriend’s name.

Milo Jr: She so deserves it. I don’t know anyone else in that school who works as hard as she does. Barnard College doesn’t accept just anyone these days.

Milo listens to his son talk about his girlfriend with a beam in his eyes. He remembers being a teenager in love and having the same beam in his eyes for Gwen. He’s still glad that the beam in his eyes never left even after she was gone and his life-long childhood best friend, Jennifer, became his girlfriend, mother of his children, and wife when they were in their mid to late 20’s. Life took them through thick and thin, and the woman he was always in love with, even with Gwen all those years ago, was truly Jennifer. He smiles at his son as he continues to speak about Sophie. 

Milo Jr. looks at the time on the vanity clock and panics; it’s time to graduate! The Kamalani’s leave the house to attend the first-born’s high-school graduation. Truly a milestone in the making. 

June 25th, 2026 – Night:

Milo and Jennifer are both sitting in bed, cuddling, watching TV together. During one of the commercials, Jennifer gets up to stretch and take off her makeup for the day.

Jennifer: Congratulations, Mr. Kamalani – we raised a high-school graduate.

Milo: *puts his hands behind his head* What can I say? We make a good team, Mrs. Kamalani.

Jennifer looks at Milo through the mirror, smiling at his cheesy comeback. She continues to take off her makeup as Milo gets up out of the bed and walks over to his dresser.

Jennifer: Sophie’s speech was very touching today, wasn’t it? I know Milo was very proud of her.

Milo: I think the whole auditorium knew that by the way he yelled and cheered for her throughout it.

They both laugh.

Jennifer: You know he loves her, right?

Milo: *puts a shirt on* Of course he does.

Jennifer: That doesn’t scare you?

Milo: Why would it?

Jennifer turns around and faces Milo.

Jennifer: We are talking about an 18-year-old boy, Mi. I don’t know if you don’t see it, but he’s exactly how you were when you were a teenager: blindly in love. You fell hard.

Milo: Yeah, well Milo knows better. We’ve had these talks already. I told him the reality of it all. He knows about my teenage years, and I made it very clear to treat her right, be there for her, but still be smart. We can’t stop him from growing, Pep. We can only help him make the right decisions.

Jennifer: I guess you’re right.

Jennifer turns back around to face the vanity, and Milo walks to her and hugs her from behind. She stops what he’s doing.

Milo: We raised an amazing kid, babe, and we are raising even more amazing kids. I couldn’t have done this without you.

He turns her around and kisses her. The kiss breaks up when Jennifer looks at the time.

Jennifer: What time is Milo coming home from Sophie’s?

Milo: I told him before midnight.

He looks at the clock; it’s 10:30pm.

Milo: He’ll be home, don’t worry.

— LATER THAT NIGHT —

The lights are off in Milo and Jennifer’s bedroom. Jennifer is sleeping on the left side of the bed, and Milo turns over on the right side, ultimately waking up. He rubs his eyes and puts on his slippers to go use the bathroom. He walks out to the hallway and checks on the kids’ rooms: Micah is asleep, the twins are asleep, and Milo Jr is… not in his room. He looks around the house for his son, until he notices the basement light is on through the crack of the open door. 

He walks down the creaky staircase until he sees his son laying down on the hardwood floor, throwing a little ball up in the air. 

Milo: Milo?

Milo Jr looks towards his dad and gets up from the floor. He is still wearing the outfit he had on for his graduation, just now looking more worn in and stressed. 

Milo Jr: Hey, dad. I was just gonna go upstairs now.

Milo Jr. tries to walk past his father, but his father knows him best. Milo stops him by putting his hand on his shoulder and looks at Milo Jr. in the face.

Milo: What’s going on, Milo?

Milo Jr: I’m fine dad, really, I just have a lot of stuff going on in my head, nothing to be worried about.

Milo Jr. walks back down the stairs and plops himself on one of the beanbags in the basement. Milo isn’t buying it. Milo walks down the rest of the stairs and sits next to his son on the other beanbag chair. 

Milo: I know you may not hear it often, but you should know how proud I am of you.

Milo Jr: I know.

Milo: You think you may know, but I want you to understand, Mi. My dad didn’t come to my high-school graduation. Or my college one; none of them. I didn’t have someone tell me what to do during the hard times. I didn’t have another man in my life tell me that I was doing an okay job juggling everything. I don’t ever want you to think that I don’t support you, or you don’t feel the support I give for you. You’re my first-born, Milo. Today will always hold a special place in my heart.

