Grad School, Year Two

Chapter 58: Five Hundred Seventy-One Miles

Kevin had always assumed that his life would drastically change once he got married. He'd essentially be sharing his entire being with another person, after all. Now that he was married to Brynn, however, his daily life was much the same as it had been before. They kept their separate rooms, their largely separate schedules, and their separate bank accounts. Honestly, there was very little sharing in this relationship.

That wasn't to say there had been no changes whatsoever. They argued less. They'd made out a few times. He assumed his taxes would probably change the next time he had to file them. Oh, and they also wore rings now, thanks to his mother.

Breaking the news to Ms. Price over the phone had probably been the most eventful thing to happen since the wedding. Of course, she'd been full of questions. I thought you said you weren't attracted to Brynn? When did you start dating? What made you decide to get married? When are you going to have children?

Kevin was torn. On the one hand, I got drunk and married Brynn to get over Connor probably wouldn't go over well with his mother. On the other hand, he hated to lie to her. So he decided to be as evasive as possible. I'm not sure when I realized I was into Brynn. No, we weren't dating before, but we just realized we were meant to be and knew it felt right, y'know? I have no idea when we're gonna have children, Mom; we just got married.

If she was suspicious, she didn't let on—perhaps because she was too busy being indignant that she hadn't been invited to the wedding. No matter how much Kevin tried to stress that no one had been invited because it had been entirely unplanned, she wouldn't budge on this issue. Not that Kevin could blame her; he knew that would piss her off, especially after she'd been downgraded to a reception-only invite at his sister's wedding.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he'd said. "I would've loved to have you there, but really, it was barely even a ceremony. It was just us and the officiator—and, well, I guess the witness. But we didn't even know him."

"How could you invite someone you don't even know before your own mother?" Before Kevin could point out that they hadn't exactly invited the designated witness, she added, "This is why I can't stand those quick little Vegas weddings. They just aren't right. Weddings are special occasions meant to be shared with family."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, it just…um, really felt like the right time for us." Kevin wracked his brain for some sort of solution. "How about if we have a huge party on our first anniversary? I promise we'll make sure you and Hal are there."

Ms. Price let out a sigh. "Did she at least wear a pretty dress?"

"Uh," Kevin squinted as he tried to recall just what the hell either of them had been wearing that day. "She wore a black cocktail dress."

"…Oh, Kevin." Kevin winced at the obvious dismay in her voice. "Well, I guess nothing can be done about that now. What does her ring look like?"

"We didn't buy wedding rings."

That had been most definitely the wrong thing to say. Kevin then received an earful about how rings were a symbol of commitment, and it was absolutely not proper to forego them because doing so was practically asking for your spouse to cheat, darn it. By the end of the call, Kevin had been ordered to take Brynn to the nearest jewelry store and pick out a decent set of wedding rings as a gift from his mother and Hal. It had taken him a while to get used to the gold band around his finger, but he barely noticed it now.

But aside from those small changes, his life had continued much the same as it was before. He still spent most of his time in class, working at Starbucks, and studying. He still spent the majority of his free time either playing with his dogs or hanging out with Arnold. And his relationship with Connor was still…complicated, to say the least.

Whatever issues Connor initially had about the marriage quickly dissipated not long after Kevin returned from Vegas. Or maybe they never actually faded; maybe he just got better at hiding them. Either way, he'd been nothing but civil to both Kevin and Brynn alike over the past month . No, it was Kevin that was the problem. He'd really hoped that after he married Brynn, his feelings for Connor would fade away. After all, despite everything he had been through since Uganda, all the ways in which he had changed, a part of him deep down still held on to some the traditional Mormon values with which he'd been raised. And you couldn't be in love with someone else when you were married, right?

Turns out, that was a load of crap. He should've known. No, he still cared about Connor just as much as he did before. It wasn't a complete letdown, though; there was something comforting in the knowledge that there was now something else besides his asexuality and hesitation to come out that was keeping them apart. He didn't have to fret about it, because the decision was already made. Kevin was married, and he was most certainly not a cheater.

Besides, he barely even saw Connor anymore. Between scrambling to finish up his capstone projects and jetting off to countless on-campus interviews, Connor had very little free time nowadays. And in just a couple short weeks, he'd be graduated and heading off to God only knows where.

