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Caitlyn
The turquoise blue dress from the second-hand shop, while totally 1980s, didn’t look half-bad on Caitlyn. Short, loose sleeves and a wide cummerbund waist with pleating above and below gave the impression she had a feminine shape.
Caitlyn turned to see the back of the dress in the mirror on her closet. She wanted to look nice for Keefe. Would he wear a button-front shirt and tie? A suit jacket? Could her five-dollar dress possibly complement his outfit?
Butterflies danced in her stomach whenever she imagined how tonight would go. Even though they spoke every day at school and saw each other at the youth center with the Fire Starters once or twice a week, Keefe had blushed when he invited her to his house for dinner. He’d said Nanny would be making something special.
She slipped out of the turquoise dress and reached for the brown tie-dye dress she’d worn to school. Her sisters screamed at each other in the hall. Caitlyn hoped they wouldn’t barge in while she changed.
After hanging the turquoise dress in the closet, she stretched out on the bed and lost herself in thought, imagining how the evening would go.
Someone bumped her door then the voices quieted. Her sisters had probably stopped arguing and resumed their game.
After a moment of silence, a knock sounded on the front door, and the baby let out a wail.
Caitlyn pushed herself up and glanced at the clock. It was only a little after four. Keefe wouldn’t come to the door today anyway; Dad said he’d drive her over.
Someone knocked on the bedroom door, then the door opened a crack and Mom stuck her head in. “Zoe’s here.” She opened the door the rest of the way.
Zoe carried a suitcase and her black and hot-pink duffle bag. “Hi.” She smiled as she stepped into the room, but the fakeness of her smile spoke of trouble. She set her suitcase against the wall.
“Are you running away?” Caitlyn giggled.
She frowned. “I can’t stay at my house.” She sat on the bed and scooted back against the headboard. “Do you think your parents would let me stay here?”
“Really?” Caitlyn crawled across the bed to sit facing her. Something banged against the wall in the hallway. Someone whined. Her sisters must’ve launched a new battle in the hall. Caitlyn couldn’t imagine anyone unrelated wanting to stay here. “What happened?”
“My dad. He insists I have an abortion. He says he’ll drive me there himself.”
“Oh, Zoe, how terrible. You can stay here. I’m sure they’ll let you.”
“Do they know I’m pregnant?”
“No.” It wasn’t something Caitlyn wanted to share with them knowing how they worried over her choice of friends.
“Well, I have to do something. If I can’t stay here—”
“You can stay here. I’ll go get Mom.” Caitlyn jumped up and stuck her head out the door. Stacey and Priscilla had gone. “Mom,” she hollered then turned to Zoe. “You can sleep in my bed. I’ll sleep on the floor or the couch.”
“Oh, your bed’s big enough for two. It’s a full-size, right?”
They both looked at the bed with its flat pillows and old blue and yellow quilt. The headboard partially blocked the window. The bed took up so much space that it allowed just enough room to walk past the dresser and get to the closet.
“What’s up girls?” Mom bounced into the room, a cloth diaper draped over her shoulder. Her eyes slid to Zoe’s suitcase.
“Mom, sit down.” Caitlyn sat sideways on the end of the bed so she could see Zoe. She patted the mattress until Mom joined them. “Zoe needs our help.”
Zoe scooted forward so that all three sat in a little circle. She fidgeted with her sock then looked directly into Mom’s eyes. “I’m sorry you have to find this out, Mrs. Summer. Please don’t think my mistake has any reflection on Caitlyn. You have a very good daughter.”
Mom gave them both a funny, narrow-eyed glance. “What’s this about?”
Zoe and Caitlyn exchanged glances. Then Caitlyn said, “Zoe’s pregnant.”
Mom’s eyes popped open wide.
“I know.” Zoe dipped her head, and her silky black hair fell forward, hiding her face. “I made a mistake. But I don’t want to make another one.” She lifted her head. “My dad wants me to have an abortion, but I won’t do it. He keeps after me about it. I can’t stay there. I need someplace to live . . . at least until he calms down.”
“Oh my heavens, Zoe.” Mom’s face turned white. She snatched Zoe’s hand and squeezed it. “You dear girl. Of course we’ll help you.”