Milo Jr: I do feel it, dad. Thank you.

Milo notices his son fidgeting with his fingers. He takes note of it.

Milo: Pep was very moved by Sophie’s speech.

Milo Jr: Yeah, she did an amazing job.

That beam in Milo Jr’s eyes isn’t there anymore.

Milo: Did you and Sophie break up?

Milo Jr: *looks at his dad* What? No, we didn’t break up, dad.

Milo: So what’s wrong?

Milo Jr: Nothing is wrong, dad.

Milo: Mi, I know you; clearly something is wrong–

Milo Jr: *annoyed* Will you just drop it already?!

Milo Jr gets up from the beanbag chair and tries to flee towards the stairs, but Milo gets up to block them.

Milo: I told you to be home by midnight, but clearly you didn’t hear me when I told you that.

They both look at each other intently.

Milo: You may be rebellious every now and then, Milo, but ever since that girl entered your life, it turned you around and made you better. You never missed curfew, you have never not checked in with us; come on, Milo. I know you. What’s going on?

Milo notices his son get teary-eyed; he is now concerned. Milo Jr. turns back around and walks away from his father.

Milo: You know you can tell me anything. I promise I won’t judge you. *takes a deep breath* What happened, Milo?

Milo Jr. doesn’t say anything. His father begins to get annoyed and impatient.

Milo: Clearly it has something to do with Sophie, Milo. You were fine after the graduation dinner, you were fine before you went over to hang out with her; what happened? She cheated on you or something? *sigh* Look I know it hurts now but it’s not the end of the–

Milo Jr. turns around to face his father.

Milo Jr: *yells* She didn’t cheat on me! She’s pregnant!

Both Milo and his son look at each other. Milo doesn’t know what to say. Half of him feels like the future he hoped for his son, the son he had to struggle with when he was just a teenager himself, was crashing down. He sees himself as the scared 16-year-old teenager again, holding his son with his own father screaming at him, calling him a waste of life and his son “the son of a bitch”. Milo comes back to reality to see his own son, now 18, with his hands on his face and his knees on the ground, as if his life is crashing down all at once. 

Milo walks over to his son, looks down, and sits right next to him on the floor. He grabs his son and hugs him. Milo Jr. sobs in his father’s lap.

Milo: It’s going to be okay.

— The End —

Waiters are walking by with platters across the restaurant, and the sound of forks and knives hitting plates surround the area. A soft piano is played in the background; this is one of those fancy places that husbands spend a day’s pay to take their wives to on Valentine’s Day.

In the middle of the restaurant, there is a man and a woman in their early 40’s waiting for their plates to arrive. The man is wearing a casual, yet sophisticated navy suit, while the woman is wearing an olive green dress with her red hair down, naturally curly. They’ve known each other since they were teenagers, yet are awkwardly acting like they are strangers. One of them has to speak, and for the man, he’d try to break the ice. 

Weston: You look, uh, nice tonight.

Mollie: Thank you. You look nice as well.

Weston sips some water to hide his awkwardness, Mollie immediately takes a sip of her white wine instead. She decides to discuss the only thing they have in common nowadays.

Mollie: Grace is really adjusting to New York City quite well. She definitely picked it up faster than I did at her age and I was born and raised here.

Weston: *smiles* She was meant to be in the city. She always seemed different than the girls back in Virginia, y’know? She was going to end up here some way or another.

Mollie: I found her eating Butter Pecan ice cream in bed the other night.

Weston: Like mother, like daughter.

The conversation quiets for a bit, both are gathering their thoughts, which are everywhere at this point. Weston takes a deep breath.

Weston: Thank you for letting Grace stay with you while she’s in college, Mol.

Mollie: Of course, I mean I have eighteen years to make up with her, so I’m glad to have any time spent with her.

Mollie looks down at her glass, avoiding eye contact with Weston. 

Weston: As long as you’re here now, that’s all that matters.

Mollie: No, it doesn’t, Weston. It sucks having to get to know my own daughter eighteen years in because I chose to be selfish and dumb and leave out on her.

Weston: Mollie, we were young–

Mollie: So what?!

Weston looks around the restaurant, hoping that their conversation is not audible to anyone else dining in. 

Weston: Mollie–

Mollie: You were young too, Wes. You were friggin’ training to be in the FBI for God’s sake. You still were able to raise her and take care of her and all of that.

