“Tibby, who was not fond of change, had once told Bridget that the present, no matter what it brought, couldn't change the past. The past was set and sealed.”

“The present no matter what I brought couldn’t change the past. The Past was set and sealed.”

“You couldn't erase the past. You couldn't even change it. But sometimes life offered you the opportunity to put it right.”

“She got under the covers and put her arms around the bag. She could smell Tibby. It used to be she couldn't smell Tibby's smell in the way you couldn't smell your own; it was too familiar. But tonight she could. This was some living part of Tibby still here and she held on to it. There was more of Tibby with her here and now than in what she had seen in the cold basement room that day.”

“Tibby cried into her soup when it finally came. "I'm scared... ," she told it. The carrots and peas made no reply, but she felt better for having told them.”

“I allowed myself to suffer how jarringly destructive the present feels and how fragile the past.”

“Yeah. You know what I think?"What?" So intense was Tibby, she had practically shoved the phone into her ear cavity.She has big boobies.”