The wind blew in from the west, bringing the salty tang of the ocean with it, and Laurel breathed deeply, enjoying the fall air as they entered a quiet subdivision about half a mile south of Laurel’s house. “So you live with your mom?” she asked.

“Yep. My dad split when I was nine. So my mom finished up school and came here.”

“What does she do?”

“She’s a pharmacist down at the Medicine Shoppe.”

“Oh.” Laurel laughed. “That’s ironic.”

“Why?”

“My mom’s a master naturopath.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s someone who basically makes all their medicine out of herbs. She even grows a bunch of her own stuff. I’ve never had any drugs, not even Tylenol.”

David stared. “You’re kidding me!”

“Nope. My mom makes stuff that we use instead.”

“My mom would freak. She thinks there’s a pill for everything.”

“My mom thinks doctors are out to kill you.”

“I think both our moms could learn something from each other.”

Laurel laughed. “Probably.”

“So your mom never goes to the doctor?”

“Never.”

“So were you, like, born at home?”

“I was adopted.”

“Oh yeah?” He was quiet for a few moments. “Do you know who your real parents are?”

Laurel snorted. “Nope.”

“Why is that funny?”

Laurel bit her lip. “Promise not to laugh?”

David raised his hand in mock seriousness. “I swear.”

“Someone put me in a basket on my parents’ doorstep.”

“No way! You’re totally messing with me.”

Laurel raised an eyebrow at him.

David gaped. “Honest?”

Laurel nodded. “I was a basket child. I wasn’t really a baby, though. I was, like, three and my mom says I was kicking and trying to get out when they answered the door.”