She got into her car and went to the store. She pulled into the store's parking lot and then went inside. She looked around for something to buy when she noticed a sale on Oreo cookies. She picked up a bag and brought it to the check out and then left to go back to Jimmy's. When she arrived she saw him standing over the grill and her feelings from last night returned. She got out of her car and walked up to him.
"You're back. What did you get?" He asked with a smile.
"Oreo cookies." She said kissing him.
"Really? He peeked in the bag. They're my favorite." He said looking at her.
"Mine too." She smiled as she put them down.
"I'm going to make fish. Is that ok? Rocky caught it yesterday."
"Sure is." She smiled at him.
He went back cleaning the grill while Rocky was inside preparing the fish. She picked up the bag and brought it inside.
"Hi Rocky!"
"Hey Leah." He said with a smile.
She walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek.
"What's that for?" He asked looking at her.
"For caring." She smiled at him.
Then she went back outside. He just stood there smiling. After dinner they went outside to watch the sunset. Jimmy wrapped his arms around her.
"Anybody up for some coffee?" Jimmy asked.
"Me." She said looking up at him.
"Me too." Rocky said.
Jimmy got up and went inside to make coffee.
"Rocky can I ask you something?"
"Sure Leah." He smiled at her.
"Are you ok with me dating Jimmy?"
"Sure I am." He smiled at her.
"Seriously? It doesn't bother you that I'm 20 and he's 38?"
"Not at all. If Jimmy's happy then I'm happy." He reassured her.
"You know you are the sweetest man Rocky." She said kissing him on the cheek.
"Thanks. No one ever said that to me before." He smiled.
"No one ever said what dad?" Jimmy asked coming out with the coffee.
"Leah said I was sweet." He said looking at his son.
"Oh." Jimmy said looking at her and him.
"Well he is." She said smiling.
She filled everyone's mug with coffee and then opened up the cookies.
"Does anyone want to play cards?" Jimmy asked.
"Sure." She and Rocky said.
They played three games of five-card poker. Leah lost every hand.
"Well I guess I'm not good at this." She laughed.
"That's ok." Jimmy said as he was shuffling the cards.
"Well you two I better be going. It's getting late and this sweet old man needs his rest." Rocky said getting up.
"Don't leave Rocky." Leah said pouting.
Rocky and Jimmy started laughing when they saw her pouting. Rocky walked over to her and kissed her good-bye.
"Night dad."
"Night Jimmy." He whispered to him, "She's definitely a keeper. I like her a lot." Then he left.
Jimmy just smiled.
"Honey want to play five card poker?" He asked her while they were cleaning up.
"Sure if you want to." She said smiling at him.
While they were inside he was looking for his chips to play.
"I can't find my poker chips." He said scratching his head looking around.
"Why don't we use the cookies?" She asked while washing the coffeepot and mugs.
"That's a good idea." He smiled at her.
She left everything to drain in the drain pan.
"Jimmy."
"Yeah." He said looking at her.
"I just realized that the cookies are going to be hard to tell which is 10, 20, 30 or 50 dollars." She said looking at him.
"We'll do it this way. Every time either one of us looses we throw in a cookie. Sound fair?"
"Yeah but what happens if we run out of cookies."
"That's easy." He said walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her.
"Oh?" She said laughing.
"Yeah. Let's say if you loose I get to make love to you." He said kissing her.
"I like that. Now if you loose what happens then?" She asked kissing him.
"I get to make love to you." He laughed.
"Hmmm. I like that better." She laughed.
He dealt out the cards. She studied her cards carefully. She then folded. He took the cookies. He dealt a hand again. She again studied her hand carefully. She then folded again. On the third hand she threw in her cards. He picked up her cards and looked at them. He looked at her and then looked at them again.
"Is there a problem?" She asked innocently.
"Yeah. You just folded on a full house." He said looking at her.
"Oh really?" She said looking at him.
"Are you cheating?" He asked.
"Who? Me? I don't cheat." She said getting up pretending to be hurt by what he said to her.
He looked at her and realized that he hurt her feelings. So he thought.
"Leah. Honey. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I didn't mean too." He said hugging her.
As he hugged her he heard her laughing. He pushed her back and looked at her.
"You didn't hurt my feelings. I was just kidding with you." She said looking at him.
"Why you!" He said chasing her into his bedroom.
He pinned her on his bed and started to tickle her. She was laughing so hard that she was crying in pain.
"Jimmy! Stop! Please!" She begged.
He let her up to breath. She sat next to him catching her breath. When she finally calmed down she got up walked in front of him and gently pushed him down and started to kiss him. She gently kissed him on the lips then on his neck. She worked her way down his chest and then she reached his torso. He started laughing and gently flipped her onto her back.
