How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
"People know, Mom. They know."
"They don't know!" she cries, tears streaming down her face. "You don't know! She won't have a chance at sixteen. No one will take her. No one cares about an adult that isn't right. It's only kids who have a chance. It's too late if she's sixteen. Don't you see?"
"Yeah, but Mom, you can't pretend! It's worse. People know—" (35.14-16)
Moose blames his mom for living in a fantasy world about Natalie. She's been pretending that Natalie is ten for years, because it's hard to acknowledge that she's growing up physically but not mentally. Moose sees that pretending Natalie is younger isn't going to help her grow. He needs Mom to also see this, though, and the only way to get her to is to make her feel guilty.