Zoe lunged forward and fell into Mom’s arms. Mom squeezed her and stroked her hair, a strangled smile on her face.
“Thank you, Mrs. Summer,” Zoe whispered and sat back.
Mom pushed Zoe’s hair off her face, draping it behind her shoulder. She sighed. “If you don’t mind me asking, who’s the father?”
Caitlyn gasped. What would Mom do, knowing that Keefe’s twin brother got Zoe pregnant? Would this revelation change her life, too?
“Um . . .” Zoe turned wide-eyes to Caitlyn.
They could always say—
No. Caitlyn wasn’t going to lie again. “Jarret’s the father. Jarret West. That’s still Zoe’s boyfriend. You saw them together on Thanksgiving. Don’t you remember?”
Mom’s forehead wrinkled but she smiled. “Oh. Keefe’s twin brother?”
Caitlyn swallowed hard and nodded.
Mom stood. “How far along are you?”
“Nineteen weeks.” Zoe smoothed her sweater over her belly, revealing her little baby bump.
“I’ll talk to your father,” Mom said to Caitlyn then left the room.
Caitlyn exhaled.
Zoe slumped back on the pillows. “I hope they let me stay. I have no one else to ask. I can’t stay with Jarret. He doesn’t want his father to know. Do you know I only see Jarret at school now?”
“Really?” Caitlyn got up to listen by her bedroom door but couldn’t hear Mom or Dad at all.
“My dad started working from home in the afternoons. And if he has to go anywhere when Mom’s not home, he actually has one of the neighbors keep an eye on me. It’s embarrassing. I feel like a child.” She propped herself up on her elbows. “No, I feel like I’m in prison. I’m allowed to go to school and home. Anywhere else and I have to go with Mom or Dad.”
“It’s like that for me. I don’t mind.”
“You’re going over to the Wests’ house for dinner, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“I can’t see Jarret at all. My dad hates him with a passion. I’m not allowed to visit friends because he thinks Jarret will show up. I bet I wouldn’t even be allowed at your church with that youth group of yours.” She grimaced with emotion, forehead wrinkling and eyes glassy. “This is my fault. I feel so broken, so mad at myself. I . . . I feel like I’ve lost myself.”
Unable to think of one word of comfort, Caitlyn leaned and hugged her. Two seconds later, someone knocked on her bedroom door.
“Caitlyn.” Dad opened the door. “Can you spare a minute?”
Leaving Zoe in the bedroom, Caitlyn followed Dad to the enclosed patio through the dimly lit and surprisingly quiet house. Mom sat on a cushioned patio chair nursing Andy.
Dad propped his hands on his hips and gazed at the backyard where David and the girls played. “Caitlyn, we’re a little concerned about this situation.” He didn’t chuckle, laugh, or use his silly intonations.
“Okaaay.” She hoped he’d get right to the point. It made her uncomfortable seeing him so serious.
“Jarret is Keefe’s twin brother, eh?”
“Yes.” Her eyes narrowed. He knew the answer. Why ask?
“I guess it surprises me that one of the West boys would . . .” He made a face as if struggling to find the right word.
“Get a girl pregnant?” she said.
Dad chuckled and rubbed his head, making his hair stand up on top. “That’s right. I guess I assumed all the West boys had the same high standards I see in Keefe. But I realize, I don’t really know Keefe that well. I’ve only spoken with him the few times he’s been over here or, uh, at the Brandts’. What do I know?” He dropped his gaze.
Caitlyn shuffled to Dad and touched his arm so he would face her. “Look, Dad. Sure they’re twins and they look alike, but they don’t act alike. Keefe’s nothing like Jarret.”
Dad nodded. He and Mom held each other’s gazes for a moment. “Well, I don’t know if that’s good enough for me, Caitlyn. I don’t want you . . .” He rubbed his mouth in a nervous way uncharacteristic of him. “Maybe you and Keefe need to slow things down. Maybe you should get to know some other nice boys. When we talked about courtship, I never thought you’d only be seeing one guy at your age. You’re only fifteen. It’s not like you’ll be getting married anytime soon. What’s the rush?”