He looked at her and said, "So that's how you like to play it. He nibbled on her ear lobe, and then her neck. At the same time he started to undo her buttons on her shirt, to reveal her delicate breasts, covered in a delicate white lacy bra. He unhooked her bra. He nibbled all the way down to her jeans, and his hands undid her jeans which ended up on the floor along with under panties. Much later they lay entwined in the sheet and fell asleep in each other's arms. She rolled over and saw that it was 5am. She got dressed and left him sleeping. She sat outside to watch the sunrise. Then she got up and left. He then rolled over and noticed she was gone. He sat up quickly and saw that her clothes were gone as well. He looked in the bathroom, living room and then outside. Her car was also missing.
"Shit!" He said walking back inside the trailer slamming the door.
He looked for a note and found none. Then he put up the coffee and turned on the television. He sat on the couch. He was just about to pick up the phone to call her when he heard a car door slam. She walked up the steps and realized that she didn't have the keys to get in.
"Oh damn!"
After she said that Jimmy opened the door to let her in.
"You're up?" She questioned walking in.
"You're back?" He said looking at her.
"Yeah. Is that a problem?" She asked kissing him.
"I thought, never mind." He said taking the bag from her and breathing a sigh of relief.
She looked at him and realized what he was hinting at.
"Oh Jimmy! I'm so, so, sorry!" She said hugging him. "I didn't think you were going to get up early so I went outside to see the sunrise and then I went to get bagels."
"You should have left a note." He said cutting open a bagel.
She looked at him and said again, "I'm sorry."
"I know you are. But you scared me." He said looking at her.
"Jimmy."
"Yeah."
"You really thought I left you?"
"Yes."
She walked up to him and hugged him again and said, "After last night I could never, ever leave you."
He smiled when she said that. He then handed her, her bagel and coffee. She sat on the couch. When she saw him walk over to her she noticed that his bathrobe came undone. She got up, walked over to him, and took his bagel and coffee from him and put them down on the table. She then walked into his bathrobe and started to kiss him passionately. Jimmy's legs buckled as he caught his knees on the edge of the couch and they tumbled down onto it arms and legs entangled. They spent the whole day in the trailer only leaving the couch to move to the bedroom.
The next day Leah went back to her dorm to get her things ready for her English and History classes.
"Leah where were you all weekend?" Patty asked.
"I was with Jimmy. Why?"
"I was worried about you. The way you left here I didn't know what to think." Patty said angrily.
"I'm sorry Patty but I had to leave after what Jay tried to do." She said looking at her.
"Leah you and I could have confronted him about what he tried to do. Instead of running away from it." Patty said putting her hand on her shoulder.
"I know. I know. But I wanted to be with Jimmy." She said getting up.
"You like Jimmy a lot don't you?" Patty asked looking at her.
"I don't like him. I love him. He makes me feel so special when we are together. I never felt this way before about anyone. Look I have to run. I'm going to be late for Professor Declan's class." She said leaving quickly.
After her English class she headed over to her History class. When she got there she found a note on the door saying that Professor Blackman cancelled that day's class and the next two days because his daughter had a baby.
"Alright!" Leah said running back to her dorm.
Patty headed over to the beach to find Jimmy and talk to him about him and Leah. Leah wanted to surprise Jimmy but she got a surprise of her own when she saw him and Patty together. She quietly walked over to hear the conversation that Patty and Jimmy were having. She heard him saying how much he loves Leah and that she shouldn't worry.
"Just don't hurt her." Patty said looking at him.
"I would never, ever hurt her." He said.
Leah walked up to Jimmy and wrapped her arms around him and gave him the biggest kiss ever. Patty looked at them, smiled and then left.
"What was that for?" He asked looking at her.
"Because I love you more then ever." She said smiling at him.
"Good." He smiled back at her. "Shouldn't you be in History class now?"
"It was cancelled because Professor Blackman's daughter had a baby." She said sitting down.
"That's nice." He said sitting next to her.
She reached over and took a hold of his hand and held it to her face.
"Honey."
"Yeah."
"You feel up to going to dinner tonight?" He asked.
"If you want to sure." She said.
"I want to. But you have to wear that black dress again." He said looking into her green eyes.
"I can do that." She smiled at him.
"I'll pick you up at 7pm."
"Ok." She said getting up.
He then also got up and walked her over to her car and helped her in.
"See you at 7pm." He kissed her and closed her door.
She drove back to her dorm to rest before dinner. While she was sleeping she didn't hear her door open. She was woken when Jason put his hand over her mouth.
