When your mother is made out of your dreams, anything real is bound to disappoint you.

I can't do this to you,' he said, drawing back. Emily put her hand on his and pulled the gun to her temple. 'Then do it for me,' she said.

If you don't know there's an alternative, you can't miss it

I think this is every mother's worst nightmare - something dreadful happening to her child.

What if instead of focusing on what you don't have, you concentrate on what you've got?

I used to pretend that I was just passing through this family on my way to my real one.

She understood how a world jammed with phones, email, and faxes could still leave you feeling utterly alone.