Love Me Back Summary
Merritt Tierce

Love Me Back Overview

"Love Me Back" by Merritt Tierce is a story about Marie Young, a teenager who becomes pregnant as a result of a tryst that occurs during a church retreat in Mexico. When it becomes clear she is pregnant as a result of her discretion, her father insists she marry the man responsible and Marie does. After the birth of her daughter Ana, Marie suffers from what presents like postpartum depression. Marie realizes that she is not wife or mother material and leaves, but not before committing adultery, bringing home an STD, and becoming pregnant again with no way of being certain who the father is. At that point, she discontinues the pregnancy and soon after she leaves, and Ana is raised by her father. Marie makes her way from one restaurant job to another, learning more about the restaurant industry and about people as she goes along. Serving people is the only time that Marie feels normal. Beyond that she is lost. She thinks about death; abuses drugs and alcohol; willingly has sex with anyone who asks her to; and in more desperate times she cuts or burns herself to help her get her head back on straight. During countless sexual escapades, Marie thinks about Ana, remembering moments they've shared or things she has said. Even Ana's smell is distraction enough. Slowly Marie begins to find ways to cope without so much self-injury required to keep her on track. Whether that comes as a result of drug use is not entirely clear although her cocaine use does increase and she does compare the effects of cocaine to the effects of cutting or burning as a way of focusing her mind, Eventually, Marie also realizes that the unconditional love she has always searched for is exists between herself and her daughter, Ana, and always has.