You ever think about this? Every year you live, you pass the anniversary of your death. Now you don't know what day it is, of course.

Novalee watched his lips shape the words...the sounds, like whispered secrets, hanging in the air.

You ever think about this? Every year you live, you pass the anniversary of your death. Now you don't know what day it is, of course.

Come on, Forney.' Novalee, it's a parasite.' But it's a tradition.' It's a parasite! And you expect people yo stand under it and kiss?' Yes! it's what people do with mistletoe.

Why does anyone lie? 'Cause we're scared or crazy, maybe just because we're mean. I guess there's a million reason to lie, and I might've told that many...but none like that. I guess there's always that one lie we never get over. What? Oh, maybe you don't know about it yet. Maybe you never tell a lie so big it can eat away a part of you. But if you ever do...and if you get lucky...you might a chance to set it right. Just one chance to change it. Then it's gone. And it never comes back again.

She always set three alarms for fear that the first employees to arrive would discover her sleeping - a Goldilocks without her bears

And the needles of the pine trees, freshly washed to a deep, rich green, shimmered with droplets that blinked like clear crystals.