“But I’ve made a lot of mistakes.”

“Ronan,” Gusty says. “I understand. I had a temper, too, but I learned that it takes more strength to control yourself than to fight.”

Henry nods. “And I know you know a lot about sharks, Ronan, so I bet you know that a shark that doesn’t keep moving forward can’t survive.”

Now Henry puts a hand on Ronan’s shoulder. “I’m going to take a leap here and say that I think you’ve been through some hard stuff. I understand what that’s like for a kid,” Henry says. “I get that it leaves you feeling lost and wondering how you fit into the world.”

Ronan nods.

“Some people aren’t dealt easy hands, and it isn’t fair. But I think if you play a difficult hand with courage and compassion, you end up stronger. It’s hard, and I know there are times when the world beats you down and you feel like that’s the only way it’ll ever be.”

Ronan lifts his head to look at Henry. “Yeah. It does feel that way.”

“But the thing is, Ronan . . . the thing you really have to ask yourself is . . . are you going to live your life as a victim? Or a survivor?”

Chapter 36

BOOTS

Grammy’s voice has a happy, ringing sound to it, like a buzzer on a game show. “C’mon, baby girl. I have a surprise in store for you.”

“Is this like when you told me there was a surprise and we shopped for a rake? I mean, it was a surprise . . . but not a good one. And you know how I love surprises—”

Her belly laugh makes me laugh, too.

“What is the thing you’ve been begging and badgering me for all these years? Leaving notes around the house to remind me. In my shoes, in the sugar bowl.”

I whip around to look at her. “Seriously? For real?”

“For real.” She shakes her head. “Here I was trying to turn on my Wheel of Fortune, and the remote wouldn’t work. So I open up the battery door, and what do I find? Another note about that kitten you have to have. It made me laugh so hard, I checked the Cape Cod Times and found an ad. Free kittens. I already stopped and got the basics, like litter and food, and I already spoke to the woman. She’s waiting for us.”

Grammy just kept talking about the lady with the kittens, but I think my brain couldn’t listen anymore. All it could do was jump up and down. All I could do was imagine having my own kitten. Finally.

“Delsie?”

“Huh?”

“One condition. There’s one condition. Well, besides your promise to take care of the critter. I know you’ll do that.”

“Anything! I’ll do anything.”

“I’m going to need my batteries back.”

I smile.

• • •

I push the car door open and run to the small yellow house’s front porch, ringing the bell before Grammy is even out of the car. She is coming up behind me as the front door swings open and a woman stands there, smiling.