February Sucks: Graduation Ceremony

All characters engaging in sexual activities are 18 years of age or older.

Any spelling or grammar mistakes are of my own doing.

This is a quick story, that was requested by a reader.

I love reading all the February Sucks alternate endings.

Keep them coming people.

STORY BEGINS HERE.

Linda stood just inside the gymnasium door, watching the graduation ceremony. Her daughter Emma was getting her college degree. She was so proud of her kids. She also knew that she'd probably never see them again. Keeping those horrible thoughts in the back of her mind, she just smiled and listened to the speeches, by school administrators and guest speakers. Letting her eyes wander a bit, she saw Jim sitting in the second row of bleachers. His parents in the front row, with her own parents right next to them.

Pain tugged at her heart. Emma had told her not to attend the ceremony. Luckily, she had found a mother who felt bad for her, and she'd snuck Linda in.

"I know what you did, and while I think you're disgusting, no mother should miss a moment like this. Stay close to the door, just in case you need to make a beeline outta here." the lady said giving her a small hug, and leaving quickly.

"It should be me over there." Linda whispered to herself.

Life after her night with Marc turned into a nightmare, that she never even considered possible. When she got home the next day, she called out to Jim. She thought that'd she have to beg, grovel, and do all kinds of sexual things for him, to make up for what she'd done. Walking into her living room, she saw her mother, her father, their pastor, their attorney, and two police officers waiting for her. Fearing that something had happened to her kids, she asked if Tommy and Emma were OK.

"Our grandkids are fine. They're with their father. There aren't words in the English language to describe my disgust and disappointment Linda Marie." her father said.

"Why are the police and Bill here?" she asked scared.

"Linda Carlise, you are to vacate the premises...." Bill starting speaking.

"This is my house too, and I'm not leaving." Linda said loudly.

Linda saw her mother start crying. As she took a few steps towards her, her father stood up and told her to shut up and listen to Bill. Stopping dead in her tracks, she looked over to Bill. Once they made eye contact, he started up again.

"As per the prenuptial agreement, you are hereby ordered to vacate the premises. These police officers are here to insure that you take only, seven days' worth of clothing, seven pairs of earrings, seven necklaces, and...."

Linda felt her legs give out and her body crumple to the floor. Tears falling from her face. She has vague memories after that. She knows that she was watched as she packed her suitcases, as the two officers watched her every move. She remembers the pastor praying with her and her family, when she got downstairs.

The divorce ended up being a media spectacle. TV reporters, fans of the team, activists from all different groups and foundations, even people they knew, lined up outside the courthouse. It got so bad, that everyone had to be brought in through an alleyway entrance. She was horrified to find out that Marc had been sending little videos of their night together to Jim on her cell phone. Linda had instructed her attorney to stall the proceedings as much as possible, in hopes of getting Jim to meet with her. She thought that if she could talk to Jim alone, she could convince him that she was sorry and that they could work it all out. Together as a family.

Marc was so smug, arrogant, and uncooperative on the stand, that the family court judge had him thrown in jail overnight. When he appeared the following day, he was sporting a fresh black eye and a mask on his face from a broken nose. His attitude had changed as well. He was polite and remorseful for his part in the breakup of a family. Or so he said.

At the end of it all, Jim was given sole custody of the children. She had supervised visits with a child protective services representative present at all times. The judge also ordered parenting classes for her and psychological treatment. Once the psychologist signed off that Linda could be trusted not to run off again, she would be granted child visitation, two weekends a month. The prenup was fully enforced. Since the house belonged to Jim before they were married, Linda had to move out and back in with her parents. She was also given only thirty percent of the martial assets.

Linda stayed with her parents for three months after the divorced. That all changed one day, when her father came home, and he was all beat up. Some guys at the golf club were giving him hell about his "slut daughter" and how "she probably got it from her mother." Her father had no choice but to defend his family, and he paid for it by being jumped by three guys.

Needing the money to move out, Linda put "feelers out" about selling her story. Not wanting anymore bad publicity, Marc's attorneys got ahold of her, and offered her a large sum of money to not speak publicly and sign a non-disclosure agreement. Since his offer of over a million dollars was higher than any of the TV networks or publishing companies, she took it. Through her divorce attorney, she was able to find a different job two towns over, so she made the move.

As Tommy and Emma got older, they became more and more distant from Linda. On their weekend visits, they'd sit in their rooms and barely talk to their mother about their what was going on at school or in their lives.

Her parents had told her that Tommy had been suspended a few times for fighting. Kids teasing him and his siter for having a slut mother. Only one time did any of the kids say anything bad about Jim. It happened at lunch, and Tommy put a fork through the other boys hand. Emma decided to put her nose to the grindstone and focus on her school work.

Linda was snapped out of her remembrance by a big applause. There were a few people standing in front of her now. She couldn't see what was going on. As she went to tap one of them on the shoulder, she felt something sharp in her lower back.

