No Dawn without Darkness: No Safety In Numbers: Book 3 (18 page)

“Geez, woman. You told me to sleep, I slept!”

I jump out of bed and see that I’m still in clothes, so I just go out into the hall and make for the bathroom.

“Change your shirt,” my mother says.

“Yeah, yeah,” I say.

When I get into the kitchen—clean shirted with book bag packed—she has a plate ready for me.

“You comb that hair?” she asks, picking at my cowlick.

“Stop mothering me,” I say, but we’re both smiling. I don’t know why, but I’m smiling.

I inhale the food, then jump up when I see the time.

“You home for dinner tonight?” she asks.

I could walk around again. But I guess I’ll just come home. “Yeah.” I go to put on the duster, but it was so cold yesterday, so I grab my old parka.

“Have a good day,
mijo
.”

“Not possible,” I say.

“I didn’t say great day or exciting day. I said have a good day. Good is possible.”

I climb onto the bus and see that my favorite spot is open. Not only that, but no one’s giving me that hairy eyeball look I’ve been getting every other morning. I drop onto the seat and watch the world whip past and feel—for the first time in a long time—maybe she’s right.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T
hank you first readers—Anne Cunningham, Mary-Beth McNulty, Matt Weiner, and Jennifer Decker—for your story insights and sharp eyes. And to Jamie Quatro for giving me some much needed late-stage input. Most of all, to my supportive, involved, insightful, and enthusiastic mom, Chris Kaufman.

Thank you experts—Karen Mangold, for keeping me honest in my medical misdeeds; my dad, John Kaufman, for teaching me how to ride a motorcycle; Cate Williamson and Alison Moncrief Bromage, for helping me write a poem; Jason for getting me to dig deep into the world of football; and to the local anonymous sources who helped me thoroughly trash my nice suburban mall.

Thank you to the team at Penguin Young Readers Group and Dial Books, including Don Weisberg, Jennifer Loja, Lauri Hornik, Erin Baber, Scottie Bowditch, Lisa Kelly, and Erin Dempsey, for all your support and enthusiasm for the series. And to Eileen Bishop Kreit and everyone at Puffin Books for putting out such beautiful paperback editions.

Thank you, Jessica Shoffel, for publicizing the series. Your kind words and guidance have helped me feel confident sharing my books and myself with the world.

Thank you to the design team behind these gorgeous books. Greg Stadnyk and Lindsey Andrews, you came up with another amazing cover. Jason Henry, I love how everything looks on the page!

Thank you, Regina Castillo, for lending your keen eyes once again to my words.

Thank you, Claire Evans, for making sure all the pieces came together, and for sending me good news.

Thank you, Kathy Dawson—more than thank you, bless you, truly. You push me to get things exactly right, ask the hard questions and point the way to solutions. You are everything I could have hoped for in an editor. I am so grateful to have had your brilliant mind guiding my work on this series.

Thank you, Faye Bender, agent and friend. You help me believe in myself on the days when that feels hardest.

Thank you, Evelyn, my dear girl, for being a constant source of joy and laughter. Thank you, Joshua, the new guy, for being adorable. And thank you, Jason, my love, for everything, but especially for being my friend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dayna Lorentz has an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Bennington College. She used to practice law, but is now a full-time writer and part-time cupcake enthusiast. She lives in South Burlington, Vermont, with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

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