---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But just as she turns to walk away she…"
description: "\"“But just as she turns to walk away she hears him behind her, the word like the opening of some door, like an ending and a beginning, like a wish. \"Wai..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/jennifer-e-smith-1454_quote_but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-h_1409661.jpg"
---

#  But just as she turns to walk away she hears him behind…

![“But just as she turns to walk away she hears him behind her, the word like the opening of some door, like an ending and a beginning, like a wish. &quot;Wait,&quot; he says, and so she does.” quote by Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/jennifer-e-smith-1454_quote_but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-h_1409661.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/jennifer-e-smith-1454_quote_but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-h_1409661.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/jennifer-e-smith-1454_quote_but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-h_1409661.jpg)

> ““But just as she turns to walk away she hears him behind her, the word like the opening of some door, like an ending and a beginning, like a wish. "Wait," he says, and so she does.””

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A moment of hesitation turns into a shared decision when a simple word invites connection and possibility.

**In simple terms:** A small invitation can change a path.

Key Takeaway

Listen and act on unexpected prompts.

Themes

choice connection decisionmaking

Mood

hopeful anticipatory

Type

literary romantic

When to use this quote

- Romantic encounter
- critical moment
- dialogue

Key Concepts

Narrative tension interpersonal dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- What does the word represent for each character?
- How do small cues shape relationships?

A Different Perspective

If she ignored the word, the outcome would differ.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [“For a long time they just stay there like that, as still as the statues in the garden. And when he gives her no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/for-a-long-time-they-just-stay-there-like-that-as-still-as-the/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“To shut your eyes is to guess nothing of blindness. Beneath your world of skies and faces and buildings exists a rawer and older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-doerr/to-shut-your-eyes-is-to-guess-nothing-of-blindness-beneath-your-world/)

[Anthony Doerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-doerr/)

> [“How the hell old is she? “You’re not in junior high, are you?” “God no. I’ve just never held anyone’s hand before. The guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/how-the-hell-old-is-she-you-re-not-in-junior-high-are-you-god-no-i-ve/)

[Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/)

> [“And like every ending, it was a strange mix of exuberance and sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/and-like-every-ending-it-was-a-strange-mix-of-exuberance-and-sorrow/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [A wise man hears one word and understands two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/a-wise-man-hears-one-word-and-understands-two/)

[Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/)

> [Be aware that the more often a child hears the word no, the greater his need to say no himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-rindner-tempelsman/be-aware-that-the-more-often-a-child-hears-the-word-no-the-greater/)

[Cathy Rindner Tempelsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-rindner-tempelsman/)

> [“She hears the word bell, or orchard, or swallow, and she experiences a strange surprise, like the feel of a coin in the soil.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-shun-lien-bynum/she-hears-the-word-bell-or-orchard-or-swallow-and-she-experiences-a/)

[Sarah Shun-lien Bynum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-shun-lien-bynum/)

> [“I better go.” I push up from the couch and move to the door like a vapor, there in one aspect, completely gone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/i-better-go-i-push-up-from-the-couch-and-move-to-the-door-like-a/)

[J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/)

> [I saw a door that said exit only. So I entered through it and went up to the guy working there and said "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-saw-a-door-that-said-exit-only-so-i-entered-through-it-and-went-up/)

[Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/)

> [“What is left in its place appears to be a person who has about as much use as a door with no handles or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/what-is-left-in-its-place-appears-to-be-a-person-who-has-about-as/)

[Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/)

> [“Outside, Melliphant's ear flattened itself against the wood of the door like a pale slug.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/outside-melliphant-s-ear-flattened-itself-against-the-wood-of-the/)

[Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/)

> [A wife, domestic, good, and pure, Like snail, should keep within her door; But not, like snail, with silver track, Place all her wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/a-wife-domestic-good-and-pure-like-snail-should-keep-within-her-door/)

Walsham How

> [“Don't open the door to strangers," said her dad. "Unless they're selling something. Then open the door and see if I'd like it. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/don-t-open-the-door-to-strangers-said-her-dad-unless-they-re-selling/)

[Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/)

> [At I'm ya door like ding dong banna clip try to run ya head ill split](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-montana/at-i-m-ya-door-like-ding-dong-banna-clip-try-to-run-ya-head-ill-split/)

[French Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-montana/)

> [Maybe your life resembles a Bethlehem stable. Crude in some spots, smelly in others. Not much glamour. Not always neat. People in your circle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/maybe-your-life-resembles-a-bethlehem-stable-crude-in-some-spots/)

[Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/)

