Falling in love is just an excuse for bad behavior.
-- Mistress (chapter 1 paragraph 11)

Importance: The quote shows how the mistress is able to justify her affair, suggesting to Deb that her feelings for Jack were real, as were Jack's.

That was something Simon couldn't believe, how his mother didn't pore over every page.
-- Narrator (chapter 4 paragraph 1)

Importance: The quote illustrates Simon's confusion at his mother's reaction to the news of the affair.

The girl was crazier than he'd thought, and it was impossible to talk to Deb with this between them, this prop.
-- Narrator (chapter 5 paragraph 36)

Importance: The quote demonstrates how Jack dismisses both women: he believes the mistress to be crazy and that he is unable to talk to Deb because she holds the evidence of his affair when he wants to dismiss it as a distraction.

Life wasn't like television, but did it have to be so different?
-- Narrator (chapter 10 paragraph 17)

Importance: The quote illustrates how Kay is coming to terms with growing up...