“Illusions can be very convincing. No one has any reason to suspect that I am anything less than what I appear.”

“I am the kind of broken they can't fix. I am no longer the same little girl they loved.”

“Tommy cocooned me in his arms. The same arms that struck out to protect me, the arms that saved me.“In my life, I have never known, nor will I ever know, someone as strong and courageous as you, Elizabeth Irene Bradshaw,” Tommy whispers against my temple. I have no words, so I nod my head against his chest, hoping he understands my acceptance of his praise. “You honour me with your trust, baby girl. I am so very proud of you.”

“I spent so much energy on cutting and pasting together the person I wanted to be that I forgot who I was.”

“I mourn the piece of myself that I gave away and will never get back”

“Damn, I had the best dream,” he yawns, “my fantasy girl professed her undying love for me in between several rounds of mind blowing sex.”

“In time i've learned to recognize the pain for what it is and accept it, but i'll never get over it.”