“Eva burst out laughing, remembering the complete wardrobe makeover she'd had to perform on Alexei after she opened his closet and found some of the busiest open-collared, polyester dress shirts known to man.”

“Eriko raised me that way," he said, laughing. "If I didn't open the door for her, she'd get mad and refuse to get in the car.""Even though she was a man!" I said, laughing."Right, right, even though she was a man.”

“Was this the second body I'd found in the closet, or the third? I wondered why I even opened closet doors any more.”

“She smoothed the long sleeve of her tight, orange t-shirt. “What? You’ve never seen a woman wear more than one shirt before?” Odin’s mouth closed and opened a few times before words finally came out. “She’s like a fuckin’ seven layer burrito someone forgot was in the back of the fridge for six months.” She had to laugh. How could she not with such vivid imagery coming from someone who dressed like he was going on an unholy crusade at any moment?”

“Alice was scrutinizing my boring jeans-and-a-T-shirt outfit in a way that made me self-conscious. Probably plotting another makeover. I sighed. My indifferent attitude to fashion was a constant thorn in her side. If I'd allow it, she'd love to dress me everyday―perhaps several times a day―like some oversized three-dimensional paper doll.”

“After each dream, Frankie woke with a start, soaked in tears. But she found no relief in the peaceful silence of her room, because there everything was real. And the guilt was too immense to bear. Each time she opened her eyes, she'd quickly shut them. And wish that she had woken up for the very last time.”