TALL STACK

After we left the cemetery, Mom asked if I wanted to go get something to eat or if I just wanted to go home.

I know that in movies and stuff, people are always losing their appetites when something sad happens. But to tell you the truth, I was starving.

“Let’s eat out,” I said.

As we were driving back into town, we went by the place where Swifty’s Diner used to be—and something amazing had happened.

Swifty’s was back!

So of course, that’s where we stopped and got breakfast. I ordered a tall stack with bacon and sausage, and Mom got a piece of Swifty’s apple pie with a cup of coffee and orange juice.

When Swifty saw us, he came right out of the kitchen. I’d never seen him and Mom hug before, but they did then.

“Well, well, look who it is,” Swifty said. “I thought you’d left town.”

Mom looked over at me and smiled. “We’re just back for a little visit,” she said.

“That’s too bad,” he said.

“Too bad?” Mom said.

“I could really use you around here,” Swifty said. “Look—I even managed to save one of your paintings from the fire.”

Sure enough, there it was on the wall behind the counter.

“Anyway,” Swifty said, “you ever decide to move back to Hills Village, you let me know, Jules.”

When he was gone, Mom sat back down in the booth across from me, and we were both looking at each other in this funny kind of way.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Mom said.

“I don’t know,” I said. “But I think I am.”

We didn’t even have to say it out loud. Everything was about to change—again.

Because it always does, doesn’t it?