The Things We Do for Love

"No, it wont," Lauren said miserably when the tears eased. "My mom dumped me. "

"Dumped you?"

"She ran off with a guy named Jake Morrow. "

"Oh, honey. Shell be back--"

"No," Lauren said quietly. The surprising thing was how much it hurt to admit. After all the years of knowing how little her mother loved her, still it wounded her. "And Mrs. Mauk says I cant stay here. How am I supposed to earn enough money to pay for my own apartment?" She looked down at the floor, then slowly up at Angie. "Thats not even the worst of it. "

"Theres something worse than that?"

Lauren took a deep breath. She hated to say these words to Angie, but what choice did she have? "Im pregnant. "

TWENTY-THREE

GOD HELP HER, ANGIES FIRST REACTION WAS ENVY. It stung her heart; she felt its poison begin to spread.

"Nine weeks," Lauren said, looking miserable, and young.

So desperately, impossibly young.

Angie pushed her feelings aside. There would be time, late at night, she supposed, when she was vulnerable and lonely, to think about why the world was sometimes so unfair. She scooted backward and sat on the

coffee table. She needed some distance between them. Laurens pain was so palpable, Angie wanted to make it go away, but this wasnt one of those times. A hug wouldnt do it.

She stared at Lauren. The girls red hair was a tangled mess, her round, puffy cheeks were paler than usual, and her brown eyes were steeped in sadness.

If ever a girl was in need of mothering . . .

No.

"Did you tell your mother?" Angie asked.

"Thats why she left. She said she raised one mistake and wouldnt do it again. "

Angie sighed. It had, over the years of her infertility and losses, occurred to her often that motherhood was too random. Too many women that shouldnt raise a child were granted that gift, while others lived with arms that felt empty.

"I tried to have an abortion. "

"Tried?"

"I thought Id just take care of the problem, you know? Be mature. But I couldnt do it. "

"You should have come to me, Lauren. "

"How could I come to you with this? I knew it would hurt you. And I didnt want you looking at me the way you are. "

"Hows that?"

"Like Im stupid. "

Angie was drawn forward in spite of her best intentions. She tucked a stringy lock of hair behind Laurens ear. "Im not looking at you like that. Im sad and scared for you, thats all. "

Laurens eyes filled slowly with tears. "I dont know what to do. David says hell bag Stanford and marry me, but it wont work. Hed start to hate me. I dont think I could stand that. "

Angie wished there were some string of magic words that would ease this poor childs heart, but sometimes life backed you into a corner and there was no easy way out.

Lauren wiped her eyes, sniffed, and sat up straighter. "I dont mean to dump all this on you. Im just scared. I dont know what to do, and now I have to find a new place to live. "