"You are going to pay for making me look like a fool the other night." He said unbuttoning her pants.
She started to fight him. He slapped her across the face. She struggled again to break free from his grip. He pulled out some rope from his jacket pocket and tied her hands and legs together.
"Jason please don't do this! I beg of you!" She said crying.
"Too late Leah! You pushed me away long enough!" He yelled at her.
"Look I'll break it off with Jimmy! Ok! Just don't rape me!" She cried again. Hoping that she bought some time.
"You promise?" He asked.
She shook her head 'yes.'
"Let me call him and I'll tell him it's over. Please."
He undid her hands. She sat up and took hold of the phone. When he turned his back she took the phone and rapped him in the back of his head. He went down with a hard thud. She quickly untied her feet and ran to the door. When she reached the door he grabbed her from behind and threw her back onto the bed. She let out a loud scream. He slapped her again across the face and tied her hands and feet again. Again she let out a loud scream. He then undid his pants.
"JASON NO! PLEASE!" She screamed.
There was pounding on her door.
"LEAH! It's Patty! Let me in!"
"I can't!" She cried.
The door flew open and before Jason could react he found himself being hauled off of the bed and thrown onto the floor. He lay sprawled on the carpet looking up into a pair of eyes that were sparkling with anger. The sight of Jim Rockford standing there caused Jason to lose all sense of reason and he flung himself at Jimmy's legs. For a long time they fought only pulled apart by the University Security and the police arrived. She lay there sobbing. Patty and Jimmy untied her. The police took him away.
"Honey are you ok?" Jimmy asked holding her.
She just held onto him sobbing uncontrollably. When she finally calmed down the police asked her some questions and then told Jimmy and Patty to take her to the hospital to get checked out. They took her to the hospital.
The doctor looked her over carefully and said, "Nothing seems to be broken. Just keep ice on that eye and you should be fine in the morning. You can get dressed Ms. Reynolds."
The doctor came out and walked over to Jimmy and Patty.
"She's ok."
Patty got up and went inside to be with her.
"Did that bastard rape her?" Jimmy asked.
"No Mr. Rockford he didn't." The doctor said.
"Thank you. Can I go and see her now? When can I take her home?"
"Sure. You can take her home today." The doctor said looking at him.
Jimmy got up and walked into her room. When he walked in Patty and Leah were hugging each other crying.
"Leah I'm so sorry that this has happened to you. I can't believe it." Patty said crying.
"Me too." She said crying.
He was just about to walk out when Leah spotted him.
"Jimmy! Wait!"
He turned around and walked back in. Patty left them alone. They both looked at each other what seemed to be like forever. She then burst into tears again. He held her in his arms and he started to cry. After they both calmed down he helped her finish getting dressed and he took her back to his place. He took her to his bedroom and eased her down onto his bed to let her rest. While she was resting Rocky came in.
"How is she Jimmy?" Rocky asked.
"She's resting Rocky." He said making coffee.
"Did that bastard do anything to her?" He asked in an angry tone.
"No dad. He didn't." Jimmy said sitting down on the couch.
"Thank god!" Rocky said joining him.
"My life has changed since she came into it. She means the world to me dad." He said looking at him.
While they were talking and drinking coffee Leah let out a scream. Jimmy ran to her.
"Honey its ok. I'm here. I'm right here." He said holding onto her tightly.
A few minutes later Rocky came in to see her. She looked at him and waved him over to her. He sat down on the bed and she got up and hugged him.
"Thanks for being here." She whispered.
"You're welcome." He said hugging her tightly.
Then Jimmy came over and they all hugged each other.
TWO MONTHS LATER
"Jimmy! What time is Leah coming here?" Rocky asked looking at his watch.
"We're going to her place to pick her up dad." He said putting the fishing gear on the truck.
"Oh ok." He said grabbing the big cooler.
After they finished loading up the truck they got in and headed to Leah's.
"I'll be gone all weekend daddy. I won't be back until Monday night….No I'm not cutting classes…The teachers have a conference….Whom am I going away with? Jimmy and his dad…They're going to do some fishing….Me? Going to rest and maybe catch up on some reading or maybe learn how to fish." She laughed. Daddy I love and miss you….Yes I will be home for Easter…Bye daddy." She gave him a kiss over the phone and then hung up.
After she hung up there was a knock on her door. She opened it and found Jimmy standing there. He looked at her in her shorts and tank top and couldn't believe how cute she looked in her outfit.
"You know you are going to make this ride difficult for me." He said kissing her.
"Yeah? That's good to know." She smiled at him.
He grabbed her bags and they headed out the door.
"Hi Rocky!" She said kissing him.
"Hi Leah. Don't you look cute?" He said smiling at her.
