“A rolled-up newspaper landed on my head and then on Jim’s. “None of that in my house!”Oh my gods. The alpha of Clan Cat just got smacked with a rolled-up newspaper. “Mom!”She pointed at me with the newspaper. “Do not shame me.”I clamped my mouth shut. When she pulled out the shame card, it was all over.”

“He snarled. I showed him my teeth.A rolled-up newspaper landed on my head and then on Jim’s. “None of that in myhouse!”Oh my gods. The alpha of Clan Cat just got smacked with a rolled-up newspaper.”

“Oh my gods. The alpha of Clan Cat just got smacked with a rolled-up newspaper."Mom!”

“He had a newspaper rolled in his hand, bearing down on me like a puppy that had piddled on the carpet. "Bad Chloe,” I muttered. "What?”I’d forgotten his bionic hearing. “Bad Chloe.” I gestured at the rolled-up paper and putout my hand. “Get it over with.”

“Not yet!" said she [Goneril], trying to roll me over and get back to smacking my bum.She honked my codpiece.You honked my codpiece."Aye, give it up, fool." [...]”

“I reread An Imperial Affliction until Mom woke up and rolled over toward me around six. She nuzzled her head against my shoulder, which felt uncomfortable and vaguely Augustinian.”