Chapter Two

It'll be okay

Conner pulled his Mustang up Elizabeth's driveway, where he parked it.

He opened the door and locked up the car, the walked up the short

sidewalk to her front door. He took a deep breath. He knew something was

wrong with his girlfriend, but he didn't know what it was.

Conner pressed on the doorbell, and he could hear the faint sound of

the metallic chimes. Elizabeth's mother answered only seconds later.

"Hello Conner." She greeted him. "Elizabeth's upstairs. She's waiting for

you."

Conner nodded. "Thanks, can I go up?"

"You may, but knock first, okay?"

"I'll be sure too."

Alice walked back into the kitchen, and Conner crossed to foyer to the

base of the staircase. He walked towards Elizabeth's room, where sure

enough, the door was closed.

Conner softly knocked. "Hey Liz, it's me, can I come in?"

From in side, he heard her gentle voice, "Come on in, it's open."

Conner opened her door, and shut it softly behind him. He crossed the

floor to her bed, where she was sitting, leaning against a stack of

pillows. Her face was slightly red and blotchy, and a slight black smudge

streaked down her check, the remains of earlier applied mascara. She'd

obviously been crying.

He sat down next to her, and wordlessly wrapped his arms around her.

Conner felt her lean her head against his chest. He held her for a few

moments, then pulled back to look at her. "What do you need to tell me?"

Elizabeth bit her lip, and looked deeply into his green eyes. She took

a deep breath. "Conner, I'm pregnant."

Conner stared at her, disbelief spreading across his face. "What?"

Elizabeth nodded. "I'm pregnant. That's why I've felt sick lately." She

felt him pull her closer to him. Immediately, she felt slightly

comforted.

Conner gently ran a hand through her blonde hair. "Liz, I'm going to go

ahead and say this. I love you, and while it may be my baby too, it's

your decision."

Elizabeth nodded. "I just thought that you should be one of the first

to know. The only other person that knows is my mom."

"Thanks. What are you considering, now?"

"I don't know." Elizabeth sighed. "I need to tell Jessica and my dad.

And you need to tell your mom and Megan. Then I'll take it from there."

************************************************************

"Welcome to House of Java, how may I help you?" Jessica asked what

seemed like the millionth customer in the last hour. The place was never

this packed on a Tuesday night.

The tall, gangly, blond, college-age guy smiled at her. "Double latte

with a shot of espresso, please."

Jessica nodded as she entered it on the register. "Will that be all?"

"Yes." The guy answered.

"That'll be three dollars and sixteen cents." Jessica quickly rang up

the purchase, and handed him his change at the same time Jeremy handed

him the drink. Corey, who hadn't helped at all, was outside, smoking a

cigarette.

Jessica smiled at Jeremy as he went to fix a mochachino for a heavily

tattooed guy with various body piercings. After he had his order, the

only person in line was a regular, Mrs. Rischeck.

"Hello Jessica. I'd like an Earl Grey and a piece of rhubarb

cheesecake, minus the strawberry topping."

"That'll be five twelve, please." Jessica watched as Jeremy got the

cheesecake. She grabbed a coffee mug and prepared Mrs. Rischeck's drink.

They both place them on the counter at the same time, sharing a quick

smile.

The elderly lady smiled as she took her order and her change off the

counter, pausing to put a few bills in the tip jar. "You kids make a cute

couple."

Jessica blushed at her parting words. She saw a slight blush rise on

Jeremy's cheeks, too. He grabbed a towel and quickly wiped off the

counter. "Do you think it's that obvious that we're a couple?"

Jessica smiled. "I'm not sure."

Jeremy gave her a one armed hug, and then checked to see if Mrs. Scott

was anywhere before giving her a quick kiss. She didn't approve of

public displays of affection, no matter how small. "Neither am I." He

checked the clock. "It's almost five, so we'll be able to punch out in a few

minutes. Want to do something?"

Jessica shook her head. "I'd love to, but I want to see how Liz is

doing, plus I think that Melissa wanted to hang out for awhile. I hope you

don't mind. If I do free up though, I'll call you, okay?"

They exchanged a small smile. Things between them were just perfect.

Jessica parked the Jeep that the twin shared outside on the driveway,

noting that Conner's Mustang was parked there too. She grabbed her purse

and walked inside, crossing the foyer into the kitchen.

Alice was in there, stirring a pot of noodles on the stove. Jessica

could smell the scent of her mother's spaghetti sauce as she reached in

the refrigerator for a diet Coke. "Hey Mom. Where's Liz?" Alice focused

her attention on her other daughter.

"Elizabeth's upstairs with Conner. I think that they need a little

privacy for awhile, okay? Want to help me make some salads?"

Jessica nodded, not knowing what she was getting at. "Sure, whatever."

She took a knife from the drawer and started slicing the tomato that

her mother had sat in front of her.

Elizabeth and Conner walked down the stairs, his arm latched firmly

around her waist. They'd been up in her room, talking, for almost an hour

and a half. "Conner?" she asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"Jess is here. Do you mind waiting down here for a little bit while I

talk to her?"

Conner gently let go of her. "No. I can understand wanting to talk to

her alone."

Elizabeth gave him a gentle kiss. "Thanks."

They walked into the kitchen, Conner following behind Elizabeth.

Jessica and Alice were standing at the counter. "Jess? Mom?"

Alice turned to face her daughter. "Hi Liz, hi Conner."

Elizabeth smiled at her mom. "Mom, can I talk to Jess for a minute?

Alone?"

Alice nodded. "Sure."

Elizabeth motioned for Jessica to follow her, and she did.

Jessica followed Elizabeth up to her room, where she shut the door

behind them. Something was obviously up. After sitting down on her sister's

bed, Jessica couldn't stand it any longer. "Liz, what's up?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath, and looked down. "Jess," she said

quietly, "I'm pregnant."

Jessica felt her heart thump against her chest. Her sister? Pregnant?

This wasn't happening.

"It's true. I'm not kidding about this."

Jessica nodded, unable to speak. This was major.

"Jess?"

Jessica nodded again. "But, but…"

Elizabeth bit her lip, daring to look Jessica in the eye. "You know

that Conner and I have…"

"I know, it's just, it's just… well, I didn't think that that would

happen to you. You're so, responsible or something. Please don't take that

the wrong way."

"I won't."

Jessica shook her head. This was unreal, like a weird dream that she

was about to wake up from.

"And Jess?"

"What?"

"Please don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Okay."

Jessica Wakefield

I can't believe this. It can't be true. Elizabeth is not the type of

girl to get pregnant. She's so responsible. I never thought that she

would do something like this, let this happen.

My sister is going to be a mother. She's only seventeen. Well, she

might be eighteen when the baby comes, but still. Liz isn't old enough to

be a mother. And Conner's only seventeen, too. No, wait, he's eighteen

and legal now, but you know what I mean. They aren't old enough to be

parents.