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The Violet Hour

Book by Victoria Benton Frank · 13 quotes · Book Title, Charleston, Family Drama

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The Violet Hour Quotes

“There was this time of morning that always gave me peace. I liked to call it the "Violet hour." Not because it was my alone time, although it was, but because the light was the prettiest blue violet. It was the hour before the sun would rise, turning the pitch-black velvet night into the fresh blue brightness of day. It happened right before the world woke up and gave me the slice of the morning to really think, or pray, or problem-solve.”

“A deep-yellow sauce dotted with green encircled a plump piece of white fish; gently seared golden skin nestled in a smaller circle of plump cherry tomatoes. There was a small handful of lemon-pepper-drizzled arugula salad with shaved slices of Parmesan cheese. I slid my fork into the side of the fish, popped the opaque flesh into my mouth, and tasted thyme, the ocean, and actual sunshine.”

“It was a classic southern spread. Shrimp and grits, red rice, biscuits, mac and cheese, pulled pork, and a ton of other sides. It smelled delicious. I made myself a little pulled pork sandwich with Carolina BBQ sauce on a Hawaiian roll. It was even better than it smelled. I made a note of the caterer. Hamby. Of course. Hamby Cateringwas the caterer; they did all the best events in Charleston. We both wolfed down the delicious chicken salad sandwiches, huge helpings of mac and cheese, and two biscuits that were lighter than clouds--- not as good as Maggie's, but pretty good.”

“This right here is the holiest of holies, my mother's garden. This is where she grew mint for tea and lavender for sachets and belladonna for--- honestly, I always wondered, but maybe she knew this day was coming? My mother did have a kind of sixth sense for things... Maybe she knew that someday her soul mate would fall prey to a woman who would move in, insult his family, and pour concrete over her garden..." I could see that the comments were coming in hot now, and I kept going. "Some of you say I don't have sympathy for widows going out on the dating scene, but you know what? I do. In fact, are there any of you Callie Knox fans out there who are looking for a great guy? My mother was magic, and I know some of you are magic, too. Maybe you have the kind of magic that can save me and my family from this massive b----" And then I did it. I gave my dad's name, address, and phone number to an Instagram Live audience that was now apparently upward of ten thousand people.”

“Don't look at me! I'm the victim here," Joyce said with a pout. "Um, I don't know if I'd call you the 'victim,' Joyce, you've been scratching at them like a cat." "Only because they have done everything in their power to make it uncomfortable for me!" Joyce said. "What are you talking about?" Jess said. "You know what I'm talking about," Joyce said, leveling her gaze at me. She grabbed a piece of garlic bread, tore it into smaller pieces. "My husband's dead, too! You don't hear me ranting and carrying on about him." "Are you kidding me?" Mike stood up. My dad was shaking his head in disbelief over what she had just said. Jess had a tear rolling down her cheek. She never cried. This was insane. "Joyce, the kids can talk about their mother as much as they want." She did a little fake laugh. "But when is it enough, you know? When---" "And so can I. It's never enough. This is their family home, and Callie was their mother." I looked over at Joyce, whose eyes were as big as dinner plates.”

“Somewhere along the way, though, I had become timid about life's storms. I had learned to keep my mermaid nature wrapped and hidden. If I had an inner siren, she'd become muzzled in the process of growing up. I'd grown scared, I guess, that if I let my hair out of its tight bun, if I acted on my wild and tempestuous impulses, I would lose control and then be truly lost at sea. This is the story of how I found myself, out there in the storm, and learned my own true nature.”