Secrets: Book 2.5 of The Pine Creek Village Series

9

Sally

"Sal, someone is at the door for you."

Sally groaned getting off the couch for the first time since the end of her shift. Today took forever to get through between Derric quitting and having to deal with her mother.

Ellie waited for her outside on her little front porch. Her house smaller than anyone else's in town offered no real room to talk other than the porch. The driveway was even better. The walls were so thin of the two bedroom house that no private conversation could be held inside.

"What's up Ellie?" She asked sitting on the last step of the porch.

"I'm just gonna ask you out right. Are you pregnant with Derric's baby? cause that's the rumor."

Sally swallowed hard against the lump in her throat. She'd thought of this moment for three months. And still had no answers for anyone. Especially Ellie, or Derric.

"The only people who know are my mom and Miranda. How does everyone know already?"

"You answered your own question when you said Miranda Sal."

"I guess you're right."

"So,It is true?"

"Yeah."

Ellie sat down next to her. When her hand grabbed onto Sally's it was like she could feel the girls sadness. Sally couldnt stop the tears that sprang to her peepers. They stung mixing with her day old makeup and oil sprayed face from the restaurant work.

"How far along are you?"

The question sounded like a judgement. Sally knew it wasn't, but what else could she think? The last three months she lived in the shadows, hiding from everyone including Derric. She was glad he quit today to be honest. Why linger around for the inevitable?

"I'm four months along." Ellie stayed quiet for a minute.

"Is it Derrics, really?"

"I think so. Oh, Elle I hate all of this. I don't know what I'm going to do. And poor Bobby Briggs. He loves me ya know and I love him. But mama says that don't matter." Her sobs ran deep within her and accepted the comfort from Ellie who hugged her tight letting her rest on the girls shoulder.

"Bobby? I didnt know you two were close."

"He offered to marry me ya know."

"Well if he knows about the baby. And is willing to marry you. Why say no?"

"Two words."

"Let me guess. Miranda Finn."

"She said no grandson or granddaughter of hers will be raised by a Briggs."

"I can understand that." Ellie told her plainly. "The Briggs aren't exactly Miranda's kind of people."

It was true. The Briggs family lived on the edge of town, not in the actual county line and the father dealt in dirty business. The kind only Miranda Finn or Jackson Johnson knew of considering they ran the small place.

Miranda was even deemed the mayor a few years back. And Jackson Johnson along with George Richmond owned and operated every building and every home in the place. Sally definitely knew her place would be with Derric Finn now that she was carrying his baby. She just didnt want to.

"Ellie, I'm so sorry I didnt tell you about all this. I saw you and Derric together. And I could tell you were falling in love. I thought we all deserved a chance at happiness. But I was wrong."

"We will figure something out. Or we will learn to deal with it." Ellie stood up stretching into the abyss. "I gotta go Sally. I'll see ya around."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."