Not Expecting to Collide (COMPLETE) - ABP Fanfiction

Chapter 77 - Secrets

The countdown to Christmas started nearly as soon as the Thanksgiving dishes were cleared from the table. Some of Bam and October's carefully laid plans were already in the process of being altered. Originally, they were to return to Calgary to spend Christmas with August and Robert, after which Bam would search for a job to support them until shipping season started and they could return to Browntown. However, in doing some research, October learned that Bam would not be eligible to work in Canada without a work permit, which he could not obtain unless he already had a job offer in writing. Hence, Bam's hunt for suitable employment began immediately after Thanksgiving. Birdie had graciously offered to accompany Bam on his trek to the library to scour the websites for a position for which he was qualified and that would pay enough to support his soon-to-be family. October needed to do a little shopping and get away from Browntown for a break. Rainy asked to tag along making their group a foursome.

Matt and Amber were both working in the yard as the little group prepared to leave for Hoonah. As Matt and Bam discussed a few last-minute details about the shipping business that Bam planned to take care of while in town, Rainy and Birdie whispered to each other near the fire. Amber linked her arm in October's and stopped her in front of the stairs to the main cabin as not to be overheard by the younger girls. "October, I wonder if you might pick me up some things when you are shopping?"

"Sure, Amber. No problem. What do you need?" October stopped walking and smiled at her.

Amber took a crumpled paper out of her pocket and handed it to her. October unfolded the page and read the list. It was all pretty run-of-the-mill stuff; sunscreen, mascara, toothpaste, etc. but when she read to the last item on the list, her eyes widened and her eyes snapped up to Amber. "A pregnancy test?" She whispered. Amber quickly looked ahead to make sure no one had overheard. She wrung her hands together and watched October apprehensively. "You can keep a secret, right?" October made a show of zipping her lips shut, locking them and throwing away the key.

~*~

October and Rainy left Bam and Birdie at the library with plans to meet them later. October turned to Rainy and grinned. "They will be busy most of the afternoon. I've got some shopping to do and I brought my laptop to catch up on a little bit of work at the internet café. What do you want to do first?" She looked at Rainy expectantly. She hadn't had the chance to spend any time with Rainy since the coffee shop outside of the Discovery offices in Seattle - a day she would rather forget about.

Rainy checked her reflection in the nearest shop window and ran a hand through her loose hair. "Well, I kind of have plans already." She replied timidly. "Can we meet up later?"

"Oh!" October was surprised. "What plans?"

Rainy stopped on the sidewalk and looked away from October. "I'm, uh, meeting someone."

"Who?" October's sister-radar switched on - something she didn't even know that she had! (Wouldn't Bam be proud?)

Rainy shrugged and tried to look nonchalant. "Just a friend - a guy."

"You mean the seventeen-year-old?"

Rainy nodded slightly and pressed her lips into a straight line. "He's actually eighteen." she whispered very quietly and watched carefully to gauge October's reaction.

October looked at the younger girl and wavered. She wanted to be a friend to Rainy, someone she could trust, but she also reminded herself that Rainy was only fourteen years old - and a very sheltered fourteen years at that. She thought for a moment about what Bam would want her to do. And in the next thought she told herself that she was a grown woman and didn't need a husband to dictate her decisions.

"Rainy," She leveled her gaze. "Eighteen year old guys should not be interested in fourteen year old girls.

Rainy's pleading eyes flew up to October and she gasped. "He's different! He's really nice and sweet and he's not interested in...in just that."

In the back of her mind October wondered if Rainy even knew what 'that' consisted of. Rainy gently kicked the curb with the toe of her shoe. "You won't tell Bam, will you?" There was a long silence between them. She had already been asked today to keep a secret but this was a little different.

"Rainy," She repeated evenly. "It's not fair of you to ask me to keep secrets from my husband. You're putting me in a bad position by even telling me this."

Rainy's brow creased. "I'm sorry! I'm just tired of being treated like a baby! I need my brothers to see that I can be trusted."

"Lying to them and sneaking around behind their backs is not the way to do it." October countered.

Rainy rolled her eyes. "Then what do I do? I'm supposed to meet him at a coffee shop in half an hour."

October grimaced. "I have some work to catch up on that I can do while you have coffee with your guy."

Rainy clapped her hands together and jumped up and down. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, October!"

"Wait, I'm not done." October held her hand up to still the younger girl. "I will be no more than three tables away from you and I will be watching to make sure he remains a gentleman at all times." Rainy nodded her head vigorously. "And I won't tell Bam about this." October continued. "You will." (She might not need or want a husband to dictate her decisions, but she wanted his family to know that they worked as a team.)

Rainy stopped bouncing and sobered considerably. "Okay." She sighed heavily. "I will."

October smiled brightly and linked her arm in Rainy's. "Now tell me how you two met..."