Patrice had heard the rumors. Jade shrugged, indicating that she couldn’t be sure whose child she might be carrying.
“Well, on the chance that it’s Neal’s, I want to help you.” Patrice took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one, although smoking wasn’t permitted in the school building. She tilted back her head and sent a plume of smoke ceilingward.
“The son of a bitch did the same thing to me the summer after eighth grade. That was my first. My mama went positively apeshit. My stepdaddy at the time refused to pay for the abortion, so Mama went to Neal’s old man for the money. Say, you want a cig? You’re lookin’ a little green around the gills.”
Jade waved the cigarette smoke away from her face. “No, thanks.”
“Where was I? Oh, yeah. So anyway, old Ivan gave us five hundred dollars. I went to Georgie over in nigger town. She only charges fifty, so we made money on the deal. Wouldn’t you know it,” she said, her irritation plain, “My old lady kept every frigging cent. Anyway, I’d be glad to speak to Georgie about you. She’s kinda particular and doesn’t like to take anybody who ain’t referred, you know? And she’s real secretive ’cause she doesn’t want her other businesses to suffer.”
“What other businesses?”
Patrice lowered her voice. “Besides abortions, she has another sideline, although she’s supposed to be a seamstress. If you don’t have much money and don’t want anybody to find out, Georgie’s the one to do it.” She took another drag of her cigarette. “Look, I know this is a lot to take in. You can tell me to fuck off and I’ll fuck off. It ain’t no skin off my nose either way, see?”
“I appreciate your offer, Patrice, but I’ve got to think about it. I’m not even sure that I’m… that it’ll be necessary.”
Patrice glanced down at Jade’s midsection and shrugged. “Sure. I understand, kiddo. The first time ’bout shivered my gizzard, too. But my old lady said no way in hell was she gonna have a squalling brat around the house. Besides, Neal Patchett is such a prick, who in her right mind would want to have his bastard?”
Jade’s stomach rebelled at the thought. “I’ll let you know what I decide, Patrice. Thanks.” She rushed toward the nearest restroom. A few minutes later she left the stall. Weakly bending over the sink, she thrust her hands into cold water and splashed it on her face.
“It’s not a baby,” she whispered to her pale reflection in the mirror. “It’s not anything. It’s slime.”
* * *
After that, each time Jade met Patrice in the hallway, Patrice raised one eyebrow in silent inquiry. Jade pretended not to notice, although Patrice had prompted her to admit that there had been another severe consequence of the rape.
She was pregnant.
She still refused to think of the fetus in terms of an individual, a baby. She’d wanted to postpone making a decision about it until after receiving her diploma, which was only a few weeks away. But the life inside her was developing.
She was very careful about the way she dressed. Nevertheless, if Patrice had guessed, it was only a matter of time before others would. Her worst fear was that someone would share his suspicions with Gary. He must never know. Pregnancy was irrefutable proof that she had been with someone other than him. Could she get through graduation without his finding out? Dare she try?
Despite everything, she had been named salutatorian of her class. Gary was valedictorian. She was so proud of him, although she didn’t dare congratulate him personally. He was dating another girl, and when Jade happened to meet him in the hall, he always looked the other way.
/>
The honor of being second in her class was a consolation prize in which she took pride. Years of study and hard work had gone into the achievement. With very little parental support, she had earned the honor. Damned if she was going to let Neal and his friends rob her of that, too.
When she stood at the microphone and addressed the audience at the commencement exercise, she wanted to look her attackers in the eye. They wouldn’t see her cowed. They had raped her body and her reputation, but she was going to go out with her dignity intact.
But what if people snickered behind their engraved programs over the pregnancy she had tried unsuccessfully to conceal?
During prom week, while her classmates made big plans for that important weekend, Jade agonized over her problem. During a class change, one of the women counselors approached her.
“Who are you going to the prom with, Jade?”
“I’m not going, Mrs. Trenton.”
“Not going? No one’s asked you?”
“That’s right.” Neal had, but Jade had hung up on him without even honoring his tongue-in-cheek invitation with a reply. He’d even had the gall to suggest that they double date with Hutch and Donna Dee.
Mrs. Trenton looked her over carefully. “I’d like you to come by my office and see me one day this week, Jade. I believe we need to talk.”
She knows.
As Jade moved down the school corridor, she realized that the choice to act now or to wait had been taken away from her. For that she was almost relieved. She wouldn’t have to dwell on the dilemma any longer, or weigh her options. She merely had to act, go through the motions, and get it over with as soon as possible. When classes were dismissed for the day, she sought out Patrice Watley.
* * *