"Patch," I whispered, drawing my monkey pal close to my face so I could whisper in his ear. "Do's you still love me even dow I was super mean and acci-dent-ley dwopped you on your heads?"

He didn't answer. He didn't need to. Attitude rolled from the stuffed monkey in dense waves, leaving the taste of his sour mood burning against my tongue.

"Patch," I whined, kissing his head. "I say I sowwi three times."

But even still, the unforgiving monkey gave me the cold shoulder.

"Patch," I began again, but Daddy interrupted. It was our fourth day in our new apartment, and it had been one of our busiest...