Part 1, Conception 1985-1993, Chapter 3, Nicholas Summary

When Nicholas is four, his mother teaches him not to trust strangers by sitting him in a chair and repeating the order over and over. For months afterward, Nicholas has an irrational fear of strangers. It is because of this that Nicholas does not understand his desire to marry Paige, a woman who is essentially a stranger to him. Nicholas takes Paige to his apartment that night, wanting to know everything there is to know about her. However, Paige will not speak to him. Finally Nicholas coaxes a few words out of Paige, and she tells him that she cannot consider marrying him because she barely knows him. Nicholas guesses her middle name and gets it right, almost convincing Paige that they are meant for each other.

Finally they are talking with the same ease...