How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
However, it was a date night for our mother—Saturday—so we'd been locked in.
"I want my kiddies safe," Nikki had said.
Not that they key mattered. Once Callie and I heart you snoring—a soft little sound that was almost like a sigh—we slipped out a window onto the back deck, climbed down the fire escape, and went one block over to the Cumberland Farms store. (1.3-5)
Living with Nikki isn't like your typical parental situation. Instead of making sure that her kids have a babysitter on her nights out, she just locks them in and tells them not to leave. Is it that she trusts them, or that she just doesn't care?
Quote #2
[…] I was thinking that in a year—year and a half—I could maybe go out by myself and trust Callie with you. Even if I could only do that once in a while, it would really help. (1.13)
Even though Nikki is gone for stretches at a time, Matthew can't go off and do fun things like other teenagers. Instead, he's chained to the house because of his two younger siblings, staying behind to make sure that they're safe.
Quote #3
And all at once, we were on the wrong side of the road, heading directly into oncoming traffic. Headlights glared straight into my eyes.
"Tell me you love me best," our mother said. Her voice was once more calm, and her hands on the wheel of the car were steady. "Convince me, Matthew." (12.37-38)
Talk about holding someone hostage. Instead of simply asking her kids if they love her, Nikki puts them directly in danger's way so that they'll profess their undying love to her… or die.