Once he asked me what I thought had turned me gay.""I hope you told him you were bitten by a gay spider," said Simon.

I had never realized before how much you can take from someone by not allowing them the words they need to describe themselves.

The plumes on Evangeline’s mother’s hat trembled as she gazed sternly at Anna, perched in her sash window, examining an unlit cigar. “You!” she shouted. “You are a disgrace! Breaking girls’ hearts like that! An absolute disgrace, sir! If it were but a century ago, I should slap a glove in your face, decidedly!”Anna burst out laughing.

It was as though each of them had discovered something unexpected but infinitely desirable. They were not yet sure of each other, but they wanted to be.