Nighttime Is My Time

Epilogue

West Point, Graduation Day

“I can't believe it's been over two and a half years since Meredith came back into my life," Jean told Mark. Her eyes shining with pride, she watched as the graduates marched onto the field, splendid in their formal dress uniforms: gray cutaway jackets with bright gold buttons, starched white pants, white gloves, and hats.

"An awful lot has happened in that time," he agreed.

It was a magnificent morning in June. Michie stadium was filled with the proud families of the cadets. Charles and Gano Buckley were sitting directly in front of them. On Jean's other side, retired General and Mrs. Carroll Reed Thornton watched as the granddaughter they had come to adore passed by.

So much good has come after so much pain, Jean thought. She and Mark had just celebrated their second wedding anniversary and the first birthday of their baby son, Mark Dennis. Mothering her baby, sharing with him all the wonderful moments unfolding in his life, was softening the pain of not having been able to take care of Meredith. Meredith was crazy about her little brother, even though, as she had laughingly pointed out, she wouldn't be available for much baby-sitting. When the ceremony was over, she would be a second lieutenant in the United States Army.

She and Jake were little Mark's godparents. Jake's pleasure in the honor was expressed in the barrage of articles on baby care that he was constantly sending them from Columbia University, where he was now a student.

Sam and Alice were seated a few rows away. I'm so glad they ended up together, Jean thought. It's been wonderful for both of them.

Sometimes Jean had nightmares about the horror of that reunion week. But she often reflected that those circumstances had brought her and Mark together. And if she had never gotten those faxes, she might never have known Meredith.

It all began here at West Point, she thought, as the first notes of "The Star Spangled Banner" were sounded by the band.

Throughout the ceremony, her mind kept going back to the spring afternoon when Reed first sat down beside her on the bench and began to talk to her. He was my first love, she thought tenderly. He'll always be in my heart. Then, as Cadet Meredith Buckley's name was called to receive the West Point diploma that Reed had not lived long enough to accept, Jean was certain that somehow he was here with them today.