shadyfiction.com - Rain, Epilogue

Epilogue
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Oh my god. I glance at the clock. FUCK.

"MOOOOM!" I scream. "Have you seen my bracelet?!"

"*I* did!" Hailie yells as she comes running in. "Here! It was in the bathroom."

"Thanks, Hai-Hai."

"DID YOU FIND IT?!" Mom screams.

"YEAH!" I yell back.

"WE'RE GONNA BE *LATE*, LADIES!" Dad hollers from downstairs. "PLANE LEAVES IN TWENTY MINUTES! WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND!"

"WE *KNOW*!" Mom and I both scream down the hall.

"WELL HURRY!" He yells up. "One of ya is pregnant, what's *your* excuse, Rayne?"

"HEY!" I scream back. "What is it, pick on Rayne day?" I mumble and put my bracelet on. I'd *die* if I lost this. Fuck- they'd *kill* me if I lost it. It's easily worth a hundred grand. It was my sweet sixteen present from Mom and Dad- diamond bracelet and it's gorgeous and only for special occasions.

And this is special all right.

"Ready, Baby?"

I turn and smile at Mom. "Well?"

"Radiant as always, Hon."

"You're not so bad yourself," I say and walk over to her. I touch her stomach softly. "And how is my little brother?" She's six months pregnant *again*. They seem to just… *she* seems to get pregnant an awful lot. Recently, anyway. Cody's three. Kylie's two and now we're waiting for Riley to be born.

"He's wonderful," she smiles. "Now let's go before your father has a coronary because he *is* old."

"HEY! I heard that!" He grumbles as he wraps his arms around her. "Look at her, Kim."

"I'm looking," she smiles as he rests his chin on her shoulder. "Did you ever think we'd have *such* an amazing daughter?"

"I'd *hoped*," he says, "But… it sure is really something wonderful to see you all garbed up, Lil."

"I feel stupid," I say, looking down. "Not as stupid as I will with the hat on though."

"Mortar board," she corrects. "Whatever the hell *that* means."

"It means we're gonna *mortify* you," I say.

"Come on," he says and I sigh. Here we go!

Graduation day.

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"I've… I only just turned eighteen. And I know I have a lot of life left. *We* have a lot of life left and it's scary right now. Sure, to some we're just your average spoiled rich kids, but… we don't need our parents or the world putting pressure on us. Each and every *one* of us puts pressure on ourselves to succeed. And each one of us *will* succeed because it's what we're meant to do.

"You all know who my parents are. It's not a secret, hasn't been for a while. But… in a very big way, you *don't* know who my parents are. You don't know because none of you have *ever* had to struggle like they did- to survive. We can't possibly understand that because we've never felt the lack of anything. And even then- with the odds stacked against them- they succeeded in having a beautiful family, a loving home, a wonderful marriage… and *none* of us can comprehend their victory.

"And that makes it harder on us. It makes it harder because we never see our own personal victories. We never see how amazing they really are, how amazing *we* really are. How lucky we are to be here, graduating when there are so many who *don't*, who can't, who aren't lucky enough. I think some of us sitting here today know this- we recognize the injustice in the world, we see what our system perpetuates. Hatred. Violence. Ignorance. Oppression. And I'm proud to be part of the solution, part of the healing power that this world needs.

"Many of us here will seek careers in politics or economics. I know some seeking technology careers or law careers. And there are some, like me, will be seeking careers in medicine. We all have a dream. Every child, no matter where he or she is, has a dream. My dream? To cure cancer. And I know, it seems impossible. They've only been trying for how many years? But… how long did someone try and stop people from dying from influenza or pneumonia? Just because something's difficult, doesn't mean it can't be done.

"Something good *always* comes from something bad. The lily always grows from the rain. And it is with *that* thought, I would like us to leave these grounds and move into the next phases of our life. We are not the good; we're simply the rain, carrying new life, new potential to help the flowers grow.

"Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?
Proving nature's laws wrong, it learned to walk without having feet.
Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air.
Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no else even cared.

"The late Tupac Shakur. Rest in peace, Mama. I *am* the rain *and* your flower."

Everyone starts cheering as I smile. Mom woulda been *soo* happy.

"Ladies and Gentleman, a congratulations to our Valedictorian Lily Rayne Fredricks-Mathers, as well as to the graduating class of 2005."

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"Oh, Lil! This is *so* wonderful!"

"Thanks, Marcie."

"RAE-RAE!" Jessie *dives* into my arms. "You're *so* pretty!" She smiles.

"Thanks!"

"Lily, this is simply wonderful! We're *so* proud of you!" Rob says, hugging me tightly.

"I'm glad you guys could come up."

"Like we'd miss this?"

"Well, you *are* three months along, so…"

"Please, if *I'm* *six* months- she can sure as hell make it at three!" Kim laughs. Everyone hugs and *damn*. This is just… surreal.

