“Are you alone?"So that's what this call was about. For some reason, the question made my throat tighten. "No," I said, "Elvis is here. Would you like to talk to him?”

“What did you do?” This time the question tears from my throat like a growl. I throw myself toward him… “What did you do?” I scream. “You die, I die too…I asked you not to do this. You made your decision. These are the repercussions.”

“Were you tempted?" "Of course not! Kate would slit my throat." "I'm not talking about what Kate would do to you if you strayed, although I'm of the opinion that she would not start at your throat.”

“My, I was scared!" Said Billy with a deep breath.Scared?" Questioned Elnora.Yes, sir-ee! Aunt Margaret scared me. May i ask you a question?"Of course, you may!"Is that man going to be you beau?"Billy! No! What made you think such a thing?"Aunt Margaret said likely he would fall in love with you, and you wouldn't want me around any more. Oh, but I was scared! It isn't so, is it?"Indeed, no!"I am your beau, ain't I?"Surely you are!" said Elnora, tightening her arm.I hope Aunt Kate has ginger cookies," said Billy with a little skip of delight.”

“Some phone calls he doesn't say much and I know he called just to hear my voice. That's all he wants- to hear me tell him about my day, what the surf's like, what work's like. And that's humbling, knowing that your voice can mean so much to another person.”

“This isn't about you...." "Well, it should be!" he shouted, and I flinched. "Everything I do is about you, and I want the reverse to be true, too." I wiped more tears, my throat aching with words that would only make this worse. "What, you need a reminder? That's what he was doing, right? And now you smell like him. You probably taste like him. You should taste like me..." He was on me before I could even catch my breath...”