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61 " He should have known how sad I was from the exclamation points. "
― Mary H.K. Choi , Yolk
62 " She had friends, I told myself. They were just friends no one else wanted. "
63 " You don’t have to feel like you’re overstaying your welcome with me. "
64 " You know, the trick to taking care of your sister is letting her think she’s taking care of you. "
65 " It’s the patronizing smile particular to super-celebrities doing Japanese instant-coffee commercials. "
66 " Did they ever ask you where Mom went?” She shrugs. “Nah. I’m not even sure they asked Dad. You know how it is, church-folk are all up in your business until that shit actually gets dark. Then, they just think you’re contagious.” I do know. It’s not just church, though; that’s everywhere. "
67 " Promise me you’ll have kids.” June blots her nostrils and inspects the contents of her napkin. “June.” “You’d be a good mom,” she says. A lump forms in my throat. “Everyone fucks everyone up, but you’re so fucked up already, you’ll be understanding about stuff like that. "
68 " And don’t you talk about Lorelai and Rory like that. Pull it together. And Sookie. Also, Jess.” “Lane’s Mom is sus, though.” “That Mom had a lot of disappointments in her life,” she says, lying back down. “You can tell she’s seen shit. Show some respect. "
69 " There's this whole theory that younger siblings are spoiled. That we're enfeebled from all the mollycoddling. Soft. That by the time it was our turn to rebel, our parents had already given up. I disagree with this wholly. It's first-born who can't take no for an answer. Younger kids have iron constitutions. Hardy hides from lifetimes of rejection. A hundred million entreaties for their older siblings to hang out answered by shoves, eye rolls, slammed doors, and stone-cold ditches followed by peals of laughter. "
70 " This is the best part of having a sister. Since we were raised by the same lunatic, under the same conditions, June knows exactly what I’m thinking. "
71 " As we’re sprinting through the arrivals hall, I think of how much June and Mom have in common. Manufactured urgency is their absolute favorite emotion. I get it. Control feels good no matter how small the triumph. "