So anyway, come June, Connor would most likely cease to be a major part of Kevin's life. And really, Kevin was fine with that. It was normal for friends to eventually part ways to start their own separate lives and careers. Connor would be working as a hall director, just like he planned. And Kevin had earned his white coat this spring and would finally get to start clinicals. He'd been looking forward to working with actual patients since he first arrived in Bloomington, so who cared if Connor was moving away?

That's what he liked to tell himself, at any rate.

Naba had about five minutes left of her lunch break when her phone rang with a call from Connor. "Speak fast," she said.

"Sure thing. Oh my God; guess what? I have a big girl job now."

A grin spread across her face, but she kept the excitement out of her voice long enough to throw some playful snark his way. "That must have been very hard for you to pull off," she said cooly. "Considering you do not identify as a girl."

"Yeah well, big boy job sounds really stupid," he replied. "Either way, I'm finally employed."

"Hell yes, you are," she said with a giggle. She leaned forward, propping her elbows on the break room table. "That is great news; I knew you would get an offer soon. So tell me, where is this big girl job?"

"So here's the thing. I'm going back to Olive Garden!" he chirped, and she rolled her eyes. "And if I work really hard for the next decade, they might even consider making me a manager."

"Good for you. Now since I've only got a few minutes, how about you answer my question honestly?"

"Okay, okay." He let out a chuckle. "So, I'm pretty freakin' stoked because it was actually one of my top choices. Starting in mid-May, I'm gonna be the newest complex coordinator at Emporia State University."

Naba tilted her head and frowned. "Interesting. Where is Emporia State?"

"Kansas."

"Kansas?" Of all the states to come out of his mouth, that had been the one she least expected. "You hate Kansas."

"No, I don't. When have I ever said I hate Kansas?"

"When you drove through there on your way to that theatre program in Missouri," she reminded him. "You called Kevin and practically had a meltdown."

"Oh, right!" Connor said with a laugh. "Damn, I must've blocked that from my memory. Yeah, I guess I do hate Kansas. Oh, well. Only the western half, though. Emporia's on the east side, and I didn't have any problems there."

"Is there a difference?"

"Oh, there's a difference. There's definitely a difference." She heard him sigh on the other end of the line. "Y'know, I was honestly surprised I wanted this job so bad. I only applied because, well, I need employment. But then I got there and everyone was so nice and…turns out, it's kind of a perfect fit."

"So you chose the school with the people you like the most," Naba stated.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Wow, Brynn had totally called that one.

"And honestly, I'm so incredibly happy to be done with this job search bullshit," Connor continued. "It doesn't seem real, y'know? I mean, I'm definitely, for sure gonna be starting my chosen career now. And I'm finally gonna be making a living wage. I don't even remember what it's like to not be poor. Obviously I'm not gonna be rolling in cash, but I'm not gonna have to worry about whether I have the money to pay my phone bill or change the oil in my car. I can't even fathom that. And—holy shit, it just occurred to me that I'm gonna have decent health insurance. Like real, actual health insurance, with dental and vision and everything. I can finally do something about being farsighted."

"I am so happy for you, Connor." And really, she was. This was everything her friend had been working toward for years. "Has Diego gotten an offer yet?"

"Mmm, not yet. But he's a finalist at UW Tacoma. He has his doubts, but I'm pretty sure they're gonna make him an offer."

"That would be perfect for him," she replied. "So you're moving to Kansas, huh? You really couldn't find anything in Indiana?"

Once again, Connor laughed. "I'm gonna miss you too, Naba," he said. "So much, you have no idea. We've pretty much been living in the same area ever since we met, haven't we? How long has it been?"

"Eight years."

"Eight years," he repeated. There was a hint of awe his voice. "Well, I'm not gone yet, hon. I don't start until June; I've got almost a month. Oh, speaking of which, can I crash with you and Arnold for a couple weeks? I've got to be out of my place after graduation, so…yeah, I'll be homeless for a while."

"Of course you can stay with us," she told him. "Listen, I have to go back to work. Would you like to join us for dinner tonight? We will invite Kevin and Brynn as well."

"Dinner sounds great. Text me when you get off work, okay?"

They said their goodbyes, and she stood up and headed out the door while positively beaming.

That Evening

When Kevin had received a text from Naba that Connor had accepted a job offer at some school called Emporia State University, and that everyone was having pizza at her and Arnold's place, he had been thrilled. Honestly, just thrilled. Because he had absolutely no preference where Connor moved. It's not like he'd been hoping Connor would get the job he'd applied for at Butler University in Indianapolis. Kevin didn't care. If Connor wanted this other job, then good for him.

