He had managed to boil pasta, but he hadn’t understood that Nora preferred sauce beside hers, not on top.

Sophie had put a spoon into the dog’s water bowl even though we didn’t have a dog; she said she was practicing for when we got one.

I stood in the doorway while everybody argued over a wooden spoon.

Ben looked up and said, ‘You were gone for two hours.

I’m filing for retirement.’

‘From what?’

‘From children.’

Eli threw his arms around Ben’s leg.