After some struggling and more ripping, Zoey dropped the stuffed animal with the scissors stuck in it, grabbed onto my arms and wept. She cried so hard that she started shaking and choking on her sobs. The more she cried, the harder I held onto her. We stayed like that for a good half hour until she stopped. The faraway look in her eyes was still there as I led her out the front door of the house.
"Hey Ma," I said, answering my phone. "Where are you? We'll come and meet you."
"We're just at this diner down the road. Great pancakes."
"Oh yeah? Get some for us, will you? I'm sure Zoey's starving."
"All right, honey. See you soon."
"Bye Ma."
I looked at Zoey one more time before starting the car. We were only two blocks away from her house when Zoey said, "Stop the car."
It was the fir