"Thanks." She said putting on her sunglasses.
"Doesn't she look cute Jimmy?" Rocky asked.
"Very cute. Now can we go?" He said getting in.
"Gees what's with you?" Rocky asked starting the truck.
Jimmy didn't say anything. He got in and they headed up to the cabin in the mountains. They made a couple of stops before reaching the cabin. It took them two hours to get up there.
"Wow! This place is awesome!" She said climbing out of the truck.
"Wait until you see the inside and then the lake." Rocky said taking the bags off the truck.
Leah and Rocky walked up to the cabin with their arms around each other.
"Hey dad!"
Rocky turned around and said, "Yes."
"What are you doing with your arm around my girl?" He asked.
"Sorry sonny. She's with me this weekend." He laughed.
"Sorry Jimmy." She laughed walking in with Rocky.
He came into the cabin with their fishing poles and tackle boxes. He found them sitting on the couch with their arms around each other.
"Funny you guys. Really funny." He said putting everything down in the hallway.
Leah and Rocky looked at each other and started to laugh. She got up and walked passed him to get the groceries.
"Jealous are we?" She laughed patting him on the butt.
He just looked at her and smiled when she left.
"You know I was only kidding Jimmy right?"
"Yes Rocky I know you were only kidding." He said looking at him with a smile.
"Tell me something dad. You really like Leah don't you."
"Out of all the women you've dated I like her the best." He said patting him on the back.
"Thanks dad."
She came back in with the groceries. Jimmy and Rocky took the bags from her and put them in the kitchen. While the guys were in the kitchen Leah looked for her place to sleep. She only found two bedrooms so she decided that she was going to take the couch. She opened her suitcase and pulled out her sweats.
"Leah. What are you doing?" Jimmy asked looking at her.
"I'm unpacking." She said looking at him.
"Why don't you do that in the bedroom?"
"Jimmy there are only two bedrooms in here incase you haven't noticed."
"I know. You take the one over there." He said pointing to the door facing the kitchen. "Rocky will have the one over there."
"Where are you going to sleep?" She asked.
"I was planning on sleeping with you." He said looking at her.
"Will Rocky be comfortable with that?" She asked looking at him.
"Don't worry about him. He'll be alright." Jimmy said picking up her stuff and putting it in their bedroom.
While he was bringing in his things she went to look for Rocky. She found him outside fixing his fishing pole.
"Um, Rocky. Can we talk?" She asked walking over to him.
"Sure. What's on your mind?" He asked as they sat down.
"I don't know how to say this." She said looking down at the ground.
He looked at her and then asked, "Is it about the sleeping arrangements?"
She looked up and him and said, "Yes."
"Don't worry about it. It's none of my business what you and Jimmy do. Just as long as you two keep the noise down." He laughed.
Leah looked at him and burst out laughing.
"Thanks." She said getting up and kissing him on the cheek before she went back inside.
Jimmy went out to check on his father. He was just about to tell his dad about his and Leah's sleeping arrangements.
"Jimmy."
"Yeah dad."
"Leah is definitely a keeper. She's very thoughtful and considerate of my feelings." He said looking at his son.
Jimmy just looked at him and asked, "What do you mean?"
"She wanted my opinion about the sleeping arrangements."
"And?"
"And I told her it doesn't bother me so long as you two keep down the noise." He laughed again.
"Thanks dad." He said with a smile.
Jimmy was just about to walk away when Rocky called him.
"Jimmy."
"Yeah dad."
"Would you consider marrying her? I don't mean right now. I mean in the future."
"You know something dad I would." He said with a smile and then he walked away.
"Good." Rocky said to himself.
The three of them headed down to the lake to do some fishing and to relax.
"Ahhhhh! Just what I like. No worries. No school and no tests." She said relaxing in the chair with her sunglasses on.
"Speaking about tests. How did you make out with your English and History tests?" Jimmy asked looking at her relaxing.
"English I got and 'A' and in History I got a '95'." She said pulling down her sunglasses to look at him.
"Hey congratulations!" He said walking over and kissing her.
She got up and took off her big shirt to reveal a two piece bathing suit. Rocky and Jimmy both looked at each other and mouthed "WOW!"
"Leah that's some bathing suit." Jimmy said looking at her.
She looked at him and said, "Thank you."
"What do you think Rocky?" She asked looking for his reaction.
"Very sexy!" He said pulling in a fish.
She smiled when he said that.
After the guys fished, they took the fish up to the cabin to clean while Leah went into the lake to swim. When she came up she noticed that Jimmy was coming down in his swimming trunks, a tank top and a towel.
"Where's Rocky?" She asked.
