This was the last happy evening I would experience for a very long time."
-- Roy (Part One: Bridge Music, Pages 1-40)

Importance: Using a technique known as foreshadowing, author Tayari Jones uses Roy's narrative to signal the life changes that are waiting ahead of him. This technique also reminds the reader that Roy's memories of his married life with Celestial are being told as memories.

Sometimes when you like where you end up, you don’t care how you got there.
-- Roy (Part One: Bridge Music, Pages 1-40)

Importance: In this quote, Roy tries to comfort Celestial when she reveals that her parents met and began dating while her father was still married. Although his advice is directed to Celestial, he will later need to reflect back on this advice when he ends up with Davina, not Celestial. The question raised here is whether the ends justify the means, and whether final happiness justifies short-term pain and sadness.

This is all I have to be a...
-- Roy (Part One: Bridge Music, Pages 41-68)