Jarret’s accusation at her birthday party came to Caitlyn’s mind. Had Dad gotten Mom pregnant on Valentine’s Day? That may have explained his over-protectiveness now. “It’s not fair.” She folded her arms. “I never see him anywhere except at church or with the Fire Starters or at school. He never comes over, and I never go to his house. How much slower can we take it?”
“Who’s going to be over there tonight, at the Wests’?”
With a huff, Caitlyn threw Mom a look to get some help.
Mom’s eyes remained fixed on Dad, a show of their unity in the matter.
“I already told you,” Caitlyn said. “Mr. West will be there and so will Nanny and Mr. Digby. We won’t be alone. And stop thinking of him as if he’s just like Jarret. He’s not.”
Dad rubbed his mouth again. “Well, Caitlyn—”
A knock sounded on the front door. Everyone looked.
“I’ll get that.” Dad, never one to worry about his appearance, combed his stringy gray hair with his fingers on the way to the door.
Caitlyn dropped to her knees by Mom and rubbed Andy’s smooth head. “Mom, please don’t do this. I feel like you guys don’t want me to see Keefe at all. We’re more like friends anyway. You have nothing to worry about.”
Mom gave her a love-filled smile though her eyes held a distant look. “Honey, we can’t help but worry about you. This is a very important time in your life. You’re nearing adulthood. Some questions don’t have clear answers. It’s easy to make mistakes.” The baby had fallen asleep and Mom handed him to Caitlyn.
Caitlyn’s heart calmed, holding him close. She loved his baby smell and the way his body molded into hers, his eyes so peaceful, his mouth so perfect . . .
Voices traveled from the living room.
Mom stood. “I’ll just go see . . .” She crossed the enclosed patio and stepped into the house.
With her eyes on the treasure she held, Caitlyn got up and followed.
Jarret and Zoe sat side by side on the couch under the living room window. Zoe held a bouquet of red roses on her lap. She brought a hand to her mouth, her eyes emotional. Jarret smiled, gazing at her. He leaned and whispered.
Dad sat in the rocker-recliner saying something Caitlyn couldn’t make out until she stepped through the dining room. “. . . spoke with your mother, Zoe. You’re welcome to stay here. But we’ll have to ask that you follow the same rules as our own daughter.”
“Okay.” Zoe nodded. “I can do that.”
Mom opened a cupboard in the kitchen, but she was no doubt listening and watching everything over the counter.
Caitlyn stood in the dining room, holding Andy and swaying from side to side, decidedly staying out of the living room and out of the conversation—but close enough should Zoe need her.
Jarret squirmed a bit then bounced one knee. “What does that mean?”
“That means, Jarret, I don’t want her sneaking off to see you. That’s how she got this way, huh?” Dad chuckled. “I like you, Jarret. We’ve all made mistakes, and I sure don’t hold anything against you. I don’t have a problem with you coming over here. But I’m sure Zoe will have homework and other things to do. So I wouldn’t want your visits to be an everyday thing.”
“Do I need to ask permission to take her to dinner tonight?” He used a sarcastic tone, a cocky expression on his face.
Dad laughed, not in a cruel way, but as if he thoroughly enjoyed the conversation. “Yeah, that’s what I’m saying. I don’t let my own daughter run around. As long as Zoe wants to stay here, she’s not running around either.”
Jarret’s sneer grew. “She’s not your daughter.”
Dad leaned back in the rocking chair and chuckled. “Oh, Jarret.”
Zoe took Jarret’s hand. “Why don’t we just go to your house with Caitlyn? That would be nice for Valentine’s Day. It doesn’t have to be a restaurant.” She said to Dad, “Is Caitlyn allowed over there tonight?”
“Uhhh . . .” Dad twisted to look at Mom in the kitchen.
Mom had half the spice cupboard emptied as if she intended to sort out the cabinets at this time. “I suppose it’ll be all right.” Her gaze shifted to Caitlyn. “I want you to call when you get there, and I’ll speak with Nanny, too. And remember, you’re to slow down after this.”
“Okay.” Caitlyn frowned. They had no right to judge a boy because of his brother’s mistakes. And what did this say about their trust in her? Granted, she was wrong to have gone to Zoe’s when her parents weren’t home, and she did want her first kiss, but she wouldn’t have done anything inappropriate with Keefe. She had every intention of saving her virginity until marriage—unlike her parents.