Page 55 of What Have You Done?

She hesitated. She considered going to her daughter and asking her what was wrong, but she thought it might be better if she asked her at home. It might have embarrassed her at school.

It pains her deeply. Why doesn’t Taylor seem to have any friends? Where have they all gone? Why has she become so quiet? She had lots of friends at middle school. Is something going on online? She needs to get into her daughter’s phone somehow and see if she’s being bullied. But how? Her daughter’s not going to let her see her phone. If Taylor won’t talk to her, how will she help her? She’s becoming more and more withdrawn.

She had spoken to her about Turner, specifically, when the news came out about him and Diana. She’d asked her daughter if he’d ever been inappropriate with her, or if she’d ever seen him behave improperly with anyone else, but Taylor had again turned away in embarrassment and said no. She’d had to ask. At least, with Turner gone, she won’t have to worry about Taylor and the other kids at school any more.

Paula suspects Taylor might be struggling socially because her mother is a grade nine English teacher. Paula reminds herself that other kids survive going to school where their parents teach, but she can’t help feeling guilty. Maybe she should try to find a job further away. Would that help? Or has the die already been cast for Taylor at Fairhill High?

She has a serious talk about it with Martin. He’s also worried about how Taylor’s managing but doesn’t think that Paula being a teacher at the same school is as big a problem as she does. He agrees they should talk to her.

They go to Taylor’s bedroom after supper. Paula knocks on her closed door and says, ‘Can we come in?’ She hears a grunted assent and enters the room.

Taylor looks startled and seems wary. Paula studies her for a moment – she’s such a pretty girl, with her fine features and sleek brown hair. But she’s not open and smiling like she used to be; she doesn’t look happy. Paula can tell she doesn’t want to talk to them. Paula is getting used to this, to being shut out. Are all teenagers like this? Taylor is her only child; she doesn’t know. She knows how the kids she teaches act at school, but not how they are with their parents.

‘Is everything all right, honey?’ Paula asks gently, sitting down on the end of the bed. Her husband remains standing awkwardly by the door.

‘Yeah, fine. Why?’

‘I just – I’ve noticed you’re so quiet lately. Always stuck up here in your room.’

‘So?’

Paula hesitates and then says, ‘I saw you at lunch today, sitting by yourself.’

Taylor flushes.

‘Why weren’t you with the other girls – your old friends – Kiley and Petra? What happened to them?’ She tries to keep her voice light, but her heart is breaking in two.

‘They’re around. I just don’t hang out with them so much any more.’

‘Why not?’

‘I don’t know.’ She turns her head away.

‘Taylor, is it causing a problem for you, that I teach English to a lot of your classmates?’

‘No.’

‘Are you being bullied?’

‘No.’

‘Can I see your phone?’

‘No.’ Taylor has her hand on her phone and pulls it closer to her.

Paula looks up at her husband helplessly. He’s looking back at her as if she should have all the answers. She finds herself getting angry at him for not being more helpful. She doesn’t know what to do next. Does she take her daughter’s phone? She doesn’t know the password. She decides to retreat in defeat, for now.

‘Okay. But you know you can always talk to me – to us – about anything, right?’

Taylor nods but doesn’t answer; she clearly just wants them to leave.

Paula, upset, leaves her daughter’s bedroom and goes to the den. Martin follows and pours them both a drink. ‘That went well,’ she says sarcastically.

‘We’ll get to the bottom of it,’ Martin says, but he looks more concerned than he did before.

‘What should we do about her phone?’

He shakes his head helplessly. ‘I don’t know. What do other parents do?’

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