Perfect Little World(111)

Izzy herself felt overwhelmed in the grocery store or waiting to pick up Cap from school, so many people swirling around her, people she did not and would not ever know moving in and out of her life. And then, alternately, there were nights with Izzy and Preston and Cap, the three of them at the dinner table, when Izzy wanted to scream; how strange it seemed that their family, which had been legion, had shrunk to this final iteration. It would never again be how it once was, she understood that, and though she was happier than she had ever imagined, she knew that those years in the complex had been a magic trick, and it was only natural to want to see the trick performed, again and again, until you truly understood how it worked.


Now, however, surrounded by her loved ones, every person she needed in the world, she danced with Preston. She listened to her own son’s voice sing, “‘there’s a better home awaiting,’” and she spun away for a brief second, everything blurry and unsure. And then, falling back into proper alignment just before she broke free and lost her way, she spun right back into Preston’s arms. And she was home again.





acknowledgments


Thanks to the following:

Julie Barer, my friend and agent, who has made this writing life for me, for which I am eternally grateful, and who shaped this book in so many important ways.

Zack Wagman, for championing this book and helping me find out what it was and what it should be.

Ecco, with special mention to Allison Saltzman and Emma Janaskie, for all their work in getting this book out to the world and for continuing to support my writing.

Kelly and Debbie Wilson, the greatest parents, the earliest supporters of my work; Kristen, Wes, and Kellan Huffman; Mary Couch; John, Meredith, Warren, Laura, Morgan, and Philip James; and the Wilson, Fuselier, and Baltz families, for their love and kindness.

Ann Patchett, for reading an early draft of the novel, for a lifetime of good advice, for her constant support and friendship.

The Rivendell Writers’ Colony, which provided me, several times, with the space to continue my work on this novel. Thank you to Carmen and Michael Thompson, and with gratitude to Mary Elizabeth Nelson.

St. Mary’s Sewanee, for the use of the Hermitage, where I wrote parts of this novel.

The University of the South, especially the amazing students with whom I’ve had the honor of working over the past eleven years (especially Annie Adams, Kilby Allen, Jessica Barber, Aaron Browning, Caroline Byrd, Liz Childers, Catherine Clifton, Sarah Cumming, Lily Davenport, Kat Dembergh, Ellen Doster, Norris Eppes, Daniel Fortner, Eli Gay, Anna Grishaw, Hallie Gladstone, Meg Hall, Becca Hannigan, Kelly Hines, Sarah Horton, Brandon Iracks-Edelin, Reed Jackson, Kate Jayroe, Sara Kachelman, Zoey Kortz, Robin Lee, Lara Lofdahl, Jacob Moore, Sarah Pinson, Chris Poole, Thomas Sanders, Charlotte Seaman-Huynh, Param Singh, Justin Smith, Leah Terry, Bea Troxel, Kathryn Willgus, Laney Wood, and Lena Yarbrough), and with special gratitude to the English Department, particularly Kelly Malone, Lauryl Tucker, and Elizabeth Grammer, for their mentorship and friendship.

My friends Leah Stewart, Matt O’Keefe, Sam Esquith, Cecily Parks, Isabel Galbraith, Lucy Corin, Claire Vaye Watkins, and Caki Wilkinson.

Ally Syler and Eliza Griffey, two of the most wonderful kids I know, for allowing me to use their names in this novel, and for their amazing parents and my best friends on the mountain, David and Heidi Syler, and Betsy Sandlin and Jason Griffey.

Finally and most emphatically:

Griff Fodder-Wing Wilson and Patch Halcomb Wilson, my sons, perfect little worlds.

Leigh Anne Couch, my cowriter, my best and truest love, every single good thing I have.