LOVE BIRDS, A NOVEL CONT'D

CHAPTER SEVEN

 THE GRADUATION

 MONDAY, OCTOBER, 16, 11:00hrs

       According to the Doctor’s prediction, Naomi and Henry were back on their feet and to Virginia too. The whole atmosphere was now scented with graduation promises from their parents. They had gone through Thomas Jefferson High together to this point, and looked forward to graduating next year. Life in school in the 11^th grade was easy going and successful for Henry and Naomi who were now fast growing into young adults. Henry had already started growing a moustache; his chest broadening and his voice deepening, and the breasts  on Naomi’s chest were now increasing in size and firmness, with her once small waist and hips getting enlarged and more conspicuous; she had begun to blossom into a young lady and was no longer mom’s little girl. Back at Henry’s home, a conversation transpired between Henry, and his brother, Rooney.

              “I am very sorry for trying to discourage you from dating Naomi. I never knew she loved you that much. I guess I was wrong about her and her feelings towards you” Rooney lamented.

             “Oh come on Rooney, we all make mistakes. I too was beginning to doubt my love for her. So come off it kid brother” Henry said as he tried talking his brother out of self-pity, and left for the sitting room, where his parents were arguing about something in a tone so low one could hardly hear let alone comprehend. They stopped as Henry walked in and Henry’s father picked up the Wall Street journal from the pile of newspapers on the side table and pretended to be engrossed in it, as Mrs. Philips asked her son to sit down.

        “Henry, honey there is something your father and I would like to talk to you about”

She said to a surprised Henry who hardly had such talks with his family.

        “Okay, what is it about? Mum, is everything alright?” Henry asked as he sat on the sofa and reached for the glass of orange juice on the side table belonging to his dad, and quickly had a sip before placing it back down on the well-finished side table.

“Well it’s about your girl friend Naomi. You didn’t tell us much about her and your relationship before the accident, and we know we haven’t been very much around like we should and so we wanted to know how serious you two are, and how much of her you know” Henry’s father started as he put down the Wall Street journal with the other newspapers on the side table, and adjusted himself to the edge of the sofa.

“Well, we are really in love with each other and as much as I know she has a sweet personality and her family is great. I really haven’t loved any girl the way I love Naomi” Henry said cheerfully.

“Did you know she had atherosclerosis, and that she could die at anytime?” Henry’s mum asked to the utter shock of both Henry and his dad, with much insensitivity in her eyes, like she didn’t care about her son’s feelings for Naomi.

“Mum! How could you say a thing like that! I know Naomi has a heart issue and I’m not willing to leave her because of that, besides, she is not going to die.

Well you can’t be sure about that, and I think you need to stop seeing her.

No, honey, that’s not right, we can’t just ask him to stop seeing her. The two are obviously in love with each other. Let’s just give them a chance, besides we agreed to a graduation party with Mr. and Mrs. Graham. For all you know, the condition may not be as fatal, and I believe with the right medications she would live with it for a long time” Henry’s father said trying to intervene.

“Philip! Listen to yourself, live with it for a long time. How long Philip? How long before our son becomes a widower shortly after marrying that girl, besides there can’t be a graduation party since they will no longer be seeing each other, and we agreed to that party before we realized the girl’s condition” Henry’s mum retorted with disgust.

Mum! Dad! Just stop it! Please. Mum, you hardly even know this girl and here you are condemning her. She could be your daughter you know, besides, who are we to pass judgment on her. Have you forgotten that the reverse could be the case here; God, my asthma may even kill me before her heart disease kills her. You should pray that we live happily and long together rather than sit here and predict the poor girl’s medical future. I am disappointed in you mum!” Henry said in an angry and sorrowful tone as he dashed into his room. His mum quickly followed.

“Baby, I am sorry for my reaction to Naomi’s health condition. I didn’t mean it that way; I was just being a protective mum with her son’s interest at heart” Mrs. Philips said to her son, who was sitting on the bed, his back reclined to the wall.

“Mum, I don’t expect you to just be a protective mum, but a sensitive one too. I mean, I also have a health condition, and only God knows how long I will live. I thought you will be in a better position to understand what Naomi was going through

“Honey, you will not die, and I’m really sorry I hurt you. I guess I was selfish and insensitive. If you truly love Naomi, I don’t have a problem with you two having an affair. As long as you are happy; your happiness is all that matters to me, baby” she said as she moved closer to her son and kissed his head, and then hugged him, with Henry withdrawing first. Thanks mum. Thanks for understanding” Henry said as he hugged his mum, after kissing her briefly on the cheek.  

