A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I don't own the song I used in this chapter.
Chapter 13: Walkaway Joe
"They're here." Jack said as he saw his parents' car pull in the driveway. Kate had already gone home. It was time. "You ready?" He asked his sister.
"I hope so." Claire nodded and prayed for God to give her strength. This was going to be tough.
"I'll be here the whole time." Jack said as he hugged her. He then sat down in a chair.
The door opened. "Kids! We're home." Margo announced. Her and Christian made their way into the living room.
"How was dinner?" Jack asked.
"It was fine." Margo replied. However, she noticed Claire's far away look. The motherly instincts told her something was wrong. "Claire, honey. What's the matter?" This made Christian look over to his daughter too.
Claire looked at her parents and took a deep breath. "Mom. Dad. I need to tell you something."
The adults looked to Jack to see if he knew, and he just looked down and didn't say a word. Margo and Christian took seat across from their daughter. "What is it?" Christian asked.
Tears were forming in her eyes again. "I don't know how to say this."
The image of Claire sobbing was breaking all their hearts. "Say what sweetie?" Margo asked.
She looked her parents in the eyes. "I'm pregnant."
Shock overcame them. Margo just stared at her daughter with hands going to her face. While Christian looked angry.
"Please don't be mad at me." Claire cried.
Margo rushed across the room and held her little girl. "It's OK Claire. We're not mad at you. We love you."
Claire looked to her father and saw the same rage Jack had had earlier. "I'm not mad at you kiddo." He said. "I'm mad at that Thomas kid! I know it takes two to have a baby, but from what I can tell, he took advantage of you. When I find him..."
"You can't dad." Jack stopped him.
"Why not Jack?" Christian asked bitterly.
"Because I tried. Claire took the test a couple of hours ago. She told me Thomas left and his phone number was disconnected. Kate was here with us, so we tried calling some other people. From what we found out, he's vanished." Jack explained.
"Vanished?" Margo asked concerned.
"Yeah. He's gone. No one knows where he went." Jack replied.
Christian calmed down. "I'll get someone to check into this. If we find him…"
"I'll be right with you." Jack let his father know. No one messed with this family.
"Boys!" Margo yelled stopping them. "That is NOT what is important! Claire and the baby are the only ones we need to be focused on."
Father and son realized that they couldn't take vengeance. It wasn't their jobs. Claire needed them more. Christian went to sit with Claire and Margo, while Jack pulled a chair close.
"Claire?" Christian asked. "How far along do you think you are?"
Claire finally stopped crying and was able to speak. "I think about 2 months."
"That would explain why you felt sick in Boston." Margo finally realized.
Claire nodded. She was starting to feel better now.
Christian continued talking to her calmly. "This might be a hard question, so don't take it the wrong way. Do you plan to keep the baby?"
Claire looked to her parents and Jack. All of them had kind eyes towards her. "Yes. I don't think I couldn't get rid of my own child."
"We are going to figure this whole thing out one step at a time." Margo brushed her daughter's blonde hair from her face. "We are all in this together." As she said this she put an arm around her, Christian did the same, and Jack held Claire's hands. A smile came to the teen's face.
"I was so scared you were going to kick me out." Claire admitted.
"We would never do that. We love you." Margo replied.
Claire lay in bed later that night. She tried to sleep, but thoughts were going through her head. That went better than I thought. I'm so glad I have a family that loves me. But she was nervous at that same time. Christian had scheduled her first doctor's appointment. He was able to call the OB-GYN at home since he and Margo were friends with her. It sometimes helped being a doctor's daughter.
Claire placed a hand on her stomach. Her tiny baby was in there. She could hardly believe it. Am I ready for this God? Please help me through this.
She had one more thing to say. "I hope you can hear me. I just found out about you and I love you already. I can't wait to meet you. You are going to be so loved." A smile came to her face.
Claire reached for her CD player. It had a country mix CD that Kate burned for her. She pushed play and the first song shocked her. It fit what was going on right now. She liked this song by Trisha Yearwood, but never really listened to the lyrics until now.
Walkaway Joe – Trisha YearwoodMomma told her baby girl take it real slow
Girl told her momma "Hey I really gotta go he's waiting in the car"
Momma said "Girl you won't get far"
Thus are the dreams of an average Jane
Ninety miles and hour down on lovers lane
With a tank of dreams
Oh if she could've only seen
But fate's got cards said it don't wanna show
And that boy's just a Walkaway Joe
Born to be a leaver tell you form the word go
destined to deceive her he's the wrong kind of paradise
She's gonna know it in a matter of time
That boy's just a Walkaway Joe
Now just a little while into Abilene
He pulls into a station and he robs it clean she's waitin in the car
Oh underneath the Texaco stars
She only wanted love didn't bargain for this
She can't help but love with him for the way he is
She's only 17, and there ain't no reasoning
So she'll ride this ride as far as it can go
Cause that boy's just a Walkaway Joe
Born to be a leaver tell you form the word go
Destined to deceive her he's the wrong kind of paradise
She's gonna know it in a matter of time
That boy's just a Walkaway Joe
Somewhere in a roadside motel room
Alone in the silence she wakes up too soon and reaches for his arm
But she'll just keep reachin on
For the cold hard truth revealed what it had known
That boy's just a Walkaway Joe
Born to be a leaver tell you form the word go
Destined to deceive her he's the wrong kind of paradise
But it was just another lesson in life
That boy's just a Walkaway Joe
All he was was a Walkaway Joe