Zoe Washington, a Black American girl who lives in the Davis Square neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, returns home following an amazing birthday party. Zoe just turned 12, and she loves to bake. Her party consisted of a baking session at Ari’s Cakes in Beacon Hill, her favorite neighborhood of the city. The owner, Ariana, is Zoe’s mother’s friend; for the party, Ariana coached Zoe and her two best friends, Jasmine and Maya, on making cupcakes. Zoe feels lucky and happy after the birthday celebration. Upon walking in the door at home, she discovers a letter from Marcus Johnson, her biological father who is incarcerated in the state penitentiary. Zoe is shocked; she never hears from her father and knows little about him except that he “committed a terrible crime” (4). It is evident from her only photo of Marcus that she gets her smile from him. Zoe wonders why he would write now. When her mother approaches, humming contentedly and offering pizza for dinner, Zoe hides the letter in her jacket.