Weston: Mollie, at that moment, having a kid wasn’t in your plan.

Mollie: It wasn’t in yours either.

Weston: We’re two different people, Mollie.

Mollie: I just regret not being there, okay?

Mollie takes a huge sip of her white wine, looking more somber in thought. 

Mollie: I love Grace living with me, but it doesn’t make it easier for me.

Weston: Mollie–

Mollie: It doesn’t help the thoughts I have before bed about my life. Every night, I kick myself for not being there for her when she needed me the most because she’s such an awesome kid now, Wes. I mean, Grace has so much of your qualities but when I see Grace and talk to her and get to know her better, it’s like I’m staring back at myself. And what type of example am I setting up for her? “Oh, in order to make your dreams come true you have to ditch your family and be an absent mother!” 

Weston takes in a deep sigh and holds his eyes with his hands. He looks back up at Mollie, and in his mind, she’s eighteen again: big, curly hair, a little acne here and there, 15 bracelets around her wrist, and busted up jeans and Converse: the girl he fell in love with 25 years ago. He’s brought back to the present when Mollie continues to talk.

Mollie: I just wish I was able to see how she became the girl she is now. I wish I was there to see her grow into a toddler, see her first dance recital, her first day of school, first competition, best friend, heartbreak, zit for crying out loud. I just wish I could go back and tell my 24-year-old self that Grace was the only thing that mattered in this world. My career shouldn’t have ever come in the way.

In a split moment, Weston remembers that last night he saw Mollie 18 years ago:

Him: “Mollie, I’ve had enough of this! Do you even realize you’re neglecting your own child for some dance career?! We all have our own dreams, but family always come first, Mol!”

Her: “You don’t understand! I feel trapped! I feel like I’m in something I didn’t sign up for! I love Grace, and you know that, but–“

Him: “You love your career more than her?”

Her: “I didn’t say that; how dare you!”

Him: “Listen, Mol. I’m tired of this marriage being one-sided and having to take care of Grace all the time because you’re too busy living your dream without a care in the world. You have responsibilities now, Mollie! Grace needs her mother!

Her: “And I’m trying my best to be one!”

Him: “Look. I’ve made sacrifices with my own career to be the father that Grace needs. It’s not fair that only one of us is doing so. You gotta make a choice, Mollie. It’s her, or your career.”

Her: “You can’t do–“

Him: “It’s HER, or your career. Pick one.”

Weston snaps back to reality and sees present-day Mollie: a mature, wise, still spunky and stubborn, but more reasonable than before. He could see the absolute regret she carries on her shoulders every day. He knows Mollie always loved Grace. He always loved her. Despite what happened in the past, it’s in the past, and he knew she deserved to move forward.

Weston: Mol, Grace forgave you.

Mollie: *dumbfounded* What?

Weston: She forgave you all those months ago, Mollie. She forgave you when you gave a damn about her dream to go to Julliard under a scholarship. She forgave you when you saw her for her instead of the things you want her to be. Mol, when we first in New York she couldn’t stop talking about you and how excited she was about dancing. If there was any other damn person on this universe who saw dance with such importance as she does, it would be you.

Mollie looks at Weston and sees an eighteen-year-old Weston: curly dirty blonde hair, aqua blue eyes, turtle neck zip up sweater, the boy who saved her from a bunch of guys in his neighborhood all those years ago. The boy who made her feel like her demons weren’t anything he couldn’t handle. The boy she fell in love with 25 years ago.

Weston: You have so much to look forward to with Grace. You’re here for your first year of college, you’ll be there for her first career job, her graduation, wedding, *worried* her having children and all of that. She is only 18, Mollie; she has her whole life ahead of her.

Mollie smiles at Weston for reassurance, and he smiles back. He looks at her hands, figetting on the napkin at the table. She’s still has something on her mind. So, he says it.

Weston: I forgave you the moment you started to make Grace happy, Mol.

Mollie looks up at Weston, shocked. How could he forgive her so quickly? Eighteen years away from him and their daughter; who in their right mind would forgive someone for that? Surely, she still can’t fully forgive herself. 

Mollie: Grace gets it from you; her willingness to forgive people.

Weston: Eh, she gets everything else from you, so I’m glad she has at least one decent quality of mine. *laughs*

They smile and look at each other, taking sips from their drinks. Their food finally arrives, and they thank the waiter for their dinner.

–End–