“Father Lenar Hoyt stepped away from the wall where he had been leaning, raised his right hand with thumb and little finger touching, three fingers raised, the gesture somehow including himself as well as those before him, and said softly, 'Ego te absolvo.”

“Sometimes there is a thin line separating orthodox zeal from apostasy,' said Father Lenar Hoyt”

“Cal curled his fingers around mine and raised my left hand to the brownish flower. There was a callus on his thumb that should have been irritating against my skin.”

“Then he closed his eyes and put his hands together again before his face, finger to finger. Johnny was struck by the kid's lack of pretension. There was a simplicity about the gesture that had been honed by use into beauty.”

“He held up his right hand and spread my fingers out in a fan. I held up my left hand and spread my fingers out in a fan and we made our fingers and thumbs touch each other.”

“He reached out, capturing her hand in his. He laced his fingers casually through hers.Violet leaned against him and the calm finally came, settling over her peacefully.And then he kissed her. Gently. Softly. Not on the lips, as she'd imagined so many times before, but on her forehead.The gesture was sweet and a little possessive.Violet hoped, maybe, it was a start.”