GUYS. It’s THANKSGIVING. It’s also the Hang on to Hope season 3 FINALE. It’s gone so FAST.

I’ll quit talking now. XD

Previous parts of season 3:

Prologue
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9

And another quick refresher from part 9:

Connor gives me one more smile before turning around to go to with the police.

And that’s when a limousine pulls up and drops a silhouette of a man off on our driveway.

And without further ado!

Issa’s POV

“George?” Connor asks.

“Who’s this?” The policewoman asks.

“That’s—my parents’ chauffeur,” Connor says in confusion as the man walks up to him.

“Was,” George corrects, walking toward Connor with a sigh. “Was your parents’ chauffeur.”

“You’re not anymore?” He asks in confusion.

“No,” George sighs. “They’re not anymore. Not—alive anymore.”

A long silence occurs before Connor speaks. “How do you know?”

“I—last night—car wreck—drove too fast—I’m—so sorry, kid.”

Connor stares at him for a while before slowly nodding his head. “It’s—okay. That—makes you my legal guardian now.”

“Yeah, I just got the call to come pick you up,” George says.

“So—you have custody over me?” Connor asks. George nods, and Connor’s mouth hangs open. “Can you give custody of me over to my foster parents?”

Jackson and Amy exchange glances, then look over at George.

STOP LAUGHING AT HIS HAT IT WAS ALL I HAD.

George looks back at Connor. “Is that what you want?”

Connor nods after swiping at his eyes. “Yes. Please. That’s all I want in the whole world.”

George nods and turns to Jackson and Amy. “Do you want custody or do you want to adopt him?”

My heart is rapidly beating in my chest. If they’d adopt Connor… maybe they’d adopt me. Someday.

“We’ll—ah—” Amy turns to look at Jackson, and they hold a silent conversation with their eyes for a few moments. “… adopt.”

Lexi squeals. “I’ve never had a brother before!”

George smiles and pulls custody papers out of his pocket. “I’ll just need you guys to sign here.”

Connor beams through happy tears as Jackson and Amy sign the papers.

“Here,” Amy says breathlessly, handing the papers back to George for him to sign as well.

George smiles at Connor. “You got what you wanted, kid. Parents and a family who cares.”

Connor cries out pure happiness and wraps his arms around Jackson, who hugs him back.

Then Amy joins to make it a group hug.

Lexi stands smiling, and I beam, too. Maybe—maybe they’ll make me their daughter as well someday.

Emma stands fuming by the doorstep. “What about the reward money?” She raises her voice, but nobody listens.

After the group hug, Jackson and Amy turn to the police to thank them and settle a few things.

Then Connor turns to me. “Thanks again for everything,” he says.

“But I didn’t do anything to keep you here, only caused a bunch of trouble and stalled stuff. It was that George chauffeur dude who saved the day.”

Connor hugs me. “No. Thank you for being my first friend.”

Lexi’s POV

“Emma?” My voice echoes off the halls along with both pairs of footsteps sounding down it. “Emma, wait up.”

“What?!” Emma screeches at my face once she whirls around to face me. “What could you possibly want after ruining everything for me?”

“Emma,” I say, hurt. “I was only trying to help everyone.”

“Help?” Emma’s lip begins to quiver. “You helped me miss the opportunity of a lifetime because you want some brat kid to stay!”

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, avoiding her gaze. “Sometimes I don’t know what to do.”

“You have to think for yourself!” Emma yells. I swallow hard, and Emma lowers her voice a little with a sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m really upset right now.”

I hug her tightly. “I know. I’m sorry.” I swallow. “I’m really sorry.”

Emma sighs as she hugs me back. “Sorry for yelling.”

“Talk to Mom and Dad about the quarter million reward,” I suggest. “If the DaCosta’s have died, it may be off. Or you may get less. Or you may get more! Who knows?”

Emma inhales and exhales deeply. “Whatever.”

I look at her sadly. “I miss you a lot when you’re at college. I love you.”

“You miss me?” My sister seems a surprised.

I nod vigorously. “All the time. Every day.”

A small smiles plays with the edges of Emma’s lips. “Oh.”

“Will you forgive me for everything today?” I ask.

Emma smiles. “It’s hard to stay mad at you for long.” She gives me a hug, and then the others file in.

“Alright, kiddos,” Mom sighs. “Time for bed. But Emma! We need to talk to you.”

Emma and I exchange glances. Oh dear.

Issa and I walk to our room, and she swings an arm around my shoulders. “I don’t think I can remember a day quite like today.”

I let out a lighthearted laugh. “Or yesterday and the days before it.”

“Hey Lexi,” Issa begins thoughtfully. “Do you think—do you think your Mom and Dad would adopt me one day, too?”

“I think so,” I tell her honestly. Then I smile. “I hope so.”

“Why?” Issa grins.

I slip my arm around her too. “Because then I’d have another amazing sister.”

Issa’s POV

When Thanksgiving Day hits, things are calmer. Happier. Amazing.

We’ve all made up with Emma, and she’s still waiting to hear back on the reward money. She did indeed get credit for cracking the case—and now she has a little brother to tease.

Jackson and Amy are a bit shocked they made such a last-minute decision, but they love their new adopted son. Jackson’s always wanted a son, and he’s had a heck of a time swapping knock-knock jokes with Connor—or having roast-offs in which they each try to slam the best comeback or mic drop, Connor’s personal favorite.

Amy made such a delicious Thanksgiving meal. We all helped.

Well, more like Connor and I had whipped-cream wars and then Emma jumped in and got her revenge, but it was amazing.

Lexi and Connor make great siblings. I love the sweet way they call each other “bubba” or “sis”.

Well, sometimes Lexi will address him as “dude!” when she’s annoyed, and he returns the title.

I can tell Lexi will miss Emma a lot when Thanksgiving break is over, but their sister bond is stronger than ever now. They seem a lot closer and happier since the night Connor got adopted.

And me? I’m loving our family. Maybe I’m not adopted yet, but I feel a part of the Taylors like I’ve always been here.

And you know what? Maybe one day they’ll adopt me too.

To be continued… in Hang on to Hope, season 4! Coming fall 2018.

I don’t have an official sneak peak for it yet, as I don’t start brainstorming the plot or writing the parts until summer 2018, but I do have this idea:

Possible Season 4 Sneak Peek:

“Issa,” Amy calls. “A Sharnae Winger just called for you.”

My heart freezes in my chest.

Mom.

Oh my goodness, I can’t believe season 3 is over already! I had such an incredible time pulling all-nighters to write the parts and taking pictures for HOTH literally all day sometimes. I really hope you enjoyed it, and my utmost prayer is that God would use Hang not to Hope to inspire someone that even in the midst of stuff we don’t understand, God is our Hope we get to hang on to so He can bring us through it all! ?

Did you enjoy Hang on to Hope, season 3? What would you like to see happen in season 4?

Happy Thanksgiving! I’m so grateful God has blessed me with such epic online buddies such as yourself. ♥