"Cody!" Jessie smiles and jumps from my arm. They tear after each other and Hailie and Whitney run after *them*. Kylie's sleeping in the stroller and Riley's sleeping in a squishy waterbed.

"Congrats, *Sissy*," Nate teases and gives me a hug.

"Thanks," I roll my eyes. He's such an incredible goof. But it's kinda cool- havin' more of a big brother really.

"LIL-RAE!"

"ETHAN!!!!!!!!" I scream and jump into his arms. He twirls me around as our lips meet. "I *missed* you. Wasn't sure if you'd come, Baby," I say softly.

"Like I'd *miss* this? Not a chance in Hell."

I smile and let him hold me. This past year has been *torture* with this long distance relationship. But… we met during our semester in Europe. But luckily, we'll both be heading to Harvard Medical in the fall and… I *really* hope things work out. I love him so much.

I mean… I loved Josh too, but… I'm *in* love with Ethan. Josh and I… we needed each other- to heal. And I still talk to him religiously. He's one of my closest friends and him and Ethan get along too. Josh and I never went farther than tongue.

But Ethan and I… we've… done more than *Dad* needs to know about. *That's* for sure.

I did tell Mom though, although she brought it up when he wanted me to visit him in New York for spring break. I started the pill after Christmas when he asked me about it *and* Mom had the embarrassing 'this is how you put on a condom' talk with me too.

"*Ethan*," Dad grumbles disapprovingly.

Yeah- I can only imagine what he would say if he knew I'm not a virgin anymore and it's Ethan's fault.

"*Marshall*," Mom warns him.

"Mr. Mathers," he says. "Mrs. Mathers."

"I *told* you not to call me that," she complains and it's… just perfect.

"Well, should we all get going to dinner then?"

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"To Lily!" Everyone says and we all clink our glasses together.

I really just… as I was writing my speech, I realized a lot.

I mean… I *knew* why they gave me away. I know they wanted *this* for me and they *never* thought they'd be able to provide it. They couldn't predict the future anymore than my mom could. Everyone's just doing the best they can with the knowledge they've got.

And now, as I sit watching them holding hands and whispering in each other's ears, taking in their family- I really just… *respect* them. They *were* in*cred*ibly strong to do what they did so *I* could have *this*. I *see* how viciously they love their children- I *feel* it. And it must have torn them apart when they walked away from me. And it *didn't* destroy them because they knew they'd done the best thing they could have for me. And I *know* I would *not* have been *here* if I'd stayed with them.

*And* I got to know the love a wonderful woman. I was able to give her some happiness when she would have been so lonely otherwise. And I guess I'm just… I'm past angry or hurt. I'm… *grate*ful.

"Rayne?" I blink.

"Sorry, what?"

Mom hands me a card. "It's… we couldn't think of what you- we're *so* proud of you Rayne, we just… didn't know what to get you that you don't already *have*, so…"

"You don't have to get me *any*thing." I mean… they're paying for *every*thing. College is gonna be like fifty thousand dollars or more for the next 10 years, really.

I open the card and *HOLY* *FUCK*.

"What- oh my- you-"

I just can't believe my eyes as I read:

A donation of ten million dollars
has been made to the
Cure for Cancer Foundation
in memory of Rebecca Anne Fredricks.

HOLY. FUCK.

"You guys- you-" Shit. I just… this is a foundation where doctors working on cures and research can receive grants. This is… god- ten *million*?! That will fund *so* much.

"And another ten when you graduate from medical school," they tell me.

Wow. This is just… "This is *soo* awesome, you guys," I say, starting to tear. They can't even imagine how meaningful this is.

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"I'm *really* glad you guys came," I whisper to Marcie as we're getting ready to leave for home.

"Lil', I have…" I inhale sharply when she holds out an envelope for me.

"Thanks," I say. I know *exactly* where I have to go…

Rob and Marcie leave for their hotel and… "Ethan?" I ask softly.

"Yeah, Babe?"

"Let's go for a drive."

"A drive?"

"Yeah," I smile, clutching the envelope in my hand.

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I sigh and lean back into his arms. He wraps his legs and arms around me and he's just… comforting. Ethan calms me a lot.

This is the first time he's *been* here. First time I've brought him here.

"You okay, Lil-Rae?"

"Yeah," I smile. "I *am*."

And he holds me as I open the envelope.

Inside, I find a really beautiful gold ring with a small red stone set on it.

These stories are for entertainment purposes only. They are completely fictitious, and the authors mean no harm to EMINEM, his family, friends, or anyone else that may have been depicted as a 'real life' character. No money was made on the fiction here, either directly or indirectly, i.e. paid advertising. In other words - it's just a bunch of shit we wrote for fun. Please don't take it seriously.