If possible, the girls were looking forward to graduation day even more. They decided that, for secrecy, the only girls in on the plan were Amy, Anna, Sarah Nelson, and Karen Price. Not that anyone would talk. Of course not; teen-aged girls don’t talk much, do they? The more people involved the more chance someone could “slip”,“ Well, I told a few people, but I told them not to say anything!” That would never happen!

The four girls rode to the stadium together, taking care to arrive just in time. That reduced waiting time. When they got there, Anna pulled Amy aside and gave her a white tablet. “Amy, I know you don’t take drugs and neither do I … usually. But desperate times … you know how it goes. This will take the edge off and make the whole affair much easier.”

“You’re sure?”

“Amy, you know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you!”

“What is it?”

“Vicodin.”

“It contains Codeine.”

“Are you OK with that?”

“Yeah, the doctor gave me a script once when I sprained my ankle.”

“Good! So we know you’re not allergic to it. It didn’t knock you out or anything did it?”

“No, it made the pain go away and made me feel good!”

“Good, just don’t get to feeling too good and do something crazy!”

“I won’t. Don’t worry!” Amy found a water fountain and took the pill.

The four girls headed into the stadium. Anna had always been the leader as usual. She advised, “Let’s stick together as long as possible.”

A self-imagined ladies’ man, Butch Brennan attempted to block their way to impress them with his clever chatter. He found it was kind of like trying to block a flow of water. “Hey, girls, wait! What’s the hurry?” He spotted Amy and his eyes widened. “Hey, do we have a new girl? What’s your name babe?”

“I can’t be very new if I’m graduating, can I? Instead of worrying about my name, you better check and make sure your name is on the list of graduates or you might be leaving here empty-handed!”

The girls kept moving, unappreciative of this gift from God. He called out, “Catch ya’ later, babe!”

“It’s sad,” Anna commented. “He thinks he’s irresistible!”

“Based on personal research, I think every boy at school with very few exceptions has a similar opinion of himself,” Amy added.

The girls found their places. Amy couldn’t believe her luck. On one side, her neighbor was a “goth” girl, whose entire conversation consisted of, “Hey.”

On her other side was an obviously very religious girl dressed in long sleeves, a skirt down to her ankles, and her long hair done up in a bun. She had on not one spot of makeup and she sat meekly with her knees and ankles together. She seemed to find Amy interesting but tried not to show it.

Amy saw that the other members of her team were in place, so she settled in to endure the introductions and speeches. The medicine Anna gave her started to kick in, and Amy thought, “No wonder people get hooked.” She thought of a plan. “When they hand me my diploma, I’ll turn to the audience and say, ‘Fellow students, teachers, administrators, and other concerned persons, I want to introduce myself. I am the former ‘Avery Lynn Parks’, but I have decided to become a female and will hence be known as ‘Amy Lauren Parks’. Thank you and good day.’” She smiled to herself and thought, “Wow, this better be the last time I take this medicine.”

The countdown had started with, Paul Henry Aaron. Amy began to wonder if she could do this. “You don’t have a choice, so just do it!” she told herself.

“Sarah LeeAnn Nelson”, the announcer called. The first of Amy’s group! Amy took a deep breath. Just one “Oliver”, one “Parker”, then … showtime!

“Lisa Mae Parker.” Amy watched the goth girl defiantly walk up to the stage. Amy was next.

She was near tears. She closed her eyes and whispered, “I can’t do this!”

Then, she heard her dad’s voice as clearly as if he were standing next to her, “Go your own way, my beautiful daughter.” She quickly opened her eyes and looked around. It was so real! She had heard her dad’s voice!

“Avery Lynn Parks.”

Amy smiled and stood. “Here I go, Daddy!” She walked proudly up to and across the stage, received her diploma, and shook hands with the principal. As she walked toward the stage exit, she looked to the sky, blew a kiss straight up into the air, and said, “I love you, Daddy!” She had done it, and her dad was there when she needed him!

The crowd applauded. Very few knew the whole story, but her actions made clear the sentiment behind her words and actions.
”
“Misty Kay Patterson.” All eyes (almost) now turned to the meek little Christian girl as Amy walked confidently to her seat. She sat back to “chill”.

