Rainy Season:

Graduation came for us in 1984. I did my best to look good. I fixed up my hair, painted my nails, did my make-up, I mean the works! I looked good. Graduation was one of the top three best days of my life. We�ll get to the other two later. Back to my graduation.

4.0 and valedictorian, baby! Your grandfather did great with his own grades. 3.7, in fact. His family and I were so proud of him.

�Do I get a prize later?� he asked me the day he got his grades. I smiled and kissed him on the cheek.

�We�ll see,� I said. Jim pouted at me.

�Aww, come on baby!� he said. �Don�t tease me like that!� I gave him a little smile.

�Sorry,� I said. �That�s how it is!�

�Drat!� your grandfather mumbled. I only giggled at him.

�So, when do I get to meet your parents?� Jim asked. I remember freezing up at that question.

�What?� I asked, pretending not understand him.

�You heard me,� he said. �I want to meet your family.� I felt my body panic.

�Why?� I asked in a high-pitched voice.

�Cause,� he said.

�Cause why?� I asked. Jim dropped his shoulders.

�Oh come on, Starlette!� he said. �Are you ashamed of me?�

�Don�t do this to me.�

�Well, are you?�

�No!�

�Then, introduce me to your parents.�

I bit my lower lip. �It�s not that easy.�

Your grandfather raised an eyebrow at me. �What do you mean?�

I sighed aloud. �Well� It�s my family.�

�So, you met mine.�

�Yours is different. Mine are��

�Are what?�

I took in another breath as I bit my lower lip. I reached for his hand. �Jim they still have the old way of thinking.� Your grandfather gave me an odd look.

�What? This is the 80�s not the 60�s,� he said.

�Try telling that to them,� I said. I noticed him frowning at him.

�I�m sorry!� I wailed. �That�s just how they are!� Jim rose to his feet from the YMCA couch.

�No,� he said. �I�m sorry for expecting you to be ready to be a better person!� He stormed out of the room.

�Jimmy!� I cried as I ran after him. �Come back! Come back!�

�Don�t call me �Jimmy�!� your grandfather shouted.

�Jim!� I yelled. I chased him all the way outside. He stopped in his tracks with his back turned to me.

�What do you want?� he asked. I stopped within inches of him.

�Look,� I said. �I love you, but my parents just wouldn�t understand.�

�I don�t want to hear it!� he said. �I thought you were committed to me!�

�I am committed to you!�

�Then introduce me to your parents!�

�I can�t!�

�Why not?�

�They wouldn�t understand us!�

�Goodbye Starlette.� Jim began to walk away again. I trembled at first.

�Jim, wait!� I cried. Your grandfather paused with his back to me again.

�Now what?� he asked. I clenched my fists.

�After graduation,� I said. �I�ll introduce you to my parents after graduation.� Jim turned around to me.

�For real?� he asked. I swallowed as I nodded.

�Yes!� I said, almost shouted with red cheeks. We didn�t speak for a long time. Jim walked up to me and gently placed his forehead up against mine.

�I�ll hold you to your word,� he said. �Don�t disappoint me.� I couldn�t help but to smile at him. Now, I just had to make it through graduation and the party before I walked through the belly of the beast. Which reminded me�

�Are you coming with me to the graduation party tomorrow?� I asked. He grinned and shook his head.

�No,� he said. I frowned at him.

�Why?� I asked.

�Cause,� your grandfather said. �I�m going to another party then.�

�But what about me?� I asked.

�You�re coming too,� he said. I gave him a blank stare.

�Am I now?� I asked.

�Yeah,� he said. I forced myself to smile. Okay� Hadn�t expected this. Same thing with tomorrow night.

1984