There’s a slow, sad reveal of the protagonist’s history throughout this story. Hickman makes Dottie come to life in a lovely and heartbreaking way. Dottie works in a distressed business in a depressed town, but there are faint signs of hope.

Dottie made her way back behind the  cash register.  Time stretched out with little to fill it. Duffie’s was one of two convenience stores in New Hope, Pennsylvania and most people in town went to the other one. If Dottie had a choice she’d have gone to the other one too. Dottie marked her time by Mrs. Duffie’s nightly shuffle out the door at six, and Darren’s nightly visits. Darren had already been by and Mrs. Duffie would be leaving soon, then there’d be four hours to go.