" But did you ever ask her?” “Ask her what?” “If she wanted to come back.” “Why the hell would I ask her? Nobody wants to be dead. I did the right thing. For us. For her. You were there. It was heroic. I was selfless. I was strong.” “Were you? Or could you just … not accept that something pretty was taken from you? Did you know her? Or was she hot and rich and uncomplicated? "

― Catherynne M. Valente , L'Esprit de L'Escalier