“That,' he confessed aloud, 'was as ludicrous a case of mutual ineptitude as the gods of slapstick ever engineered. We both deserve to be tickled to death by small green centipedes. Well... if you keep quiet about it, I will.”

“Within that moment was trust, compassion, and our mutual sense of irony. He was carrying death within him and I was carrying life. We were both aware of that, I know.”

“There is nothing on God's green earth that someone won't complain about including both God and green earth.”

“Martin is your best friend, isn't he?' a sweet and well-intentioned girl once said when both of us were present: it was the only time I ever felt awkward about this precious idea, which seemed somehow to risk diminishment if it were uttered aloud.”

“If I tell you a secret can you keep it quiet?“Well, I can. I’m not so sure about Doll Girl.”

“We're alright, you know?" he says quietly. "You and me, okay?" My chest aches and I nod. "Nothing else is alright." His breath tickles my cheek. "But we are.”