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got a few things to check out before I go to court.”
    “Are you going downtown already?”
    “Yep. I have to stop off and get you something for the lake.”
    “Is there something I need?”
    “In my opinion, yes, but it’s a surprise. What I do with it will bring you pleasure and it costs less than ten bucks. No more hints.” With that, he wheeled off towards the front door.
    When Taylor appeared in the kitchen, she was wearing a white eyelet blouse, black capris with cuffs, and her favourite black-and-lime rainproof flats. She looked as crisp as a new apple – a rare, lovely girl. She was carrying my poetry anthology.
    I poured her juice. “So any luck with the poetry assignment?”
    “I found a poem. It’s called ‘A Dream Deferred.’ It’s short, so the people in my group won’t hate me, and it has a tonne of similes.”
    “Good news all around,” I said.
    Taylor looked in the porridge pot and wrinkled her nose. “Is this it?”
    “We have the usual options, and I bought some crumpets to take to the lake. They’re in the fridge.”
    “Excellent.” Taylor pitched the anthology onto the table, where it landed with a thud. “I copied out my poem, so you can have the book back,” she said. She popped two crumpets in the toaster and began melting butter in the microwave. As she had since she was little, she tucked a tea towel bib-style around her neck before eating. When she’d finished her crumpets, she poured herself another glass of juice.
    “Ready for the day?” I asked
    She nodded. “I hope it’s better than yesterday.”
    “What was the matter with yesterday?”
    She shrugged. “Well, the day was okay – actually it was great. I thought I’d hate Ultimate – I’m not exactly a jock, but it was fun pitching the Frisbee around and our team actually won. The other kids invited us to go for pizza withthem, but Declan knew his mum would be alone, so we took a pizza over to their house.”
    “That was a nice thought,” I said.
    Taylor sighed. “I guess, but it didn’t work out. Mrs. Hunter didn’t eat anything. She just drank. Finally, she decided she wanted a bowl of cereal. There wasn’t any milk in the house so Declan went out to get some, and as soon as he left, his mum brought out this journal she kept when she was fourteen. It was creepy. All about how she’d just met this boy, and she knew they were ‘destined’ to spend the rest of their lives together.”
    “And the boy was Leland Hunter.”
    Taylor cringed at the memory. “Mrs. Hunter wanted me to read her journal out loud. It was filled with all these intimate things about how she and Leland Hunter were fated to be together forever. Finally, I just couldn’t do it. I gave the journal back to her. She was really drunk, and she started off for bed. Then she turned around and said, ‘Don’t ever let go of your destiny.’ ”
    “Did she explain what she meant?”
    “No. By that time, she was pretty close to passing out. Declan got home and we helped her up the stairs.”
    I felt my gorge rise, but I kept my voice even. “I remember having to do that with my mother. I hated it.”
    Taylor shrugged. “Those stairs are steep and they’re slippery. Somebody has to help her.”
    I chose my words carefully. “You know how fond your dad and I are of Declan,” I said. “He shouldn’t have to be Louise’s nursemaid.” I touched her hand. “And, Taylor, neither should you. You’re fourteen years old.”
    She leapt to her feet. I’d touched a nerve. “And that means that I should be” – her fingers flashed furious air quotes – “ ‘seeing other boys.’ We’ve talked about this a hundred times. You just don’t understand.”
    I lowered my voice. “Then help me understand, Taylor. You just told me how disturbing you found Louise deciding at fourteen that Leland Hunter was her ‘destiny.’ ”
    Taylor took a deep breath. “Declan and I don’t believe we are each other’s destiny. We just know that