She stopped at the corner and deleted the app and turned her phone off and found her mom again and linked her arm through hers as they crossed under the elevated tracks. A train passed overhead as if carrying thunder. Nudging her mom in the crosswalk, Eden mouthed the words I really miss him. Her mother smiled and mouthed something back—something like “What? I can’t hear you!”—then pulled her arm free, pointed to her ears, and finally threw her hands up in the air—a shrug emoji come to life.

Eden felt like a red balloon and a thumbs-up and a flamenco dancer and a unicorn—maybe even like she had hearts for eyes. So when the train left silence in its wake, she said it again—“I really miss him”—and her mom said, “I know. I heard you,” and squeezed her hand tight as they stepped over the star of Natalie.

It was that feeling when you’re going to be okay.

Acknowledgments

I’m indebted to my editor Sarah Shumway for her patience while this idea took shape.

And to the rest of the incredible Bloomsbury team: Cindy Lo, Faye Bi, Alexa Higbee, Erica Barmash, Beth Eller, Jasmine Miranda, Lily Yengle, Phoebe Dyer, Claire Stetzer, Oona Patrick, and Melissa Kavonic.

Thanks to the fab design team of Donna Mark and Jeanette Levy, and to Tony Sahara for the cover art.

Shout-out to my Astoria, Queens, neighborhood—which is both real and imagined in these pages—and especially to the artists who either created or inspired the pieces my characters interact with at Socrates Sculpture Park: Guillaume Légaré, Andrew Brehm, and the late Devra Freelander.

My agent David Dunton @ Harvey Klinger Agency never disappoints.

And I rely heavily on the wisdom of Bob and my SC.

I better mention my children or they’ll be mad.

And Nick, at long last, this one’s for you.