It was 571 miles from Bloomington to Emporia—the vast majority of the drive being a straight shot on I-70 across Illinois and Missouri. Altogether, it took approximately nine hours without stopping. Not that Kevin had looked it up or anything.

He took a bite from his slice of pepperoni and mushroom, leaning back in his seat as he listened to Connor babble on about his future home.

"You should see this campus, it's adorable," he was saying. "It's pretty small, and right in the center there's a pond with a couple fountains and this really cute bridge. It's, like, super picturesque; I love it. And the college is right next to downtown, too."

"There's an actual downtown?" Kevin asked. "Emporia's big enough for that?" The town only had about twenty-five thousand people. Again, not like Kevin had checked.

Connor met Kevin's smirk with a playful glare. "Yes, Kevin, there's an actual downtown," he shot back. "It's a…okay, well, it's basically a street, but it's a really good street. At least, I'm gonna say it is; I didn't actually look at it much while I was there."

He suddenly bounced in his seat as if remembering something. "Oh my god, I've gotta tell you about my apartment," he gushed. "My apartment is amazing. It's huge; it's got two whole bedrooms and—get this—a dishwasher. A dishwasher, guys! I haven't lived somewhere with a dishwasher since I was at my parents' house. And you know what the best part is? My office is actually connected to my apartment. That means I'll pretty much be accessible to my RAs all the time!"

Kevin blinked. Was he serious? Did he actually think that was a good thing? Judging by his face-splitting grin, he appeared to be serious. Huh, well okay. Arnold and Naba were both offering pleasant smiles, obviously trying to feign excitement, so Kevin decided to follow suit.

Brynn, apparently, had other ideas. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" she deadpanned. "Why the hell would you want that?"

"It's really important for RAs to have direct access to their supervisors if they have questions," Connor insisted. "Especially new ones."

Bryn let out a caustic snort. "Uh huh," she said. "I'm gonna check back with you in six months and see if you feel the same way."

Connor opened his mouth to retort, but Arnold cut him off. "Are there any other gay people in Kansas?" he asked, reaching for another slice of deep pan cheese.

"Of course there are," Connor said. "There's gay people everywhere, Arn."

Arnold offered a small shrug. "Yeah, but how many live in Kansas?" he said before taking a huge bite.

Connor was quiet for a couple seconds, eyeing Arnold with a bemused expression. "I don't know," he said. "The lady whose position I'm filling is married to another woman, so…at least two."

"She's moving, though," Arnold pointed out. "I mean, she has to be; that's why they hired you."

"Right. Well, I'm sure there's at least a handful of other gay people in the state." Connor was obviously one-hundred-percent done with this topic. "Oh my God, guess what else? Guess what? You're not gonna believe this. This is, like, the best part—"

"I thought the best part was that your RAs can walk in on you jerking off to Game of Thrones in the middle of the night," Brynn countered.

Kevin almost choked on his Sprite, and Connor just sat there and sputtered for a bit. "They can't just—I mean, there is a lock—I don't even watch Game of Thrones—also I…you know what? Never mind. This the other best part."

He quickly recomposed himself and grinned. "I get to have a cat!" he declared. "You know how many places won't let their hall directors own pets? I mean, I only get one, but still."

"Connor, that is great news!" Naba said. "You have been wanting a cat for years."

"I mean, I've actually been wanting seven cats for years, but…yeah, probably not manageable even if they didn't have the one-cat-only rule. I'm gonna go to the shelter and adopt one as soon as I get there. And then I'm gonna buy it all the food, and all the toys, and subscribe it to BarkBox or whatever…do they have BarkBox for cats? I'm sure they do."

Naba chuckled and shook her head, then frowned. "There is something I have been thinking about since this afternoon," she began. "Do you think your car will make it to Kansas?"

Kevin pursed his lips. That was a good point, actually. Connor, however, didn't seem concerned.

"It should," he said dismissively. "It made it here from Utah, after all."

"That was two years ago," Naba countered. "And this will be a very long drive."

"It's 571 miles," Kevin offered. Again, he had not looked it up. Everyone knew how far it was from Bloomington to Emporia, didn't they?

"Remember last month when you barely got home from the airport?" Arnold added. "And Diego had to jump it for you the next day?"

Connor furrowed his brow. "Well, it's gonna have to make it to Kansas," he huffed. "It's not like I have another car lying around."

