Sunbeam

11) Pregnancy

"Ada is pregnant," Polly states, storming into the blacksmiths, "she won't tell me who the father is."

"That is a major piece of information to process... why are you looking at me like that?" Kezia responds.

"Because you know who the father is, you know who she's been screwing around with," Polly says.

"I wouldn't call it screwing around," Kezia replies, "they love each other, Pol. Ada is my sister, if I thought the guy was untrue or just messing with her, don't you think I would've stepped in?"

"Perhaps if you had stepped in she wouldn't be alone and pregnant!" Polly exclaims.

"She was happy, Pol," Kezia shrugs, "they both were. Did he leave once she found out she was pregnant?"

"No, he doesn't know," Polly sighs, "he has to lay low for a while, Ada wouldn't tell me why... if he knew would he come back?"

"If he knew, I doubt there is anything that would stop him from coming back," Kezia answers, "she won't be alone unless our family makes her alone."

"What's that meant to mean?" Polly questions.

"Ask Tommy," Kez replies.

"You think I'm going to tell him that Ada is pregnant, are you mad?" Polly scoffs.

"He'll find out somehow, Pol," Kezia reasons.

"No, he won't, she's going to get rid of it," Polly says, "nobody other than us will know."

"Does Ada want to get rid of them?" Kezia asks.

"It's for the best," Polly responds, "she knows that."

"That doesn't answer my question," Kezia states, "she doesn't want to get rid of them, does she?"

"No, she doesn't," Polly says, "Kez, she can't raise a baby by herself, don't try and tell me you think she should keep it."

"I think she should do whatever the hell she wants to," Kezia shrugs, "she won't be by herself, Pol. If he knows, he'd come back, and I won't be going anywhere if she has the child. Raising Finn was a group effort, we did it as a family. I don't see why this'd be any different. John has four fucking kids, you never opposed them."

"John wasn't pulling away from his family," Polly says, "John still had Martha when the kids were young."

"What exactly did you expect to gain from coming here, Pol? I'm not going to directly give you the name, that's Ada's decision whether she wants you to know, it is also her decision regarding whether she has this child, what do you want from me? Did you expect my response to be different?" Kezia questions.

"I thought you'd be able to talk some sense into your sister," Polly sighs.

"She's not an idiot, Pol, she knows what she's doing," Kezia says, "the question is, do you trust Ada to make the right decision for herself? Because I do. Whatever her decision ends up being, it will be the right one for her, and you're going to have to respect that. She's not a kid. I'll repeat what I said earlier, she won't be alone unless our family makes her alone."

"You said to ask Tommy what you meant by that, does that mean he is the reason the father isn't here?" Polly queries.

"Why doesn't Ada want you to know who it is? Did she tell you why?" Kezia asks.

"She's worried I'll tell the boys and that they'll cut him up," Polly says.

"Will you?" Kezia responds, and Polly shakes her head, "no, they want no part of women's business, it wouldn't go further than us. I promise."