“When you are small, if you reach out, and nobody takes your hand, you stop reaching out, and reach inside, instead.”

“also, i wanted to kiss you, said lola. come here, said emmett. ”

“and sure enough, emmett's voice rose above the din. at some point, though, a mistake becomes a decision, whether you like it or not. in this, my husband and i were fundamentally different. in my opinion, a mistake required a getaway. ”

“Is reading a sport?”

“she had to admit the essential difference between Iain and herself: he believed in the possibility of a carnation-strewn, uncomplicated life, and Lola did not. perhaps Iain had thought he could convince her, but grew weary of the endeavor. ”

“as she walked back to her husband, lola thought about lying on her expensive sheets and holding a baby - their baby - to her breast. to the baby, lola would smell like a mother, and the ridiculous chandelier would look like stars. ”

“Most risks we might not take if we could see what we would have to go through to reach our goal. Yet, we would never not take most risks if we knew the great learning experience and soul enrichment they would bring.”