Amelia

“Nothing comforted Sabine like long division. That was how she had passed time waiting for Phan and then Parsifal to come back from their tests. She figured the square root of the date while other people knit and read. Sabine blamed much of the world’s unhappiness on the advent of calculators.”
― Ann Patchett, The Magician's Assistant

“am for your kind and generous offer, but I must decline. My conscience urges me not to give up on the mission your government has entrusted to me, to help those women.” “Who are they to you?” Captain Thorpe burst out. “They are no your mother, or your sisters!” His passion surprised Miriam, though the injury and pain in his eyes should have warned her of a squall. “I know that. I do not venture into this because they are my sisters, or some fantasy of a better mother than the one I have.” Miriam paused a moment, a little shocked at that idea. “I do it because they are people, like you and me.”
― V.E. Ulett, Golden Dragon

“The general wisdom around here is if you can’t get it at Wal-Mart, you don’t need it.” Sabine looked up at the brown building, which was itself the size of another parking lot. “I’ve never actually been in one of these.” “Go on,” Kitty said. Sabine shook her head. “I’ve just never had any reason to.” Kitty stubbed out her cigarette and replaced her mitten. “Well, you are in for a treat.”
― Ann Patchett, The Magician's Assistant

“I don’t want to wind up some old woman who talks to her rabbit,” she said to Rabbit, who was chewing so furiously he didn’t even bother to lift his head.”
― Ann Patchett, The Magician's Assistant