“I’m trying not to think about it.”

“You are a piss poor liar. All you do is think about him.”

Kate put her tea on the night stand and faced her sister. “Then I’ll get over it.”

“That’s a lie, too.” Trish’s voice had grown soft, and had a hint of pity behind the drawl.

Kate looked away and pushed her hair from her face. “I have to get over it.”

Trish scooted over and wrapped her sister in a hug. It was the kind of hug meant to comfort, but this one was also for support. Kate needed the support if she was going to do the right thing.

“No, Kate, what you have to do is tell your baby’s father what’s happened.”

Chapter 16

‡

Laura ran around her bedroom, looking for her black platforms while talking to Tracy on the phone.

“He’s so nice and polite… shit…” Laura dropped the phone. “Are you still there?”

“Yes,” Tracy said. “Has anything you know, like, happened?”

“We’ve been together for over a month.” They knew what the other one was talking about, but how sad that neither one could say it. There hadn’t been any sex yet, but the operative word was ‘yet’.

“So he’s kissed you?”

“Well, duh.” She tried to be cool about it, but kissing? Boy did he kiss her. His kisses were addicting. Laura didn’t know boys could kiss like that. Then it dawned on her that Jack didn’t kiss like a boy, Jack kissed like a man.

“Sor-ry. I’ve barely talked to you.”

Laura sat on her bed and blew out a breath. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I like him, Trace, and this has disaster written all over it. He’s going to want to sleep with me, and I don’t know…”

“You’re still a virgin, right?”

“Yeah, although I wish I weren’t. It would be easier then.”

“Laura, if he has sex with you, he could get arrested.”

“Don’t exaggerate, Tracy. I’m seventeen; he’s not going to get arrested.”

“So, you’re thinking about it?”

Of course she was. She thought about it all the time. Jack made her body heat up in places Laura didn’t know she had. “I have to finish getting ready. He’s picking me up in a few minutes.”

“Is he going to meet your father?”

“Marie’s covering for me. Tonight, one of her friends is having some kind of seminar on Cosmic Meditation, so they went to center their karmas or some shit like that.”

“Oookaaay. I’ll bet your father will love that.”

“Who cares? I have to go. Jack just pulled up.” Laura glanced out the window and saw the headlights of Jack’s Envoy go out. She hung up the phone, spritzed on some perfume and gave a last look in the mirror. Maybe it was time to grow up and have sex. She could do a lot worse than Jack as her first. The phone rang again and Laura picked it up as she left her room. “Tracy, I have to go, he’s here.”

“Laura, it’s Mom.”

“Mom! Hi, uhh, I thought you were Tracy.”

“Apparently. Who’s there?”

“Oh, a friend from school.” The doorbell rang. She opened the door and held up one finger to Jack, who nodded when he walked in and closed the door behind him.

“Is it anyone I know?”

“No, I don’t think so. Look Mom, can we chat some other time?”

“Is Dad there?”

Laura rifled through her purse and popped a mint in her mouth. “No, he’s out with Marie.”

“Laura? You know the rule about dates. One of us has to meet who you are going out with.”

Laura walked into the kitchen and let the swinging door close behind her. “That’s your rule,” she hissed. “When I’m here Dad and Marie treat me like an adult. And… and… they have met him.” Okay. That was a big lie.

“Laura, I’m just concerned.” Her mother’s voice was firm, but Laura could hear the worry.

“Don’t be. Since I won’t be living with you much longer, it’s not your problem. Goodbye.”

She hung up and tossed the phone on the kitchen counter. Then she looked at it and felt a pang of guilt. Her mom did care about what was going on in her life, and she didn’t sound meddling or difficult. Laura wished she could talk to her about this—but if she did, no more Jack.

Laura left the kitchen and found Jack looking at the pictures on the table in the foyer. He smiled when she approached. He was so sweet. Laura figured she could stall sex for a little while, but looking at him, why would she want to?

“Are you ready?” he asked before kissing her hello.

“Yes, sorry. That was my mother.”

“I’ve met your future stepmom, but never your actual parents.” He helped her on with her coat and Laura looked up into his big blue eyes.

“I guess you’ll meet her eventually. My dad works all the time and my mother and I aren’t close. That’s why I live with my dad.”

“That’s too bad.” Jack paused as Laura locked the front door and took her hand when she put the keys in her purse. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why aren’t you and your mother close?”

Pausing, Laura couldn’t name one thing. Why did she hate her? She opened her mouth to say something, but it wouldn’t be the truth, so she stopped before taking the easy way out. “I’d rather not talk about it, if that’s okay. It’s pretty complicated.” He nodded and touched her cheek. Laura saw genuine concern in his eyes and she thought about how nice it would be to be able to talk to him about everything. “Where are we going?”

“The movies? Is there something you want to see?”

Laura smiled, and held his hand tighter. The movie was irrelevant. She wouldn’t be watching anyway.

*

Kate hung up when she heard the dial tone. “Shit.”

“What’s wrong?” Julie entered the kitchen. She’d been with Kate since Trish left for the airport.

“Laura’s going out. I think she had a date.”

“A date? On a Sunday? Where the hell are Richard and Morticia?”

“Who knows, obviously not giving a shit.”

“Calm down. I know you and Laura have problems, but she is a good kid.”

“I know.” Kate had to agree Laura tended to do the right thing. She had her father’s attitude, but she seemed to have Kate’s conscience.

“Why do you think she had a date?” Julie was licking chocolate chip ice cream off a big serving spoon.

“The way she answered the phone. Then she told me to mind my own business.” She paced. “I can’t believe they’re just letting her do whatever the hell she wants.”

“Is there anyone you could call?”

“No, I don’t… well, maybe her friend Tracy.” Kate picked up the phone, held the receiver to her chest and hung it up. “Call about what? I don’t even know what to say.”

Julie put a glass in the sink, came up next to her, and rubbed Kate’s shoulder. “My sister said to me once that being a parent is like hell and heaven at the same time.”

“She’s right.” Kate turned around and folded her arms. “I really, really hate this.”

Julie ventured where Kate didn’t want to go, into reality. “You’re going to have to get used to it, though. If you don’t step up the fight, you won’t have any say in her life.”

Kate had been trying to block out the custody petition, and the anxiety over her new pregnancy was allowing her to do that. Of course, the new baby wouldn’t be a secret forever, and since no daddy was in the picture, she was fairly certain Richard would paint her as an unstable and unsuitable influence on Laura.

He would conveniently forget he cheated with Marie and had his own closet full of skeletons. But she wasn’t in any position to say anything.

“You know what? Considering how things are going with me, maybe I’m not the best person for her to live with.”

“What? Kate, don’t say that in public.”

“Julie, I’m not in a relationship and I’m pregnant. The baby’s father is a playboy, for lack of a better word, ten years younger than me, and not in my life. That doesn’t exactly make me a good role model.”

“Well, if that’s the problem, you need to make him part of your life.” Julie took her coat off the hook by the back door and put it on before she wrote something on the blackboard by Kate’s phone.