My writerly people: Bree Barton, Dana Davis, Jilly Gagnon, Britta Lundin, Maura Milan, Farrah Penn, Lana Popovic, Aminah Mae Safi (a.k.a. the friend I dreamed up in What You Left Me come to life), Chelsea Sedoti, Austin Siegemund-Broka, Lisa Super, Emily Wibberley, and all the other Electric Eighteens I know and love—not only are all of you extreme talents, you’re all unfathomably generous. I’d be lost without the support, feedback, critiques, advice, laughs, joys, and woes we’ve shared. And the snacks. I love when we share snacks.

My sweet, nonwriterly friends: bless you all for the pictures, reading updates, and general cheerleading I’ve received. Seeing all of you interact with my work really touches my heart. Major hugs to Ryan S., Brittany, Jake, Brian, my mom, and my sisters Liz and Rose for the very early reads on this story. Full-volume shout-out to Oak Forest, Illinois, for the enduring support. To the Grease Ten-Year Reunion cast, that iconic performance brings a full-wattage smile to my face every single day. The Class of ’08 is forever. My extended Morrissey clan, few people do it as large, loud, and loyal as the South Side Irish. I am four-leaf-clover lucky to call all of you family. To the 2018 Chicago Cubs, I watched your games nearly every time I sat down to edit this book. Play by play and page by page, we both got through it. You’ll get ’em next year.

Mrs. Donna Tyrka, my third-grade teacher, you surprised me at my hometown book event, showing up with an old class picture in hand. We cried as we hugged each other. You taught me everything from cursive to creative writing to being a good person. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again—educators are superheroes, and you, Mrs. Tyrka, are one of the best.

My gymnasts, who always manage to make me believe again, right when I’m at my lowest—over and over, you girls prove to me that courage defeats fear. That is a greater lesson than any gymnastics skill I could ever teach you. May you never lose your heart and determination.

My childhood friends, from the neighborhood group to the Arbor Park kids—this story is not our story, but it exists because of all of you. I carry deep affection for every person I’ve befriended along the way. Bianca Reyes, specifically, asking you to be my friend during kindergarten nap time might be the best proposition I’ve ever made. Distance and time can do nothing to tarnish your impact on my life. I will always love you as much as we inexplicably loved CoverGirl makeup our freshman year of high school. Thank you for the secret languages, the late nights telling ghost stories, the way your whole family always welcomed me with open arms, and all the other memories we know by heart.