“She leant her head upon her hand : “I know not which to choose—
Alas! whichever choice I make, the other I must lose.””

“I made the wrong choice," I whispered.
My mother shook her head.
"A child should never have to choose.”

“At last, she makes her choice. She turns around, drops her head, and walks toward a horizon she cannot see. After that, she does not look back anymore. She knows that if she does, she will weaken.”

“Well, she was talking to me. That's enough to make anyone lose their temper. And I accused her of sleeping with my dad because he was the soundest evolutionary choice.”

“If I hold her hand she says, ‘Don’t touch!’
If I hold her foot she says ‘Don’t touch!’
But when I hold her waist-beads she pretends not to know.”

“If she doesn't speak, she is making a choice. If she doesn't try, she can lose her chance forever.
-An-mei”

“How Adewen stuffed her braid in her mouth at that! Or she'd cover her mirth with her hands and shake till you'd think that the fit was upon her. She did the same too when she wept so you'd never be sure which she hid with her hands, her tears or her cackling. I think there were times she herself didn't know, nor does anyone know at times. Laugh till you weep. Weep till there's nothing left but to laugh at your weeping. In the end it's all one.”

“Her thought process dwindled, ceased. Then she felt her legs crumple. "I can't choose! I can't choose!"”

“She places her hands around my neck and rests her head on my shoulder. I can smell the sex on her, and my hope is that she can smell the love on me.”

“At that, I understood for sure I must not lose her, for the earth is not the earth without some light to see it by, and she was mine.”