5. Never Unexpect The Unexpected
It was a month after the
performance of C.U.T. and Lizzie was styding, when Jane walked into
their room.
"Hey Janie," Lizzie greeted.
"Hey." Her
sister sat down and looked really happy.
"Charles is coming to
town again!"
"Wow, that's nice," Lizzie smiled, but she
also frowned. She tried to avoid everything that had to do with
William Darcy, but that was impossible.
"You're really okay
with me dating one of William's best friends?" Jane asked
friendly.
"Yes, I am. I mean, you're dating Charles and not
Darcy."
"Liz..."
"I still don't understand," Lizzie
exclaimed, and she put down her book. "When I look at him, I don't
see someone who's to horny to think about contraception!"
"Even
when people think about it, it can go wrong."
"I know,
but-"
"I understand. William also doesn't really seem to be
someone who runs away."
"No..."
"Did you tell your
classmates about it?"
"No,I didn't - only Eve."
Jane
looked intense at her sister. A week ago Lizzie started talking
about what George had said and now she knew everything. She frowned
a little.
"Liz, are you still in love with him?"
"No...
yes," Lizzie confessed. She flushed. "I know it's stupid, but
everytime he answeres the teacher or walks behind me, I feel so, so,
so..."
"I know what you mean, you're just in love," Jane
smiled. "And..." she hesitated, "that someone is a father,
doesn't have to mean you can't be in love with him."
"He left
it behind, Jane! That little kid, that little baby, has to grow up
without a father!" Lizzie angry said.
"I know and I totally
agree with you," Jane quickly said, "it's just that you've been
sad for a month now and I don't like it to see you like that. And
people do make mistakes."
"Some mistakes are
unforgivable."
"I-" Jane stopped talking, because Mary ran
into the room Jane and Lizzie shared.
"O my god!" she yelled,
"o my bloody god!"
Lizzie wasn't really moved, because it was
usual to see a Mary that totally freaked out.
"What's up,
Mary-Lou?" she asked, while looking at her book again.
"I
heard... I heard... Lydia... Bloody hell!" she yelled
again.
"What's wrong?" Lizzie asked, still not looking
up.
"Yeah Mares, what's the matter?" Jane said.
"Lydia
is pregnant!"
Lizzie looked up so quickly, her neck
hurted.
"This isn't true," Jane mumbled, while the three
of them walked to the garden, were Mary had overheard the
conversation between Lydia and Kitty. Lizzie heard their voices, and
she called their names. They immediately stopped talking, but it
didn't make any sense.
"Lydia!" Jane said loudly, "is it
true?"
Kitty looked scared and Lydia had the look of someone
who's tired and full of adrenaline at the same moment.
"Is what
true?" she asked. She tried to look innocent, but Lizzie saw her
red eyes. She had cried.
"Lydia," she said grave, "Mary
heard the two of you talking... Are you pregnant?"
Their gazes
met and Lydia slowly nodded.
"Sorry... I didn't mean... I
thought it wouldn't happen... I'm sorry!" she suddenly started
crying and Kitty hold her tight.
"Shhh," she said softly.
Lizzie was totally shocked. Next to her, she heard Jane whisper: "O
my god."
"O my god," Lizzie beamed. "Lydia..."
Her
younger sister looked at her, with crying eyes. Lizzie looked at
Kitty, but she shook her head.
"She told me five minutes ago
she's pregnant, that's all," she softly said.
"Lydia, when
did it happen?" Jane asked.
Lydia shook her head, but at the
look of Jane's face she started to talk: "During the performance
of C.U.T. I met this guy... Sorry!" she said in a high
voice.
"Who's the father?" Lizzie asked. Lydia gave no
answer.
"Don't be so stupid," Mary snapped at her younger
sister. Lizzie watched her: she looked panicked. Jane looked angry
and Kitty looked scared. Lizzie didn't know how she felt – at the
moment, she felt nothing. She didn't know what to feel.
She
turned back to Lydia.
"Please tell us," she said. "You made
a big mistake, Lydia, and we'll come back to that later... but tell
us who's the father, since when you know and... what's gonna happen
next."
Lizzie had no idea where her practical way of acting
came from, but she was glad it was there.
Lydia sighed. Then she
started to speak, and for the first time in her life, Lizzie was
thankfull Lydia was someone who easy started talking.
"I found
out a week ago. My period, well, you know, so I buyed a pregnancy
test and, well, I found out." She took a deep breath and
continued: "And Liz, you know the father."
"I do?"
"Yeah, it's... well, it's George. George Wickham." Lydia
started crying again, and Lizzie turned around.
"O my," she
whispered. She felt Jane's arm around her shoulders and she also
started to cry. It seemed to be the only thing she could and wanted
to do.
"What are you gonna do now?" Jane asked Lydia.
"I
don't know, Jane," Lydia looked her straight in the eyes, "I
really don't know."
The five sisters felt silent, and then
Lydia stood up.
"Well, I guess I'm gonna tell mum and dad,"
she said firmly.
"You're crazy!" Kitty exclaimed, but Jane
shook her head.
"The truth has to be told, Kit. And by the
way... Do you think they won't notice if Lydia goes to the hospital
to let remove the baby?"
"To what!" Lydia
yelled.
"Please!" Lizzie yelled back, "please! Calm down!
What's gonna happen... we'll see. You have to tell mum and dad
first, you're right."
Lydia walked to the house, leaving them
behind.
"I have to study. I've got a test tomorrow," Lizzie
said and she also left.
What the bloody hell is happening,
she thought, dizzy and shocked.