Where she lives is flat. She has never been this far away from home before. She is nearly eighteen years old and out to see the world. (1, Part I)

She had always taken his death for granted, but the reality of it took hold gradually. (1, Part II)

My mother never told me much about him, what he was like or what his favorite foods were or anything. I don’t even know how tall he was or what kind of personality he had. He’s just a face in a picture, but now I’m getting real curious. (7, Part II)

Tom’s garage was in a section of town that used to be classy, before the doctors and lawyers and merchants began building in the new subdivisions. (10, Part II)

‘Here everybody’s looking backward—to old-timey days. Antiques and Civil War stuff.’ He smiled. (10, Part II)

‘Nobody understands the vets,’ she said, almost crying. ‘They’re different. People expect them... (12, Part II)