“I already gave you my ass. I guess you can have my hand too.”

“Can I ask you a question?""You already have."He paused, considering. "Can I ask you two questions, then?""You already have."Sam groaned and threw one of the small sofa pillows in my direction. It arced through the moonlit room, a blackened projectile, and thumped harmlessly by my head. "So you're a smart-ass, then.”

“I am speechless: what can I answer?I put hand on my mouth.I have said too much already;now I will speak no more.”

“I gave you all the happiness of my life,where are you ? You took my joy away from me,where are you ? give it back,i have life too.”

“Will that be cash or charge?" he asked.I looked down at my hands. I was still holding the stripy turtleneck. "Cash, I guess." Beside me, Frankie gave a smug little grunt. "We can live without you, I know," I told him."Of course you can. But why would you? I am here for youse, Marino, forevah and evah.”

“Jillian,” I whispered, “I know you don’t know who I am. But I love your brother, and I know you do too. So . . . do you think you could wake up? Do you think you could at least try?” For far too long she gave me no response. I’d just about given up—hung my head and prepared myself for the inevitable, impossible job of comforting Joshua—when Jillian whispered back. “I guess. Since you asked so nicely.” In spite of everything, a quiet laugh escaped my lips. “Thank God. Because I have a feeling you’d be a huge pain in the ass if you died.”