Jan was doing her Math homework on Monday after school when Cindy came into the girls' room, looking anxious. "Jan", she said. "You know your and Marcia's friend Vicki?"
"What about her?"
"Well, I ran into her on the way home from school, and she told me a secret. About Greg."
"What kind of a secret, Cindy?" Cindy didn't say anything. "Come on, Cindy, tell me", pressed Jan. "Is it a little secret or a big secret?"
"It's a big secret", replied Cindy, with troubled eyes. "And it's a pretty awful secret too."
"Well, what in the world is it?" Cindy whispered in Jan's ear. "Greg got a girl pregnant!"
Jan pulled away from Cindy and she gasped. "He didn't! Cindy, are you sure? How did Vicki find out?"
"She heard two cheerleaders from Fairview talking about it."
"Well", said Jan thoughtfully. "Vicki wouldn't make up stories about a thing like that. It's weird. I know!" she said decisively. "We'll see if Peter knows anything." She opened the bathroom door to find Peter standing at the sink, gargling loudly. Noticing Jan and Cindy, he spat the liquid out.
"I was worried that I was coming down with a cold, so I thought I'd better do something about it now", he explained. Jan waited for him to put the glass down. "Peter", she asked him, "has Greg said anything to you about girls?"
Peter laughed. "Well, you know Greg with girls", he told her. "Why, what made you ask?"
Jan sighed. "It's something Cindy heard from Vicki", she said. Peter nonchalantly took another mouthful from the glass, tipped his head back and gargled again. "He got a girl pregnant."
Peter put his head down, looked briefly at his sisters and then choked. Cindy whacked him on the back as he spluttered all over the sink. After a certain amount of coughing and wheezing, he got his breath back. "Greg did?" he asked finally.
"That's what Vicki says", replied Jan.
"Her name's Mary Jane", said Cindy.
"But if Greg was going to… I mean, he'd know what to do to stop the girl getting pregnant, wouldn't he?" asked Peter.
"I don't know", said Jan. Just then, she noticed the door from the bathroom to the boys' room was open just a tiny bit. She pulled it back to reveal the small slight figure of their brother Bobby.
"Don't you know better than to eavesdrop?" Peter asked him. "Well, it looks like Greg didn't know well enough to use birth control", retorted Bobby. Jan sighed and shook her head. "I suppose the best thing would be to tell Alice", she said. "The others aren't back yet." She led the way out of the boys' room and down the stairs.
The four kids trooped into the kitchen, where Alice was preparing pie bases. "Hi kids", she greeted them.
Alice", began Peter. "We, uh, wanted to talk to you because we heard something about Greg."
"He got a girl in the club", blurted Bobby.
"Greg got what girl in what club?" asked Alice in confusion, and then it dawned on her. "Oh, that club", she said, looking perturbed. "Her name's Mary Jane", said Bobby.
"Alice, I hope you've got some cookies", said Cindy. "You're in luck", she replied, "I put a fresh batch in the cookie jar this morning." Jan dished out plates as Alice and the kids passed the jar around.
"Do you think we should tell Mom and Dad?" asked Peter. "Well if it's true, they'll have to find out sooner or later", said Alice. "Hey", said Bobby with a chuckle. "What do you think they'll do to punish Greg?"
Cindy kicked her brother hard under the table. "What Greg'll be put through is going be punishment enough", replied Peter, looking overwhelmed at the thought.
"He'll probably have to give up on college and get a job", commented Jan. "There'll probably be a shot-gun wedding", said Alice. "I can just see the pictures now." Into each mind crept the image of a depressed looking Greg standing outside a church with his arm around a heavily pregnant teenage bride as a photographer urged them to smile for the camera.
"Dad would want him to do the right thing and marry her", sighed Cindy.
Alice was wishing she could make it go away. "I've suspected Greg of having one or two skeletons in his closet for some time now, but nothing to compare to this", she said, shaking her head.
"Peter, Bobby, don't you ever go getting any girls into trouble", Jan told her brothers. "Don't worry", said Peter. "After this, I'm thinking of becoming a monk". All five of them sat in silence, contemplating Greg's dismal future.
Just then, the silence was broken by a familiar cackle. The kids got up at once and peered into the living room. "What's he doing shooting the breeze?" asked Bobby. Greg was stretched out on the couch, chatting on the telephone to one of his friends. "Is that what she said? Out of sight! Well, I can't wait to see her! Tell her it'll be a double date, right? Talk to you later, Kenny!" Greg put the phone down to see Peter, Jan, Bobby, Cindy and Alice all standing round and staring down at him. "Hey, what's the matter?" asked Greg, looking at all their stony faces. "Has someone died?"
"It's the exact opposite of that", replied Cindy. "What do you mean?" said Greg.
"Oh Greg", sighed Alice. "Please don't tell us you're the last to know."