“There’s a man masturbating in your bathroom!” She grabbed an umbrella from the foyer and held it in front of her like a weapon, poised for battle. “Ashlyn! Did you hear what I said? Call the police!”

“She is a walking weapon in society, is what the teachers said. We've never seen anything like it, is what the doctors said. She should be removed from your home, is what the police officers said.No problem at all, is what my parents said.”

“..and looking up into Abednego's face she fought a battle inside herself with the thing that it was, a sort of grabbing thing, and then she held Gertrude out to him. "You have her," she said.”

“I like her," I said through my teeth.Shepley held his hand to his ear. "What? I couldn't quite hear you.""You're an asshole! Did you hear that?"Shepley crossed his arms. "Say it.""I like her, okay?""Not good enough.""I have feelings for her. I care about her. A lot. I can't stand it when she's not around. Happy?”

“There was no bag, but there was a man. Oh dear God. There’s a man.Livia stepped further forward, and the train pulled away behind her. The rain was ice cold and so loud it sounded like sizzling bacon. It pounded on the umbrella and she couldn’t hear anything else, but there he was. He’d come back for her. Blake.”

“Why don’t you call her?”“She doesn’t answer,” Chase said. “She may be somewhere that there’s no cell phone service or she may have her phone turned off.”He’d be embarrassed to say how many times he’d tried. That’s what guilt—in other words, meddling—did to a man.”