Maybe the judge already had her decision made. But when she read her ruling, I can’t help but think it was something I said that tipped the scales. So, yeah, I’m staying with Dan and Ginger for now. Maybe, if Mom can keep her job and her promise to go with me to all my OT appointments and not so much as suggest an open-mike night, then we can talk about our living arrangements again this summer. But for now, I get to finish the school year at Chickering. Mom even agreed to let Dan and Ginger pay my tuition, which is proof that miracles do happen. I get to keep my mom, my aunt, my uncle, my friends, and my school. It seems like too much good all at once for one person, but I’ll take it.

“Come on. Do it.”

“No.”

Well leans over from his end of the couch. He’s in a powder-blue tuxedo and top hat. He said he saw it in a movie once. His nails are silver.

“For old times’ sake?”

“No.”

“For New Year’s sake?”

“No.”

“For my sake?” He takes off his top hat and holds it to his chest. I fiddle with the silver tassels along the hem of my dress. It’s a 1920s flapper dress that Mom found at a thrift store. I kind of love it.

“Fine.”

“Don’t sound too excited.”

“Three more seconds and I’m taking it back.”

“Okay, okay!”

When the countdown begins and the ball drops, I plug my ears with my fingers. But when it hits the big flashing 2021, Ginger hushes everybody, and Mom whips out her old guitar in the center of the room. I let my hands fall to my sides and take my place next to Well in front of the fireplace.

He hums a key, she counts us off, and I begin:

“ ‘Should old acquaintance be forgot…’ ”

“Auld Lang Syne” is a beautiful song to sing with old and new friends. I take it nice and slow and let the rumbling in my chest carry it forward. Of course, Well joins in like he’s Justin Timberlake and sends it into hyperspeed, but whatever, that’s Well.

I match his pace, and we rock it out, Mom playing for all she’s worth. Then it’s a giant game of musical chairs as everybody runs to toast everybody else. The rest of the song kind of falls apart because we can’t stop laughing. When it’s over, we bow, and Tucker and Geneva and Jacob hold up signs with APPLAUSE! written in glittery marker. Everybody mimes clapping. Well tips his hat to me and winks.

If there is a more normal version of the world out there, it can’t be better than this.

Acknowledgments