Graduation Day

It doesn't really surprise Kirsten that it's more difficult to get her twenty-two-year-old son into a suit than it is to get her four year old daughter into a dress.

Sophie likes dressing up. She likes being a princess and she likes being told how pretty she looks in her pink frills.

Seth likes pajama bottoms.

But Kirsten won't stand for it. It's his brother's college graduation, she insists, and he cannot be dressed in sweats for family photographs. Besides, she points out, Ryan had worn a suit for Seth's graduation the week before.

"But mom," Seth argues, "Do you really think Ryan wants us looking so fancy? People will stare."

It's a half hour and three threats to cut up all of Seth's pajama bottoms before four of the Cohens, dressed and ready, pile in the care.

Ryan's meeting them there.

They arrive at a large park Berkeley's graduating class has chosen and they find the spot easily, thousands of proud parents mulling by the collapsible chairs.

They spot Ryan towards the front of the queue of graduates awaiting their entrance and Sandy pulls out his phone, dialing Paul Glass. Kirsten hears Sandy exchange pleasantries with the man, but it's obvious when Sandy gets handed over to Ryan.

The whole family is frustrated with the school's "no cellphones at graduation" policy for graduates, but they feel privileged to have an in with Paul so as to keep in touch with Ryan.

"Ryan! Hey!... You nervous?... No, it'll be over before you know it… Well, we can see you… Yeah… Ok… I'm proud of you, son… Ok, here's Seth."

Seth grabs the phone and even from hundreds of feet away, Kirsten can see Ryan's eyes rolling at his brother's ramblings.

"Yeah, man, a suit and tie… You did not wear one to mine… Whatever, she's your mom too… Anyway, I saved our Pokemon Stadium battle for later…" Kirsten shook her head; her two college-graduate sons had recently discovered Seth's Nintendo 64 in the attic and had spent the better part of their downtime playing old Pokemon games. Debate had already begun over which boy would take the console to graduate school the next year. Seth continued, "Ok, the midget's pulling my arm out because she wants to talk to you. Here she is."

The small girl smacks her brother's arm and pulls the phone from his hand, declaring, "I'm not a midget!" before turning her attention to the phone.

"Ryan!" Sophie squeals, "Ryan, Seth is so mean. Will you tell him to stop calling me 'midget?'… Yes you can. Hit him, Ryan! Then he'll listen… Ok… Ok, Ryan… Ryan, guess what I'm wearing… My new pink dress," she turns to Sandy, "Daddy, pick me up so Ryan can see me… please," Sandy chuckles and lifts the little girl, who waves frantically at her brother, "See me, Ryan I see you!... Look, Ryan, daddy's holding me!... You see me now?... Yeah?..." Kirsten taps Sophie on the shoulder and motions for the child to hand her the phone, "K, Ryan, mommy wants to talk to you… Do a good job walking up to get your explodema!... K, I love you too. Here's mommy."

Kirsten takes the phone and pats Sophie's head gently.

"Hello?" comes Ryan's voice, soft and obviously overwhelmed.

"Hi, sweetheart. How are you?"

"Nervous." She grins and watches from her seat as he raises a hand to his hair and brushes his bangs back,

"That's normal."

"Seth wasn't nervous."

"Seth's not normal."

Seth voices his protest and Sophie, Sandy, and Ryan all laugh, but Ryan pauses and Kirsten grows concerned.

"Ryan? You all right?"

"Yeah," he responds, "Yeah, I just… I don't want to be so close to the front of the line."

"Well, you've got two last names to choose from, and they're both in the beginning of the alphabet.

"I can't be Ryan Young-Zwerling?"

"Sorry, you're out of luck."

"Damn."

"Yeah."

A voice breaks through the connection and Ryan speaks up,

"Ok, Kirsten, I've got to go. They're lining us up."

"Ok. Good luck. I love you!" She grins as he responds without pause,

"I love you too. Bye."

It's about five minutes before the UC Berkeley class finally makes their entrance, and Kirsten feels herself swell with pride.

Watching Seth graduate the week before, she had been sure her heart couldn't get any fuller. No more pride, no more joy, no more love could possibly fit.

But again she's proven wrong as Ryan, clad in black robes, is paraded out and takes his seat.

Tears well in her eyes as his name is called, and his cheeks flush as the Cohens cheer louder than any other family.

An hour later, when the family has reconvened at home, both boys hold their diplomas proudly and present Sophie with a "World's Best Sister" award.

Kirsten takes a picture.

She plans to add it to their collection of portraits above the mantle.

And as her sons proudly hang their college degrees below their degrees from high school, she wonders what path she had accidentally stepped down to guide her to this moment.