Epilogue

Caroline

A lmost ready!" Calvin shouts from the other room. Chacha is standing beside me, his dad's teeth necklace around his neck. Rezy is underfoot, watching his best human lick the wooden spoon clean of batter, hoping for a taste. He's wearing the butt-ugly—but adorable—sweater Mrs. R. sent him. I make a mental note to stop at the post office to ship her a few muffins in return.

Tomorrow, while Calvin has his first in-person interview at the hospital, I'll take Chacha and meet Jenny for lunch. Then, we'll stop by the library, where I plan to volunteer after we move here permanently. I also intend to join the PTA once we find a top-notch preschool. My social calendar has never been fuller.

I pull the blueberry muffins from the oven and tell Chacha to wait until they cool down before helping himself. "Okay, Aunt Caroline."

I feel a familiar spark of joy at the moniker. He and I are developing a close, loving relationship and I can see us both happily settling into a new title for me soon. I kiss the top of his head and step into the living room.

Calvin's favorite vinyl is playing in the background and it's not the Dylan collectible. That's been bumped to second place.

The lyrics to Sweet Caroline bring back the best memories from the night Calvin proposed. I'm still amazed how he pulled off the grand gesture, hands down the best night of my life. I guess it helps to know the headliner's hotshot agent.

Much of the furniture is pushed to the side, several pieces designated for donation. The reno is scheduled to begin in a few weeks and there's lots of work to do. I'm adding a guest room for Paul to use whenever he likes. Most surprisingly, Mo offered to drive up and share some design ideas. I gladly accepted.

My city apartment is on the market. If all goes as planned, I'll use the proceeds to help pay for the overhaul and make a sizable donation to the upcoming fundraiser. In the meantime, I'll keep looking for a paying job. I hope Bernard is happy with my choices.

Calvin is fiddling with an ancient VCR, a device I haven't seen in decades. If it weren't for Aunt Pearl who is just shy of being deemed a packrat, it would have been tossed out long ago.

Chacha emerges from the kitchen, a glob of batter on his cheek. He's got a sweet tooth. Which is why I've begun the search for a reputable pediatric dentist in the area. I'm also reading up on healthy meal planning. For now, though, I'm having a blast baking with a little partner.

Chacha pulls the harmonica I gifted him for Christmas from his pocket. He tries valiantly to keep up with the recorded music. He's a people person, smart and sweet but if his current skills are any indication, music won't be his career. I suspect one day he'll follow in Calvin's medical footsteps. But whatever he chooses, it will be just fine.

I reflect on the whirlwind of changes in my life over the past few months. My world has become simpler, filled with fewer material possessions and more quality time with Calvin and Chacha. The three of us are taking our sweet time, adjusting to our new family dynamics. So far, so great.

"Aunt Pearl should be here any minute," I say, turning off the music.

"Fixed!" Calvin announces, standing triumphantly. His tousled hair and casual attire make him look like he just strolled in from a yoga retreat. His magnetic smile gets my heart racing. He has no idea how distracting he is.

The doorbell rings and Rezy goes ballistic. We greet Aunt Pearl, dressed in an eighties-style track suit, holding a bag of freshly picked Macintosh apples. She's going to teach me the Sinclair family recipe for apple pie. She may be old in years but she's young in spirit. I only hope I can stay as active as she is when I'm her age.

Chacha sits on my lap on the floor and Calvin hits play on the VCR, taking the space beside me. Aunt Pearl gets comfortable on the sofa. The screen fills with Calvin during his early hippy phase, toting a guitar, singing Love the One Your With .

The four of us do our best to join in, Rezy howling along, making everyone laugh and I know deep in my soul, there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be.

Calvin's hand finds mine, our fingers entwined. "You've brought so much happiness into my life," he whispers, his voice tender, filled with love.

"Right back at you," I reply, my heart swelling.

I feel Calvin's breath brush against my temple. The sensation is electric and I turn to face him. Our lips meet in a kiss that speaks of forever—a promise of love, laughter, and all the wonderful changes yet to come.

What if you had the power to make someone fall in love?

When my best friend and I whip up a special formula for chemistry class, the results are anything but ordinary. Now, I'm falling for Mason Miller, my brother's best friend and the bane of my existence.

Theories might work in the lab, but I have a trickier equation to solve: Can a potion turn enemies into lovers, or is magic something we make?