“Watching him lumber back toward the apartment building, I got so mad I did something I can't explain. As Gabe reached the doorway, I made the hand gesture I'd seen Grover make on the bus, a sort of warding-off-evil gesture, a clawed hand over my heart, then a shoving movement toward Gabe. The screen door slammed shut so hard it whacked him in the butt and sent him flying up the stair case as if he'd been shot from a cannon.Maybe it was just the wind, or some freak accident with the hinges, but I didn't stay long enough to find out.I got in the Camaro and told my mom to step on it.”

“And hey," Gabe added, "I don't even need the second bedroom, so we could set that up as a guest room, then you and Wade can stay when you visit.""You might want a roommate or something.""For what...you won't let me pay you any rent, so it's not like I need the financial assistance.""Well a boyfriend maybe?" "And he'd be sleeping in the second bedroom because?" "When he's mad 'cause you won't put out, for one." Gabe tried to shove me off him. "Don't be mean—like I wouldn't want to have sex with my boyfriend." "I'm just teasing Sally Sensitive, sheesh." "I do actually like having sex you know." Gabe frowned. I gasped, placing a hand on my chest. "Lordy mercy, my little Gabe's all growed up." Gabe laughed at me. "Finally ready to stuff his Italian sausage where the sun doesn't shine!”

“When we got close to the door, I moved him to the side, so we couldn't be seen from the window, and I pulled him towards me by his shirt.”

“I had waited so long to touch him. I was like a kid in a candy store. I backed him into the cabinets and pressed myself against his lean body. Gabe was breathing hard and he grinned.“Goodness, Purdie Magee.”"What?" I said."I'm a little surprised."I took his hands into my own and kissed his palms then his fingers. I placed his hands on my hips and pushed a little harder against the part of him that made us significantly different and he took it from there.”

“I froze, my hand on the wall, and listened. Someone was definitely upstairs. I reached into my pocket for my cell phone and took a step back toward the front door. I kept my eyes on the stairs and my hand on the cell phone. A light flashed across the hallway”

“Gabe slowly backed out of the kitchen, hands raised. "Wow. That takes family drama to a whole new level."Hayded stared at him."And I think I'll go to my room now." Gabe said.”