How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"I made them love me too much," Zoë said softly, looking into her bowl of melted ice cream. "I should have been bad. I should have made them not want to keep me." (40.29)
Although Zoë doesn't understand the entirety of the situation, she does know that her grandparents and father are fighting over her, and she's able to pull from that, to some degree, that the situation is her fault, even though Denny has done his best to protect her from the reality of the situation. Poor kid.
Quote #8
They stayed with us for three days, and they hardly left the apartment. For the afternoon on one of those days, Denny retrieved Zoë, who was so pretty with her hair in ribbons and a nice dress, and who had obviously been coached by Denny, as she willingly sat for quite a long time on the couch and allowed Denny's mother to explore the terrain of her face with her hands. Tears ran down Denny's mother's cheeks during the entire encounter, raindrops spotting Zoë's flower-print dress. (53.2)
This is an intimate moment for the Swift family. Denny's parents, who haven't met Zoë before this, fall in love with her instantly—and unlike Eve's parents, they offer Denny anything they can to help him keep her. Because they're nice people.
Quote #9
"We never did right by you," his father said. "We never did right. This makes it right." (53.20)
Even though Denny's parents weren't present for a lot of his life, it's clear that they didn't stop caring about him and clearly regret their absence from his life. We're sure he appreciates the boon to his finances, but sending him a birthday card or something once a year wouldn't have hurt, either.