Prom Night in Purgatory Quotes

“Life had taught her that consequences were ugly and painful, and seldom worth the pleasure they had been bartered for.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“I’m guessing you’ve got a spare in the trunk, but one spare isn’t gonna do us much good,” Johnny sighed. “Who would do something like this?”

“Did you notice all the looks you were getting from the ladies?”

“Absolutely.” Johnny smiled deviously, his eyebrows waggling.

“Yeah, well so did all the other guys. I’m guessing one of them - and his name starts with ‘D’ and end with ‘erek,’ was a little jealous of your hot moves and decided to take it out on our cool ride.”

Maggie hunched down beside him and sighed. “How many blondes does it take to change a tire?”

“Only one, sweetheart, but this blonde can’t work a miracle.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“Something happened that night; somehow you escaped Purgatory. I can’t explain it, but….” Maggie took a deep breath and plunged on. He deserved to know how she felt. “I think you made a choice. You chose life and all the ugly hard things that go with it, even though Heaven would have been easier.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“His words made her hot inside, and she wished for a second that she was the kind of girl who would take what she wanted and to hell with the consequences. But she wasn’t. Life had taught her that consequences were ugly and painful, and seldom worth the pleasure they had been bartered for.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“And now, here I am, seventy-one years old, and the choice I made at seventeen is the choice I still have to live with today.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“I didn’t understand that the choices we make stay with us forever, Maggie.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“The truth is, Margaret, I just loved Mona more. I saw her strength and her patience, her gentle heart, and her love for me and her desire to shield me from pain. All those things were more beautiful to me than her curves or her pretty hair. All those wonderful traits were on display like they’d never been before, and she took my breath away. I loved her more when she died than I did the day I married her. The woman I married was beautiful, but the woman I lost was stunning.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“Love isn’t pretty, Miss Margaret. I think that’s why so many people don’t make it. They don’t appreciate the hard times. They expect it to be all airbrushed and touched up like the pictures you see in them magazine ads.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“Is she gone, then?” Lizzie asked, her mouth turned down in a slight frown.

“I don’t know,” Johnny answered carefully. “We had a picnic out at the reservoir after the dance. I fell asleep, and when I woke up, she was gone. But her shoes were still there.”

“Oh.” Lizzie nodded, as if her question had been satisfied. She finished off her ice cream and proceeded to lick her fingers clean.

“So do you know where she is?” Johnny was really trying not to get impatient, but so far he had gotten exactly nowhere. He wondered if Lizzie Honeycutt was good at chess.

“She probably went back,” Lizzie dutifully protected her queen.

“Back where?”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“Shhhh,” Johnny soothed, sliding his hands up and down her back, nuzzling her hair. “Car thieves don’t cry, baby. You gotta toughen up if you’re gonna have a future with good old Clyde here.”

“I like it when you do that.”

“What?”

“Call me baby,” Maggie whispered.

“You liked it when I called you Bonnie too,” he replied with a smile in his voice. “Why?”

“You used to call me baby all the time. It makes me believe you can love me again.”

Johnny wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and lifted her to him, kissing her tear-streaked cheeks before he touched his lips to hers.

“I’m already there Maggie. I fell in love when you begged me to help you escape the cops. I fell in love when we danced to Nat King Cole singing ‘Stardust’ on a moonlit beach. Hell, I fell in love when you told me how blondes spell farm.”

“E-I-E-I-O,” Maggie quipped wetly.

Johnny laughed and held her tightly.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“It was penance, my own slow dance in purgatory.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“They haven’t even been born...and when I return - they will already be dead”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“Oh, please. You know damn well you're amazing. You don't think I watched you the other night? The whole place was glued to your every move," he paused. "I was egging you on, you know. I wanted you to go out there. I wanted to see you..."

"You did not!' Maggie interrupted hotly. "You didn't think I could. You think I'm unattractive and boring.”

"Keep tellin' yourself that, Maggie, and I'll keep telling myself that, and we'll both be happier in the long run.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“It seems we stood and talked like this before

We looked at each other in the same way then,

The clothes you’re wearing are the clothes you wore

The smile you’re smiling you smiled then

But I can’t remember when.



Some things that happen for the first time

Seem to be happening again

And so it seems that we have met before

And laughed before

And loved before

But who knows where or when”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“So.....you’re the guy Maggie’s got the hots for.” Maggie rolled her eyes and dropped her head into her hands. Leave it to Shad to just come right out with it. From her dejected position, she couldn’t see Johnny’s response, but she felt his interest pique like a blow torch aimed right at her face. Her neck and cheeks flamed hot.

