by Maggi Myers
“I think so. What do you think, Lily?”
“Yup,” Lily manages around a mouthful of treat. Her answer may be short, but it goes a long way to reassuring me that we’re on the right track.
“Well, then, I’ll be right back with two rocky roads,” I say.
But I freeze in my tracks when Lily asks, “What your mama favo-wit flavor?”
Tate answers without hesitation. “It was cookies and cream.”
“She not here?” Lily asks innocently.
“No, sweet girl, she’s not,” Tate answers.
“S’okay, Tater.” She shrugs and continues. “I share mine.”
From the mouth of my baby girl came the most beautiful sentence I’d ever heard. She can’t recite her ABCs or count past ten, but she accepted a near stranger—my stranger—with an openheartedness she may not always receive herself. I’m so incredibly blessed that she is mine; that they both are.
epilogue: the end where i begin
Tears blur my vision as the last words of Lily Love appear on my computer screen: “The End.” I pause for a moment, wondering if that is truly accurate. The end of one part doesn’t necessarily signify the resolution of the whole story. If anything, the last year of my life has taught me not to take the future for granted. With a verbal command, the cursor backs up so I can add another word in the last sentence: “Not The End.”
I click Save and compile my story into a Word document. Maybe the fatigue of writing into the wee hours of the morning has shortened my memory, but I can’t seem to remember why I was ever so afraid to tell this story the way it was supposed to be told. This may not be the life I imagined I’d have, but I’m exactly where I want to be. It took losing my marriage and myself to realize how mysteriously beautiful life is.
Once the conversion is complete, I open the file to make sure I did it right. My heart skips with excitement as my eyes skim over the first perfect line.
“For Lily: Every day you teach me, and everyone you meet, that different does not mean less. I love you more than life. Ugga Mugga, always, Mama.”
chapter titles
“A Sorta Fairytale,” Tori Amos
“Building a Mystery,” Sarah McLachlan
“We Never Change,” Coldplay
“What Do I Do Now?,” Sam and Ruby
“When a Heart Breaks,” Ben Rector
“Comes and Goes in Waves,” Greg Laswell
“And So It Goes,” Billy Joel
“Caroline I See You,” James Taylor
“Fall Apart Today,” Schuyler Fisk
“Gotta Figure This Out,” Erin McCarley
“Talk,” Coldplay
“Comfort of Strangers,” Beth Orton
“My Little Girl,” Jack Johnson
“Reason Why,” Rachael Yamagata
“Fault Line,” Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
“Bend and Break,” Keane
“Mercy,” OneRepublic
“Friend Like You,” Joshua Radin
“Distance,” Christina Perri and Jason Mraz
“A Beautiful Mess,” Jason Mraz
“Always Remember Me,” Ry Cuming
“Off We Go,” Erin McCarley
“Entwined,” Jason Reeves
“Moondance,” Van Morrison
“Windmills,” Toad the Wet Sprocket
“Somewhere Only We Know,” Keane
“I’m Not Who I Was,” Brandon Heath
“Secret Garden,” Bruce Springsteen
“Writing to Reach You,” Travis
“The Luckiest,” Ben Folds
“Pitter Pat,” Erin McCarley
“Something to Say,” Toad the Wet Sprocket
“In Your Hands,” Jason Mraz
“Take a Chance,” Landon Pigg
“Desire,” Ryan Adams
“Into the Mystic,” Van Morrison
“The World as I See It,” Jason Mraz
“Change,” Jack Johnson
“Ungodly Hour,” The Fray
“Where You’ll Find Me,” Audrye Sessions
“I May Not Let Go,” Peter Bradley Adams
“Be Still My Heart,” Peter Bradley Adams
“Head Full of Doubt,” The Avett Brothers
“Our Story,” Graham Colton
“The End Where I Begin,” The Script
acknowledgments
Charles Sheehan-Miles: You made me consider the big “what if?” and then write about it. Thank you.
Steve: This was a tough one, and you stuck by me even when I wanted to give up. I love you so very much. Always.
Mom, Dad, Jamie, and Cynthia: You guys are biologically obligated to love me, but I appreciate it anyway. I love you with all my heart and soul.
My muses: Happy, David, Melissa, Kathy, Kelley, Jenn, and Andrea: I hope when you read this, you see pieces of yourselves amongst the characters. Your friendship is a precious gift, which I’m grateful for each day. I love you.
Melissa Brown: You’re the cheese to my macaroni. You love me when I feel the most unlovable and chased me down when I went into hiding. I’m so grateful for your friendship and your guidance. I love you.
My Pretty Pieces: Pam Carrion, Cara Gadero, Jenn Haren, Francine Petro, and Janéah Rosecrans. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Your friendship is a gift I treasure, and I’m so blessed to have you in my corner. A special thank-you to Dr. Ivan Rusilko for bringing these girls into my life!
Maggi’s Hanyaks: Thank you for all of your love and support! My life would be so different without you. Thank you for your faith in me.
Three Chicks, The Book Avenue, Brandee’s Book Endings, Tough Critic Reviews, Maryse’s Book Blog, and every book blogger who took a chance on reviewing The Final Piece: I would be nothing without you. Thank you for all of your passion and commitment. I’m eternally indebted to you.
JoVon Sotak: The most patient, wonderful editor ever. “Thank you” is not enough. Next time, maybe I can borrow your time turner.
Tiffany Yates Martin: Quite possibly the most fabulous critique partner / developmental editor I’ve ever had. Thank you for loving Caroline, Peter, Tate, Max, and Lily as I do. I can’t thank you enough for the way you took my story and helped me make it everything I wanted it to be. Someday, I will collect on that kiss!
My team at Lake Union / Amazon Publishing: Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into making Lily Love a reality.
ICM and Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency.
Victoria Marini: My agent rock star. Thank you for taking a chance on me.
about the author
Maggi was born in West Des Moines, Iowa, and raised in Miami, Florida. She has deep love for the Heartland and really good Cuban food. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading or singing into the end of her hairbrush. She’s a steel magnolia and mischief maker, wrapped up and tied with a sarcasm bow.
Currently she resides in Greensboro, North Carolina, with her incredible husband and sons. For more about Maggi and future projects, you can follow her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/author.maggi.myers) and Twitter (@Magnolia_B_My).