"You weren't invited, so why are you here?" Tommy asked.

"I..... I..... a mother shouldn't miss seeing her child graduate from college." Linda stammered.

"You stopped being our mother, the moment you fucked another man and broke our family up."

Linda could feel the venom from his words. Whatever was sticking in her lower back, it hadn't moved.

"How'd you get a knife into the gym?" she asked her son.

"Don't you worry about me in any way, shape, or form mother."

"You have to forgive me someday Tommy."

"How did you become so cold?" Linda asked her son.

"I learned by watching you. You dragged dad through a painful and public divorce. Because of you, our lives were a living hell..... well until last year."

"What happened last year?"

"Shelly Harter happened."

"My cousin Shelly?" Linda asked with confusion and a bit of apprehension.

"Dad's been banging her like a big bass drum."

"That's absurd, she not even out of college."

"She's thirty years old mom."

"She can't be that old. I would've known."

"Stinky, step aside please." Tommy said.

The man standing directly in front of Linda turned sideways. There standing at the podium was Shelly. For the first time since Tommy had stepped behind her, she heard words other than his or hers.

"It is with great pride that I introduce your Summa Cum Laude student speaker, and my future daughter, Emma Carlise."

Linda felt her breath catch in her chest. At the same time, she heard Tommy chuckle. Looking over to where Jim, his parents, and her parents were sitting. She saw them clapping and hugging each other. She felt a sense of betrayal by her parents. How can they be OK with this? They'd never mentioned anything to her about Shelly and Jim, when they had dinner together every other Sunday. Emma and Shelly embraced in a tight hug, then Emma stepped to the podium.

"I'm not going to stand up here and give a long rambling speech. We all have a long afternoon and evening of pictures to be taken, and dinners to eat ahead of us."

That line got a nice chuckle from the graduates and audience.

"Most everyone here knows my story, so I'll not go into it. I'll just say that I'm standing here before all of my fellow graduates and friends, because of my wonderful father Jim."

Linda saw Emma point to her father, then a loud round of applause with some a few voices saying Jim's name over and over, like a chant.

"He's taught not just my brother and myself, but he's also taught many of you, that no matter what obstacles life throws in your way, through strength, dedication, hard work, honesty, and devotion to family, you can overcome and achieve anything you set your heart and mind to."

Another round of applause, as Jim blew a kiss up to Emma.

"To my mother."

Linda felt warm and happiness, hearing Emma mention her name. Her moment was quickly drowned out, with the overwhelming loud chorus of boo's that rang through the auditorium.

"Whether you've snuck in here or are watching through our university's live stream. I am forever grateful for the most important lesson that you've taught me. That is to never take those I love for granted.

Linda felt her whole body drain of color. Her stomach knotted up.

"See mother, you are still teaching us life lessons." Tommy said to Linda.

"Well, at least you've all learned something from the biggest mistake of my life." she said to her son.

"Oh please. The only thing you regret is the consequences of selfish actions. You never once apologized for what you did. Only the pain that it's caused."

Linda had enough. She quickly turned around and took a step backwards. There was her handsome son Tommy, wearing a policeman's uniform. Before she could say a word.

"You're trespassing ma'am. Turn around please." he said to Linda.

"Damn, you really are ruthless." Stinky said with a smile.

Linda watched as Stinky nudged the guy that was standing next to him. A big smile crept across his face.

"You got Dave on domestic violence. Dee on prostitution. Phil on DUI. Jane on assaulting a peace officer, and now your own mother on trespassing."

"You can't be serious Tommy. I'm your mother. This is absurd." Linda said loudly.

Tommy marched Linda down a side hallway along the auditorium with her hands behind her back. She was quiet. Repeating over and over inside her own head, that she couldn't believe this was happening. How much hatred and disdain her own children must have for her.

As they were approaching the side entrance, the Chief of Police and the President of the University stepped out and blocked their way.

"Miss Carlisle, this day is supposed to be about the young men and women graduating today. A culmination of years of hard work and dedication." the university president said.

"I just wanted to see Emma graduate is all. I stayed in the back, where nobody saw me." Linda replied.

"Northwestern is a private university. Emma told you directly, not to attend. Now thanks to your selfishness, the headlines on every website is going to read, Football star's mistress crashing graduation ceremony."

"I'm not his mistress. It was a one time mistake." Linda said strongly.

"Your daughter Emma has graduated with a bachelor's degree in Secondary Teaching and Biological Sciences. She accomplished an incredible feat. Double majoring at one of the best universities in the world, is very hard and rare. She has succeeded where almost everyone fails. Now that you know, you will be kindly escorted off the premises and to a jail cell, where people like you belong. Good day."

The president walked away back through the auditorium doors. The chief of police stared at Linda, who was sobbing, then looked up at Tommy.

"Looks like Tommy Two-Birds strikes again. Book her."