“But Aunt Margaret doesn't like boys," objected Elnora."Well, she likes me, and I used to be a boy. ...”

“Yes. He is Aunt Margaret's doctor, and he would be ours, only we are never ill."Well you look it!" said the man, appraising Elnora at a glance. Strangers always mention it," sighed Elnora. "I wonder how it would feel to be a pale languid lady and ride in a carriage."Ask me!" laughed the man. "It feels like the- dickens!”

“My, I was scared!" Said Billy with a deep breath.Scared?" Questioned Elnora.Yes, sir-ee! Aunt Margaret scared me. May i ask you a question?"Of course, you may!"Is that man going to be you beau?"Billy! No! What made you think such a thing?"Aunt Margaret said likely he would fall in love with you, and you wouldn't want me around any more. Oh, but I was scared! It isn't so, is it?"Indeed, no!"I am your beau, ain't I?"Surely you are!" said Elnora, tightening her arm.I hope Aunt Kate has ginger cookies," said Billy with a little skip of delight.”

“I want Toy to know that I know. That no matter how many boys tell her they love her, how many boys tell her she's beautiful, how many boys crawl into her window at night and make love to her, it doesn't help. That I know it doesn't help. She is my sister and I love her. Like I want her to love me.”

“She had the swagger of a girl. She blushed like a boy. She had a girl’s toughness. She has a boy’s gentleness. She was as meaty as a girl. She was as graceful as a boy. She was as brave and handsome and rough as a girl. She was as pretty and delicate and dainty as a boy. She turned boys' heads like a girl. She turned girls' heads like a boy. She made love like a boy. She made love like a girl. She was so boyish it was girlish, so girlish it was boyish, she made me want to rove the world writing our names on every tree. I had simply never found someone so right. Sometimes this shocked me so much that I was unable to speak.”

“And it struck me then, that I liked Sean because he looked, well, slutty. A boy who had been around. A boy who couldn't remember if he was Catholic or not.”