Everyone Brave is Forgiven

by Chris Cleave

It turned out that the only difference between children and adults was that children were prepared to put twice the energy into the project of not being sad.

There would come suitors who were taller, or richer, or—most dreadful of all—who could make her laugh. How he feared men who could make her laugh.

In the end I suppose we lay flowers on a grave because we cannot lay ourselves on it.

I was brought up to believe that everyone brave is forgiven,