The Aftermath

When Kate got home, she was relieved to see that her parents weren’t there yet. They were probably still at the relief camp or they’d gone to the church to meet with the board.

Kate wondered if the church board would fire her father from being the senior pastor if they heard about her pregnancy. Her mother was the leader of the women’s fellowship, which in Kate’s opinion, was more or less a group of old women who loved to gossip and judge everyone in the community. Imagine her mother now becoming the new topic of discussion!

“I should probably leave a farewell note behind and run away from here,” Kate told herself as she unlocked the front door with her keys and entered the cozy townhouse she shared with her parents.

They used to live in Cheyenne but they moved to Sommerville five years ago after her father retired from his medical consultancy job at the age of 50, and went into full-time ministry. Her mother wasn’t initially happy about the lifestyle change, but she has since settled into the role of First Lady as if she was born for it.

Kate’s parents were treated like royalty in this tiny community. She couldn’t bear to embarrass them with her careless mistake. 

Kate hurried upstairs to her bedroom to change her clothes and wash her face. Once that was done, she sat on her bed and started to think. She needed a plan.

She could do as Kevin suggested and go to her aunt’s place in Atlanta. Aunt Lawretta wasn’t judgy or uptight like Kate’s mom. She was a single mother of two teenage boys whom she had from her failed marriage, and she owned a successful fast-food business.

Kate could work for her and earn enough money to care for her baby. She could even go there without telling her parents she was pregnant. She’d inform them about it when she got to Atlanta.

“I think that’s what I’ll do,” Kate decided, feeling more confident by the minute.

She heard the front door opening downstairs, followed by the voices of her parents laughing. Kate’s confidence evaporated instantly.

She knew right then that her plan wouldn’t work. It all seemed very brilliant in her head but in reality, it was silly. What would she tell her parents she was going to Atlanta for? What about her job here? What if Aunt Lawretta refused to accommodate her?

Someone knocked on her bedroom door. It was her mom.

“Come in, Mom,” Kate called out and quickly arranged her face into a smile.

Her mother came in, still dressed in her blue and black plaid shirt with a denim jacket and denim pants. Her short hair is styled in her signature chin-length bob. The only makeup on her face was the pale pink lipstick on her full lips.

Laura Harrison was the same height as her daughter, Kate, and that was where their similarity ended. She was as plump, and dark-skinned as her husband and son, but Kate favored Laura’s mother in looks and mannerisms.

“Hey, dear. Where did you go after leaving the camp?” Laura asked Kate. “Did you forget about the volunteers meeting at church after the outreach program?”

“Oh? I’m sorry I missed that. I totally forgot about it,” Kate admitted.

“So, where did you go?” Laura wanted to know.

Kate busied herself with fluffing the pillow beside her. She was debating whether to tell her mother the truth or not.

“Well?” Laura persisted.

“Um, I just drove around a bit,” Kate lied.

“I see…” said Laura suspiciously. “Are you OK? You look a bit pale.”

“I’m fine,” Kate said quickly. “I’m just a little tired, that’s all.”

“You should get some rest then,” said Laura. “Your dad is cooking dinner tonight, and that means I can spend the next two hours soaking in my bathtub.”

Kate smiled at her mother, hoping she would leave the room soon. But she didn’t. Instead, she went to join Kate on the bed.

“Wendy told me you made a new friend today at the camp,” Laura said with a grin. “Did you remember to invite him to church?”

“He already comes to our church. That was where he found out about the program. And… he’s not my friend,” Kate clarified.

“That’s good,” Laura said brightly. “I heard he’s acquainted with the mayor. We need people like that in our congregation, especially now that we’re about to begin the new building project. You should introduce him to your dad tomorrow after the service.”

“Mom, I literally don’t know the guy!” Kate snapped, startling her mother.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized when she saw her mother’s look of surprise. “What I was trying to say is, I don’t know the man. He just helped out with the food duty, that’s all.”

“Speaking of which, why didn’t Kevin show up?” Laura asked.

“Uh, he said he had a work thing,” said Kate, repeating her ex-boyfriend’s lie.

“On a Saturday?” Laura asked in disbelief. “Since when did he work on Saturdays?”

“I don’t know, Mom,” Kate answered tiredly.

She was exhausted from this little conversation already. She wanted to sleep and wake up tomorrow and find out that she wasn’t really pregnant, and this had all been a very bad dream.

Laura sighed and said, “I know you don’t like to hear this, but that young man is a very unreliable person. I don’t understand how Darlene, as sweet and kind as she is, ended up raising such a squib.”

Kate chuckled and said, “That’s a big insult coming from you, Mom.”

“Sorry. I know he’s your boyfriend, but I simply don’t like that boy, and I know I’ve said that a billion times already,” said Laura. “You deserve better, Kate. Why are you still with him?”

“I’m not anymore,” Kate blurted out before she could stop herself.

“Really?” Laura gasped. “Since when?”

Kate shrugged and said, “Since today.”

“Oh?” Said Laura. She took Kate’s hand and squeezed them gently. “What happened?”

