We All Live Here

by Jojo Moyes

“Because it’s only hurt people who hurt people.” She stares at him. “Celie, baby, you look around at people who are happy in themselves in their lives—they’re just busy living, having a good time. They don’t set out to be mean to other people. Their energy is going into other things. It doesn’t even occur to them to hurt someone else, or to try to make them feel small. In fact, they’re more likely to be building other people up.

she goes to the kitchen, where she will make herself a cup of tea. It is the knee-jerk response to everything, she thinks distantly.

Lila is not sure she would know who she was without Eleanor around.

It’s kind of amazing that people that old even try.