He took her in his arms right away. "I'm so sorry," he murmured in her ear. He rocked her, saying it over and over. But no matter how many times he said it, no matter how much she knew he meant it, the words stirred around in her ear but didn't get into her brain. Sometimes he could comfort her. Sometimes he said what she needed, but today he couldn't reach her. Nothing could.
Ann BrasharesThe present no matter what I brought couldnโt change the past. The Past was set and sealed.
Ann BrasharesWhy does he have to be my boyfriend? Are you inferior if you don't have a boyfriend? Why does everybody have to be in love with somebody?
Ann BrasharesYou get older and you learn there is one sentence just four worlds long and if you can say it to yourself it offers more comfort than almost any other. It goes like thisโฆ Ready โ โReady.โ โAt least I tried.
Ann BrasharesIt was a blessing and also a curse of handwritten letters that unlike email you couldnโt obsessively reread what youโd written after youโd sent it. You couldnโt attempt to un-send it. Once youโd sent it it was gone. It was an object that no longer belonged to you but belonged to your recipient to do with what he would. You tended to remember the feeling of what youโd said more than the words. You gave to object away and left yourself with the memory. That was what it was to give.
Ann Brashares