I'm his father, he loves me, he can see me as I am.
-- Skeet (chapter 2 paragraph 37)

Importance: Skeet loves his son and it hurts him to be apart from him. Even at a low point in his life, freshly incarcerated for a double murder, he wants his son to be in his life. He doesn't want to shut Rob out. Jackie always creates distance between herself and Skeet. Skeet doesn't want that distance to also be created between himself and his son.

Uppity or not, Jackie saw beyond.
-- Narration (chapter 3 paragraph 1)

Importance: This bit of narration comes just as Rob is starting prep school. This is the private school that Jackie sends him to for $200 a month. She sees potential in her son, and she doesn't want to see it squandered in the neighborhood.

She took his arm, about to give him a hastily prepared speech about focusing on work and taking advantage of this coming opportunity. But...
-- Narration (chapter 3 paragraph 90)