In Toronto, Nickie and Emily have an immediate mutual attraction to each other the first time they speak to the other, although they have seen each other before in their general travels. In the course of their dating and becoming exclusive with each other, they fall in love. It isn't until this exclusivity that each learns the other is a damaged soul. Nickie, raised in England, moved to Toronto following the disappearance of his younger brother, and has worked one service job after another, landing on being a cabbie, in generally behaving like a zombie in his day-to-day life in his inability to cope. He also has a cool relationship with his parents, Katherine and William, because of the situation. His seeming only outlet to express his grief is the occasion fit of temper accompanied by some form of violence, even though he inherently is not a violent person. Emily, an aspiring artist, suffers from bipolar disorder, medication, which she often does not take, and adhering to a "system" which can control her swings. Her well-off father and stepmother, Jacob and Marie, still try to control her life in what they consider knowing what is best to help her. These circumstances affect Nickie and Emily's relationship as well whether there is a long term future for the two of them together.—Huggo