by Laura Hankin
“Excellent! Of course,” Amara said.
“Only if you actually like them, though,” Claire said. “I’m proud of them, but I don’t want you to just feel like you owe me because I saved you from Mommy Speed.”
“Oh, right,” Amara said dryly. “I’d nearly forgotten about that. Only if I actually like them, then.” She put the CD into her bag.
“Thanks,” Claire said, and they smiled at each other. “Last day of leisure, huh?”
Amara would go back to work the next day. There had been one benefit to the TrueMommy debacle, at least. When she submitted her résumé to places now, people actually started calling her in for interviews. They wanted to talk to her because she was a curiosity, because they thought they could grill her about all the sordid details, but she managed to twist it to her advantage. “I’ve been through that,” she said in the interview for the show that ended up hiring her, “and now I’m fucking unflappable.”
“Lord,” Amara said to Claire. “Having it all will be a cakewalk after this.”
Claire laughed. And then they turned into the golden afternoon light and took the kids to the park.
Acknowledgments
I will never stop being amazed that so many people devoted their time and energy to bringing Happy & You Know It to life. I owe an immense debt of gratitude to those listed below. And if somehow I forgot you, I’m sorry. Come yell at me, and I’ll buy you a drink.
My agent, Stefanie Lieberman, who found me when this book was just an idea in my head, and proceeded to change my life. She and Molly Steinblatt saw me through all the false starts, gently steering me away from bad decisions while casually tossing around perfect critiques like, “You’re not reckoning quite enough with the patriarchal underpinnings of the wellness industry.” Thanks as well to everyone at Janklow & Nesbit, and a special shout-out to Adam Hobbins for his scheduling magic.
My editor, Jen Monroe, who is so kind, so cool, and so good at her job. I treasure her wonderful editorial e-mails and am endlessly grateful for her enthusiasm. This book became much richer, juicier, and, yes, sexier under her guidance.
The entire Berkley team, from the copyeditors who caught all my mistakes about sports (I don’t know what time of year people watch football!) to the publicity pros who worked so hard to make sure this book landed in as many hands as possible. I feel very lucky that Happy & You Know It found a home at such a lovely imprint.
Grandma Lois, who told me that I was always welcome to come write at her Connecticut house. No presidents have relaxed in her backyard, but who needs presidents when she bakes the best blueberry pie I’ve ever tasted?
Kristine Sullivan, for a certain subplot inspiration.
Early readers/friends who gave me invaluable feedback and the encouragement I needed to keep going: Claire Fallon, Trista Olivas, Dominique Salerno, Alex Ulyett, Hannah Barudin, Melissa Yeo, Rebecca Mohr, and Paavana Kumar. Thank you as well to friends like Sash Bischoff, Kara Scroggins, and Jane Bradley, who were always there to talk me through my anxiety about whether or not this book would ever see the light of day.
Stacy Testa, for her guidance, warmth, and friendship.
Inez Sanchirico and Jamie Kolnick, for letting me ask them all sorts of questions about motherhood, and answering thoughtfully and openly.
Olivia Blaustein, for her enthusiasm and belief that this story deserved to be told in other media as well.
All the mothers whose babies I sang for. Special thanks to the woman who named her baby Cordelia, for whom I accidentally did a solo playgroup one time. She was so cool that it made me wonder what would happen if a playgroup mother and her musician truly became friends. Thanks as well to the other musicians I worked with, who made the job so fun.
My father and brother. Through all the times I doubted myself, I never doubted their love for me. I’m so happy to be on Team Hankin with them.
About the Author
Laura Hankin has written for McSweeney's and HuffPost, among other publications. The viral videos that she creates and stars in with her comedy duo, Feminarchy, have been featured in Now This, The New York Times, and Funny or Die. She grew up in Washington, D.C., attended Princeton University, and now lives in New York City, where she has performed off-Broadway, acted onscreen, and sung to far too many babies.
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