EPILOGUE
Foxglove Street was bathed in golden sunshine as Grace walked home the next morning. Stanley scampered at her feet and sniffed at every shrub and lamppost they passed, enjoying himself. Grace smiled at his antics, glad to have the little mutt by her side for the walk home.
She’d spent last night at Ryan’s house, and it had been… magical .
With only one day remaining before her holiday time ended and she returned to work, they’d decided to spend it together, and although she’d only just left him a few minutes ago, she couldn’t wait to see him again.
Once she’d gone home and changed her clothes and freshened up, they’d decide on their plans for the day. Before settling on anything, Grace first had to meet with the dog warden to discuss her desire to adopt Stanley.
She’d already phoned the warden first thing that morning to explain that she wanted to keep Stanley and hoped to save the man a trip to her house later that day to collect him as previously arranged.
The grumpy warden had insisted there was a process to be followed and paperwork to be dealt with before any such adoption could proceed. Grace had assured him she’d jump through whatever hoops were necessary, and that she only wanted what was best for Stanley. Her heartfelt plea had eventually won the warden over, and he’d agreed to liaise with the rescue centre that would formally be in charge of the adoption process in order to allow Grace to keep Stanley in her care in the meantime.
Grace was thrilled with the good news. It was the perfect start to what she hoped would be a brilliant new day.
As she walked along in the summer sunshine, she was filled with hope and excitement about the future in a way she hadn’t been before. It felt like a new life was opening up before her. Thinking about spending time with Ryan, and bringing Stanley into her home permanently, and finding more joy in her life—all those things caused a smile to stretch from ear to ear.
She also thought about work, and how much she loved her job, despite what had happened with her promotion plans. Perhaps from now on, instead of focusing so hard on advancing in her career and climbing ever higher up the ladder, she ought to savour the many aspects of her job she enjoyed. She wasn’t sure she’d done enough of that lately, and it was time to change that.
Her career was a true passion, not just a means to an end, and she had to reframe her thinking or she would never find contentment.
That insight had come to her last night, partly as a result of all she’d talked about with Ryan about what she wanted from life, but also partly because of something Ryan had said, too.
She’d asked him what his plans were for the song he’d written for her, Lost And Found . The question had given him pause for thought.
When he replied, he said his work involved writing songs for other people to perform, but he realised he couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else singing the song, because he’d written it for Grace, and Grace alone.
Although touched by this remark, Grace had insisted it would be a shame if such a beautiful song never saw the light of day, and asked if he’d ever think of recording it himself.
Ryan’s reaction was one of surprise to begin with. Despite his protests that his singing days were over and his time on stage was in the past, Grace saw the spark of interest in his eyes.
Later that night, as they’d lain in bed in each other’s arms, Ryan had murmured that he might like to record Lost And Found after all, just as a demo, just to see how it sounded in the studio when he was the one singing it.
There was excitement in his eyes as he’d said it, cautious excitement, but excitement nonetheless. Grace had a feeling that if he recorded that song and listened to himself singing it, he’d love it as much as she did.
And if he heard just how wonderful it was, perhaps he’d be tempted to release it.
And maybe, one day, perform it for others, too.
Grace had asked if recording and performing the song might help Ryan lay to rest the ghosts that haunted him from when he was just a young lad chasing the dream of musical stardom.
He’d replied that singing that song for Grace, and Grace alone, had already laid those ghosts to rest.
Walking home now, she replayed those sweet words inside her head and cherished them, even as she wondered what great things might come should Ryan take the next leap with Lost And Found and see where it might lead him.
But all those things were for the future. For too long, Grace had thought only about the future and had battled to control it. Now, she knew the pleasures of living for the moment.
As she neared her house, she admired the pretty gardens on Foxglove Street and the work her neighbours had put into making things look so lovely. Thoughts of her neighbours reminded her that she owed Olive Nimmo a visit to return the collar and lead the kind lady had loaned her. Now that Grace was adopting Stanley, perhaps she could strike up a friendship with the older woman if she happened to see her out and about with her own little canine charge, Elsa.
This thought in turn led Grace to think of her new neighbour next door, Carole, who she’d met for the first time when she’d spoken to Olive over the fence on that first night with Stanley in her care when he’d barked his head off at the dog visiting next door. Grace decided she ought to welcome her new neighbour with a house warming gift, and make an effort to get to know her.
That’s what she wanted now in the future, after all—more friendships, more connections, more meaning in her life. Why not start with the woman who’d just moved in next door and who would surely be glad to see a friendly face of welcome?
Grace looked around at the houses and gardens up and down Foxglove Street, and thought about how happy she was to live there, and how many new friends she might make right here on this street, if only she reached out to the people around her.
If she worked to live, rather than lived to work, who knew what the future might bring?
Stanley barked when they reached her front gate and wagged his tail. The little dog was happy to be home and excited about what might happen next.
And so, too, was Grace.