Short stories with hopeful endings have always been favorites of Helen Haught Fanick, and her own stories are no exception. Her protagonists usually discover at the end that with effort, situations can change and life can improve. The young girl with a chance to go to college sees many obstacles, as does the wife who wants to help a disadvantaged boy. Their decisions, in the end, are right for them. These varied stories are about more than the problems faced by the characters. They’re about hope.