I had to tell her. She deserved to know.

Not noticing my sudden silent stupor, Bev had continued to talk, as if she were in a dream. Not listening, I interrupted her. "Um, Bev?"

"Yeah," she said, letting the word drone on in a singsong way.

"Um," I stuttered, "there's something you should know about Will."

"Wha?" she replied, suddenly removed form her dandy dream. "You know him? You know will? Ohmigosh this is so great!"

Before she could say anything more I cut her off. "I…we…my friend used to go out with him in high school. Listen, Bev, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, or anything, but Will…he's had a bad past. But, maybe he's changed," I added chipperly when her face began to drop.

"Define bad past," she demanded, her voice jumping up a couple octaves.

"Well, I don't know when he got out, but he had been in jail since I was a junior in high school. But, by the way you described him, it seems like he really has changed, you know?" Again, I was digging myself a hole. Bev's face seemed to get sadder and sadder with each word I spoke.

"What was he in for?"

Dammit, I thought. "Rape," I said, my voice almost inaudible.

"Oh, God." She finally crumbled, sobbing heavily and burying her face in her palms.

Before I could think about it, I was right beside her, consoling her. "Bev, I didn't mean to upset you. I just thought you should know…"

"No no no," she replied, "I appreciate you telling me that because I know he wouldn't have."

Sob.

"I mean, he was just so nice and funny and charming, and it turns out he's a…a…rapist!"

"Was a rapist," I told her. "Maybe he's trying to change." I stiffened. Was I really defending will cash? Why?

"What do you owe him that you're defending him like this?" Bev asked angrily.

"Nothing," I said, "Absolutely nothing."

I watched silently as Owen pulled of his shirt, getting ready to turn in. I got into a sitting position on the bed, crossing my legs Indian style.

"So," I began, resting my chin in my palm, "Will Cash is out of jail."

He looked at me for a second, the most interminable second of my life, his green eyes completely unreadable. "Oh, so you found out." He tossed the shirt into his closet.

It took me a full fifteen seconds to process those five words. "Wait, I said finally, "you knew?"

"Yeah," he grunted, lifting a dumbbell from a drawer. Just going through the motions. Couldn't he see that I was in mortal turmoil here? Just sitting there, on the bed, lifting weights, while I was freaking out. Wait, was I freaking out? I realized that I actually felt unusually calm. Not that palled feeling I used to get when I thought about Will.

"How long have you known?"

"He's been out for about two months."

"And you didn't tell me?"

He stopped lifting and stared. Then he set the dumbbell down and scooted closer to me. "What good would it have done if I had told you? I mean, being pregnant and all, you could have done one of two things: had an emotional meltdown with all the crying…or you have had an emotional breakdown with all the yelling."

I had to laugh at that one. I looked up at him. His mouth was serious, but his eyes were laughing now. "I guess I have to give you that one," I told him, still giggling, "but I still wish you had told me." I became sober again.

"Why? What happened?"

"Bev's the one who told me, in her own way. Apparently she knows him from her job…but she didn't know about…you know…"

"You told her about what he did to you?"

I looked down at my hands. "No, I just told her that he had been in jail for rape. And she freaked! Maybe I shouldn't have done that, I mean, she liked him, you know?"

"She had a right to know."

I stared back up into his face. "But maybe I ruined his chance of starting over?"

He thought for a moment. "It's still better she knows. Just to make sure no one gets hurt again."

"Yeah," I agreed.

After a few moments things were back to normal. "So, how far along are you again? Cuz dude, you're really fat."

I punched him.

"Ow," he said, surprised. "Where'd that come from?"

"Where did what come from?" I asked.

"That killer right hook! It's almost as good as Clarke's, man!"

I glanced at my right fist and shrugged. "I guess it comes with the package, I replied, gesturing toward my bulging gut. I think I'm about five and a half months along."

He moaned. "It's happening too quickly!"

I laughed. "It'll be fine. You'll live. Parenting is easy, I think, once you get the hang of it."

He grimaced.

"What?"

"That word! Parenting. Parenthood. It makes me feel so old! And yeah, right," he snorted. "Easy? If this kid is anything like I was, we are in for a hell of a nightmare, Annabel."

"If this kid is anything like you, I'll let you do all the work," I smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Ha ha, you are so funny."

"I know," I countered.