“I'll pretend, I tell myself. Pretending is safer than believing.”
“It's possible to pretend I'm someone other than who I am, and if I pretend long enough, I can believe it.”
“I'll not pretend that I want you for anything but mine.”
“Here's what I suggest," he said. "You pretend that rats can think, and I'll promise to pretend that humans can think, too.”
“I couldn't bring myself to ask Matka why they had taken him. She pretended that he'd gone away on business. I pretended I knew nothing. My brother and sister believed the lie. There were so many lies that we had to live with...and secrets.”
“I don't understand what's going on, but i'll just pretend that I do.”