I wanted him to have those words in writing so even if he forgets, he’ll always have something to remind him. It took a lot of hard work to finish S. Hawkins’s story—especially between my daily after-school Doodie Duty punishment and helping to convert the She Shed back into Mama’s studio, and not missing a single homework assignment this entire past month—but I did it.

It’s funny how not so long ago all I wanted was for things to go back to the way they were. Now I’m starting to think that not all changes are bad. If things never changed, then Gramps wouldn’t be here at Oakwood Village where he needs to be. Noah wouldn’t have had a chance to become less buttheaded. Macy and I wouldn’t even be friends. And I never would’ve met Serendipity, the one who made everything change for the better.

I won’t spoil the ending for Gramps, but I decided that I would make S. Hawkins have some fragments of her memories return to her, along with some that never do, but she realizes that her new mission isn’t to climb the mountain in order to find a way off Earth; it’s to figure out how to stay here, to find out what happens next.

It’s sort of like that with me too. A month ago, I didn’t know what the puzzle of my life was going to look like. But somehow all the right pieces found their way into the picture at the right moment. Serendipity was like the last missing piece of the puzzle—the one that let it all finally come together.

Sweet smells fill the apartment: faken, warm maple syrup, and powdered sugar.

By the time we’re all sitting down at the table together, talking and laughing, passing plates of food, no one is mad or scared or lonely or confused. Because we belong here with each other, and right now, that is enough.

I know that Gramps is not the same as he always was, and even if I catch glimpses now and then, he never will completely be his old self again. The thing is, I’m not the same as I was either. None of us are. But that’s okay. More than okay: It’s serendipity.

Acknowledgments

I started writing this book not long after I had to say goodbye to my sweet dog, Darwin. He was with me for twelve wonderful years, a constant source of love and companionship. Through both good times and bad, he was there, teaching me how to be a better, more loving person every day. I may have adopted him from the shelter, but he is the one who did all the rescuing in our relationship. And so this book has so much of his beautiful heart in its pages.