Elegance - Kathleen Tessaro
Colin: Elegance, what is this? Some sort of ancient self-help book?... Are you honestly telling me you think this woman, this, what's her knickers, Madame Dariauz, knows what it means to be elegant? That she's got something you lack? By the way, she has Margaret Thatcher hair... That book is just one woman's opinion. And by the looks of it, one woman's opinion from a completely different age! What does she know anyway? Has she ever had to go through what you're going through? Has she ever left her husband and had to build her life from scratch? Why are you torturing yourself? Because that's what all this is; torture. Don't you have any confidence to trust your own instincts? So what if you make mistakes or have a few spots! Jesus, if I'd just left my husband I'd have a whole lot more than just a few spots!
About Ria, a flatmate:
She's the real thing. A classic. A real black cashmere polo neck of a friend.
Ria: My God, Louise! What have you done to yourself?
Lousie: Don't panic, Ria, it's this fantastic new tanning lotion. As soon as I have a shower, you'll see. It washes off and all I'm left with is a glorious, golden glow.
Ria: You look like an extra from Quest for Fire. And your hands, Louise, they're orange!
Louise: I'm telling you, Ria, it all washes off! Look, I'll prove it to you.
10 minutes later
Louise: See, what did I tell you? Do I look ten pounds lighter and ten years younger or what?
Ria: You're orange, a kind of stripy orange.
Louise: Ha ha ha. Very funny, Ria.
Ria: No, Louise. Not ha ha ha at all.
Colin: But that's not a reason to duck out of life, sweetie. So, you'd be hurt. Big deal. That's the chance we all take. What's the point in being alive at all if you're so afraid of pain that you can't appreciate the rare gems when they do come along? We all want to protect ourselves but the bottom line is: we can't. It's as simple as that. You can either enjoy this wonderful, exciting young man for who and what he is or you can hide away, waiting for some dull, average, shmuck to emerge that will make you feel safe. ... My darling, there's nothing safe about love! ... Take it from me, if you don't take a chance, you'll regret it for the rest of your life.