He placed the photograph back into its side of the box and then reached out and took all the items from the other side of the box and ordered them chronologically on the table, as he had done with the other objects.
These objects symbolized everything he had missed because of his mistakes: each thing in her life that came out of things he had done that caused her pain.
First, he picked up the brochure.
In high school, I tormented her for being such a Nature Freak, such a Cause Girl. But she was my Greenpeace.
I followed her entire life after she graduated from Degrassi. She ended up going to some huge college in the States that apparently was really good: Yael or Yale or something.
After graduating from college she moved back to Toronto with her Mom and Simpson. After awhile of working at the Dot she moved out and got her own apartment, which (coincidentally?) happened to be in Sean'sbuilding. Soon she started her own business, Environment 4 Us Enterprises, a company that stressed the importance of being environment friendly and raises money to donate to scientists to help pay for experiments on energy-saving strategies and products, or over all solutions to end Global Warming.
One day, a few months after she opened, I went to the offices to see if I could get a good look at her. It had been about four or five years since I had seen her last, and I knew she must have been more gorgeous than ever. When I arrived I grabbed a brochure out of a holder in the front room before I entered the main office area. I pretended to be reading the brochure but let my eyes wander around before they landed on a beautiful blonde in a private office.
I started to move closer when I realized she was on the phone. I got close enough so that I could hear her conversation.
"He what?" she asked incredulously.
There was a pause and she tried to pace but realized she was on a landline so she put it on speaker.
"So, you're telling me that he has to go back to jail?"
The voice from the phone answered, "He did rob a gas station, Ms. Nelson. As his parole officer, I'm saying that 30 days in jail is what he needs."
"And as his guardian, I'm saying what he needs is to be home with me," Emma insisted.
"I'm sorry Ms. Nelson, but you and I both know that what's best for Sean is what I say is best. You are letting your adolescent emotions get in the way of your better judgment."
I'm pretty sure I gasped. Sean going to jail? Believable. Emma still being a part of Sean's life? Believable. Emma being Sean's guardian? Unbelievable.
Emma spoke again in an eerily calm voice, "Mr. Taylor, I understand that you're trying your hardest to be good for Sean, and I appreciate it. I'm sure he does too. But I'm going to expect that you never, ever speak to me in that way again."
There was a mumbling and then the line went dead. Emma sighed and collapsed in her chair, resting her head in her hands.
I was about to turn away but at that moment she looked up and our eyes locked. I got a good look at her face and realized how tired she looked; how fragile.
Could this possibly be the snowball effect? Could this possibly be my fault? I did turn Sean into the lying, cheating, stealing person he obviously still is today.
She began to stand but I mouthed "I'm sorry" and promptly exited the building.
