How did life get so messed up?”
Maggie dabbed at the corners of her eyes and exhaled, quieting, gathering her composure. “Baby, it’s not messed up,” she said with a reassuring smile. “Just a little bumpy.

He’s a total puss,” Mercy continued. “But…shifty, too. Like, a shifty pussy.”               RJ

His hand moved up to cover her mouth, lightly, and she laughed against it. “You’re suppressing my first amendment rights,” she said, voice muffled.               “You don’t live in America; you live in the United States of Teague.

When would people stop saying his name out loud? Each time was a tiny gunshot through her heart.

The prospect was not-so-subtly studying Rodd or Todd or whatever-the-fuck-his-name-was across the bar. He rubbed his chin. “I think he seems…well, like a pussy–”               “Yes!” Mercy slapped the table. “Thank you. It’s like I’ve been trying to tell them.”               Walsh shook his head with a delicate look of disgust. “No, you haven’t.”               “He’s a total puss,” Mercy continued. “But…shifty, too. Like, a shifty pussy.”               RJ made a choking sound.

He caught her around the waist as she moved toward the door, spun her around so she faced him, locked tight in his embrace. “My arms?” He smirked. “You’re gonna walk away and not even apologize. I’m bleeding.”               She sighed. “Stop.”               “I’m just saying – you cut a guy up like a mountain lion, you should say sorry.”               She managed a thin smile. “Sorry.