Jana DeLeon

– Je suis curieux de savoir comment vous êtes arrivée sur ma plage... Enfin, ça n'est pas vraiment ma plage, rectifia-t-il avec un petit sourire, mais j'aime à le penser.

Before he could rationalize all the reasons why it wasn’t a good idea, he decided it was time to take a risk. Life held no guarantees, but if you stopped living, you were guaranteed to have a less fulfilling life than if you took a risk that paid off.

“I can’t help it. Worrying is what I do best, especially if I can’t fix it.”

They were a family—able to tease each other about their shortcomings, able to share the good things and the hard things, always there for each other when support was needed, even if it meant taking risks.

“Don’t ignore feelings of unease, especially in the swamp. That intuition may be what keeps you safe.”

There’s only three types of people who don’t leave a trace on internet—those who live as hermits, those who intentionally live off-radar or those who started as one person and are now masquerading as another.

“I had a run-in with Lorraine in the supermarket, and Holt interrupted right about when I was going to clock her—“
“That man’s always had horrible timing.”

Bobby’s affair didn’t make Sarah stop loving him. She couldn’t trust him any longer, and without trust, she felt there was no marriage.

It did no good to dwell on a past that had no future.

Alex pushed her shopping cart down the aisle of the Vodoun Sack-a-lot, trying to concentrate on buying food for Sarah’s house. So far, she’d picked up a tube of toothpaste, a bottle of cooking oil and matches. As long as they wanted to have a good breath while setting the house on fire, they were set.

My parents insisted on retiring in an RV and gallivanting across the country. I remain in a constant state of worry.

She opened her purse and took out a prescription for antianxiety medication (…) Ever since Sarah’s split with Bobby, she’d had trouble sleeping and concentrating. The meds took the edge off and allowed her to act normal even though she didn’t feel normal.

"I'm fine, and I'm perfectly happy alone. I have a good library of books." (...)
Madeleine didn't look convinced. "A book isn't the same as having someone else around. Like a man. Then maybe I wouldn't worry as much."

The sound of the night creatures filled the air—insects, birds, frogs and a host of others. It was oddly comforting to her. It felt right, as though everything was in balance.