"He's going to clean the fish and then take a nap." Jimmy said taking off his tank top and diving into the water.
"Oh good." She said.
When he came up he noticed that she wasn't wearing her bathing suit. He swam over to her.
"Why did you do that?"
"Because I wanted to. You should do it too." She smiled at him.
"No thanks."
"Chicken!" She said splashing him.
"Hey! Cut that out!" He said trying to grab her.
When he finally did grab her he started to kiss her. They swam to the shore and got out. She picked up her towel and wrapped herself in it.
"You know what would be interesting." She said looking at him drying off.
"What? I dare to ask." He said with a smile.
"If you and I say make love right here." She said looking at his reaction.
He walked over to her and undid her towel and then said, "You are going to kill this old man."
She laughed when he said that. He laid down his towel and then he gently picked her up and laid her on it. He started to kiss her ever so gently on the lips then he gently touched her face with his hand. She went to gently flip him over onto his back but he said he wanted to take it nice and slow this time to enjoy it more.
"Ok." She smiled up at him.
A little while later they headed back up to the cabin to get ready for dinner. Jimmy set up the grill while Leah went and prepared the salad and the fixings. Rocky set the table. She then left the kitchen to take a shower. She then came out and they all sat down to dinner.
"This is so good." She said to them.
"I'm glad you like it." Rocky said.
After dinner they went outside to sit in the cool night air.
"I can't believe how peaceful it is up here." She said looking at them.
"I love it up here. No phones, cars or pollution." Rocky said.
"Just nature." Jimmy said smiling.
Rocky then excused himself and went to bed.
"You really like it up here?" Jimmy asked moving his chair next to her.
"I love it here. A girl can get use to a place like this." She said leaning on him.
"That's good to know." He said as he put his arm around her.
After a while he felt her head droop down. He carefully got up and picked her up and brought her inside to their bedroom. He put the covers over her and gently wrapped his arms around her and went to sleep. The next day they got ready to go home.
"Everything all packed Leah?" Jimmy asked.
"Yup!" She said coming out of the bedroom with her stuff and his.
"Rocky you got all your stuff?" Jimmy asked.
"Sure do. It's on the truck." He said.
"Then we're all set. Let's go." Jimmy said.
They got into the truck and headed home. When they got to Leah's Jimmy helped her in with her things.
"Thanks." She said kissing him.
"Welcome. Did you have a good time?" He asked kissing her.
"The best!"
She then noticed her machine blinking. She played the message. It was her sister. She couldn't understand the message because Taylor was crying. She picked up the phone and called her sister.
"Tay what's wrong?…Oh my god! When?…Ok! Ok! I'll try and be out there tonight…Ok?…Yes I will call you when I get the reservations….Yes let her know…Bye." She hung up the phone and sat on the bed crying.
"Honey what's wrong?"
"My dad had a heart attack. He's…..He's dead." She burst into tears again.
"Oh I'm so sorry." He said hugging her.
"I have to go home. Will you come with me?" She asked looking at him.
"I sure will." He said hugging her. "I'll go out and tell Rocky while you make the reservations." He said getting up.
"Jimmy."
"Yes."
"I want Rocky there too." She said as she picked up the phone.
"I'll tell me." He smiled at her as he left.
She contacted the airlines and got three reservations for a 7pm flight to New York. She looked at her clock and noticed it was 4pm. She quickly called home and told them that she's got a reservation for tonight. While she was packing her things together she found a picture of she, Taylor and their father. She looked at it awhile. There was a knock on her door.
"Come in." She said.
"Honey. Dad said he's going to stay. He said it would be better just you and I go." Jimmy said walking over to her.
"Oh ok. Here's a picture of dad, Taylor and me. We were at Disney World. It was taken three years ago. Tay turned fourteen that day. We had a great time." She said looking at him as her tears fell.
He just smiled at her.
"Well I'm all packed. We better get your things together. The flight leaves at 7pm." Leah said getting up.
She left Patty a note and then headed to Jimmy's. After they left Jimmy's they headed to the airport. Their plane was called and they boarded the plane. Five hours later they were in New York. They got a cab and headed to her house. When they reached her house it was midnight. She walked in and found Taylor asleep in the living room with her friend.
"Tay." She gently woke her.
"Leah!" She said hugging her.
"Where's mom?"
"She's in bed sleeping. She took a sleeping pill to help her sleep." Taylor said looking at her.
"Is that Frankie?" She asked.
"Yeah. He came over at ten with his parents."
Leah introduced Taylor to Jimmy.
"Hi." They said.
"Leah."
"Yeah Tay."
"You ok? You look run down." Tay said looking at her closely.
