Craig is a 38-year-old mechanic who owns a small auto repair shop, marked by a handmade sign his two young sons, Rick and Noah, painted when they were little. The imperfect sign reminds him every day of his family and the life he built with his wife, Laura. Craig has always been satisfied with a simple life: working with cars, paying the bills, spending summers at the lake, and enjoying family traditions like Sunday pancakes. Laura, however, grew up poor and always dreamed of wealth and a more luxurious lifestyle. She often believed Craig should become a manager or open his own business because she felt his career and income were not enough.

Craig and Laura had been together for eleven years and married for nine, raising their two sons, Rick and Noah. While Craig remembers their marriage as happy for many years, he also recognizes that Laura wanted more from life than he could provide. Craig’s background is humble, beginning with his uncle teaching him about cars when he was fourteen. He eventually worked at a dealership and became a skilled mechanic. The story also introduces Brent Harlow, a wealthy former classmate whose privileged upbringing and successful family contrast sharply with Craig’s modest life. These differences suggest that Brent may become important as Craig’s story develops.