“She bonks her head so hard with her hand i want to get her an ice pack”

“…Sometimes there are things that people should be afraid of." "Like the dark?" She shook her head. "No, more the absence of light.”

“I stomp toward her and point. I've SO had it with her. "That is SO not nice."You don't even talk like a queen." She glares at me.Nick raises an eyebrow at me. "You're a QUEEN?"I walk to the edge of the bed, stand just a few inches away from her. Power rolls off of her. "Okay, please refrain from your insidious comments, which are obviously geared to inflict harm upon my psyche. I do not appreciate it."Nick cracks up. "Well, you ARE the same Zara.”

“Mom, I promised to behave. It wasn't easy. I mean, she couldn't help herself. She was all over this hunk of Navajo manhood and I had to keep telling her I'd promised not to let her violate me. Eventually she wore herself out and fell asleep.”

“Phone service is back up and Devyn calls Issie, and then leaves to bring her over. Gram calls Mrs. Nix, the school secretary."She's a bear," Betty exclaims after she hangs up the phone. "I trust her."I don't even blink.”

“I had to keep telling her I'd promised not to let her violate me.”

“ Her arms quiver from holding the bowl. She must truly love him to hold that bowl for so very long. There must be something isdeof him that is worthy of that kindness”