“You love her, don't you?' [Rob] said to Gabriel.Gabriel finall seemed able to break their locked stare. He looked away, at the carpet. His face was bleak.Yes' he saidMore than anything,' Rob persisted. 'You'd crawl on your belly over broken glass for her. Easy.'Yes, damn you,' Gabriel said. 'Happy now?”

“More than anything." Rob persisted. "You'd crawl on your belly over broken glass for her. Easy.”

“You should hate me," she said brokenly. "You should leave me—""Hush." His grip tightened, just short of bruising her. "Do you think so little of me? Damn you." He crushed his lips in her hair. "You don't understand anything about me. Did you think I wouldn't want to help you? That I would abandon you if I knew?""Yes," she whispered."Damn you," he repeated, his voice choked with anger and love. He forced her face upward. The hopelessness in her eyes caused a cold pressure to squeeze around his heart.”

“Stop stealing the funeral meats right now, you wee scuggers!" She shouted.The Feegles stopped and stared at her. Then Rob Anybody said: "Socks wi'oot feets?”

“God, I love you," he said, and laid his head on her belly, his arms locked around her hips.Madelyn slid her fingers into his hair. "It took you long enough," she said gently."What I lack in quickness, I make up in staying power.""Meaning?""That I'll still be telling you that fifty years from now." He paused and turned his head tokiss her stomach.”

“You really want to know what else it was my mom said about you?" he asked.She shook her head.He didn't seem to notice. "She said you'd break my heart," he told her, and left.”