Needy Little Things(84)
Dad’s eyes grow shiny. “I think that’s a great idea, baby girl.”
He leaves me to go pack his things and I go to my bedroom, legs heavy and eyes tired. I crawl into bed just after ten and fall asleep knowing Tessa will visit me.
Tonight, her room is decorated with streamers and balloons.
“You’re all grown-up!” She throws confetti in the air, happily exposing her neon-blue braces. I try to recall where the sentence was recycled from, but I can’t place it.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I say.
“I’m always here.” She wanders to the nail polish station.
I watch as she lifts and inspects various bottles, reading out some of the silly names. Darker Than My Heart, and Lacquer of Love, and Let’s Flamingle. If Ms. Jess never reopens Sweet Pea’s, she could make waves in the nail polish business.
Tess settles on a shade that perfectly matches her braces. I join her with a jade green. We sit there, quietly painting our toes. I’m going for my second coat when a need, soft as a summer breeze, whispers through my mind. I can’t make it out and I don’t want to, because there is only one person it could be coming from. And what would that mean? What would it mean if I could suddenly hear Tessa’s needs? That we aren’t close anymore? Or maybe it’s just meant to be a slap in the face. Too little, too late.
She giggles next to me. “Relax. This is a dream, remember?”
I fake a laugh. “Of course I remember, but this dream is breaking the usual rules. Like you reading my mind, for instance.”
“Is it really reading your mind if this whole interaction is happening in your mind? And like I said. You’re all grown-up now. Things change.”
Something about the way she says it makes my stomach knot up. Like there’s something else to be gleaned from the words. I look around at all the decorations and I realize this is more than a graduation party. It’s the last time she’ll visit me like this.
“You’re wrong, by the way,” she says.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not the only one the need you’re sensing could be coming from.” She snaps her fingers, which have magically become perfectly manicured. Santa Bag appears in the corner by her dresser. She opens it, shoves her arm in up to the elbow, and comes up with a scrap of something. A small piece of paper.
“Here,” she says, extending it to me.
“What is it?”
“It’s what you need.”
I take it. A newspaper clipping with the words mile marker 15 highlighted.
Tessa stares at me with her big, round eyes. “It’s what you need to find me.”
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I used to think writing a book was a solitary thing, and in many ways it is. But now that I’ve reached this milestone, now that I can reflect on the journey, it’s the moments that involved other people that stand out the most. That mean the most. To every person who had a direct hand in shaping this book into its final form—I see your fingerprints on every page. To every person who had a direct hand in shaping me, you are there in every line as well. I thank God for blessing me with this opportunity and for placing each of you in my life.
Thank you to my phenomenal agent, Molly Ker Hawn, for finding this book a home. Having you on my side, with all of your experience and expertise, has been the greatest comfort as I navigate this industry. You are an absolute gem, and it is such a joy to work with you. Special thanks to Jenny Bent for knowing this book would be right up Molly’s alley and forwarding it along to her.
Thank you to my wonderful editor, Tiffany Shelton, for seeing and loving these characters. For choosing to champion this book and me. Thank you for all the time, energy, and care you poured into preparing this book for publication. All my awe and gratitude to Kerri Resnick and Taj Francis for designing and illustrating the most gorgeous cover. To the entire team at Wednesday Books: you are all so hardworking, so talented, and so appreciated.
Massive thanks to Alex Antscherl, Michelle Brackenborough, and everyone at Bloomsbury UK for bringing Sariyah and her crew to even more readers around the world. Thanks also to Carla Hutchinson. We didn’t get to work together long, but your deep enthusiasm for this book was evident from our first conversation.
Thank you to the Pitch Wars class of 2021 and my mentor, Karen Bao. Needy Little Things is not my Pitch Wars book, but I’m not sure it would exist if I hadn’t participated. The experience taught me so much, but it truly is the connections I made along the way that I cherish most. Huge shout-out to my fellow mentee, Elizabeth McWhorter. You were the first to read this book, and your critique and commentary were invaluable. All the hugs and screaming cat GIFs to Megan Davidhizar. Your pep talks and camaraderie are everything. And to the rest of the There or Square squad: Emily Charlotte, Christine L. Arnold, Valo Wing, Lally Hi, Sulagna H., K.A. Cobell, P.H. Low, Sana Z. Ahmed, Laurie Lascos, and Aimee Davis—y’all are the greatest. Thank you for enthusiastically celebrating every win and for also providing comfortable shoulders to cry on. I am so grateful for your advice, beta reads, positivity passes, and friendship.
Thank you to Hannah for tagging me in all the Instagram memes that perfectly represent our friendship. There’s nothing quite as cathartic as talking and venting with you for hours on end during one of our semiannual sleepovers. Let’s keep them up till we’re old and gray.