          

       The following year marked the end of high school for Naomi and Henry as well as other 12^th graders of Thomas Jefferson High school. And as expected, prom night was one of the many features of graduation, the students looked forward to. Many students had already picked the right outfit for the occasion, while some were yet to buy one; and while some like Henry, already had a date for the prom, others had planned to hit the dance floor alone, spending the night all by themselves with nobody special to spend it with. At a party organized by the school for all graduating students, a male friend was chatting with Naomi, when two strange fellows called him aside. Shortly after he left, Henry came and took Naomi away. The two spent time cuddled up against each other on a bench under a tree in a solitary corner. Just then a gun shot was heard and tension saturated the air; as students ran helter-skelter, seeking refuge. The metropolitan police station was contacted and in no time the premises were surrounded by police cars and police officers, and police lines stretched across the scene of the incidence. After a short conversation between Mr. Brookes and the patrol officer, a tall intimidating dark-skinned bearded man in his late forties, he assured him that the ceremony should continue that he and his men were going to resolve the case. He also instructed some of his men to keep watch while he and the others launch an investigation into the incident. However, the whole incidence, didn’t stop the prom night from having all the fun and excitement the students anticipated. Shortly after the uproar lessened, and with police officers around, the school’s musical band steeped on stage and turned on the dancing mode of the students by performing the school’s popular pop number-‘Let’s boogie baby’. There was a lot of excitement in the air of the glowing and well-decorated auditorium well lighted up by the revolving brightly colored chandeliers with matching red, yellow, blue and green light bulbs, as the graduating students danced off the tension previously instilled by  the pandemonium. Following this was a soothing-romantic soul music sung by the band’s lead vocalist, which changed the mode of the students; as the earlier jumping and hysteric laughter were dramatically turned into the gently swaying dance movements from left to right, with the students so close to each other, an exchange of gentle whisperings and soothing romantic words, became a suitable means of communication. Off course, Henry and Naomi were not left out. Dressed in his specially fitted designer’s tuxedo that matched his black shiny glossy designer’s shoes, Henry looked very handsome and gentlemanly too. The pink silk flowery sleeveless gown Naomi wore left her looking very charming and resplendent.

         “You look ravishing tonight baby, may I have the stance” Henry said stretching out his hand to Naomi, who at the time was still trying to recover from the shock of the incidence.

          “Oh sure dear” she responded as she stepped forward, her feet clad in a beautiful gold-studded pink and white stiletto shoes. Then the two started dancing to the cool romantic tunes being played.

           “Let’s make a promise that as the sky stretches to the four corners of the earth without an end, so shall our love be; endless” Henry whispered to Naomi, as they danced, looking into her eyes with passion beaming in his.

           “It’s a promise to love each other forever, to remain faithful to each other and to preserve our virginity till we are married” Naomi added.

           “Yes my love” Henry said as he planted a soft but pretty extended kiss on Naomi’s tender lips. He refused to tell her of the encounter with his parents. The rest of the night was peaceful and fun for all the graduating students, and they finally bade each other farewell and parted with high school, to further their education in the more complex world of college. But not all of them would go to college. To some like Peter, a light-skinned skinny Canadian-American, who prefers to be called “cool Pete”, who needs college when you can be a rapper, make big money, drive  bouncy cars and live in a Hollywood mansion. His goal was to release a rap album that will top the chart for months, like the thriller did. Even though he was a talented rapper, and his parents, who though had earlier advised him to attend college, were behind him, his goals though laudable seemed unattainable. To some however, lack of good financial standing of their parents was a reason they wouldn’t make it to college.

          

      The day after, some guys suspected to have been behind the shooting and killing of Nelson, Naomi’s class mate were arrested. They had mistaken Nelson for Henry. They also testified to have been sent by Mark Blake, who happened to be the leader of the gang that attacked Henry, about a year ago. If he couldn’t have her, no one should he thought.

              “So I was the target after all” Henry said to Naomi.

              “You see baby, we are meant to be together and that’s why we have survived up to this point’ Naomi said moving her hands gently down his face. You know, I kind of have a feeling Mark Blake will be behind this. ‘Who is Mark Blake?’ ‘Honey I’m sorry I did not tell you, I didn’t think it was necessary. He was the 11^th grader I was talking with the morning you asked me to be your girlfriend. You remember? ‘Oh yes, I remember him. His father controls the New York Times printing press. You know what? He might even be the one behind an attack I had shortly before I left for New York on the summer vacations. That attack was the reason we almost broke up. It was the reason I did not tell you when I was leaving for New York, because I kind of thought you were somehow involved in it. Baby, I am really sorry I let that come between us’ Henry apologized looking into Naomi’s eyes. ‘It’s okay honey. We are together now and nothing can tear us apart. That’s all that matters’ She responded as she drew closer. They hugged, kissed lightly and left the room of Naomi’s house. Naomi and Henry had been awarded outstanding students of the year. Their names thus entered the school’s Honor’s book. They were indeed the pride of their families, and had always had the ambition of being Medical Doctors.

TO BE CONTINUED

 Copyright Lysious

Recorded Version of the Poem, SEX..wmv