by Janae Marks
As soon as I heard him say “Little Tomato,” I relaxed. He sounded just like on the phone, except he was here—in real life. I couldn’t believe it. I smiled back, and I knew we must look like twins, since our smiles were so similar. I wished I could take a picture, but phones weren’t allowed in the room.
There was something I could do. I put the candy on the table and moved closer to give Marcus a hug. He squeezed me tight, and I could smell the detergent on his clothing. Tears started to fall from my own eyes.
After our hug, we all sat down around the table.
Grandma reached over and squeezed Marcus’s hand. “It’s really nice to see you.”
“You too,” Marcus said, and then he looked at Mom. “Natalie, thanks for coming. For bringing Zoe.”
“It’s about time she got to see you.” Mom teared up. “I’m sorry it took this long.”
“It’s okay. I understand.” Marcus looked at Dad and said, “Paul. Thank you for stepping in and being such a great father to Zoe when I couldn’t. I’m so grateful.”
Dad shook his head. “I’m the one who’s grateful. Zoe’s an amazing kid.”
“Well, I’m thirsty,” Grandma said, standing up. “Anyone else? Natalie, Paul, want to come to the vending machines with me?”
I knew what Grandma was doing—giving me some alone time with Marcus. Mom squeezed my shoulder before she and Dad walked away from our table.
Marcus smiled at me again. “How are things? Tell me what’s going on with you.”
“I’m great, especially now that I’m here,” I said. “Seventh grade is good so far. And look, I brought a picture of my cupcake on display at Ari’s Cakes.”
I handed the photo to him and he smiled at it. “Look at that. Wish I could try them.”
“You will,” I said.
“What else’s going on?”
“I’ve been hanging out with my friends Trevor and Maya.” I told him how the three of us started doing more stuff together, and sometimes Trevor’s basketball teammates—not Lincoln or Sean—joined us. Trevor stopped hanging out with Lincoln and Sean, but there were other, nicer guys on the team. Maya and I started going to the basketball games to cheer from the bleachers. I’d bake brownies or other treats for us to snack on during the games.
“I’m so happy that you’re happy,” he said. “I can’t wait to see what your life is like for myself one day.”
“I can’t wait either,” I said.
“When I’m out, we can go to a Celtics game together,” Marcus said. “Have you ever been to one?”
“No, but I’d like to,” I said. “Can Trevor come, too? He loves the Celtics.”
“Smart guy. Of course he can come. Can’t wait to meet him.”
“I told Trevor all about how you play basketball. We can all play together in our driveway. I’ve been beating him at horse lately.”
“That’s my girl,” he said, laughing.
My eyes landed on the peanut M&M’s on the table, and I remembered what I’d been wondering earlier. “Hey, do you like sweet or savory foods better?”
“You know, I like a mix of both. I used to always like eating candy and chips at the same time.”
“Me too!” I said.
We spent the next hour talking about other things we had in common—he liked Hawaiian-ish pizza too! After a while, I was able to forget we were in a prison visiting room.
Eventually visiting hours ended, and we had to say our goodbyes. We gave each other a long hug and I tried not to cry, so Marcus wouldn’t. I knew there’d be more letters and phone calls between us, but what I really wanted was to do this more. To be able to see him in person whenever I wanted, and not within these prison walls.
I had no idea what would happen next, but I hoped with all my heart that the Innocence Project would set Marcus free. In the meantime, I was so thankful that I’d found his letter on my twelfth birthday, and that he was in my life now, where he belonged.
Epilogue
“Happy birthday to Marcus,” everyone sang. “Happy birthday to you!”
Marcus leaned over the Celtics-themed cake, silently made a wish, and blew out the candles. Everyone cheered, and I looked around at all the smiling faces. Mom, Dad, and Grandma. Trevor and his parents. Maya. Ariana and her husband.
Marcus was actually there, in my house, celebrating his birthday. I still couldn’t believe it. The process of appealing his guilty verdict took a lot longer than I expected—years instead of months. But once his lawyers at the Innocence Project finally got him a new trial, they made a strong case to prove his innocence. They explored new DNA evidence and named a new suspect—another man who had lived in Lucy’s building. In the end, Marcus’s conviction was overturned, and that other man ended up being found guilty of the crime. I cried so hard when I heard the judge name Marcus “not guilty.” We all did.
Not only did Marcus get justice, but Lucy’s family did, too.
Now, Marcus wore jeans and a green Celtics T-shirt, which was one of the gifts I gave him after he came out of prison. In it, he really looked like an older version of the Marcus from my first picture of him.
His parents—my grandparents—were also there. They’d flown up from Atlanta for the party. I first got to meet them during Marcus’s new trial, so it was nice to see them again.
“Let’s cut the cake!” Trevor said. “It is chocolate, right?”
“Sorry, Trevor,” I said.
“Aw, man,” he said.
