Note: This is the final chapter of this series. When you read the ending, please picture a 60s or 70s TV sitcom ending (the freeze frame as the characters laugh over dramatically while the cheesy laugh track plays in the background). I have some notes on a possible follow-up, A Not Quite So Brady Sequel, but no timeline for writing it as I have a couple other stories to work on.
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Another week started and Carol was traveling again. Mike had the boys, but with Emma to help, it was no longer quite the chaos it had been in the past. Carol didn't have to make up meals for the week anymore, as Emma was becoming a pretty good cook. The boys would text her requests the week before they came over, and Emma and Carol would plan the week's meals and shop over the weekend before. The biggest challenge was always transportation, but they made it work.
On Thursday, Mike got everyone to school and then went to the office. About eleven, his assistant buzzed him during a meeting and told him that he had a call from Emma's school. He excused himself and went back to his office to take the call. It was Mr. Osgood; the headmaster of the school and he asked Mike if he could come down to the school for a meeting concerning Emma.
Mike went numb and was nearly panicking. Had someone found out about what was going on at home? Had Emma told someone? So many things flashed through his mind, none of them good. He texted Carol and let her know he had been summoned to the school; he'd let her know when he knew mor. His heart pounded as he drove the fifteen minutes to the school, parking in the visitor's area next to the building. He was half expecting to see police cars in the parking lot and was relieved when he didn't. He entered through the visitor's entrance and headed straight for the main office.
The office secretary smiled, recognizing him and after he signed in, led him back to the headmaster's office. When Mike walked in, he saw Emma sitting in one of the chairs in front of his desk, looking extremely nervous. For the first few months Emma was at the school, this was not an unusual occurrence, but when he or Carol had arrived then, Emma was usually sitting with a defiant and angry look on her face. She looked up at him with a look that said, "I don't know what this is about." The headmaster walked over and shook his hand, saying, "Thank you for coming by so quickly, Mr. Johnson."
"Of course, Mr. Osgood," Mike responded blankly, "Is there a problem?"
The headmaster continued, "Unfortunately, Emma tells me that Mrs. Johnson is out of town and can't be here, but I received something in the mail today and felt it was important enough to ask you to come down here immediately." He slipped on his reading glasses and picked a letter up from the blotter on his desk and began to read,
"To Miss Emma Peters. Miss Peters, we have reviewed your application for enrollment in our Nursing Program. After a careful and thorough review of your academic progress, in person interview and recommendations of faculty members, we would like to offer you enrollment in the program for the fall term. This offer is contingent on successful completion of your High School program, etc, etc." Mr. Osgood removed his reading glasses and smiled as he handed the letter across the desk to Emma who was shaking with excitement.
She took the letter, read the words herself, then stood and ran to Mike, tears running down her face, and buried her face in his chest. He gave her a huge hug and said proudly, "You did it, Emma, congratulations."
The headmaster walked around the desk and shook Mike's hand, then Emma's, who couldn't help but hug him too. "Thank you so much for all your help and support through this Mr. Osgood, I couldn't have done it without you."
Mr. Osgood smiled and said, "Thank you Emma, this is why i do what I do. Moments like this."
Mike handed Emma his phone and said, "You should call your mom, she will want to hear this right now, and use the video."
Emma hit the video call button on her mom's contact. Almost immediately, Carol answered and was surprised to see Emma's face on the screen, with tears running down her face. "Emma, what's wrong, what has happened?" she asked in a panic.
"Nothing's wrong, Mom. It's great news," Emma said, "I got accepted at nursing school."
Mike leaned in over her shoulder and smiled, watching the fear disappear from Carol's face, replaced with joy and pride. "I'm on my way to the airport now, I'll be home tonight, and we'll celebrate," Carol said. "I love you both."
"Now call your dad and tell him," Mike said.
Emma called Joe and told him, bursting into tears again. Then they called Kelly to tell her.
When she finished, she wiped the tears from her face and asked if she could be excused, she needed to get herself put back together and get back to class. She thanked Mr. Osgood again and hugged Mike, then skipped down the hall to the ladies' room to wash her face and try to fix her makeup.
Mike turned to Mr. Osgood and smiled. "Carol and I can't thank you enough for what you've done for Emma," he said.
