How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Terri and I weren't married then, and my first wife had the house and the kids, the dog, and Terri and I were living in this apartment here." (27)
Yep. Marriage can sometimes lead to divorce. In Mel's case, it was an ugly divorce, and it reveals to us the darker side of marriages. Since Mel has kids with his ex, and is responsible for supporting her, he's more than a little stuck. We can also see how that marriage is putting a strain on his current one.
Quote #2
Laura is a legal secretary. We'd met in a professional capacity. Before we knew it, it was a courtship. She was thirty-five, three years younger than I am. In addition to being in love with her, we like each other and enjoy one another's company. She's easy to be with. (30)
From this aside to the reader by narrator Nick, we get the idea that at least so far Nick and Laura's marriage is uncomplicated and drama free, in contrast to Terri and Mel's marriage. It's also a bit funny—because the fact that Nick enjoys Laura's company in addition to the fact that he loves her tells us that those two things aren't necessarily the same. Maybe it's possible to love someone and not be able to stand them.
Quote #3
"You guys,' Terri said. "Stop that now. You're making me sick. You're still on the honeymoon for God's sake. […] How long has it been? A year? Longer than a year?"
"Going on a year and a half," Laura said, flushed and smiling. (45-46)
Is Terri just kidding around here, or is there some truth to her statement? Laura definitely doesn't seem phased by it. Her smiling flush shows that she feels confident in her marriage no matter how skeptical Terri might seem.