Dad started cutting the cake and Mom helped him with the plates. Marcus took the first slice, and I took the second one, even though I was still full from all the food. I’d helped Marcus make macaroni and cheese, and he also made barbecued ribs that turned out really yummy. His mom helped my parents make a bunch of food, too. He was right—she was an amazing cook.
Still, there was always room for dessert. Especially when it was the cake I helped make at Ari’s Cakes. It was a two-tiered cake made with my cereal cupcake recipe. I’d done some more experimenting with cake flavors since then, but this recipe felt right for today, since it reminded me of the summer I first started writing to Marcus.
Marcus came up next to me. “Hey, Zoe, I want to give you your present now.”
“What? It’s your birthday!” I said. “And I still haven’t given you my gift.” I’d gotten him some cooking supplies—an apron embroidered with “Big Tomato,” my nickname for him, and a nice cast iron pan.
“I know, but there’s something I really wanted to get you,” Marcus said. “Come to the living room with me.”
I knew Marcus didn’t have a lot of money yet. He was working two part-time jobs—one in the office of a legal nonprofit organization in Boston, and he also started assisting Vincent at Ari’s Cakes. After hearing about his cooking experience while in prison, Ariana took a chance on Marcus and gave him a job. It was Mom who’d suggested it, since she knew Ariana was looking to hire more staff.
Grandma said Marcus was lucky. A lot of men who got out of prison—whether they were truly guilty or not—had trouble finding jobs. Marcus was saving up to be able to rent his own apartment. He was staying in Grandma’s guest room in the meantime.
I’d get to work alongside Marcus at the bakery the next summer—this time, as a real employee, since I’d finally be old enough. I never got to audition for Kids Bake Challenge! The Food Network ended up canceling the show. But I was still going to be a professional baker with several cookbooks one day. It would happen no matter what.
In the living room, there was a large rectangular box covered in purple wrapping paper on the coffee table. We both sat down on the couch, but Marcus couldn’t sit still, clearly excited for me to see whatever was inside. “Go ahead, open it,” he said.
I started ripping the wrapping paper off.
“You got me a record player?” I said. “This is so cool.”
Marcus grinned at me. “Let’s plug it in.”
“I don’t have any records,” I said.
�
��I thought of that.” He pulled a gift bag from behind the couch. “I got you a few to start you off.”
“Oh my gosh!” I flipped through the records, and they were artists from my Little Tomato playlist: Lauryn Hill, Boyz II Men, and Stevie Wonder. “Thank you! How did you get all of these?”
“I worked some extra shifts at the bakery,” Marcus said. “There’s one song I really want to play for you.” He unwrapped the Stevie Wonder album, which was called Hotter Than July. He got up, found a plug for the record player, and turned it on.
“The one thing about records,” Marcus said, “is that you can’t skip songs too easily. The one I want you to hear is the last track, so I have to guess where to put the needle.”
I watched as he carefully positioned the record on the turntable and gently placed the needle on it. The record started spinning and Stevie Wonder’s voice filled the room.
Marcus smiled. “Now, doesn’t he sound especially good?”
“Yeah,” I said. “He has such a great voice.”
The current song ended and a new one started.
“Okay, this is the one I wanted you to hear,” Marcus said. “Dance with me.”
“Right here?” I asked.
“Yeah, right here. C’mon.” Marcus grabbed my hands and we started dancing to the upbeat music.
And then the chorus started. “Happy birthday to ya. Happy birthday to ya. Happy birthday!” Stevie sang.
“Oh!” I said.
“This is the best version of the happy birthday song, hands down,” Marcus said. “It’s got flavor.” He spun me around and around, and I laughed.
When the chorus came on again, we sang along.
Then Grandma walked into the room, followed by Mom and Dad.
“What’s going on in here?” Mom asked.
“We’re dancing. Join us!” I said.
They did, and together, we danced and sang along with the song. Mom belted out some harmonies.
It was hard to believe that Marcus was once a total stranger to me. And now, he was here and we were having a dance party. He was out of prison because of me.
When the song ended, Marcus and I both collapsed on the couch with big, identical smiles, and I felt grateful and happy and full.
Acknowledgments
My journey from aspiring writer to published author was long, a lot longer than I expected. I couldn’t have gotten to this point without my sheer determination, countless cups of coffee, or all the following people who supported me along the way.
Thank you to my agent, Alex Slater, for championing Zoe’s story from the very beginning. Deciding to work with you was the easiest and best decision I’ve made! You helped me get my dream book deal, and I will be forever grateful. I also want to thank Nicola DeRobertis-Theye for bringing Zoe overseas, and the rest of the Trident Media Group team for their passion and hard work.
To Alexandra Arnold, who acquired this book before leaving her role at Katherine Tegen Books, I’m so glad I was able to work with you to strengthen this manuscript. You are incredible at what you do! You told me I would be in good hands with my new editor, Mabel Hsu, and you were right. Mabel, you’ve been amazing to work with. Thank you for always treating my debut as if it was your own acquisition. To the rest of the team at Katherine Tegen Books—Tanu Srivastava, Liz Byer, Mark Rifkin, Erin Wallace, Kristen Eckhardt, Vaishali Nayak, Laura Mock, Amy Ryan, Sam Benson, and Megan Gendell—thank you for all your hard work. Thank you as well to Mirelle Ortega for illustrating my beautiful cover.
