“You cannot conceive of the depths of my sorrow, Campbell Maria Cooper." Alicia brought her fist to her mouth and her other hand to the rail of the bed and took a deep breath before she continued. "I will never be the same when you are gone. Things for me will be dim and gray and flat. But there is one thing that will keep me going, Campbell, and that is the belief in my connection to you. This thing. This crazy enmeshed love feeling that I have is real. Like this cup is real. Or this phone is real. And it will not just go away when you do. Okay? Wherever you are going, you will be connected to me by this thing, and you will never, ever be alone, okay? I want you to know that.”

“Get used to that, Nana. He has a way of appearing out of thin air.''Oh my. Asher. Hm. Hm. Hm. Turn around. He's beautiful, Campbell. Are you schtupping my granddaughter?' she asked him.'No, ma'am.''Well, I give you my permission.'And just liked that, Cam's love life was ruined forever. If and when she ever 'schtupped' Asher, she'd have to do everything she could not to think of her grandmotehr.”

“We just wanted to see how you were doing,' Asher said.'Well, that *is* a miracle,' said Perry. She took out her notebook and said out loud as she wrote, "Number forty: Campbell...has...friends.”

“Just go with it. You are a princess.''What does that *mean*, though?' Cam asked. 'How-''Oh, my God, Campbell. Be quiet!' He laughed.”

“Cam!' screamed Asher. 'Campbell look down.''Aren't you supposed to tell me not to look down?”

“You steal my donkey and then to apologize you bring me a flamingo?''He's irresistible, though,' Asher said, lifting Buddy onto his lap and pretending to squeeze his cheeks. 'Look at that face.''He is the ugliest thing I have ever seen.''I know,' Asher said, 'but he's one of God's creatures.”

“Ah. Alicia, see? Didn't I tell you that's what she needed to begin with? Maybe a little schtupping and it would make the cancer go away. It works with pimples.''Nana!”