“He levered his body to take a seat, started, and blurted, "Jumping Jehoshaphat! Will you look at that?""That's Hairy," Miriam said, dismissing further questions with a wave of her hand and taking a seat.”

“Take a seat, Charlie,” he said. “I’ll kill you in a few minutes. It’ll be good for you.”

“His seat belt was on, and his hands dropped from where he’d been fiddling with the visor. “You look small,” he finally said, looking both innocent and wise.”

“Let's start with where you are,' he said. 'You're here.' Taking her hand, he pressed it to his chest above his heart.”

“Somer reclines in her airplane seat, watching through the window as the glimmering lights of Mumbai recede into the darkness of night. In the seat next to her, Asha is already asleep, her head and pillow resting on Somer’s lap, her feet in Krishnan’s. They should both try to sleep as well, but she knows Krishnan, like her, is reluctant to disturb Asha. He extends his hand to Somer, and she takes it. They rest their interlocking hands on Asha’s sleeping body between them, just as they did the first time they made this journey.”

“He reached out, put his hands on her shoulders and pressed downwards. She fell into a seated position against a fallen tree."Sit," he said. "Stay.""That's cute," she said. "Tell me to 'heel' and see what happens.”