One of the rewarding parts of having a long publishing journey is all the writer friends I made throughout the years. Thank you to my New School MFA crew—Kathryn Holmes, Michael Dobbs, Elizabeth Dunn-Ruiz, Benjamin Andrew Moore, Gabriela Pereira, and Mia Garcia—who’ve been there since I was a newbie writing my very first novel. You all continue to inspire me, and I’m so grateful for our friendship. To my CT Novelists—Jessica Bayliss, Cristina Dos Santos, Ginger Merante, and Juliana Haygert—you four are my rocks! I also want to thank the other writers who’ve encouraged me over the years: Dahlia Adler, Ellen Goodlett, and Emery Lord. To all my other writer friends who I met online or at conferences: thank you for your support! I also want to thank my friends who aren’t writers but who’ve always been excited to hear updates about my work, which meant the world to me: Jenifer Parker, Laura Wolther, Maura FitzGerald, and Shaderi Taylor (RIP).
To my critique group ladies—Jodi Kendall, Gina Carey, and Alexandra Alger—I can always count on you for insightful feedback and support. Thank you for helping me bring Zoe’s story to light. A special thank-you to the other authors who took time to read this book and provide feedback. Kacen Callender, thank you for helping me realize that this was, in fact, meant to be a middle grade book, and not YA. Karen Strong, you’ve been Zoe’s cheerleader from the start, and a wonderful friend. I can’t wait for us to do an event together. Dana Alison Levy, your thorough notes and mentorship while I was revising were priceless.
To the Shoreline Arts Alliance Tassy Walden Committee: thank you for selecting this story for the 2017 middle grade award. It was an incredible honor and the best kind of validation as I prepared to query literary agents.
I’m so happy to be a member of the Roaring 20s debut group—and not only because of the awesome name. The camaraderie and support of the group has been incredible. A special shout-out to Lorien Lawrence, Tanya Guerrero, and Shannon Doleski for all our chats leading up to our debut year. I’m also grateful for my fellow Class of 2K20 Books members.
I’ve loved reading and writing my entire life, but I wouldn’t have tried to get a book published if it wasn’t for my mother, my biggest supporter. Mom, thank you for always encouraging me to chase my dreams, no matter how farfetched they seemed. (Let’s be honest, I was never going to make it to Broadway! But you drove me to all those acting classes, dance classes, and singing lessons anyway.) When I switched gears to creative writing, your continued belief in me carried me through my decade-long journey to publication.
To Dad, thank you for always being so supportive and for answering all my legal questions!
To Steve, the love of my life. You are the best husband I could’ve asked for. Thank you for being there for all the highs and lows of getting this book published and for always believing in me.
To Luna: I started writing this book when you were only a few months old. I’m so happy that you’re able to see me accomplish this dream, so you know that you can absolutely do the same. Shine bright, baby girl.
To all the young writers and aspiring authors reading this, longing for the day when you’ll get to write your own acknowledgments for your own debut book: keep writing. This book is proof that hard work pays off and dreams do come true. I’m rooting for you.
Finally, thank you to all my readers. I’m thrilled that I was able to share Zoe’s story with you, and I truly hope you enjoyed it.
About the Author
Photo credit Jerri Graham Photography
JANAE MARKS graduated from the New School with an MFA in creative writing with a concentration in writing for children and young adults. When she isn’t writing fiction, she’s spending time with her husband and daughter at home in Connecticut. From the Desk of Zoe Washington is her debut novel. Visit Janae online at www.janaemarks.com.
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Copyright
Katherine Tegen Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON. Copyright © 2020 by Janae Marks. Interior illustrations © 2020 by Mirelle Ortega. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or m
echanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
www.harpercollinschildrens.com
Cover art © 2020 by Mirelle Ortega
Cover design and lettering by Laura Mock
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Marks, Janae, author.
Title: From the desk of Zoe Washington / Janae Marks.
Description: First edition. | New York, NY : Katherine Tegen Books, [2020] | Audience: Ages 8-12 | Audience: Grades 4-6 | Summary: “Avid baker Zoe Washington receives a letter on her twelfth birthday from her biological father, who is in prison for a terrible crime.”— Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019026849 | ISBN 9780062875853 (hardcover) Subjects: CYAC: Fathers and daughters—Fiction. | Prisoners families—Fiction. | Bakers and bakeries—Fiction. | Family life—Fiction. | African Americans—Fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.M3722 Fro 2020 | DDC [Fic]—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019026849
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Digital Edition JANUARY 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-287588-4
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-287585-3
1920212223PC/LSCH10987654321
FIRST EDITION
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