It's for personal reasons," I say stiffly, which is what my mother had always told me to say about things that had to do with fighting with your brothers, getting any sort of illness that had intestinal ramifications, starting your period, and money.

“This is Rilke. I wish I had written it for you.”

“Don't cry pretty girl. Who you are is why you're so good at everything. You won…”

“Strangely, I thought of the emotion I ought to feel without feeling it, as impa…”

“Saw him where?""While I was sitting outside with one of my half aunts."This see…”