Page 33 of Pregnant in Pennsylvania

I nod. “She’s enough older than you that if you go into Baltimore or Washington or even Harrisburg, a clinic wouldn’t ask too many questions as long as you had an adult with you signing off like she’s your mom.”

“What about the money?” Tina asks. “She’s not exactly rolling in it.”

“She’d help. And Jake has been working at Caldwell Automotive for a couple years now, and he has a responsibility to you, and to this situation.” I sigh. “I hate this for you, Tina. I really do. I’m a mom, and the thought of not having Aiden?” I shudder, shake my head. “But I understand your situation, and that you feel you may not have another viable option. And I want to see you handle this situation safely and responsibly.”

“Responsibly would have been not letting this happen in the first place,” she mutters. “I feel so stupid.”

“Well…” I sigh, because there’s no arguing with that logic. “Just…learn from it?”

“Yeah, I guess.” She tries a smile. “Thanks, Mrs. Thomas.”

“It’s what I’m here for.” She hesitates. “Is there anything else?”

Tina shrugs. “Would…would you—I’m scared to call Leslie. Could you just…sit here with me?”

I nod, smiling. “Of course, honey.”

So, I sit while Tina calls Leslie, and I listen and offer encouraging smiles as Tina haltingly explains the situation to her older sister, who works in communications in Boston. Leslie is stunned, and then upset, and then agrees to help Tina resolve the situation in any way she can.

By this time it’s four fifteen, and Aiden is super late for practice. He may even end up missing it entirely.

Tina ends the call, and sits fiddling with her phone. “Um, what about Jake?”

“What do you mean?”

“How…how do I tell him?”

“Just sit somewhere private with him and tell him the facts.”

“He’ll blame me.”

“And if he does, he’s an asshole,” I say. “Because it takes two, if you know what I mean.”

She smiles. “Yeah, that’s true.”

“Just tell him, Tina. Don’t drag it out, don’t wait. Go find him right now, tell him you have to talk to him.”

“He’s at football practice.”

“So wait till it’s over. But do it today.” I glance at her. “Although, you should probably take a test to be absolutely certain. It is possible to just miss periods. Stress especially can do that.”

“I don’t think it’s stress.” She smiles faintly. “But it’s a nice thought.”

“Take the test while Jake is at practice.”

“If I get a test at the pharmacy, Mr. Van Hess will tell everyone.”

I wince. “True. Mr. Van Hess is a card-carrying member of the Clayton Busybody Society.”

Tina chuckles at that. “He’s the worst of them, I think. I love that name for them. Lisa and Taylor and I call them the Gossip Gang.”

I snicker. “That’s a good one. I think everyone has their own name for them.” I consider, and then an idea springs on me as Cora walks by my office with a stack of papers. “Cora!”

She glances at me, and I wave her in.

“What’s up, buttercups?” Cora says in a singsong. She glances at Tina. “Why the long face, Brokaw? I have your pretest here, and you’ll be pleased to know you scored a hundred and six percent.”

I glance at Tina. “I have an idea. Cora has been my best friend my whole life, and I trust her implicitly. The question is, do you trust me?”