Home > Author > Kiley Reid
1 " Zara had two sisters, one of whom struggled with anorexia, and the other with depression, two conditions that Emira's mother believed black people didn't "get. "
― Kiley Reid
2 " Emira realized that Briar probably didn’t know how to say good-bye because she’d never had to do it before. But whether she said good-bye or not, Briar was about to become a person who existed without Emira. She’d go to sleepovers with girls she met at school, and she’d have certain words that she’d always forget how to spell. She’d be a person who sometimes said things like, “Seriously?” or “That’s so funny,” and she’d ask a friend if this was her water or theirs. Briar would say good-bye in yearbook signatures and through heartbroken tears and through emails and over the phone. But she’d never say good-bye to Emira, which made it seem that Emira would never be completely free from her. For the rest of her life and for zero dollars an hour, Emira would always be Briar’s sitter. "
― Kiley Reid , Such a Fun Age
3 " I don't need you to be mad that it happened. I need you to be mad that it just like... happens. "
4 " I think it best we went our separate ways, and that those paths never crossed again. "
5 " Emira realized that Briar probably didn't know how to say good-bye because she never had to do it before. But whether she said good-bye or not, Briar was about to become a person who existed without Emira. She'd go to sleepovers with girls she met at school, and she'd have certain words that she'd always forget how to spell. She'd be a person who sometimes said things like, "Seriously?" or "That's so funny" and she'd ask a friend if this was her water or theirs. Briar would say good-bye in yearbook signatures and through heartbroken tears and through emails and over the phone. But she'd never say good-bye to Emira, which made it seem that Emira would never be completely free from her. For the rest of her life and for zero dollars an hour, Emira would always be Briar's sitter. "
6 " Alex was alone, and the one thing she still had was the freedom to follow the narrative that suited her best. "
7 " And some days, Emira would carry the dread that if Briar ever struggled to find herself, she’d probably just hire someone to do it for her. "
8 " You’re not better than anyone,' she said, 'when you hang up your own coat and take your plate to the trash. I’ve been those girls helping out tonight. I fucking am those girls helping out tonight, and you’re not making anything easier by giving them less to do. It’s like eating everything on your plate ’cause you think someone else won’t go hungry if you don’t. You’re not helping anyone but yourself. "
9 " One day, Emira when Emira would say good-bye to Briar, she'd also leave the joy of having somewhere to be, the satisfaction of understanding the rules, the comfort of knowing what's coming next, and the privilege of finding a home within yourself. "
10 " Emira didn’t love doing anything, but she didn’t terribly mind doing anything either. "
11 " There were moments like this that Alix tried to breeze over, but they got stuck somewhere between her heart and ears. She knew Emira had gone to college. She knew Emira had majored in English. But sometimes, after seeing her paused songs with titles like "Dope Bitch" and "Y'all Already Know," then hearing her use words like connoisseur, Alix was filled with feelings that went from confused and highly impressed to low and guilty in response to the first reaction. There was no reason for Emira to be unfamiliar with this word. And there was no reason for Alix to be impressed. "
12 " Good bosses shouldn't make you happy in a job that they wouldn't want to do themselves," she said. "It's my job to make you so miserable that you're forced into finding something that brings you joy, and then I help you seal the deal. "
13 " You're not the first black woman Alex has hired to work for her family, and you probably won't be the last.''Okay...?' Emira sat down. She didn't mean to sound flippant, but she doubted that Kelley could really tell her anything she didn't already know. Emira had met several 'Mrs. Chamberlains' before...It wasn't that Emira didn't understand the racially charged history that Kelley was alluding to, but she couldn't help but think that if she weren't working for this Mrs. Chamberlain, she'd probably be working for another one. "
14 " Emira had met several "Mrs. Chamberlains" before. They were all rich and overly nice and particularly lovely to the people that served them. Emira knew that Mrs. Chamberlain wanted a friendship, but she also knew that Mrs. Chamberlain would never display the same efforts of kindness with her friends as she did with Emira: "accidentally" ordering two salads and offering one to Emira, or sending her home with a bag filled with frozen dinners and soups. "
15 " I think it would be best if we went our separate ways, and that those paths never again connected. "
16 " but Emira came to know the rare relief of having a boss who was so consumed with her assistant’s success that she was never derailed by the idea of being Emira’s friend. "
17 " But...I don't know. I know it's weird" - she tried to explain - "but people do pay other people to act like part of the family. That doesn't mean it's not a transaction. "
18 " New York was like an ex who had worked out all summer. "
19 " That boy likes to talk.” Kelley definitely did that thing where he asked her questions with the intention of explaining his own answer afterward. "
20 " The messages between Emira and this new person were of that cool and careful variety that only exists at the beginning of something, as you try to exude spontaneity and effortless humor, and space out responses to appear busy and even-keeled. "