Kate looked into her mother’s eyes and saw the genuine concern there. Perhaps this was the right moment to confess her secret. Her mother seemed to be in a sympathetic mood right now and she might not flip out if Kate told her she was about to become a grandmother, because of Kevin the squib.

Kate inhaled deeply and then opened her mouth to speak. Suddenly, a loud knock on the door shattered the moment.

“May I come in?” Her dad asked from the other side of the door.

“Sure, honey. I’m in here,” Laura called out to her husband.

John Harrison opened the door and stepped into the room. Although he was 55 years old, he managed to maintain the fit physique he acquired during his days as a quarterback on the college football team decades ago.

John’s imposing stature was a sharp contrast to his gentle nature. It was why the people of Sommerville nicknamed him, The Gentle Giant.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” he said cautiously, seeing how Laura was holding Kate’s hand.

“Not really,” said Laura. “Kate was just telling me that she and Kevin broke up.”

“Thank God!” John sighed but quickly cleared his throat and said, “Sorry. What happened?”

Kate suddenly became tongue-tied. This was the perfect moment for her to tell her parents the truth. Even if her mother got mad, her dad would calm her mom and say something nice to reassure Kate of his support. He always supported her. And she always tried never to let him down. But she had done just that and now, she was ashamed.

“We had an argument,” Kate began tentatively. Her heart was hammering in her chest. She was making sure to choose her words carefully, so she could gauge her parents’ reaction before dropping the bombshell.

“He’s going away to Michigan to start his MBA program,” Kate continued. “I only found out about it today.”

“Wow,” said Laura. “Did Darlene know about it?”

“Of course, she would know. She’s his mother,” said John.

“But why did he keep it a secret from you?” Laura asked Kate. “What’s the big deal about him getting an MBA? Your brother got one and so did your dad. Why was he keeping it a secret?”

“Because he doesn’t want Kate to go with him,” John answered. “I know his type. They like to leave people high and dry once they think things are looking up for them. Am I right?”

“Yes, you are, Dad,” Kate agreed.

“How shallow of him,” Laura remarked distastefully.

John walked over to the bed and rubbed Kate’s shoulder lovingly. “Forget about him, sweetheart. You’re better off without him, trust me.”

“I know,” Kate admitted. She wondered if she could still share her secret or if the right moment had already passed.

“You know what? I’m gonna make your favorite meal tonight,” John said brightly. “You, my darling daughter, are about to eat the most delicious chicken and broccoli stir-fry with the fluffiest white rice you’ve ever eaten. How about that?”

Kate laughed, appreciating her father’s enthusiasm. “That sounds great,” she said.

“I thought we were having potatoes and roast chicken tonight?” Laura asked with a playful pout.

“I’m sorry, my love. That will be another time,” said John. “Tonight is all about our darling Kate.”

Kate smiled at her dad and said, “Thank you.”

She has decided to postpone the pregnancy announcement to another time. Tonight wasn’t right for it. She didn’t want to spoil her parents’ happiness about her breakup with Kevin.

John left the room with a little bounce in his steps. Laura rose to her feet too and said, “Don’t worry, dear. You’re going to be alright. You and Kevin were never meant to walk the same path anyway. I’m glad that chapter is finally over.”

“So am I,” Kate said honestly.

“Good. I’m off to take that bath I mentioned earlier,” said Laura before she leaned forward and kissed Kate softly on the forehead.

When Laura got to the door, Kate said, “Mom, please, don’t ask Darlene about this when you see her in church tomorrow. Unlike you and Dad, she was happy to have me as her son’s girlfriend.”

“Sure, dear. I won’t bring it up if she doesn’t,” Laura promised. “Now, get off that bed and go help your Daddy in the kitchen. You know he takes forever to finish cooking when he does it alone. I want that food to be ready by the time I’m done with my bath.”

“Yes, Boss,” Kate said with a mock salute that got her mother laughing.

After Laura left, Kate crumpled on her bed and cried softly. How did she get to this point of keeping a secret from her parents? Her life used to be so drama-free and straightforward. She thought her life was boring then. Now, she would give anything to have that life back, but it was gone forever.

She was about to become the daughter who disgraced her clergy parents by getting pregnant out of wedlock and being abandoned by the father of the baby. This was not how she wanted her life to play out.

Kate dreamed of having a beautiful big wedding where she’d be wearing a lovely white dress, and walking down the aisle beside her father to marry the man of her dreams at the altar.  Unfortunately, that was never going to happen anymore.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Kate. What if Kevin told his mother about the pregnancy and she ended up mentioning it to Kate’s mom in church?

This thought had Kate sitting up quickly and grabbing her phone. She immediately dialed Kevin’s number. It rang a couple of times but he didn’t answer it.

Kate quickly typed out a text message and sent it to Kevin. It read; ‘Hey, I hope you haven’t told your mom about the baby. Let’s still keep it between us for now, OK?’

Kevin responded almost immediately. When she read the text, her heart sank. It said, ‘Too late. I already did. Deal with it.’

Kate let the phone slip out of her hand onto the bed as she leaned back against her pillow in defeat. Darlene wasn’t the best at keeping secrets. If Darlene knew something, you better believe that the entire community of Sommerville knew it too.

“Well, my life is officially over,” Kate sighed as she started to cry again.