Endnotes

Amanda, how DO you put up with me? ::sigh:: I can't thank you enough, but I will try. Thanks for encouraging me and guiding me when I was writing "Think of Laura." NEVER, in a million years, would I have guessed I'd be writing a trilogy. Not only did you read it and offer much appreciated criticisms, but you hosted it, as well. To that I can only say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. You are truly a gifted writer and an AMAZING person.

Laurie, your honesty and sarcasm are not only greatly appreciated, but always make me smile as well. You have more courage than anyone I know. ("Tulsa" IS well-written and DOES mirror real life.) You inspire me at times when I get frustrated and feel like giving up. Thank you SO much!

Jenn, thanks so much for helping me through my times of writer's block and other rough spots. Thanks for listening to me vent, rant, rave, and whine. And thanks for proof reading when I begged you, too. Geez, thanks just doesn't seem like enough anymore. (The '80s may have produced some tacky hairstyles, but it also gave us some GREAT ballads to inspire us.)

Steve, thanks for sticking by me. I know I've been scarce. Just know that your words of encouragement when I needed them most (when I almost gave up writing the story) didn't go unappreciated.

Jackie, so, this is the whole thing. How did it rate? You encouraged me and probably didn't even know it. But because of you, I wrote true to myself and honestly. (Well, as honest as fiction can get anyway.) And who knows. Maybe, one day, I WILL be at the Oscar's. (heehee...)

Kristen, thanks for getting me up off my ass and writing more. I was in the midst of a lull when that email demanding more of "Chances Are" be posted showed up in my inbox. My readers should be grateful to you.

Myra, thanks again SO MUCH for the award. It came at just the right time. Thanks for the faith in my writing. It means a lot.

To everyone else, thank you for reading my story and your feedback. I hope you enjoyed the trilogy.

"Chances Are" is the title of a song sung by Johnny Mathis in 1950 something or other. It's not the inspiration for this story. The title just made sense, and I was completing the pattern. No, the musical influence for this story was Air Supply. The group is Ike and Becca's guardian, and the CD, Air Supply, Greatest Hits, is filled with songs that describe their relationship at one point for another. I highly recommend this CD. Chances are (that wasn't intentional) your parents or an older sibling (one that went through puberty during the '80s) may already have it.

Here's the complete lyrics to the song playing during a pivotal Ike/Becca moment.