Monday arrived for Jimmy in a haze of a slight ice cream hangover from Sunday night. After the emotional strain of taking Kennedy to the prison to see Matt, he’d taken Sunday off- choosing to buy a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream and sit in front of Gossip Girl for a whole day. He knew that he sounded like a big girl, but he needed the therapy. Because after he’d dropped Kennedy off at her grandparents, he’d gone to visit Gabriella.

The graveyard had been empty when he’d first arrived, not even the guy who would take care of the graves was there to say hello to, and he almost felt like the world was letting him have a private moment between him and Gabriella.

She’d had been his high school sweetheart, the girl he’d been crazy about from the beginning of freshman year right to the moment she passed. He hadn’t cared that the girl who sat across from him in English thought he was completely crazy, or that when he ran across the baseball field stark naked she’d been the one to run after him.

He only cared that she loved him back- even after all the crazy things that he did.

The sad thing was, she had cancer. He had never been quite sure what kind of cancer it was, because he wasn’t good with long words and fancy medical talk. All he knew was that she was slowly dying, and that hurt him. He remembered sitting with her in their social studies class, taking part in assistant therapy- a procedure their teacher had dreamed up where one listened to the others problems without judgement, and would give their advice. He still remembered how blunt she was.

”Before I say anything, I want you to know, I have cancer. I’m dying”
“That’s OK. I think it’s awesome how you’re standing up to it. In fact- I think it’s kind of cute”
“Really? You think someone dying is cute?”
“Not in that way. I like how you’re strong and determined. I like how you act like any other kid in this school. I like how you pretend you don’t notice me, when really you want to talk to me”
“How did you guess?”
“Because I’m a man who really likes things. And I like you”

“Hey Gabby” he whispered as he sat down in front of her grave, crossing his legs on the grass. It had been raining the night before and the green blades were damp with fresh morning dew. He didn’t care that it was soaking into his pants, because he was getting to spend time with her. Running his long fingers over the smooth marble of her tombstone, he smiled, almost as if she was there with him.

“I missed you this week. The kids at school called me Princess Jimmy again- I think I’m finally getting through to them” he mumbled, smiling lovingly at the tombstone.

Some people thought he was crazy, talking to a tombstone. When really…he was talking to his wife.
The two of them had graduated high school, and it had been Jimmy’s suggestion to make sure she experienced everything life had to offer before she passed onto the next life.

The doctors had told her she had one year left one earth- one year to fulfil every single dream she’d ever had, and one had been getting married. Jimmy had got down on one knee, which wasn’t particularly easy in those fancy blue gowns they had to wear for graduation and given her a gummy ring, asking her to marry him. In a loved up, hazy daze they’d travelled to Vegas and gotten married there.

“Brian and Zacky got engaged. And Kennedy’s been trying to convince her Dad to let her dye her hair purple, but I don’t think he’s going to relent anytime soon” Jimmy continued, glancing over at the little selection of ornaments that had been placed on her grave. He had something to put there today, just from him. There were flower pots, little bouquets that had pictures tied to them with pink ribbon- even a little china doll.

The sky was beginning to darken around him and he could already feel the pitter patter of rain against his shoulders.
Gabriella had loved the rain.

Jimmy pulled out the little plastic box from his pocket. He’d googled how to keep something preserved forever, and with a little help from Brian, he’d managed to seal it so it wouldn’t get damaged, and if someone tried to steal it, they wouldn’t be able to get in anyway. Slowly, he placed the box down on the grave and kissed the cold marble, feeling like she was right there with him.
“I love you, babygirl. I hope you haven’t forgotten that” he whispered as he stood up, not even feeling the rain fall around him.

And as he walked back to his car, he thought of the little object he’d left beside her grave.

Her gummy wedding ring, preserved forever.

***

“ALRIGHT CHILDREN OF KINDERGARTEN! Who’s ready to tell Mr Sullivan what they did this weekend?” Jimmy cried as he bounded into the classroom, smiling when the children all put their hands up, begging for him to pick them first. He glanced over all of them for a moment, stroking his chin like he had a long beard like Dumbledore and then pointed over at Brayden, the small smart kid who had been almost standing on his chair to be heard.

“Brayden! Step forward, young grasshopper, and let me hear about your marvellous adventures!” Jimmy announced as the other kids groaned and sat back down, Brayden smiling as he ran to the front of the class.
“So! Fill me in, what did you do this weekend? Paragliding? Abseiling? Pie eating contest on the moon?”

“This weekend, me and my mommy went to visit my big sister up at big big school!” Brayden said confidently. Though it may not have sounded as exciting as the things Jimmy had just listed, he was hardly expecting any one of these kids to have done more than watch cartoons and play around the neighbourhood.

“What big big school does your sister go to then?”
“The Los Angels big school of perming arts!” Brayden tried, scrunching up his face when he couldn’t quite pronounce the words properly. Jimmy smiled, knowing he really meant the LA school of Performing Arts and nodded wisely, like he totally understood what this kid was talking about. But before he could ask any more questions, the door was pushed open and Brian walked in, another figure at his side.

“Morning kids!” he announced as Jimmy stood up, wondering what his friend was doing here.
“Good morning Mr Haner” they all chorused back, just like Jimmy had taught them to do. He gave them a thumbs up, saying,
“Good work guys, very much in tune. Lets see if we can add some jazz hands next time, yeah?”

“Jim- I want you to meet the newest member of faculty here. The demon principal is out on vacation and she asked me to show her to your room. Apparently your kids are out of control and need containing” Brian explained, yet the figure behind him didn’t move, almost as if they were nervous.

Jimmy looked around at the children sat in his classroom, all quiet and well-behaved, smiling back at him. Who said they needed to be contained. Jimmy nodded and Brian stepped aside, letting the figure move into the light.
“Jimmy, this is Ellen. She’s your new teaching assistant”

He almost collapsed in shock. He knew Ellen. In fact, she was Gabriella's younger sister.