Many years later

Jim sat behind an oak desk and checked his appointments. He had a 2:40, and a 3:00.

His phone buzzed.

A text from Ilana: Hey, big bro, just finished my first day at UCLA! Dad's gonna freak when I tell him some of the stuff my history prof said in lecture. Tell my niece I said hey.

Another text. Griffin this time: You gonna pick me up after school? Mom's on shift at the hospital, and Dad's gotta stay late at school for a teachers' meeting.

To Ilana: Glad you're liking college. Can't wait to hear about that lecture. I'll tell her.

To Griffin: Pick you up at 3:30, right after I get Lilian. Dinner's on me.

Claire had an audition tonight for a movie role she'd been eyeing, so she wouldn't be home until late.

Darci peeked in the open office door. "Jim, your 2:40's here."

A kid, about fourteen or fifteen, slouched into the office and plopped into the chair farthest from Jim.

Jim left his seat and took a plain chair nearer the kid, but not close enough to scare him off. "I'm Jim."

"Harrison," the kid mumbled.

"Good to meet you. I see you go to Arcadia Oaks High." He pointed to the applique mole on the boy's backpack strap.

"Yeah."

"You liking it?"

"First day."

"My brother's a senior there—Griffin Strickler."

That got Harrison's attention. "Griff, the first aid guy? He had to help a hacky sack player today while the ambulance came. The guy ran into a pole and knocked himself out. Wait—your name's Mr. Lake. Were you adopted?"

"In a way, I guess so. My dad left my mom when I was five, then my mom remarried when I was eighteen. My stepdad legally adopted me, even though he didn't have to, but I kept my biological dad's last name."

"Whoa! That's crazy."

"Tell me about it." Jim pulled up wedding pictures on his phone, opening an album that refrained from showing anything too fantastic. "Check it out."

Harrison took the phone and swiped through the photos with wide eyes. "That is not your mom."

Jim laughed. "Oh, it is.

"And that's—that's my history teacher!" He handed back the phone. "These are Photoshopped."

"When I was your age, I would have wished they were, and it took a few years to change my mind."

"You—you're not joking, are you?" Harrison said. "Wait… that means Griff's dad is my history teacher. That's kinda… not so terrible, I guess. No offense though, but his jokes…" Harrison made a gagging sound.

Jim laughed again. "I agree with you there."

Harrison slouched again. "I wish I had a dad…"

"Before my mom married my stepdad, there was someone else I considered to be like a dad. He taught me lots of things, even helped me build a Vespa when I was sixteen. We still talk or hang out almost every day." The amulet in Jim's pocket ticked. "Just because you don't have a dad at home doesn't mean there can't be somebody in your life you look up to or appreciate like one."

Jim and Harrison talked the entire rest of the appointment.

"Can I… come back?" Harrison said.

"You'll have to ask your foster mom, but I'd be glad to talk with you again."

"Okay. See you later, Mr. Lake."

"Bye, Harrison."

Before his next appointment arrived, Jim sent a text. Thanks for being there, Blink. I'll always be glad I took the canal that morning.

Author's Notes:

To every reader who took this journey with me, thank you. When I watched Rise of the Titans, I couldn't let it end the way the movie left it. Not five minutes after I watched it, I knew I had to write something new—something that offered hope. It's my wish that everyone found a little bit of that hope here.

To princess mh, your reviews and messages constantly lifted my spirits throughout a very exhausting two months, during which time I've almost completed an original novel I started almost two years ago but had to set aside due to intermittent health trouble.

To Freddo, who didn't have to read this, but did anyway.

To anyone who would like to know more about my writing journey and ongoing original work, do feel free to visit my Facebook page: D. T. Powell, Author.

The cast from One Petal at a Time will return in 2022 for at least one, maybe two more stories. And don't worry, we'll cover those time skips. :)

Don't be strangers,

dtill359