"I'm fine. Just tired." She said sitting down.
"Jimmy. Can I get you anything to drink or eat?" Taylor asked taking their jackets.
"I'm fine. Nothing for me." He said looking at Leah.
"Honey are you ok?"
"I feel sick to my stomach." She said looking at him.
He felt her forehead and then she ran into the bathroom and got sick. She was in there for twenty minutes and then she came out.
"Let's get our things and go upstairs." Leah said to Jimmy.
Leah and Jimmy went into her room while Taylor went back down to the living room with Frankie.
"What's going on?" Frankie asked waking up.
"My sister and her boyfriend just came. They're upstairs getting ready for bed." Taylor said to him.
"Oh ok." He said falling back to sleep on the couch.
Taylor slept on the other couch. Leah was up all night getting sick. She finally fell asleep around 5am. When she woke up around 9am she called the doctor and made an appointment for that day.
"Leah you look awful." Her mom said looking at her.
"Gee thanks mom." She said going back upstairs.
Marie went into the kitchen to start breakfast and Taylor set the table.
"Mom that wasn't nice." Taylor said looking at her.
"Well she doesn't. Why are you setting the table for five?" She asked her.
"Because Leah's boyfriend is here." She said looking at her mother.
"It's bad enough that Frankie is here. She brought a complete stranger here! Damn it!" Marie said slamming the cabinet door shut.
"Mom. He came for support." Taylor said.
"She has us! We don't need strangers here! Jesus Christ! She's impossible!" Marie said looking at Taylor. "I'm not running a hotel here!"
"Mom why do you always give Leah a hard time?"
"That girl is impossible. She has no feelings for anyone else except for herself. I wish she never came home!" Marie said walking out of the kitchen.
Leah heard the whole conversation. She grabbed her coat and went outside. Taylor sat in the kitchen crying. She then got up grabbed her coat and went outside to look for Leah. She found her by their dad's shed.
"Dad always loved working in here. It got him away from her." Leah said not looking at Taylor.
"Mom always hated when he came out here." Taylor said sitting next to her.
"You remember when we use to hide in here on him?"
"Yeah and then when we jumped out at him. I never seen him jump like that." Taylor said laughing.
"Then remember him making you that doll house Leah. That was so beautiful."
"Yeah it was." Leah said sitting at his bench.
"Leah how old is Jimmy?" Taylor asked.
"He's 38. Why?"
"Holy shit! Really?" She said laughing.
"Yeah. Don't tell mom though." She said looking at her.
"I'll never tell her."
Jimmy then came outside looking for her. He heard the girls giggling in the shed.
"Hi." He said.
"Hi Jimmy." She said getting up and walking over to him.
"How do you feel?" He asked looking at her.
"My stomach still feels uneasy. I made an appointment with the doctor for today at 11am." She said hugging him.
Jimmy looked at her and kissed her.
"I'll just leave you two alone." Taylor said smiling at them.
They held each other for a while until Taylor called them in for breakfast. They walked in and Leah told her mom that she wasn't hungry. Her mother just gave her a dirty look and then sat down. Leah and Taylor just looked at each other.
"How long are you going to be here Leah?" Her mother asked.
"Until Saturday." She said looking at her.
"I see." She said looking at her.
"What time is the wake tonight?"
"It's at 7pm. Wear something decent. Not crappy or slutty." She said.
"I gotta go." She said getting up and leaving with Jimmy.
"Where are you going and when will you be back?" Her mother asked.
"I'm going to the doctors and then we'll be back here." She said putting on her jacket.
"Leah why don't you and Taylor go to the doctors." Jimmy said looking at her.
"You're not coming?" She asked looking at him.
"I'll stay here with your mom and Frankie." He said looking at her.
"I wanted you to come. She's going to put you through hell if you stay here. She's in a crappy mood." She said looking at him.
"Leah. She just lost her husband. Go easy on her." He said.
"Yeah! Ok! Whatever! Taylor get over here!" She yelled.
"What's wrong?" She asked coming out of the kitchen.
"You're going with me to the doctors!" She said throwing her, her jacket.
"Huh? What about Jimmy? What about Frankie?"
"They're staying! Let's go!" She said leaving.
Leah and Taylor got into the car and sped off.
"Lee what the hell is going on?" Taylor asked.
Leah didn't answer her. Taylor sat there quietly until they reached the doctors. They sat in the car for five minutes until Leah cooled down.
"Lee could you please tell me what's wrong?" She asked again.
"I wanted Jimmy to come but he wanted to stay and help mom." She said crying.
"I'm glad he stayed. I was hoping that I could go with you." She said looking at her sister.
"Why?" She said wiping her eyes.
