ody knows it’s alive, or cares. Nobody that matters, like the police or nothing like that. This baby was born in a Plymouth” (18). Turtle was luckily left with Taylor. Unfortunately, the baby had been through a lot in her few years of life: “That fact had already burdened her short life with a kind of misery I could not imagine. I thought I knew about every ugly thing that one person does to another, but I had never even thought about such things being done to a baby girl” (23). It is interesting how the one thing Taylor did not want for herself, changes her life and way of thinking completely: “Do you know, I spent the first half of my life avoiding motherhood and tires, an now I’m counting them as blessing?” (137). Taylor becomes very attached to Turtle and wants to protect her from everything: “I’ve spent about the last eight or nine months trying to convince her that nobody would hurt her again” (168). When Taylor decides to adopt Turtle, she does everything possible for it to work out, including lying about her legal parents. Turtle and Taylor went through many difficulties but in the end they ended up together: “’I know it’s been confusing, there’s been a lot of changes in the management. But from here on in I’m your Ma, and that means I love you the most. Forever” (225). Turtle is the best thing that happened to Taylor’s life. Taylor though that having a child would cause her to have weaknesses, but in reality Turtle makes Taylor stronger than ever. Turtle helps show Taylor who she really is and Taylor does the same for Turtle: “’That means you’re my kid,’ I explained, ‘and I’m your mother, and nobody can say it isn’t so. I’ll keep that paper for you till you’re older, but it’s yours. So you’ll always know who you are” (232). Turtle’s a...
