“I sighed and gestured toward him. "I'll take him." In an undertone, I added, "Don't let me down, Zmey.”

“I don't kick a man when he's down, unless I'm the one who put him down in the first place. I don't put him down unless he deserves it. And I don't break my word if I give it. So I'll give you my word.”

“The little things, Emma. The gestures, the moments. And the big. I let him see my heart. I gave it to him, even when I believed he couldn't or wouldn't take it. I gave it anyway-a gift. Even if he broke it. I was very brave. Love is very brave.”

“There's no way I'll back down, like a goddamn coward. I can't, how would I look? As a man bowing to his knees? Like the mad cow disease, let somebody lash out at me, and not lash back out at him.”

“Calm down, Horus said.
"Don't tell me to calm down!"
Bast frowned. "I didn't."
"Talking to him!" I pointed at my forehead.”

“I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn't have the heart to let him down.”

“Stay with me." As the tendrils of sleep syrup pull me down, I hear him whisper a word back, but I don't quite catch it.”

“I jus' try to sacrifice myself, so I get runner to third. If I do, I feel good. But I get heet and Willie scores, and I feel better than good. […] What makes me feel most good is that the skipper let me play the whole game. I think maybe he take me out after a few innings for Aaron but no, he pay me big compliment. I stay in game and that gave me confidence. I think I don't let him down, no?”

“but it's not safe and I can feel him slipping away, so I just get out one more sentence. "Stay with me."
As the tendrils of sleep syrup pull me down, I hear him whisper a word back but I don't catch it.”

“The young woman had turned toward him and thrust her pink gloves up in the air in a gesture that, from a man, meant “Touchdown!” and, from a woman, “I will hug you now!””