“Open the damn present, Sky. I know you hate getting gifts, but I love giving them, so stop being a depressing bitch and open it and love it and hug me and thank me.”

“And it's not what you just said that i am thanking you for, Holder. I need to thank you for everything. Thank you for giving me the courage to always ask the questions, even when I didn't want the answers. Thank you for loving me like you love me. Thank you for showing me that we don't always have to be strong to be there for each other-- that it's okay to be weak, so long as we're there. And thank you for finally finding me after all these years.”

“I want you to keep them open...because I need you to watch me give you the very last piece of my heart.”

“Thank you for loving me like you love me. Thank you for showing me that we don't always have to be strong to be there for each other--that it's okay to be weak, so long as we're there.”

“I hate that there are so many sides of him that I don't understand, and I don't know if I even want to keep trying to understand them. There are parts of him that I love, parts of him that I hate. But there's a part of him that does nothing but disappoint me, and that's the absolute hardest part to accept.”

“I swear I will spend every last breath thanking you for allowing yourself to love me.”

“Karen shuts the back door and turns to me. “You know I trust you, but please…”“Don’t get pregnant,” I interrupt. “I know, I know. You’ve been saying that every time you leave for the past two years. I’m not getting pregnant, Mom. Only terribly high and cracked out.”She laughs and hugs me. “Good girl. And wasted. Don’t forget to get really wasted.”