FWIW, I hadn't checked into GA or CC for awhile, so only today I noticed the last two chapters were up. I read them before coming to the blog, and I'm glad I did. From this perspective, I think you accomplished what you wanted. No WTF response from me. The ending is excellent.
This story has always been more about what's going on in Andy's head than what was going on outside, and ending the story at the point where Andy takes a leap of emotional growth and awareness is a good point. I could imagine a few alternate endings, perhaps they would have been like your WTF endings. But I think this one is true to the story. There were other times along the way where Andy ignored/fought/overlooked a point of emotional awareness and that accepting that new awareness was OK. Eventually, he would end the struggle and move on. To end the book with the end of a struggle is a good end, IMO.
I always kind of assumed that the last chapters didn't get written for so long because you weren't sure how they turned out in real life, even though you were past graduation. (I hope that doesn't sound condescending. Rereading my comment, I can't tell. Not my intent.) Retelling the facts of the 5th undergraduate year without a clearer understanding of the implications of what transpired would make the story seem hollow. How would you know what the implications were until you'd had some time to live them out? An interpretation of the 5th-yr spring break written 8 years ago may have been far different that the one written two months ago. Hindsight....
