Dear Zoe

The day before her 16th birthday, Tess’s dad calls from the police station to say he’s been arrested and not to tell her mom. He tells Tess to call Gram and says he should be out soon because the cops don’t have anything on him. He tells Tess they arrested Jimmy, too, and Tess realizes that Jimmy helps her father deal drugs.

Tess stays at home alone. Frank and Keisha can’t settle down, and Tess feels anxious. She sleeps in her father’s room and looks at the wedding photos of her parents, feeling unnerved that her mom looks so happy and doesn’t realize she’s making a mistake. Tess is afraid because her mom in the photo is not that much older than Tess is now, and Tess worries she could be making terrible mistakes in her own life. Tess falls asleep and dreams that she is Em and Zoe’s mother. Zoe is in her car seat but bleeds from her nose and tells Tess she’s a big girl now.

When Tess wakes up, it’s her 16th birthday. Her dad calls and apologizes and says he’s thinking about cooking school. He tells Tess he’ll come home after he and Jimmy get