The four co-conspirators found each other with relative ease and were able to get to the car and begin and exit before the traffic jam.

“We did it,” Anna exclaimed. “How was it, Amy? You didn’t look nervous at all!”

“For a while, I didn’t think I would make it, but I got some unexpected help.”

“The medicine helped!”

“It helped some, but I was talking about someone who gave me some words of encouragement.”

“Oh, who was that?”

“My dad!”

“What?”

“Just when I was at my lowest point, I heard my dad say, ‘Go your own way, my beautiful daughter.”

“Wow!”

“It wasn’t my imagination! I heard him as if he were standing right next to me. That’s why I was so confident when I walked up on the stage.”

“Amy’s dad was an amazing man,” Anna told the other two girls. “I wish I had got to know him better.”

Amy continued, “If y’all want to have a party or something, please just drop me off at my house. I’m gonna get my mom to take me to visit my dad.”

“Ok,” Anna said. “I would offer to go with you, but I’m sure you’d rather go alone. Always remember, we’re your friends and we’ll be there if you need support.”

“Thanks, y’all.”

Anna pulled into Amy’s driveway. Amy smiled. “Y’all celebrate, but don’t have too much fun.”

“Tell your dad we said ‘hi’.”

“I will. Thanks again for everything.”

She walked into the kitchen. Her mom reached out her arms and Amy went in to get a congratulatory hug.

“Honey, you were amazing. You walked out there like you owned the place! Was that an act? Were you actually nervous?”

“Mom, I wasn’t nervous at all. Well, I was for a while, but I got words of encouragement from a man who loves me unconditionally!”

“Now, who would that be? I’d like to meet him. He must be wonderful!”

“It was Dad!”

Katie froze with wide eyes and open mouth.

“Mom, are you OK?”

“Yes … I’m …. Oh, Amy … tell me …. Did you see him?”

“No, I had my eyes closed as they got closer to my name on the list. I had just told myself that I couldn’t walk up on the stage and get my diploma, but he spoke to me as plain as if he were right next to me. He said, ‘Go your own way, my beautiful daughter,’ just like he said that last night at the hospital. When he spoke, I suddenly gained confidence that I couldn’t have gotten from anyone else.”

“That’s why you blew him a kiss and told him ‘I love you’ after you got your diploma! Amy, your father was a blessing to us. Actually he is a blessing, even now. Often when someone dies, the most frequent regret of family and friends is ‘I didn’t say I love you often enough. Even though I told your dad I loved him many times, I’m not sure it was enough. He was such a selfless, giving man I …” her voice broke. “I’m at a loss for words. I’ll just say, ‘Follow his example of loving, caring, and giving. This is the way to honor his memory.’ Now, he’s coming back to encourage you when you need it desperately. That’s got to be the ultimate case of ‘going above and beyond the call of duty!”

“That’s my dad!”

“So, graduation is over. Your friends are celebrating?”

“Yes, ma’am, they’re going somewhere to celebrate, but I’d like to go visit Dad. Would you take me to the cemetery?”

“Of course! That’s a wonderful idea! I think that you going there today seems like exactly what his daughter would do. Let’s go down there now. Are you ready?”

“I’m ready! I want to show him my diploma and my dress.”

So Katie Parks and Amy Parks (still in her slinky mini-dress with sequins) left to go visit John Houston Parks; family man, patriot, a man of character, a man whose departure left the world just a little poorer and a little less loving. The world wouldn’t notice. He left, however, a son (now a daughter) in whom he had tried to instill these traits, and a son who would hopefully instill these traits into his progeny

Amy stood holding her mom’s hand for a little, then she knelt next to her dad’s headstone and prayed. “God, I thank you for my dad. Even though you had to bring him to You, I thank you for the time we had with him. I was blessed to have him as my dad, and I promise to continue the loving, caring, and giving that he embodied. Be with me, Lord, and help me keep this vow. Amen.”

Amy and her mom held hands as they walked back to the car. Near the horizon, dark clouds separated, allowing the sun to shine through brightly.

The End