“Whatever your father did was not this woman's fault. And if she made him happy, when I obviously didn't, then the last thing you should be doing is yelling at her.”

“I love that woman. The only thing I want is for her to be happy. I'll do whatever it takes to see that happen. Do you get that?”

“What did you do?”“What makes you think I did something?”Chris snorted. “You’re the guy. Of course it’s your fault. Even when it’s not your fault, it’s your fault.”

“What did she do that made her happy? The question implied action, a conscious purpose. She did many things in a day, and many things made her happy, but that, Claire could tell, wasn’t the issue. Nor the only one, Claire realized. Because in order to consciously do something that made you happy, you’d have to know who you were. Trying to figure that out these days was like fishing on a lake on a moonless night—you had no idea what you would get.”

“Did Franny tell you about her and Gavin's problem?""Yes,I'm afraid I pried if out of her. You know that was a good idea you gave her. Too bad it didn't work.""It didn't? Criminey, he must be made of stone!""She wasn't entirely without success. She got a rise out of him, that's for sure."Willow grinned at Miriam's unintended pun.The older woman pursed her lips by way of reprimand and continued. "Seems Franny jumped in bed with him in her natural state and he flew out the other side of the bed.""Then what happened?""He threw his clothes on and left the room for safer territory, I guess.""Damn! Sorry," Willow apologized for her lapse. "But I did mean damn. Darn just isn't strong enough to describe this here situation. Did you ever hear the like?""No,but perhaps we can think on it during your visit. Right now, we better get rolling before your father-""Woman,ain't you ready to leave yet?" Owen yelled through the door."Oh,hush up, you ole bad of wind," Miriam called back.”

“Like her, he didn't buy the Nietzschean line that whatever didn't kill you made you stronger. Sometimes whatever didn't kill you disfigured and debilitated you for the rest of your life instead of killing you. Mere survival was neither here nor there. It was the manner of survival, what you did with whatever it was that didn't kill you.”