One Good Thing

ALEXANDRA POTTER

one
good
thing

Contents

Prologue

The Seven Stages

STAGE 1: WTF

Yorkshire

London

Lost and Found

Stanley

A Charitable Act

Valentine

Online Dating

Maya

Rescue Me

STAGE 2: Keep Calm (and go for a walk)

Faith

Valentine

First Steps

A Moment of Truth

Anger and Letting It Go

The Boy

The Teenager

Only a Number

Back to the Future

Not a Date

The Old Man

STAGE 3: Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

The Bombsite

Two Weeks’ Notice

The Snowman

Heathcliff

Valentine

Father and Son

The Castle

Courage

STAGE 4: Hang in There

Sleeping Arrangements

Stanley

Peeling Back the Layers

Regret

The Village Idiots

The Morning After

Maya

Things Left Unsaid

Hiding in Plain Sight

STAGE 5: The Curveball

So Lucky

A Helping Hand

Valentine

‘See You Later, Alligator’

Running on Empty

Stanley

A Big Birthday

The Surprise

Eighteen months ago

Brave Face

STAGE 6: Love Your Mistakes

The Dales Country Show

The Teabag

A Confession

Valentine

WhatsApp with Maya

Snagging

A Different Kind of Doorstep Challenge

Stanley

Table for Two

Maya

Sticky Toffee Pudding

PC Neesha Sharma

Harry the Hero

STAGE 7: The Best is Yet to Come

A Celebration of Life

Turning the Page

Valentine

WhatsApp with Naomi

Forgiveness

The Grand Opening

The Last Dance

Stanley

Valentine

The Rest of Your Life

An Epilogue of Sorts

Acknowledgements

Dedicated to Elton.

And all the wonderful animals

who change our lives for the better.

Prologue

Hey you,

Remember when we were kids and used to write thank-you letters? It was usually for Christmas or birthdays and we’d do our best handwriting. Well, this email is my thank-you letter to you.

When everything fell apart, I couldn’t see a future. Leaving my old life to try to start a new one was terrifying. You know how scared I always was of taking risks. I was never as brave as you. What did you always say? That life happens at the edge of your comfort zone.

Well, in the end I took your advice. Because you know what’s more terrifying? The thought of never feeling happy again. There are people with broken hearts all around us, yet I still felt so alone.

But by coming here I’ve learned that it’s only by losing what you love that you find what matters most. And I’ve discovered a secret. All you need is one good thing to turn your life around and make it worth living again. Like a smile from a stranger, a hug from a friend or some small, random act of kindness. Or an old, scruffy dog with no name.

Just one good thing can change the course of everything. It has the power to heal your heart, inspire courage and joy and create true friendships that can bring a whole community together. It can even save someone’s life.

So anyway, thanks for the advice. I know it’s not Christmas or my birthday, but when I needed it most, your words gave me the greatest gift of all: hope.