How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
The doors of Aunt Bobbie's apartment, and of ours, were thrown open, and the two floors felt like one big space, one big house. (35.3)
The kids have never felt as much as home in their house as they do swhen Nikki goes to jail. Sadly enough, her imprisonment makes it easier for them to enjoy themselves and feel like normal, happy kids running around the house.
Quote #8
My new room was directly underneath Nikki's room in the upstairs apartment, and was the exact same size and shape, a rectangle with two tall windows. But the feeling couldn't have been more different. (41.1)
Matthew is feeling pretty blessed when he moves in with Aunt Bobbie. It may be a bit close to Nikki for comfort, but he doesn't care. What matters is that she's no longer in control. He has his own space now.
Quote #9
Aunt Bobbie occasionally snored in the bedroom next door, and it was the most comforting sound I had ever heard. The thought drifted across my mind that I wouldn't mind, someday, if I fell in love with a girl who snored. That it would mean peace to me. (41.4)
You know that things were really bad at Nikki's house when Matthew starts waxing poetic about Aunt Bobbie's snoring. He's so glad to be out from under his mother's roof that he even loves the sound of Aunt Bobbie's snores.