“Toby smiled and started to speak, but Josh adjusted his hold on Tank and reached back, covering Toby's mouth."Wait," Grace said. "I think he was going to actually use words.""Yeah, but trust me, you don't want to hear them."Toby pulled Josh's hand away. "Are you my new mommy?"Grace's mouth fell open in shock, and Toby giggled at the sight."Okay, Tiger," Josh said. "You know I love the sound of your laugh, probably more than any sound in the world, but I will squash you like a grape if you say that to one more woman today.”

“Josh: So, Toby, it’s election night. What do you say about a country that goes out of its way to protect even those citizens that try to destroy it?Toby: God bless America.”

“Arf! Arf, arf, arf!"Oh, Jesus, the Antichrist's barking was going to split open his head."Quiet, Tank," Grace said. "Toby, baby, grab him and put him in the laundry room, please. Anna, good, you're back. Get a phone in case we need to call nine-one-one.""Got it," Anna said, sounding so unusually shaken that Josh did open his eyes. Look at that, Antichrist number two was worried about him. Nice change.”

“Josh, you saw him," Tally says, "What did he look like? Did he look nice?""He looked like a person," Josh grunts."Don't be a spoilsport," Tally says, and Caid hears her smack Josh on the arm."Shortish, blondish, thinish," Josh says."Thank you, Josh," Caid says, "Your way with words astounds me yet again.""Well, whatever," Tally says. "What did you guys talk about? You said he's nice?""We talked about a lot of things. And yeah, he's—I mean, we traded numbers, so hopefully he'll call.""I hope so, too," Tally says. "I'm glad you have somebody to hang out with now.""Because I was such horrible company?" Josh says, voice thick and deep like he's got a mouthful of ice cream."I wouldn't say horrible," Caid says. "Unbearable, maybe. Like one of those YouTube videos that never loads." And with that, he shoots a shit-eating grin in Josh's direction, and shovels a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.”

“Nugget?" said Micah, offering a lump to Toby."Thanks," said Toby. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. "I think maybe it is a squirrel." He said.”

“Watch it." Josh bites into a pink apple and talks through a full mouth. "He has parts down there you don't have.""Ooo, parts," I say. "Intriguing. Tell me more."Josh smiles sadly. "Sorry. Privileged information. Only people with parts can know about said parts.”