“Cross-country,” Hannah said, correcting her.

Shelly nodded. “That’s great. You should go out for the team.”

As they left, Barbara paused in front of the school and studied the list of names on a plaque. That’s when it came together. That’s when she realized what had happened.

In the car, Hannah stared out the windshield, dumbfounded. “Did that really happen?”

“I can hardly believe it myself, but it really did, baby.”

“I wonder who gave the scholarship.”

Barbara swallowed hard and stared at the road. “That’s not important. What is important is for you to study hard, work hard, and avoid any of the trouble you got into at Franklin High. You understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Barbara drove toward home and a memory jumped out of nowhere. She and her daughter would celebrate when something positive happened. If Barbara got a raise or if Janet got a good grade on a test or a part in the school play, Janet would pull out the same song and play it over and over. At home, she turned up the speakers and danced around the house. The memory made Barbara smile. Instead of turning left as they neared their house, she took a right.

“Where are you going?” Hannah said.

“‘Celebrate good times, come on,’” Barbara sang, dipping her head and snapping her fingers.

“What are you talking about?”

“It’s something your mother used to sing. Anything good happened and she’d play that song and dance. And we’d go to Anna Banana for ice cream.”

Hannah smiled and seemed to enjoy the sight of her grandmother singing and dancing behind the wheel. Barbara thought it was a breakthrough. Things were beginning to turn around.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Chris Fabry is an award-winning author and radio personality who hosts the daily program Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio. He is also heard on Love Worth Finding, Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, and other radio programs. In 2020, he was inducted into the Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications Hall of Fame. A native of West Virginia, Chris and his wife, Andrea, now live in Arizona and are the parents of nine children.

Chris’s novels, which include Dogwood, June Bug, Almost Heaven, The Promise of Jesse Woods, and A Piece of the Moon, have won five Christy Awards, an ECPA Christian Book Award, and two Awards of Merit from Christianity Today. He was inducted into the Christy Award Hall of Fame in 2018. His books include movie novelizations, such as War Room and Overcomer, and novels for children and young adults. He coauthored the Left Behind: The Kids series with Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, as well as the Red Rock Mysteries and the Wormling series with Jerry B. Jenkins. He encourages those who dream of writing with his website heyyoucanwrite.com. Find out more about his books at chrisfabry.com.