"Well, good gosh a'mighty! She's dead as she'll ever be, ain't she? Well, ain't she?"
This quotation explains the strained relationship between Rucker and his daughters. At his age, Rucker doesn't want to be alone. At the same time, he is unsympathetic to the grief that Mary and Loma are experiencing. He didn't tell them that he was getting remarried, which would've been especially important in this grieving period.
"I'm sayin' I love you, dang it! I'm sayin' I want you to be my wife! I'm sayin' I been a-waitin' to hold you in my arms since the day we got married. . . No, way longer than thet, Lord hep me. Miss Love -- Love, I been a-waitin' for this minute ever since the day I laid eyes on you!"
In New York Rucker confesses his love to Ms. Love. He agreed to marry her for practical reasons, but apparently he's been in love with her this entire time. He tries to convince her of his attraction.
"I better go now, but I ain't never go'n forgit you and please don't forgit me, Will."
Lightfoot really likes Will, but she decides to marry Hosie for economic reasons. They both owe a lot to Will and his grandpa for giving Hosie a bonus to afford her dowry. She is forever grateful to have known such a generous family.
"We can ast for comfort and hope and patience and courage . . . and we’ll git what we ast for. They ain’t no gar’ntee thet we ain’t go’n have no troubles and ain’t go’n die. But shore as frogs croak and cows bellow, God’ll forgive us if’n we ast Him to."
On his deathbed, Rucker imparts his best words of wisdom to his family. He's learned over the years that God tends to answer prayer with emotional support instead of material gain. Rucker believes in God's forgiveness above all else. It's been his guiding force for so long.