Naba pushed her empty plate forward a bit, folding her hands on the table. "I just wonder if it is time for you to buy a new one."

The look Connor was giving her was less than impressed, to say the least. "Define new," he quipped.

"What do you mean, define new?" she replied. "It means…new. Or perhaps gently used?"

"I think what she means is anything besides another piece of shit like you've got in the parking lot," Brynn clarified, and Connor rolled his eyes.

"You know, the fact that it's lasted six years suggests that it's not actually the piece of shit we all thought it was," he pointed out.

"That is true, I suppose," Naba said. "Even so, it might be time to upgrade."

"It doesn't matter; I can't buy another car," Connor replied. "I mean, sure I could probably get a loan with an employment offer letter, but wouldn't I need some money upfront? Downpayment, first car payment, registration, taxes, and so on. I don't have that kind of money right now."

"Didn't you say you were holding back a bunch of your student loan money?" Brynn asked. "In case it took awhile for you to get a job?"

"Right, loan money. Key word being loan. I need to pay that back, Brynn. I was only hanging on to it in case I had no other choice but to use it."

"I don't know; I can see where everyone's coming from," Kevin finally decided to chime in, ignoring the glare Connor shot him as he jumped on the bandwagon. "I mean, you wouldn't want to use it for something like a vacation, but a car's kind of a necessary expense at this point. Yours is on its last legs, and you don't want to end up stranded halfway during your move."

"Well, those legs are just gonna have to last a little longer," Connor shot back. "I'm not getting another car. Maybe after I've been working for a while, but…not now. I can't right now."

Naba looked like she really, really wanted to argue. Instead, though, she simply took a deep breath and pulled her plate back toward her. "If you say so," she said as she reached for another slice of pizza.

Two Days Later

Naba once again had only a few minutes left on her break when she received a call from Connor. "I'm heading back to work, so I hope this is good news," she said, standing up and gathering the remains from her lunch.

"Well most people wouldn't think so, but who knows," Connor replied flippantly. "I hit a deer."

She almost dropped the phone. "You what?"

"I hit a deer, Naba," he repeated, voice sounding slightly hysterical. "I was running some errands, a deer ran onto the road in front of me, and I hit it. I just got back to campus; Diego had to come pick me up."

"Is everyone okay?" she asked, lowering herself back down into the seat she'd previously vacated.

"Well, not the deer. The deer is…very dead," he said morosely. "I feel bad; I've never killed anything before. Well, except for the scorpions that got into the mission hut back in Uganda. And the snakes. Also the wasp nest in one of the Weber State residence halls, a few spiders in my residents' rooms, hundreds of bugs and mice while helping my dad with his extermination business…I guess I've killed a lot of things. But, like, not a deer."

"It wasn't your fault, you could not avoid it," she pointed out. "But you are okay, right? I am sure your airbag kept you from getting hurt?"

"I'm okay, but the airbag had nothing to do with it."

She frowned. "I'm sorry?"

"See, about that," he began with an awkward chuckle. "Um, the airbag didn't deploy. I mean, my car's totaled, so it probably should have, but…well, it didn't. It's fine," he quickly added before she could say anything. "Like I said, I'm not hurt. But speaking of all that, I guess I'm gonna need a new car, and I kind of feel like it's your fault."

"How is it my fault?"

"Because you brought it up the other day," he replied petulantly. "You said mine wouldn't last much longer. You made it happen, Naba. I don't know how, but you did."

"Right." She almost wanted to laugh. "You caught me. When you did not listen, I put that deer in front of you so you would hit it and total your car."

"You say that like it's sarcasm, sweetie, but I know it's not." Naba was fairly certain he wasn't serious, but she figured it was better not to push the matter. Because Connor had been really overstressed lately, so maybe it was better to not look too much into his sanity.

"Anyway," he continued. "Do you want to help me find another one?"

"Where are you planning to look?"

"I don't know," he said. "I guess I'll shop around the dealerships. Craigslist, maybe? I know some of the wealthier international students will sell theirs cheap when they go back to their home countries. A lot of them have already sold theirs by this point in the semester, though."

"Just do not buy another clunker without working airbags, okay?" she pleaded. "I want you to be safe."

"No I won't. If I'm gonna get one, I might as well make it count."

"Maybe you should have Brynn go with you," Naba suggested. "She will not take shit from the salesmen."

"I can't subject an innocent car salesman to Brynn. I may have just murdered Bambi's mom, but I'm not a monster."

