Expect the Unexpected

Flashback to The Party

Tatum Jameson sat on the edge of the bath tub.  She sighed and said, "This just isn't the right time."

Her sister, Sophie, took her hand and replied, "Would there ever be a good time for this to happen?"

"When I'm married, out of high school and have a job.  Soph, I'm scared.  I don't know what to do.  I can't have a baby.  I'm only a junior in high school!"

"You don't have to..."

"Don't finish that sentence.  It isn't this poor baby's fault that I was an idiot.  I should have known better."

"You weren't an idiot."

"Mom and dad are going to kill me.  Scott is going to hate me.  I just can't believe I let this happen."

"Mom and dad are not going to hate you.  Scott is going to be mad for a while, but he will get over it.  He loves you too much.  He's just overprotective.  What about the father?"

Tatum gasped.  "Oh!  This is such a mess!  He is going to hate me.  I'm just going to give him an out.  He doesn't need this.  He is getting ready for college."

"You are not going to do this alone!  I'm not going to let you.  You know that I am your big sister.  I will always have your back no matter what.  You are a junior in high school.  You still have a year left.  If you are going to make it work with a baby, then he will too."

"He wouldn't want to be there anyway."

"Who is it?"

"Soph...  I'm fine.  He doesn't need to be involved or even know.  He has too much riding on the coming months to be worried about me and this unexpected occurrence."

"Unexpected occurrence?  This is a baby.  A little bitty baby, that I am sure is going to be gorgeous, by the way.  Think about how good our lives have been because we have both mom and dad.  Are you really going to keep that from your baby?  Are you going to keep a baby from its father?  Tate, who is it?  You have to tell him."

"You are sworn to secrecy.  You can't tell anyone.  It's just between the two of us."

"Okay."

"Promise?"

"Yes.  I promise.  It will be just between the two of us."

"Dempsey."

The football captain?!  Our brother's best friend, Dempsey?"

Tatum lowered her head.  This was going to be harder than she thought.  She had just been thinking about ruining football when she thought of the mess they were in.  She hadn't put any thought into how much this would ruin the friendship between her brother and Dempsey.  They had been best friends since Kindergarten.  Now one night and a baby were going to jeopardize all of that.  Tatum told her, "Yes, that Dempsey."

"No way!  Tate!"

"I know.  I'm sorry.  I was stupid."

"When?  Where?  The two of you have hardly ever talked.  You have never been with him alone.  Well, at least I had never thought the two of you had been alone before.  Apparently I was wrong.  How did this happen?"

"Well..."

Flashback

Tatum's mind went to the night that changed her life.  

Tatum had went to her first high school party with her twin siblings, Scott and Sophie.  Scott and Sophie were both well liked and very popular.  They were seniors while Tatum was a junior.  Sophie and Scott wanted Tatum to get out of her little bubble.  She didn't have many friends, and the friends she did have were friends were her by association because of her siblings.  Scott and Sophie were worried about her.  They didn't know what was going to happen when they graduated and she was left alone.