Chapter 29 - GraduationI graduated one semester later than originally planned.
The overpass case, replacement fitting, therapy, and missed coursework had delayed me.
At first that bothered me.
Then I remembered what had actually been delayed.
Nothing important.
My mother attended in dress uniform because I asked.
Not because she wanted to.
She hated ceremonial attention almost as much as I did.
After my name was called, I walked across the stage.
Click.
Whir.
The sound disappeared beneath applause.
This time I allowed it.
Not applause because I was disabled.
Applause because I graduated.
My mother hugged me afterward.
“Proud of you.”
“For walking?”
She gave me a look.
“For the degree, smartass.”
Perfect.
Later we took photographs.
No military convoy.
No reporters.
No Wade Calder.
No legal team.
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Just family.
The story was finally becoming mine again instead of something people recognized from news clips.
