“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.”

“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?”

“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.”

“I didn't say I was going to find the Mad Monk.""But you will," he said, placing his worn and stained Stetson on his head. "You've got that look about you."What look is that?" I asked, tired of his family maligning mine. "A Goodnight look?""A responsible one." He adjusted his hat, in a motion I'd seen Ben make a dozen times that day, right before he drove home his point. "Like you're the girl who takes care of things. So take care of it, dammit.”

“For the first time ever, I'd managed a great parting line and a grand exit. And it still felt like crap.”

“From what I could tell, whenever an archangel or a burning bush turns up, it's generally not to say, 'Hey, go out and have a happy and uncomplicated life.”

“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.”