How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
Speaking of Charlie, Jason is also different with their son.
More lenient, less paternal.
As if he's forgotten how to be a father to a teenager. (9.17-19)
Jason2 is a much different father from our Jason. That's unsurprising: he's never been a dad before. Starting your career as a parent with a teenager is like starting a video game on the final boss with the difficulty setting ratcheted up to extra hard.
Quote #5
"Where's Charlie?" I ask.
She shakes her head, and as the tears stream, coughs a bloody sob into the bend of her elbow. (10.246-247)
In one universe, Jason confronts his worst fear: the death of his family. It's horrifying. As the book notes, Jason's fear is rooted in the fact that his mother died of illness during his youth, leaving an emotional scar that hasn't fully healed. He doesn't want to lose anyone else.
Quote #6
And inversely, there are worlds where I stayed and we had Charlie, which branched into less-than-perfect timelines. (11.209)
Over the course of his travels, Jason realizes that his life isn't a zero-sum equation between being the perfect family man and the perfect research scientist. Instead, it's a wide range of possibilities, many of which don't necessarily include a good home life for his wife and kids.