History could hover, like a faint perfume or a memory stamped on the back of one's eyelids.

The best way to prevent a heartache was to cushion the coming blow.

I felt a splinter of guilt wedge into my heart. Charlotte had hurt me; in return, I'd hurt Rob. Maybe that's what we do to the people we love: take shots in the dark and realize too late we've wounded the people we're trying to protect.

I look for places like me: big, hollow, forgotten by most everyone.

The desperate usually succeed because they have nothing to lose.

Loneliness is a mirror, and recognizes itself.

I'm telling you, if aliens landed on earth today and took a good hard look at why babies get born, they'd conclude that most people had children by accident, or because they drink too much on a certain night, or because birth control isn't one hundred percent, or for a thousand other reasons that really aren't very flattering.