“Johnny Kinross - in the flesh,” Shad was warming up to the subject now, his lines right out of a poorly-written made-for-TV movie. “You are Johnny Kinross, right? I mean...I never saw you. But I think we had a pretty good relationship.” Maggie sputtered, a laugh erupting from her chest. Shad swiveled his head and gave her his “Shut-up-woman!” lips and his “domineering male” chin thrust. He was talking again before Maggie could give him her “you’ve-got-ten-seconds-to-vacate-the-premises-before-I-cut-you” glare in response.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“But alone is still alone however you come by it.”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“Do you need a ride?” He said again.

“No, actually.”

“Come on. I’ll take you home.”

I don’t need a ride. That’s my bike.” Maggie pointed to the bike at his feet. He didn’t look down at the bike, which made Maggie think he was aware all along that it was hers.

“It’ll fit in my trunk.”

“No, thank you. I’ll ride it home. It’s a big bike.”

“It’s a big trunk.”

Maggie stared at him, confused by his sudden appearance and his even more sudden interest in spending time in her company.

“Why?”

“It was made that way. Most of the cars made in the ‘50’s had decent sized trunks.”

“Ha ha, very funny. That’s not what I meant and you know it. Why do you want to take me home?” Maggie almost smiled at his dry attempt at humor. But she didn’t. It still hurt too much to look at him, to be near him, and her smile stayed dormant.

“I want to talk to you.”

“I had the very distinct impression the last time we were together that I made you angry. Plus, I’m thinking your driver’s license is long expired. You shouldn’t be driving.”

“Ha, ha, very funny,” Johnny mimicked her. “Have you always been such a goody-two shoes?”

“Nobody says goody-two-shoes anymore!” Maggie said crossly and walked to her bike, squatting beside it to undo the lock.

“Maggie,” he coaxed. “Maggie?” She really tried not to look up at him. “How do you drive a blonde crazy?”

Maggie’s head shot up, and her eyes locked on his.

“You put him in a round room and tell him to sit in the corner,” Johnny quipped, but his eyes were serious.

“Not bad, Kinross. Did you make that up yourself?”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“They went to Shimmies again, but this time Johnny pulled into the long line at the drive thru, and Maggie breathed a sigh of relief. She was too tired for drama, and Shimmies was full of teen angst. Maggie took one look at the menu board and knew what she wanted. She always got the same thing. Johnny was still reading the menu, a frown of disbelief between his brows. She guessed that the prices were a tad bit higher than he was used to. Oh well, she’d warned him, hadn’t she?

“Do you need me to buy?” She asked softly. Johnny shot her a look that would have caused her to shrivel up and die had she not grown a rather thick skin over the years. Still, she cringed a little bit. He clearly took her offer as an insult.

“I’ve got plenty of money... but it had better be a darn good burger. The last burger I ate cost fifteen cents.”

“Fifteen?” Maggie squeaked.

Johnny tossed his heads toward the window at the gas station they could see across the road. The fuel prices were displayed on a large marquee. “A gallon of gas used to cost me a quarter. I can’t believe people are still driving cars at these prices.” He looked back at her, his expression unreadable. “You already know what you want?” He changed the subject abruptly.

“I always get the same thing.”

“Not too adventurous, huh?

“Life is disappointing enough without having to take chances on your food. I always go with the sure thing”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“What do you get when you offer a blonde a penny for her thoughts?” Maggie asked randomly.

“Huh?” Johnny shot a look at her from under his hood.

“It’s a joke.” What do you get when you offer a blonde a penny for her thoughts?”

“What?”

“Change,” Maggie supplied, waggling her eyebrows. Johnny stared at her for a moment and shook his head. Maggie tried again.

“What do you call a brunette with a blonde on either side?”

Johnny didn’t reply.

“An interpreter,” Maggie answered, a little less cheerfully this time. Johnny didn’t even look up from the car’s engine.

“What did the blonde say when she looked in the box of Cheerios?” she said, her voice subdued. This was her favorite one. It used to be his.

No reply again.

“Oh, look! Donut seeds...” Maggie’s voice faded off.

Johnny slammed the hood and wiped his hands on a nearby rag.

“Did I used to laugh at your jokes?” he asked brusquely.

“Only the blond jokes. I used to tell knock knock jokes but you told me they were terrible”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“Knock, knock.”

Johnny raised his eyebrows impatiently, waiting for her to continue.

“You’re supposed to say, ‘Who’s there?’” Maggie prodded.

“Who’s there?” Johnny parroted.

“Sarah.” She waited. “Say Sarah who.”

“Sarah who?” Johnny droned.

“Sarah reason you’re not lettin’ me in?”

Johnny rolled his eyes, and Maggie giggled a little”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“That which has been is now;

and that which is to be

has already been.

Ecclesiastes 3:15”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory

“How in the world do you tell someone what he is to you…when he is your whole world?”
― Amy Harmon, Prom Night in Purgatory