Toppling Dominoes, Epilogue

Epilogue: Janelle Simons, two years later:

Easter is coming. I’m super excited, and not just because of the break and the holiday.

Mike’s coming home today.

He’s driving all the way back from college for the break. Right now, I’m in the driveway, waiting for the familiar red sports car to show up. It’s the same car that I crashed, two years ago, but it’s hard to tell. Mike and I saved up enough together to get it all fixed. All, that is, except a small dent in the left door.

It isn’t a big dent. You can barely notice it unless you look really close. I persuaded first Mike, then the mechanic, to keep it. I need it there, to remind me.

I’m sixteen now. Old enough to drive. Mom and Dad said I could, provided that they teach me first (although I already learned where the break was. I made them teach me early) and that I buy my own car, like Mike did. But I don’t want to. Not yet.

Sometimes, when Mike is home, we go for a spin. He drives to some cul-de-sac and then lets me take the wheel. I haven’t hit anybody yet. I haven’t gone much faster than five miles an hour either.

But I don’t care. Some day, maybe I’ll be driving at a real speed, on a real road. But for now I’m perfectly fine the way it is.

It’s a warm spring day, and I’m just lying here on the porch, looking at the new spring flowers. A man is jogging by. I recognize him. I wave, and Mr. Sharp waves back.

And then I see I red sports car cruising down the road. Mike is back.