They landed in Boston the next day, around noon.  They met Lynn and Trace and Samantha at the hotel, The Liberty, as they all had caught an earlier flight.  They checked into their rooms, on the same floor, but not connecting so as to have some privacy.  As much as they enjoyed what they now called “Going Vegas,” they didn’t want to be inhibited by his mom being in the next room, should the mood strike.   The girls were with Trace’s parents, just the adults, a much needed getaway with a perfect alibi.

They had some time and were hungry, going down to Clink, one of the hotel restaurants, set in an old city jail on the property.  It was still within brunch hours, taking advantage of the food options.  Deana had prepared herself for a cheat weekend of fancy foods and alcohol, having been on a fairly strict diet and exercise routine.  Justin was still noticing her body change, losing what he guessed to be at least 20 pounds, but knowing to never ask.  

Clothes were fitting her differently, having to stop wearing some of her pants because they were too loose. Her dresses being more flowy and less tight, still just as beautiful on her, just in a new way. She was carrying herself differently, more confidently.  Her smile still lit up a room.

Deana saw him looking at her.  “What?” she giggled. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just looking at my beautiful girlfriend.  That’s not suddenly a crime, is it?”

“No, thank God.  Seriously though, why?”

“We’ll talk later,” he said in a hushed tone.  

She rolled her eyes a little, continuing to eat her food.

“So what’s the agenda?” Lynn asked.

“There’s something tonight for everyone, they’re doing a concert type thing, showing off, it’ll be fun.  There’s a Q & A we’re gonna do with them.  Missy and I have both been asked to speak, that’s a little nervewracking…”

“You perform in front of thousands of people, make up acceptance speeches all the time…” Deana said.

“I perform MY songs, I do it without thinking.  This, I have potential to screw up.  I have no idea what I’m going to say and it has to be ready by tomorrow.”

Deanna looked at him, her eyes gentle.  “You always know what to say.  Something will inspire you.”

“Even if it means pulling an all nighter.  You might actually feel like a college graduate now,” Trace laughed.  “She’s not wrong, you’re gonna figure it out and do a great job, man.”

“Can we change the subject so I’m not freaking out about this?” Justin asked.  

“So I hear you’re wanting to take the girls for a trip?” Samantha asked.

“When?  Take them as long as you want…” Trace laughed.

“We were talking, use his connections to get the girls to go see the new Frozen movie this fall, like go to the premiere,” Deana replied.

“They would LOVE you FOREVER…” Samantha said.

“Deana thought it could be a complete surprise.  We take them for a little tea party, get all dressed up, then go to the premiere.  I took her to a more funky tea thing in New York, and everything just kinda clicked,” Justin said.

“Would it be in New York or LA?  Either way, we’ll have to give them some kind of reason to go see you.  Though honestly, seeing you may be reason enough.  Ever since you guys came, they’ve been missing you like crazy, especially Deana.”

“I’ve been replaced…” Justin said, feigning disappointment and shock.  “That’s alright, I’d pick her over me, too.”  He smiled, wrapping his arm around Deana’s shoulder, squeezing her tight.  

“You’re gonna make me blush…  You better not mention ME in your speech,” she warned.  “All those eyes on me...”

“You know he will,” Trace said.

Deana sighed.  “I guess.”

“How was your graduation, Deana?” Samantha asked.

“It was good, surreal, I never thought that day would come, ya know?  After putting it off for so long, to come back and finish, it was a mix of things.”

“I wouldn’t say ‘putting it off’,” Justin said defensively.  “You made an important choice, one of many that conspired to bring us together.  You didn’t give up, and when the opportunity came around, you took it.”

“When you put it that way…” Deana smiled shyly.  “See, you always find the right things to say.  You got this.”

They finished eating, and decided they’d all go up to the suite.  Justin took full advantage of the bar, pouring drinks.  They chatted a bit more, the girls were still in school, they talked about Coachella and seeing the rest of the guys, their trip to Yosemite and planning a trip to Montana.

“Yes, we’ll make it a summer vacation for the girls,” Trace said excitedly.  “You can get some golf in before Tahoe.  See if I can kick your ass again…”

“I’ve been practicing, I think I can beat you again,” Justin smiled.  “I just did a round with Deana’s aunt and uncle.  Did fairly well given the heat.  We weren’t really keeping track, me compared to a couple over 60…”

“They beat you, didn't they?” Trace laughed.

“No, but it was tight.  What they lack in youth, they make up for in experience on the course.  They play there all the time.”

“If you get the widescreen version of Tin Cup, my uncle was an extra in one of the scenes at the golf course.  In editing for TV, he gets cut out.  You only see his club.”

“How did they meet, there’s a big age difference…” Justin wondered.

“Don’t remind them of that.   They worked together.  Her first husband considered him competition at work, so when Uncle Mike moved down to Arizona, they followed, hoping to climb the ladder.  Their marriage fell apart for multiple reasons, and they started spending more time together working at their store.  They worked for a grocery chain before going into their current foray.  I’m not sure on the timing of everything.  I just know my youngest cousin on that side was born in ‘80, and they got married when I was 6 weeks old, in ‘83.  That was my first plane ride, out to Arizona for the wedding.  There’s pictures of me with my cousins in front of a fountain in a little city in Mexico, just across the border, but that’s all I really have as far as any proof of pictures.  My cousins were 3 and 5 when she remarried, he had kids from a previous marriage.  He has a granddaughter not much younger than me, so there was an age difference for sure.  It made my grandparents nervous at first, but they also knew he was better for her than her ex husband.”