"Because I missed you. I haven't seen you since you left. Do you know how many times I wanted you home? A million. I envy you. I wish I could move out now. I was happy when daddy was alive. I could talk to him about everything. Even boys. Not many girls can talk to their dad's about that." She said crying.
"You envy me? That's funny I always envied you." Leah said hugging her sister.
"Really? Why?" Taylor asked.
"Because you know what you want. You always did. Me I have no clue what I want to do after college. When I ask mom for help in guidance she says she can't help. I'm a big disappointment to her." She said as they got out of the car.
They walked into the doctor's office and waited to be seen.
"Ms. Reynolds. Dr. Miller will see you now." The nurse said.
Leah and Taylor walked in. The doctor took her to an exam room while Taylor waited with the nurse.
"So what seems to be the problem?" He asked.
She told him about how uneasy her stomach felt and then told him about her dad.
"Well let me do some tests on you and we'll see what's wrong. It's probably stress from the sudden death of your father." He said looking at her.
"Or coming back home and seeing my mom." She said sarcastically.
"So Leah what are you studying at college?" Dr. Miller asked while examining her.
"Right now I'm taking Liberal Arts. I have no clue what I want to do." She said looking at him.
"Well take your time in deciding. My son went in for management. That was fifteen years ago. Now he's working in a fast food joint as a hamburger flipper." Dr. Miller said.
"Oh." Leah said.
"My daughter on the other hand she went to school to be a doctor like her old man. She's pretty successful. But she has no social life. Work comes first for her." He said.
"You have a boyfriend?"
"Yeah I do." She said smiling.
"What's his name?"
"Jimmy Rockford." She said proudly.
"And what does he do?"
"He's a private investigator and a fisherman." She said.
"A PI? That's a pretty scary job." Dr. Miller said looking at her.
"It sure is." She said.
"How's Taylor doing? I'm done."
"She's doing well. She's here." She said sitting up.
"What does she want to do?" He asked washing his hands.
"She wants to be an actress." Leah said proudly.
"Good for her." He smiled.
"After you're dressed come into my office and we'll go over everything." He said.
"Ok." She said getting dressed.
After she was done dressing Leah went into his office.
"I'm just waiting for one test to come back." He said looking over her chart.
"Which test?" She asked nervously.
"Your urine test." He said.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The nurse came in and gave him the report.
"Thank you." He said as the nurse left.
"Hmmm. Well, well. We found your problem." He said smiling at her.
"What is it?" She asked.
"You're one month pregnant. Congratulations." He said looking at her.
"I'm pregnant? That's…That's great." She said shockingly.
"You ok with this Leah?" He asked looking at her.
"Yeah." She said with a smile.
"Good." He smiled back at her.
She went to leave when Dr. Miller said, "Don't drop out of college. Finish your Liberal Arts Degree."
"I will." She said as she left his office.
Taylor looked up and asked, "What's up?"
"I'll tell you when we get into the car." Leah said paying the nurse.
They got into the car.
"So?" Taylor asked nervously.
"I'm pregnant." She said looking at her sister.
"With Jimmy's baby?" Taylor asked.
"Who else's?" Leah laughed.
"Oh my god! He's going to be surprised." Taylor said.
"You better not tell mom yet." Leah said as she started the car and pulled out.
"My lips are sealed." Taylor said with a big smile.
They arrived home.
"I wonder if mom killed them yet." Taylor laughed.
They walked in and found Jimmy and Frankie watching television. He got up and asked her how it went with the doctors.
"Good." She said as she saw her mom.
"Jimmy I need your help again in the kitchen." Their mom said.
"Sure Marie." He said walking into the kitchen.
"Jimmy I need to ask you something." Marie said.
"Sure." He said helping her move the kitchen table for the ninth time.
"How old are you?"
"38." He said.
"38?"
"Is that a problem?" He asked.
"Why are you dating a 20 year old? Why not someone your own age?" She asked sitting down.
"Because I want to. Leah is a great girl. I love her." He said looking at Marie.
"She's 18 years younger then you. Don't you want a woman who's the same age? You can retire with? Leah can't give you what you want. She doesn't even know what she wants to do with her life yet. She's a very mixed up young lady." Marie said.
"No she's not. She's got a lot on the ball. Besides I've dated women my age and married one. Let me tell you Leah can wrap rings around them all. She's a very bright girl. You should give her credit."
"Leah! My Leah! Please Jimmy. She's nothing but mixed up. I don't know why she had to go away to college. We have good colleges here. She could have gone to the community college but no! She had to go out to California." Marie said looking at him.
Leah, Taylor and Frankie heard the whole conversation. Leah got up and went outside to the shed. She was crying. Jimmy came out of the kitchen looking for Leah.