"That is true," she chuckled. "Sure, I will go with you. I was there when Arnold's parents bought both of our cars, so I know how it works. I will text you after work so that we can figure this out, okay?"

"Thank you," Connor said. "Talk to you later; have a good, um, rest of your shift or whatever."

The Next Day

"Don't be nervous," Naba told Connor as she pulled her car into the lot of a Chevrolet dealership.

He'd been unusually quiet the entire way there, but now he clucked his tongue. "I'm not nervous," he said. "I just don't want to spend a fortune."

"We will find you a good deal," she assured him before putting her car in park and shutting off the engine. "Do not worry about it; you are starting a new job with good benefits, and you are good at budgeting. You will be able to manage a car payment, even if it is more than you want to pay right now."

"Anything is more than I want to pay right now," he said with a snort. "I just don't want to rack up a ton more bills after I start working and end up just as poor as I am right now. I mean, I'm already planning to get a cat, and between food and vet bills, they aren't cheap."

She waited until the two of them had stepped outside the car and were heading to the entrance to respond. "You can afford a car and a cat," she said. "Just don't begin any expensive hobbies like skydiving or a heroin addiction, and you will be fine."

Connor let out a snicker. "I heard that the heroin in Emporia is, like, really good though," he replied, to which she gave him a playful nudge. He slid his hands into his pockets as he walked, looking thoughtful. "Actually, I think I'm gonna quit drinking when I move," he remarked. "For real this time."

"Are you?" Naba didn't really know what else to say. She'd heard it before, and it never seemed to last, but still she felt a twinge of hope.

"Mmhm. It seems like a good time to do it."

"Yes, it does." She gave him a smile as he pulled open the door, and the two stepped inside.

The building was light and airy, like practically every other car dealership in America. There were no salespeople in the immediate vicinity (aside from two already helping other customers), so they mingled about, eyeing the brand new tricked-out vehicles on display in the center of the lobby.

Connor came to a halt in front of a beautiful, shiny black Chevy Malibu, crossing his arms and staring at it with an odd expression on his face. Naba winced. Connor hated black Malibus. Ever since his parents snatched his away in the process of disowning him all those years ago, he seemed to get irrationally annoyed at the mere sight of one.

She was about to suggest that perhaps they check another dealership when a balding salesman approached and asked "What can I do for you folks?" in a booming, chipper voice. Well, it would be rude to leave now.

"Hello," she said. "My friend here is wondering what sort of deals on—"

"I want this one," Connor suddenly declared. Naba turned to face him, puzzled, as he gestured toward the Malibu.

"You mean…a used version?" she asked, because she was definitely not expecting this from Connor McKinley, of all people.

Connor shook his head. "No, I want this one," he repeated adamantly, reaching forward and running his hand along the lacquered hood. "I mean, if I can afford it after you run the numbers. And obviously not this exact one, but…yeah, the same year and color, with the most basic trim and features."

The salesman nodded. "We've definitely got some of those in stock," he said. "My name's Brady, by the way. I'm happy to help you this afternoon."

"Thanks. I'm Connor," he replied. "This is my friend Naba."

"Well, it's good to meet you both. If you wanna follow me, I'll take you out to our lot and show you some of our—"

"I don't need to see any others," Connor cut him of with a pleasant smile.

Brady didn't seem fazed. "All right, then," he said cheerily. "Hang tight and I'll get a Malibu up here for you to test drive."

As soon as he'd stepped away, Naba leaned in toward Connor and whispered, "What are you doing?"

He eyed the display car for a few seconds before facing her with a satisfied smirk. "I'm getting my damn car back," he declared.

One Month Later

"Is that everything?" Kevin asked, placing the last box Connor handed him into the backseat of his car.

"It should be," Connor replied, shutting the door. "It better be; I don't know how I could fit anything else in there."

Kevin gave the car a quick once-over. "You could fit a lot more in here, actually," he observed. "Especially if you rearranged a few things."

Connor let out an over-exaggerated huff. "Do you always rub your superior packing skills in everyone's face?"

Kevin just grinned and stepped back, surveying the car's gleaming surface. "How're you liking it?" he asked.

"Hmm?"

"Your new car," Kevin clarified. "Do you like it?"

"I love it," Connor gushed. "It's been kind of a learning process, though. I mean, the first time I drove it on my own I was definitely not used to having something with brakes that work in a reasonable amount of time, so I might've hit them too early and almost got rear-ended. But I think I've got everything figured out now."