## More by Jennifer E. Smith

> [“He'd come back to her, it was true. He was the one to walk out of the woods and onto the beach, to cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/he-d-come-back-to-her-it-was-true-he-was-the-one-to-walk-out-of-the/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“That's the thing about flying: You could talk to someone for hours and never even know his name, share your deepest secrets and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/that-s-the-thing-about-flying-you-could-talk-to-someone-for-hours-and/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“Now Hadley presses her forehead against the window of the taxi and once again finds herself smiling at the thought of him. He's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/now-hadley-presses-her-forehead-against-the-window-of-the-taxi-and/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“He's looking at her like she's the answer to some sort of riddle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/he-s-looking-at-her-like-she-s-the-answer-to-some-sort-of-riddle/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“Well," he begins, sitting up a bit taller, "I was being quite gallant, actually, and offered to help with her suitcase. And then we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/well-he-begins-sitting-up-a-bit-taller-i-was-being-quite-gallant/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“The only time it doesn't help to imagine the sky is when you're thirty thousand feet in the air with nowhere to go but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/the-only-time-it-doesn-t-help-to-imagine-the-sky-is-when-you-re/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“Emma knew that she'd always been on the wrong side of the line that separated her from her parents, from Patrick and Annie and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/emma-knew-that-she-d-always-been-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-line-that/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“Hadley knows this isn’t some Disney movie. Her parents aren’t ever getting back together”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/hadley-knows-this-isn-t-some-disney-movie-her-parents-aren-t-ever/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“If you were to draw a map of the two of them, of where they started out and where they would both end up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/if-you-were-to-draw-a-map-of-the-two-of-them-of-where-they-started/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“She wishes that it were true, all of it. That it were more than just a story. That is was their story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/she-wishes-that-it-were-true-all-of-it-that-it-were-more-than-just-a/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“There's a formula for how long it takes to get over someone, that it's half as long as the time you've been together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/there-s-a-formula-for-how-long-it-takes-to-get-over-someone-that-it-s/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“True," he says. "But I'm able to supplement it with my wealth of British intelligence and charm." "Right," Hadley says. "Charm. When do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/true-he-says-but-i-m-able-to-supplement-it-with-my-wealth-of-british/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“You can't know the answer until you ask the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/you-can-t-know-the-answer-until-you-ask-the-question/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“Chemistry wasn't something you could just create anyway; it was either there or it wasn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/chemistry-wasn-t-something-you-could-just-create-anyway-it-was-either/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

> [“Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/cheerfulness-and-contentment-are-great-beautifiers/)

[Jennifer E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

[Explore all 230 Jennifer E. Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/)

## More Door Like quotes

> [Maybe your life resembles a Bethlehem stable. Crude in some spots, smelly in others. Not much glamour. Not always neat. People in your circle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/maybe-your-life-resembles-a-bethlehem-stable-crude-in-some-spots/)

[Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/)

> [At I'm ya door like ding dong banna clip try to run ya head ill split](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-montana/at-i-m-ya-door-like-ding-dong-banna-clip-try-to-run-ya-head-ill-split/)

[French Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-montana/)

> [“Don't open the door to strangers," said her dad. "Unless they're selling something. Then open the door and see if I'd like it. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/don-t-open-the-door-to-strangers-said-her-dad-unless-they-re-selling/)

[Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/)

> [A wife, domestic, good, and pure, Like snail, should keep within her door; But not, like snail, with silver track, Place all her wealth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/a-wife-domestic-good-and-pure-like-snail-should-keep-within-her-door/)

Walsham How

> [“Outside, Melliphant's ear flattened itself against the wood of the door like a pale slug.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/outside-melliphant-s-ear-flattened-itself-against-the-wood-of-the/)

[Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/)

> [“What is left in its place appears to be a person who has about as much use as a door with no handles or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/what-is-left-in-its-place-appears-to-be-a-person-who-has-about-as/)

[Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/)

> [I saw a door that said exit only. So I entered through it and went up to the guy working there and said "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-saw-a-door-that-said-exit-only-so-i-entered-through-it-and-went-up/)

[Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/)

> [“I better go.” I push up from the couch and move to the door like a vapor, there in one aspect, completely gone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-salsbury/i-better-go-i-push-up-from-the-couch-and-move-to-the-door-like-a/)

[J.B. Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-salsbury/)

> [I'm knocking on the devils door like I been here before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-knocking-on-the-devils-door-like-i-been-here-before/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I still like to see that a man opens the door. I like those touches of chivalry that are fast disappearing. If I sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-white/i-still-like-to-see-that-a-man-opens-the-door-i-like-those-touches-of/)

[Betty White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-white/)

> [Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog where noone notices the contrast of white on white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-duritz/step-out-the-front-door-like-a-ghost-into-the-fog-where-noone-notices/)

[Adam Duritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-duritz/)

> [Every time a U.S.A. Today slides underneath my door, it's like they're saying, 'Hey, you're not that smart, right?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasan-minhaj/every-time-a-u-s-a-today-slides-underneath-my-door-it-s-like-they-re/)

[Hasan Minhaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hasan-minhaj/)

> [I stalk about her door, like a strange soul upon the Stygian banks staying for waftage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-stalk-about-her-door-like-a-strange-soul-upon-the-stygian-banks-2/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“I start and check out the door, and while I’d like to say my pussy perked up and cheered,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pippa-grant/i-start-and-check-out-the-door-and-while-i-d-like-to-say-my-pussy/)

Pippa Grant

> [When there was knockin on the door, I was like, this is either the police for me, this is either some lawyer, somebodys Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-situation/when-there-was-knockin-on-the-door-i-was-like-this-is-either-the/)

[The Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-situation/)

Browse all 19 Door Like quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“But just as she turns to walk away she hears him behind her, the word like the opening of some door, like an ending and a beginning, like a wish. \"Wait,\" he says, and so she does.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jennifer E. Smith"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-hears-him-behind-her-the-word/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Door Like"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-hears-him-behind-her-the-word/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/jennifer-e-smith-1454_quote_but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-h_1409661.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/jennifer-e-smith-1454_quote_but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-h_1409661.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a76/jennifer-e-smith-1454_quote_but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-h_1409661.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“But just as she turns to walk away she hears him behind her, the word like the opening of some door, like an…” — Jennifer E. Smith",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jennifer E. Smith",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-e-smith/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“But just as she turns to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-hears-him-behind-her-the-word/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-e-smith/but-just-as-she-turns-to-walk-away-she-hears-him-behind-her-the-word/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