“See, I love the little stories you weave into things.  You easily could have just said they worked together and been done, but you told a whole little story,” Justin said.

At one point, Justin excused himself to go sit out on the patio, hoping for inspiration to strike for his speech.  He sipped his drink, lying on a lounge chair, pen and paper in hand just in case.  He started scribbling down notes, people to thank for their support, as if he wasn’t going to forget.  He hit a wall, not knowing the group of graduates he was speaking to.  He hoped that with the Q & A and concert, he would have a better idea of whom he was addressing, and go from there.  Looks like it might be an all nighter after all, he thought to himself.  

He knew he was going to thank the school, Deana, his parents.  He sat for a while, his eyes closed, enjoying the warmth of the sun.  Deana quietly walked out, sitting in the lounge chair next to him.  “I saw you writing things down, did you get any ideas?” she asked.

“No, just wrote down stuff I already know.  I’m stuck, babe.  I think tonight will help, but I think Trace might be right.  Just don’t tell him that, it’ll go to his head…” he laughed.  “Hey, that’s not bad… I could write that in at the beginning.  That having this honor is just gonna give me a bigger head.  Start off with a little humor.  Not like actually writing jokes, but some off the cuff stuff, I”m sure I’ll be nervous, too, so that’ll help lighten things up before really getting into things.”

“Just relax, stuff will come to you throughout the day. Save it in your phone until you’re ready to put pen to paper. It’s a commencement speech, you’re worrying too much. That’s my job,” she laughed. 

“I don’t want you to worry. I never want you to worry about anything. Earlier today, I was smiling at you, seeing how much more confident you’ve become since starting to lose weight. You know I wouldn’t change you for the world, you’re doing this for yourself, and that’s great.”

“If I’m being honest, it still feels misplaced at times. I know you find me sexy anyway, but I feel like I look better for you now, even though I’m nowhere near what I want to be. I feel like I look better for YOU, not for me. A lot of times, in my head, I’m still 18 or 19 and a size 13 or 15.  I’m down to a size 18, but it still feels so far from what I think I look like in my head.  I look at clothes and think they’ll look like the model when I put them on, and am reminded I’m not a model because it doesn’t look the way I think it should. Even with the weight loss, I don’t feel confident enough unless it relates to you.”

Justin sighed. “I wish I knew how to make you see yourself the way the rest of us see you.”

“We’re all our own biggest critics, babe.  You don’t think you fully deserve this doctorate, even though we keep saying you do.  Same difference.”

“But it IS different. I doubt myself when it comes to my music, making the right career moves. You, you doubt the very being of yourself, your value and worth. I love you, and you know that, but you don’t see what I do when I look at you.”

“I wish I had the answers. Maybe once other things start to fall into place, I’ll be more confident. Being a teacher, wife, a mom. Right now I’m just in the in between. I’m not the person I want to be yet.”

“It’s all part of the journey, babe. Who you are now determines who you become. We just do our best as we move forward. I guess maybe I don’t understand because I’m in a different spot. I have an amazing career that I love and was blessed to get into so young. I’m more than just that, and you see that. You see me as a boyfriend, a lover, the friend, son, the things that still make up me when the other is stripped away. The things you first fell in love with.  I see you for the friend, daughter, girlfriend, lover that you are, and for what could be.”

“I see that, but I don’t know, I’ve had so many negative voices in my head over the years that it’s hard not to give in to that. I tell you one thing, I feel like we’ve got some good material for your speech…”

“Was that your plan all along? You’re smart enough I wouldn’t put it past you.”

“No, but it got you out of that headspace into something else, and uncovered some universal truths.”

“I love you, baby,” he said, smiling at her, reaching for her hand.

She took his hand. “I love you, too, babe. Every day I’m amazed that I’m still worthy enough to be on this ride with you.  Every choice we’ve made has led us here, the good and the bad. That’s the silver lining of everything with Paul, is that it led me to you.”

He sat up, turning to her. “The things we thought were failures, our broken relationships, led us to the people we are and to each other. The pain is worth it all now, to have you in my life. You make me better, Deana.  I hope you know that.  I want to be a better man for you, the man you deserve.”

She sat up to face him.  “You are so encouraging, helping me follow my dreams. You easily could have told me to just quit school, that you’d take care of me. I know you will, but I know you won’t deny me my dreams. You help me be better, too. I will never feel like I’m the woman you deserve, but I will try one day at a time to become that person.”

“I feel like we just said our wedding vows,” Justin smiled. 

“Why weren’t we recording this?” Deana laughed. 

 “I love you,” he said, scooting closer to her. 

“I love you, too,” she replied softly, edging towards him. 

They kissed, deep, but slow and sweet, a kiss neither of them ever forgot.