How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Dad doesn't want me to see the burying part, but I make him walk to the cemetery with me, and he holds my hand for the first time since I was twelve. (1.1.4)
Dads can be a pain, especially when you're a typical eye-rolling teenager, but that doesn't mean that they aren't useful to have around at times. At Charlie's burial, Vera reaches out to her dad emotionally for the first time in a long while, and he helps her to get through the difficult occasion.
Quote #2
I see what my mother saw in him. He's handsome, smart, and fit, which is a miracle in this part of the world, where everyone is spilling over their edges. His only flaw seems to be linked to being cheap, which really isn't that bad of a thing. (1.20.43)
Okay, so her mom obviously wasn't into her dad anymore. But Vera has to wonder: Is her dad really all that bad? Even though he annoys her, Vera thinks he's a pretty good catch.
Quote #3
I spend most of my time watching my parents. You'd think I'd get as far away from them as I could now that I'm free, but seems like I'm here to learn something. Not sure what. I never liked either of them. He's just a bully, and she's a doormat. (2.9.7)
After he's dead, Charlie can see the dysfunction in his family even more clearly. Neither his mother or his father did what they had to in order to protect him and keep their family home a safe space. It's pretty grim.