Our New Normal

  “We can’t thank you enough, either, Mr. Thompson,” Tori said.

  “Without you, we would have never gotten this far,” Chloe agreed.

  “It would’ve taken me much longer to get on my feet without your assistance through here and the Center,” Tori added. “Knowing that there was an authority figure on my side got me by on some of the harder days, and we wouldn’t have been able to go to the prom without your help.”

  Randy smiled as he hugged them both. “The honor’s all mine. I hope that the real world is kinder to you.”

  * * *

  The sun was shining above, and a cool breeze swept through the huddled masses. The robes were hot in the direct sunlight, and everyone’s hair was matted and sweaty under their caps. Tori was glad that she only had on shorts and a tank top on underneath her robe; she wasn’t as overheated as some of her classmates. Her hair was divided into braids on either side of her head, and the part allowed for a touch of ventilation under the cap. She squinted, unable to shield her eyes from the sun, as she waited for the ceremony to end.

  Diploma distribution soon commenced. Tori’s heart thumped in her chest as she ignored a wave of nervous nausea. She thought that the time would never come, and she released the tension with loud cheers each time one of her friends made their way on stage.

  After several minutes, the names had been called, and silence filled the football field as the superintendent made her way to the podium.

  “I would proudly like to welcome all of you to the newest graduating class of Pittsburgh High School!” she declared as a torrent of caps flew into the air.

  Chloe sprang from her chair and quickly found Tori. She picked her up and spun her in the air as they kissed. Their friends soon found them in the crowd, and they all gathered in a group hug and congratulated each other on being done at last. Cynthia and their friends’ parents also rushed over from the stands, hugging and taking pictures of the graduates.

  As she posed for another picture, her arms extended around the shoulders of Chloe and Mark, Tori noticed a familiar flash of blonde and gray hair from the entrance. She made eye contact with her mother this time, and her stomach dropped into her feet. Her mother nodded in acknowledgment, leaving the bleachers and making her way to the exit.

  Tori excused herself and rushed to the exit. “Mom!” she called, trying to catch up with her.

  Gwendolyn spun around, her eyes bloodshot and puffy. “Victoria,” she muttered.

  “What are you doing here?” Tori demanded.

  Gwendolyn exhaled sadly. “I wanted…no, needed…to see my daughter graduate,” she replied. “Even though I don’t approve of your lifestyle, I couldn’t bear to not see you get your diploma.”

  “I saw you at prom, too,” Tori noted.

  Gwendolyn nodded, tears streaming down her face. “You looked beautiful, Victoria. Like a princess.”

  Tori flushed as tears sprang to her eyes. “Thank you, mom,” she said, her inner child wishing that she could run over to her mother and wrap her arms around her in a tight squeeze.

  Chloe walked over, her face plastered with rage and ready for a fight. Tori had been upset after seeing her mom at prom, and the last thing Chloe wanted was for Mrs. Reynolds to ruin Tori’s graduation day after she’d worked so hard to get there. “Is everything okay, Tori?” she demanded, a razor’s edge in her voice as she glared at Gwendolyn.

  Tori nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. “Yes,” she replied, sniffling. “Mom wanted to see me graduate.”

  Gwendolyn glanced at Chloe, struggling to stifle a grimace. “Is this your…your…g-girlfriend, Victoria?”

  Tori put her arm around Chloe’s arm, her face filled with pride. “Yes, mom. This is Chloe.”

  Gwendolyn made brief eye contact with Chloe and nodded. “Thank you for taking care of my daughter.”

  Chloe snorted. “Yeah, well, my mother and I didn’t have much choice, did we? It was either that or let your daughter live on the streets.”

  Tori frowned, internally struggling on how to react. She wanted to ask Chloe not to start trouble, but her mother also deserved it.

  Gwendolyn frowned. “I know,” she muttered.

  “How much trouble did you get into for giving me that money?” Tori inquired.

  Gwendolyn winced. “Things are still pretty tense,” she replied. “I just couldn’t let you leave with nothing, though. Someday, I’ll hope he’ll understand.” She sighed. “You’re still my daughter, Victoria, even if we don’t see eye-to-eye. I’m glad that you had somewhere safe to go, and I’m proud of you for taking care of yourself.”

  Tears erupted from Tori’s eyes and streamed down her cheeks. “Thank you.”

  After a brief, awkward silence, Gwendolyn shuffled nervously. “Um, I should go,” she muttered as she pulled her keys from her purse. “Your father and I are going to go away for a while, but maybe we can have dinner once I come back? I don’t think your father will join us any time soon, but if you’d like to go somewhere, just the two of us, someday…”

  Tori and Chloe glanced at each other skeptically. “I’ll think about it,” Tori finally managed.

  Gwendolyn nodded, wanting desperately to hug her daughter. After everything that they had been through, though, she knew it would be a while—if ever—before that happened again. “Please take care, Tori.”

  Tori smiled weakly, squeezing Chloe’s shoulder. “I will,” she said as she watched her mother walk away.

  Chloe kissed Tori on the cheek. “You okay?”

  Tori watched her mother drive away until her car turned a corner and was no longer visible. “I will be,” she replied. She turned to Chloe and smiled. “Let’s get back; we have celebrating to do!”

  Chloe nodded. They headed back to the field, their fingers entwined as they rejoined their friends.