“Then yesterday, in the dim watches of the night a dream came to me. A voice spoke and said: 'Love beyond price is yours. Take and cherish it, lest this priceless gift be withdrawn!' I awoke, happy, myself once more, grateful that life could come to me again.”

“There were definitely parts of my character I didn’t approve of, and maybe from time to time I had moments when I didn’t like myself much. But I got through each day as it came to me, and so far I’d survived every thing life had thrown at me. I could only hope that the survival was worth the price I’d paid.”

“You okay? This okay?" I nod, pulling his hips more tightly to my own."Now we'll make it better," Jase vows, and begins to kiss me again as he starts to move in a rhythm. My body follows, unwilling to let him go, already glad to have him come back.”

“You have to kiss me," I find myself saying. "Yeah." He leans closer. "I do.”

“Tell me what it is that you are hiding behind your eyes.Tell me of the pain, so I can make it go away.Tell me what it is that you are missing in your life.I want to be the angel who takes care of your soul.Finally I’m alive in your love. There is so much tenderness in your heart.There is so much spirit in your smile.But it is your innocence mixed with mischievousness that I love.I am with you to protect you for the rest of my life.Finally I’m alive in your love. Do not let anything dilute your smile ever again.To see you happy I would do anything, mi amor. You are the woman that I dream of late into the night.It is because of your smile that my life has meaning once again.Finally I’m alive in your love.And every day my love grows stronger for you.And the sadness that I once carried is forever gone.I thank destiny and God for putting you in my life.Since you came into my world, my dreams have all woken up. Finally I’m alive in your love.”

“We came to wish you a happy day,” Eric said. “And I suppose, as usual, Bill will want to express his undying love that surpasses my love, as he’ll tell you—and Pam will want to say something sarcastic and nearly painful, while reminding you that she loves you, too.”Bill and Pam looked decidedly miffed at Eric’s preemptive strike, but I wasn’t going to let anything dim my mood.“And what about you, Eric?” I asked on counterattack. “Are you going to tell me that you love me just as much as Bill, but in a practical way, while finding some way to subtly threaten me and simultaneously remind me that you may be leaving with Freyda?”

“I’ve always had some kind of connection to the things I’ve owned. Losing them left me feeling bereft because they were linked to everyone and everything in my life that was important. And unlike the people I loved, I could control them – At least I could when I wasn’t losing them. Objects are safe, too. I mean they don’t change much. A pen stays a pen and a set of keys always unlocks something. You can go back to an object, hold it, remember who you were when you loved it. That’s something you can count on.”