"She's outside in the shed." Taylor said to him.
He grabbed his jacket and went out to her. He heard her crying, throwing things and yelling.
"Why did you take him away? You couldn't leave him with us! You had to take him! What am I going to do without him! You ruined my life!" She screamed throwing cans and tools around. She broke a couple of windows.
"Leah."
"What!" She said angrily.
"Come here."
She walked over to him crying. He put his arms around her and let her cry it out. When she calmed down she apologized to him.
"It's ok." He said as they started to clean up.
"Jimmy we need to talk." She said sweeping up the glass.
They went outside and found chairs to sit down on.
"I over heard what my mom said to you. She's right in what she said to you. I'm mixed up. I don't know what I want to do with my life. The way I'm going I'll probably end up flipping burgers in a fast food joint. You need someone with more on the ball and gutsy." She said looking at him.
"I don't want anyone else. I'm happy being with you. You don't know how much joy you bring into my life. So what if you flip burgers? I don't care. Personally you have more on the ball then a lot of women your age. You're not like them. You're very mature for your age." He said looking at her.
"Jimmy there's something else I have to tell you." She said nervously.
"What?" He asked looking at her.
"God! This is so hard."
"Take your time." He said.
"I'm going to stay here. I'm not going back to California." She said looking at him.
"What? Why?" He asked.
"Because I have to. Now that my dad is gone I have to help out here. I'm going to get a job to help with the money. I can't just up and go back California." She said.
"Leah what about us?"
"Jimmy come on. You can do better then me. There are a lot of women who will give you much more than I can."
"I told you I don't want anyone else." He said angrily.
"Well you just have to get someone else! I'm hopeless! Not good for you!" She said yelling at him.
"Leah! You're wrong! I need you!"
"Damn it Jimmy! I don't need you! Just go home!" She said running inside.
She ran inside past her mom, Taylor and Frankie. Taylor ran after her.
"Leah let me in. It's Taylor."
"No! Go away!" She said crying.
Taylor walked in and sat with her.
"What happened? Did you tell him that you're pregnant?" Taylor asked.
"No. I broke up with him. I told him he can do better and that mom's right. I'm very mixed up and I can't give him anything." Leah said crying.
"You have to tell him you're pregnant. He can't leave not knowing. You have to go with him."
"No Tay I can't. Mom needs me here. I have to help out."
"No you don't! I want you to go back to California with him." Taylor said looking at her.
"I told you I'm staying here! Now leave damn it!" Leah said getting up and opening her door.
Taylor left and went back downstairs. She spotted Jimmy sitting outside. She went outside to talk to him.
"Hi Jimmy."
"Oh hi Taylor." He said sadly.
"Jimmy you've got to talk to her. She needs you now." Taylor said.
"She wants me to leave. I can't leave. Doesn't she know I need her now in my life? I just can't up and leave her." He said looking at Taylor.
"Then tell her!" She said.
"I told her."
"She's going to kill me when she finds out what I'm about to tell you." Taylor said getting up.
He looked at her and followed her to the shed.
"Jimmy. Leah is one month pregnant."
"What? Why would she keep that from me?" He asked looking at her.
"Our mom can make you feel so guilty that you'll do anything she tells you. We over heard mom-knocking Leah to you. So instead of Leah going back with you she told you she would stay just to make mom happy. Just go inside and talk to her. Please Jimmy. I don't want her to loose you." Taylor said looking at him.
"Ok." He said walking back to the house.
He walked in and saw her sitting in the kitchen drinking hot tea.
"Honey we need to talk." He said looking at her.
"About what?" She asked quietly.
He handed her, her jacket and told her to follow him outside. She put on her jacket and followed him outside to the shed.
"What do you want to talk to me about?" She asked sitting down.
"I want to talk about us. I don't want to loose you. I need you in my life now more than ever." He said looking at her.
She looked at him and said, "But don't you understand. I can't. My mom and Taylor need me."
"What about my feelings? What about our baby?" He said looking at her.
"Taylor told you?" She said looking at him.
"Don't be mad at her. She wants us together." He said holding her.
"Oh! Jimmy I'm so sorry!" She said crying.
"Will you come back home with me? Please." He said picking up her head.
"LEAH! Get in here! It's time to go!" Her mother yelled.
She and Jimmy went inside.
"You're not wearing that are you?" Her mother asked.
"What's wrong with my dress?" She asked looking at her mom.
"It looks horrible! Never mind forget it! We're late!" Her mom said walking out of the house.
"You look beautiful." Jimmy said as he put his arm around her.
"Thank you." She whispered to him.