“The End of HerShe’s sitting on the hillHoping for a dayWhen her dreams don’t hit the roadShe’s throwing rocks and yellingAt the sky and at the weatherShe’s yelling at foreverThat’s been breathing on her neckShe can’t start with him againHe’s got the end of herHe can’t give her oceanAnd he can’t give her herHe’s staring where she satIt’s the plastic that reminds himOf something that they hadHe says, “I’d give up sex foreverIf she’d say we’re back together”But he’s making promises he knowsIt’d kill them both to keepShe can’t start with him againHe’s got the end of herHe can’t give her oceanAnd he can’t give her her”

“I look over at Ed. He's staring out the window giving Leo the thumbs-down. I wait till he's looking at me, then I give him two fingers up. He gives me two fingers back. I give him the middle finger. He gives it back to me. I don't know any more signs, so I make up one. Three fingers. Take that, mister. He sticks up four. I call your four and raise you five. He skips straight to ten and does something with his thumb that disturbs me. I bounce my hands on my lap. Ed bounces his lap right back.”

“Ed gives him a dirty look. Leo grins. Dylan twitches. It feels like something's going on, I think loudly, and I know that Jazz hears my thought because she gives me her serious look and blows a chewing-gum bubble in my direction.”

“But his eyes say what he can’t. I see it, clear as day, even if she doesn’t. He’d give up his wings for her. All she’d have to do is ask.”

“You can’t keep her.”I know that. But I’m not ready to give her up just yet.”

“Her eyes always bothered me when we were kids. They still do. They make mine ache trying to see where they end.”

“It’s my baby. I can’t just let her give it away—”