Chapter 656 - Graduation ceremony begins

~ Fairfield, Aiden's apartment ~

Early next morning, both Sarah's and Aiden's phones were ringing at the same time. Two of them grumpily reached to see who it is and were surprised to see that Elanor and Stella are calling them.

Sarah picked up first: "Mom?"

Aiden's phone stopped ringing as soon as Sarah took her call.

Stella's impatient voice came from the phone: "Open! Open! Do you know how long we are standing in the hallway?"

Sarah stared at her phone for some time before she glanced at Aiden and scrambled out of the bed to check the front door. To her surprise she found there Stella, Edward, Elanor and Oscar. They came with pastries and coffee for everyone.

Stella and Elanor were chatting cheerfully while glancing around the apartment.

Aiden was standing at the door of the bedroom with a helpless look on his face. Sarah joined him and two of them watched their parents take over the apartment.

Stella went to the kitchen to get plates. Edward came from the kitchen with paper towels. Elanor arranged breakfast in portions for six. Oscar went to the second bedroom carrying large garment bags, which only means that their parents are planning to go to the graduation ceremony straight from here!

Oscar and Edward took their coffee and went to sit on the balcony. Two of them discussed current state of the stock market.

"Come! Breakfast!", Stella called Sarah and Aiden to join them.

Aiden put his arm around Sarah's shoulders and pulled her back into the bedroom.

"Where are you two going?", Elanor frowned.

"Back to sleep.", Aiden mumbled.

"It's a big day, you need to get ready!", Stella exclaimed.

"It's not even seven in the morning…", Sarah grumbled before Aiden closed the door behind them.

"These two kids like to sleep in more than anything…" Elanor commented and Stella agreed with her.

Aiden and Sarah just settled back under the cover when Sarah's phone rang again.

"What!??", Sarah grumpily answered, thinking that it's Stella.

There was sound of sniffles from the phone. Sarah checked caller ID and saw that it's JoAnna.

"Anna? What's going on?" Sarah sat up abruptly in the bed.

JoAnna responded with a heavy nasal voice: "Sorry, baby sis… we can't come. We are both sick…" She sneezed.

"Oh… Bless you… How come you are sick?"

JoAnna sniffled before responding. "I don't know. But both Jeff and I are down. It was light shivers last night, and we woke up this morning like this… it's horrible… so we can't come. I'm really sorry… we will watch the recording later." JoAnna sneezed one more time and the call disconnected.

Sarah looked at Aiden and met his curious gaze. "Anna and Jeff are sick. They are not coming."

They heard lively voices of their mothers coming from the living room.

Aiden sighed. "On the bright side, our parents are getting along well."

Sarah listened Elanor and Stella laugh while talking, and faintly she can hear Edward and Oscar chatting. "Yeah… maybe too well. Do you think it might be a trap?"

"What kind of a trap?"

"I don't know… but something seems off."

Aiden laughed. "The most my mom would do is to push us to give her a grandchild."

"Stella would not approve." Sarah shook her head. "Both Stella and Edward brainwashed us with a mantra: first school, then work, and then love. Which means that we need to finish education, and secure stable finances before starting a family."

Aiden was entertained that Sarah doesn't realize how her words relate to their situation. He reminded her: "Our graduation ceremony is today, and we have jobs…"

Sarah looked at him and squinted while thinking about it. It is true… after today, the education part if off the list… she does not plan to enroll into postgraduate studies… and she has a job for a while already. Is her mother really thinking of grandkids? From her? Sophia is pregnant… and she is still young… Sarah shook her head, trying to remove those thoughts.

She looked at Aiden who was smirking at her. "Stop messing with me! Since we are both awake, let's get ready and join them for breakfast."

~ Fairfield, Tesla University ~

(10:53 AM)

It's lively in the open amphitheater of Tesla University.

Stage is set. Dean, Trustees and Faculty members are seated on the stage, behind a podium.

Below stage are chairs filled up with graduates who are all wearing black robes with teal stripes on the sleeves and black graduation hats with teal tassels.

In the back is seating for friends and family members of graduates.

Above stage, one drone is soundlessly hovering. Drone is controlled by Eve and is recording and streaming video which Sophia and Felix can watch from New York and JoAnna and Jeff can watch from Las Vegas.

Graduates are seated based on their ranking, so Sarah and Aiden are seated in the front row with other top students.

Sarah is happy that she is in first row. That means that she does not need to see anyone, and she can just focus on the stage. She is here only because Aiden is here, and he is the Valedictorian. If not for him, she would not attend this ceremony, probably. Two of them are holding hands and waiting for the ceremony to begin.

Sarah glanced at the rolled paper in Aiden's hand. It's an outline of his speech. He didn't want to show it in advance for some reason, which made her very curious, but she was not successful in taking a peek.

She remembers asking him what the big deal is, since he had to submit his speech to the faculty in advance for approval, but he only smiled and didn't respond.

Sarah is excited to hear his speech for this occasion. Knowing him, it will be perfect.

Program started with an address from the Dean, then few faculty members spoke few minutes each before they called Aiden to come forward. They introduced him as a Valedictorian and stepped back, giving him space at the podium to give his speech.

Aiden stood behind the podium and looked at Sarah with a lingering smile on his face.

Sarah thought how only her Greek God can look handsome in that oversized graduation robe and a silly hat with a dangling tassel.