Reyna is the book’s narrator, a former teacher, and a professional writer. She crossed the US-Mexico border as a child, living in the US as an undocumented immigrant until becoming a Green Card holder at the age of 14 and a US citizen as an adult. The hardships Reyna experienced in childhood, including physical and emotional abuse, abandonment, and extreme poverty, left deep scars that influence her behavior as an adult. Perseverance is Reyna’s most notable trait. Through hard work and with the help of caring mentors, she succeeds in college, as a writing fellow with the Emerging Voices program, and as a professional writer. Her tenacity serves her equally well in her personal life. Reyna steps in when her mother gives up on Betty and sends her to live in Iguala; she remains hopeful Cory will fall in love with ever, even though he has a girlfriend; and she makes many overtures to mend her relationship with her parents, naming her son after her father and helping her mother earn a living through yard sales. Reyna has two children: a son named Nathan with Francisco, and a daughter named Eva with her husband, Cory.