Page 1 of Endless
One
MARIPOSA
“Congratulations,DoctorMariposa Wilder!"
The smile on my face stretched into a joyful grin as I walked across the stage. I was excited for the diploma I was about to receive, certainly. But my joy was primarily due to the shouts and cheers from my family in the audience.
Jandro and Gunner were the loudest, naturally. They hooted and hollered with their best attempts to embarrass me, which made everyone in attendance laugh uproariously.
All four of my husbands stood in the front row. My parents, Reaper's parents, Noelle, Larkan, their two children, plus our closest friends in and out of the SDMC, took up the seats next to and behind my men. All of them stood, clapping and cheering. For a moment, I felt bad for the people sitting farther back, here to support the other graduates.
But nothing sent my heart soaring higher than my twin five-year-olds shouting, "Doctor Mommy!" from atop their fathers' shoulders.
Our daughter, Aurora May, sat on Gunner's shoulders. She was his spitting image, from the mass of golden curls to her permanent smile and daredevil personality. Her eyes were green instead of blue, however, which made me wonder if Reaper's DNA played any part in creating her. It wasn't possible, in the strictly scientific sense. But her fathers and I had saved this territory from the impossible years ago, so I wasn't about to completely rule it out.
Our son, Daren Javier, watched me from Shadow's shoulders. He couldn't be more different from Aurora, to the point where some couldn’t believe they shared a womb. Daren was all quietness and observation to Aurora's sunshiny boisterousness. His hair and eyes were dark, lips always pressed together like he was deep in thought.
Except for now. He and his sister smiled and screamed in excitement as I accepted my diploma from Dr. Brooks.
"Congratulations, Mari." Dr. Brooks beamed as he shook my hand and pulled me close for a kiss on the cheek. "So proud of you, Doctor."
"Thank you," I whispered back through elated tears, wrapping my friend and mentor in a hug. "Couldn't have done it without you."
"Nah." He pulled away to grin at me. "You were a doctor from the very beginning."
I returned to my seat to let the ceremony continue. We were the first medical school graduates of Four Corners, a small class of twelve. Five of us were women. It had been a rigorous training program, and next year's graduating class was already double the size. Most of my class already had jobs lined up in nearby territories or here in Four Corners.
Our little home was growing faster than construction crews could keep up with. People felt safe enough to start having children, and more families migrated here every day.
Already I was excited for more patients to care for, friends for my children to play with. I still woke up some mornings, sandwiched between all of my husbands, and pinched myself. Or I started looking for my battle medic jumpsuit before remembering we no longer had a war to fight. Only much to celebrate.
My family waited for me at the side of the stage once the ceremony was over. The twins hugged my legs while their fathers smothered me in kisses. I lifted Aurora, who we nicknamed Rori, much to Reaper's dismay, into my arms, while someone else shoved a bouquet of flowers into the crook of my free arm.
"Mommy, I made you this!" Rori shoved a construction paper drawing in my face. It looked like me in my white doctor's coat, with DOCTOR MOMMY in her crayon scrawl right above it.
"Thank you, sweetie! I love it so much." I kissed her while tucking the drawing into my bouquet. "Where did everyone go?" I looked over her mass of curls to see only my husbands standing around, the auditorium cleared of everyone else.
"They went to the house to finish setting up," Jandro answered, now holding Daren against his side.
"Setting up what?"
Reaper laughed in answer. "You didn't think we'd pass up throwing a graduation party, did you?" Rori held her arms out to him, so I passed her over and he hoisted her against his side with a groan. "I got you, sugar cube."
"We just had a party," I reminded him.
"That was for completing your finals," Gunner said. "And it was like a month ago, so we were due for another one anyway."
I laughed. "It was three weeks ago!"
"You deserve another party, regardless." Shadow's hand rested on my waist, turning me toward him for a kiss. "We're so proud of you, lover."
I leaned into him, melting against his solid body. Aside from the war, medical school had been one of the toughest, most grueling experiences of my life. He and the others supporting me had made all the difference in the world.
"I have the best family that helped me get here." I held my arms out to Jandro so I could take Daren from him.
"Is there cake at home?" Daren asked me with adorable seriousness.
"Yes, son." Gunner leaned down and kissed the top of his head. "Auntie Tess and Andrea made a cake."
