The protagonist, Phoebe, explains that her brother, Mick, died eight weeks earlier. He was riding his bike and lost control when his wheel hit a rock, causing him to skid into the back of a passing truck. He died of a traumatic brain injury.

Mick was 12. He is 10 months younger than Phoebe, who is 13. Though they often had dramatic fights, such as on the morning of Mick’s accident when they wrestled on the floor over who would get the temporary tattoo from a cereal box, the siblings were very close. Phoebe regrets this fight; she especially regrets that she called Mick a very rude curse word.

Phoebe remembers that she could translate for Mick when he was learning to talk. She also remembers his amazing ability to imitate different voices. Years ago, when Mick was learning to write, they printed “fart” into the wet cement of the freshly poured driveway next to their house; Phoebe remembers seeing the word on her way to school the morning of the accident.

On the morning of the accident, Mick rides his bike straight past Phoebe as she walks to school with her friend Zoe; he is clearly still angry about Phoebe calling him a rude word over breakfast.