Fran’s eyes bug out. “He-Who-Won’t-Be-Named?”
“Yep.” I pop thep.
Fran sinks onto my bed and pats the space beside her. “Looks like we need to have a heart-to-heart.”
“Do we?” I sit, waiting for the explosion or at least the judgment.
Fran draws in a deep breath. “I’m pregnant, Val.”
Okay, now I’m pretty sure my eyes are popping out of their sockets. My mouth opens, closes, and opens again. “How far along are you?”
“Eight weeks.” Her voice is small.
Immediately, sympathy fills me. “When did you find out?”
“A couple of weeks ago.”
I do some math, think back to the last couple of weeks. “Is that why you’ve been staying home?”
“Yes. No one wants a pregnant girl along for the party.”
“And it’s Derrick’s?”
She nods slowly.
My heart hurts for her. Derrick is a tool. He never laid a hand on Fran, but he certainly belittled her.
“Did you already tell him?”
“Yeah. He wants to get married.”
No,no,no.But I keep my panic in check. I don’t want my little sister thinking that’s an option just because I go nuclear on her. “What do you want to do?”
“I can’t be with him.” Her nose wrinkles. “I know it’s the right thing to do in the church’s eyes, but I can’t imagine we’d have a healthy relationship.”
“Do Mom and Dad know?”
She shakes her head.
“Jackie?”
“Just Derrick and now, you.”
I wrap her in a hug. “Whatever you need, I’m here.”
“Even if your future roommate cries incessantly at all hours of the night?” She sniffs.
“Even then.”
After a moment, we pull out of the embrace.
Fran studies me. “It’s your turn.”
I tell her about the blind date that led to texts to a friendship to me hanging out at Jabari’s place. Well, I leave out our last conversation. No need to share about our older sister’s lies when I don’t even know how I feel about the new information.
“What I don’t understand is why. You know how Jackie felt.”
I think about my promise not to share about Jabari’s condition. I lick my lips. “I wish I could tell you why, Fran, but I promised I wouldn’t.”
