“Emery cut in impatiantly, "For crying out loud. Who do you think you are, Nancy Drew?"Hey," I snapped, because no one sniped at my sister but me, and Mark echoed with a stern "Chill, dude."Phin was unperturbed. "Those books were highly unrealistic. Do you have any idea how much brain damage a person would have if she were hit on the head and drugged with chloroform that often?”

“You have a funny way of showing how much you don't like me.""I don't like gophers, either, but I wouldn't leave one to suffer. I'd shoot it to put it out of its misery.”

“Oh My God," I blurted, grabbing onto Phin as we faced the open bedroom door. "It's the axe murderer.""I doubt he would knock," she said, but she was whispering, too, and didn't move away from me.”

“Is Lisa going to the prom?"I shelved my worries for the moment. "I don't know, Mom. We don't talk about the You-Know-What. We made a pact.""You could go together, if you didn't want to mess with dates and things.""I don't want to mess with the prom at all, Mom."She ignored me, placidly eating popcorn, piece by piece. "Some girls in my high school class did that and had a wonderful time. They weren't lesbians or anything. Not that it would matter if they were.""That's nice, Mom. I'm glad you're so open-minded." I grabbed my Coke and the popcorn bowl and headed for the stairs, because I could go my whole life without ever hearing my mother talk about lesbians again."Maybe you could take Justin to the prom," she called after me, laughter in her voice. "He is such a hottie."Shoot me now.”

“She was the only creature in the world who would really care if something happened to me, even if it was only because I was the bringer of kibble.”

“He rose to his feet in one fluid move, the better to look down at me. “You don’t know me, princess.Some people have reasons for doing things, and don’t just go wherever they’re told or drift whicheverway they’re pushed.”

“Being in on the secret might be a lot of fun when you're a kid, but not so much once you realize how often life hinges on everyone agreeing--at least outwardly--on the same reality.”