Taylor might have had the impression that there was nothing for her in Pittman County, but that small town was full of life. Teenaged girls were always getting pregnant, and a baby is the ultimate symbol for life. Even though Taylor got away from Pittman County, she didn't get away from life. A small child, she later named Turtle, fell into her care. Even if Turtle is a small, innocent child, she has gone through much more than a normal child her age.
From the beginning, Taylor knows that there is something different about Turtle. Because she was sexually assaulted at such a young age, she tended to behave like a statue. Over time, that changed with the encouragement of Taylor. The three of them, Taylor, Turtle and Lou Ann, took a trip to the park, "Turtle was pounding the dirt with a plastic shovel" (111). Turtle used to be a non-talkative toddler, but now she was acting like a jubilant child full of life. Even through trying times, Turtle manages to stay a little child. But just to be safe and sure, Taylor decides to take Turtle to the doctor for a check up. The doctor does his routine first check, and says that "she seems to be a healthy two-year-old" (122). To the best of Taylor's knowledge, she explains Turtle's abusive past to the doctor, so he runs more tests to see if she really is healthy. They take extensive x-rays only to find her "thin white bones and her skull" (123). The x-rays showed " healed fractures, some of them compound" (123). Through the examination, they learn that Turtle's age is actually closer to three years, instead of the twenty-four months they had previously guessed. They call that condition a failure to thrive. This all happened prior to when Taylor got her. Once in Taylor's care, Turtle thrives. Since Turtle is growing quickly, Taylor has to buy her many new clothes for her. In this circumstance, Taylor takes over the role of a giver of life.