"Good to hear," Kevin replied. "I'd imagine it's probably good to know how your car works before driving it cross-country."

"Yeah, I read somewhere that it really makes the ride easier," Connor quipped with a light laugh.

The door to Naba and Arnold's balcony suddenly opened above them, and Naba poked her head out. "Are you boys almost finished with the last load?" she called.

"We are finished," Connor called back. "I think I'm ready to head out."

"Well don't leave yet. We will be right down," she said, before shutting the door. Kevin and Connor both glanced at each other and chuckled.

Kevin shifted. This was more awkward than he'd expected. "So…are you gonna miss your classmates?" he asked, because that was easier than saying are you gonna miss me?

"I already miss them," Connor replied, rubbing the back of his neck and staring out toward the rest of the parking lot. "I still can't believe I'm not a student anymore. I keep in touch with several of them, though. Diego and I text all the time."

"Has he made it to Tacoma yet?"

"He moved last week," Connor said. "He hasn't started his job yet, but he's obsessed with the area."

Kevin cleared his throat. "Are you two still…"

"No.' Connor shook his head. "That ended a while ago. No, we're just friends."

The sound of footsteps pounding down the stairs caught their attention, and they looked over as Naba, Arnold, and Brynn all joined them by the car. Arnold proudly held out a plastic grocery bag filled to the brim with goodies. "We packed you some snacks," he stated.

"Oh my gosh, you guys didn't have to do that," Connor replied.

"My dude, you're gonna be driving for a long time," Arnold said. "You need snacks!"

Connor grinned and gratefully accepted the bag. He opened up the front passenger door, lightly tossing it in the seat.

"So, uh," he began as he faced the other four. "As cheesy as it sounds, I guess this is goodbye."

"Give me a hug." Naba looked like she was trying not to cry as stepped forward and wrapped him into a tight embrace. Judging by the look on Connor's face, he wasn't doing much better. "Call me as soon as you get there, okay?"

"Of course, dear. I love you." Connor pulled away and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Call if you need anything, okay? Or if you just want to talk. I mean it."

He then turned to face Arnold, who immediately yanked him in a bone-crushing hug. When they pulled apart, Arnold shuffled his feet awkwardly.

"I put some of those good chips we found at Aldi in the snack bag," he said, staring at the ground with his hands in his pockets. "So yeah. Um, bye, I guess."

Connor laughed. "Come here," he said, gesturing towards him, and Arnold eagerly went in for another hug.

He gave Brynn a hug next, and when they separated, she offered him a small shrug.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say," she admitted. "Is this the time for words of wisdom or some bullshit like that? Don't text and drive. Take a multivitamin. Wrap it before you tap it."

"I'm gonna miss you too, Brynn," Connor replied with a grin. "Keep in touch. Let me know how law school's going, okay?"

Kevin swallowed nervously when Connor faced him. Say something, his mind screamed. But what?

He buried his face in the crook of Connor's neck and shoulder when Connor enveloped him into a hug, rubbing his hand up and down along his back. Why was this so hard? Why was there a lump in his throat? Why did Connor have to smell so damn good?

He looked into Connor's eyes—those gorgeous blue eyes—as they pulled apart. He wanted to hug him again. He wanted to kiss him. He wanted to beg for Connor not to leave, or at least to take Kevin with him.

But he couldn't do any of those things. He couldn't even say anything at all.

Fortunately, Connor seemed to understand. "Goodbye, Kev," he whispered, giving Kevin's shoulder a gentle squeeze. With one last smile in the small crowd's general direction, he turned to his car and opened up the driver's seat.

It was fine, Kevin was fine. It was 571 miles from Bloomington to Emporia, and that was perfectly fine. Because Kevin was married to Brynn now.

He reached over and took her hand in his own, acutely aware of the delicate wedding band on her finger.

As Connor started his engine, he looked up and gave them all a quick wave. Then he put the car in reverse and backed out of the spot. Kevin let out an involuntary sniff. Oh God, he wasn't about to cry, was he?"

"You'll see him again," Brynn whispered, watching as Connor drove out of the lot.

"When?" Kevin's voice cracked more than he would've liked.

"Sometime," she replied with a shrug. "You visit your parents over Christmas. He usually visits Chris and Jami then, too. It'll work out."

Kevin sure hoped so. He probably shouldn't have, but…well, he did.

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