'' bring her inside , marcus . '' floating again . numb . nothing hurt . blessed darkness . i turned over onto my side , submerging half of my face in water , and i realized that i could still breathe-could breathe right through the creek , like it was n't even there . completely accepting of this development-and delighted-i took a deep breath and dove under the water - '' put her on the couch , marcus

it does n't look right , late at night like this . '' the three of us walked through the back parking lot and bob whispered something to paul when they were a few strides ahead of me . '' it 's fine , it 's fine , do n't worry . '' paul nodded in agreement . '' i 'm right there with you , bob

but if it worries you ... '' he slid his hands up her leg until his fingers caught on the tie of her plain garter . violet remembered how daniel had checked her for breaks or hurts when they 'd crash-landed the balloon . the frisson of delight as his fingers had touched her calves had unnerved her then , and it unnerved her now . daniel 's hands were firm and sure , and he made short work of the garter

there were three other people in the er waiting room : a drunk sleeping in a far chair with his head propped up on his elbow ; another guy with a blood-stained towel bunched in one fist ; and one man , in a rumpled gray suit , who looked like he really did n't belong because he was n't drunk , bleeding , or in obvious pain . when we told the er nurse who we were , the man 's head came up and i felt his eyes on our backs . then i forgot about him because the er nurse made us wait a few minutes despite dad 's bluster . she was on the phone for what seemed a year before confirming that my mother was indeed a
patient