and this is where Fate steps in...
After two years, Janna moves back to Seattle, gets a new teaching job, and walks Scout every morning at the local park. There she meets a handsome dog named Milo and his matching owner Dave. Turns out Dave is one of Graeme’s best friends from Taiwan. And Janna’s moved in a few doors down. Janna thinks, “Of all the neighbors....” She assumes Graeme will now know she’s back in town. Maybe she’ll get another email...?
But she doesn’t. In fact, Graeme, who sleeps on Dave’s couch most weekends, has no idea Janna’s living just a block away. For nine (9!) months Dave and his friends keep her whereabouts secret because they don’t want to jeopardize things with Graeme’s current (and admittedly amazing) girlfriend.
But that spring, Graeme’s relationship is going downhill, and he decides to go uphill. He quits his job and plans a mountain climbing expedition to Peru. The night before he leaves, his friends sit him down for an AA-style intervention--only it’s in a bar and they make him chug a couple beers first. Then Dave says, “Graeme, I’ve been walking dogs with Janna every day for the past 9 months.”
Graeme chugs another beer. And leaves the next morning.
For the next two months, Janna’s ghost follows Graeme up and down the Andes. When he returns, he and his girlfriend break up. Then, still in between jobs, Graeme goes fishing with his dad. On the way south from Alaska, Graeme’s father says, “Why don’t you call that Janna girl? She sure was nice...
And she could throw a mean football.”