In the mirror I see a tall kid with gray eyes like Floyd’s and a gaunt face. Cheekbones I never noticed before. Opal’s cheekbones.

The Chinless Wonder ... actually, my chin’s not so bad.

I look older. More exposed.

Tougher?

I wish.

“Thanks,” I say, and pay the barber out of the change from the Nikes. From the look on his face, I realize he expects a tip. Flustered, I slap a toonie on the counter. There’s still nearly thirteen dollars left for the stash.

Instead, wearing my new sneakers and a stubble of dark hair, I take Cassie to McDonald’s. On the back of the place mat, they’ve printed the calories in a Big Mac. I’m skinny. Running burns calories. I order two plus a large fries for me, and chicken fingers with sweet-and-sour sauce for Cassie.

“Can we give Caramel his presents today?” she asks.

I’m in so deep, one more infraction won’t count. “We’ll park the ATV under the trees at Marigold’s, so Floyd won’t know we’re there.”

“Yep.” She licks sauce from her fingers.

It’ll be my fault if she turns into a champion liar.

6.4 [nakeder (I know, there’s no such word)]

WE WALK out of McDonald’s and there she is, smack-dab in front of me. Kendra Ryan from Happy Whale Daycare. Eight years since I’ve seen her. My jaw just about hits my toenails and my knees go weak.

“Brick?” she says. “Brick MacAvoy?” Same eyes like melted chocolate, same flyaway hair like she stuck her finger in a light socket.

“Hi,” I say.

She throws her arms around me. “I’m so glad to see you! I left a message with your father last night, but he must have forgotten to give it to you.”

I stand like a stick. The phone rang about eight thirty last night. He didn’t forget.

“Gary and I are staying in Halifax because he’s here on business, so I decided to rent a car today. Our first trip with no kids—we have a girl, five, and a boy, three ... and who’s this?”

Gary must be the husband. “Er ... my sister, Cassie.”

Kendra kneels down, smiling at Cassie. “Do you know what? I started looking after your brother when he was six weeks old. Once he was big enough, I taught him how to push a broom around and wash dishes and bake cookies with Smarties on top. Do you like Smarties?”

“Gummi bears,” Cassie says and smiles back. Kendra’s like that. Hard to resist.

“When your brother was little, before I taught him to bake cookies, we used to go to the beach a lot.”

“Brick builded me a castle.”

“A sand castle? That's another thing we used to do.” Kendra stands up and turns her smile on me. “I can’t get over how tall you are! Have you got time for coffee?”