“I'm gonna hafta kiss you, Jack, I says.I wish you would, he says.”

“Jack grins. Anyways, Saba likes to look at my bare chest.Lugh looks at me. Frowns. Is that a fact? he says.I feel myself go bright red. It is not a fact, I says. You stinker, Jack.”

“We ain't got time fer you to yell at me or fer me to tell you everythin that's happened, so I'm jest gonna cover the main points real quick an then I'm gonna kiss you, he says.”

“He turns around, all impatient. Now what? I wanna say something to you. I wanna say . . . I dunno . . . more. I could bust apart with all I'm feelin inside of me right now. What with fightin off the hellwurms an gittin my shoulder tore open, an how I felt when I woke up an seen you an, now, here I am, being so close to findin Lugh an I dunno what's gonna happen an--Jack's lookin at me, frowning. What's the matter with you, Saba? he says. I grab his face an kiss him on the lips.”

“I'm sorry, I says.Fer what? he says.Fer always bein ... you know ... so-Ungrateful? he says.Yeah, I says.Ornery?I guess so.Rude? Pig-headed? Violent?I ain't violent!Oh yes, you are. Very. But I like that in a woman.I laugh. Yer crazy, I says.I was fine till I met you, he says.”

“No, I says, He stole it agin. He's a thief an a menace an I'm gonna trade him in fer a umberella.”

“An when Ike walks through that door- after I finish kissin him to death- I'm gonna tie him to that chair an never let him go, cux life's too gawdamn short an it's about time I start takin my own advice. I might need yer help, of course, but I'm sure you won't mind, seein how- Molly! Jack grabs her hand. Stop, Molly, please. Dammit Moll. Ike ain't gonna walk through the door.She goes still. Very still. Her smile fades. Please don't say it, she whispers. He can't bear to. But he has to. Ike's dead, he says. He's dead, Molly. I'm sorry.”