One Less Gown

It's not the way it's supposed to be.

She's supposed to have walked with her classmates in a cap and gown.

To accept her diploma from preschool graduation.

From her teachers she was with for six months.

Not from a school she has only gone to for three weeks.

I'm supposed to be dealing with the awkwardness of family coming in after I was given custody.

Not being completely ignored from everyone except my grandmother.

I'm supposed to be picking out teachers gifts.

And telling them how thankful I was for a wonderful year she had.

I'm supposed to be comparing pictures from the first day of school to the one she would have taken this week.

I'm supposed to be deciding what she should do for summer camp.

But, I'm not.

Instead, I can only sit here and think about what could have been.

What should have been.