Growing Pains ✔

Chapter 15

Jamie was pleasantly surprised his mom let him borrow her car for the rest of the week since she was taking the time off work; he was amazed she actually trusted him and he suspected Louis must be behind it. He realised that if the baby did become a reality then the chances were she'd stop working and he might get the use of her car permanently. That was definitely a bonus.

'Hey what are you doing with Aunt Lottie's car?' Lucy called catching up to him.

'Oh she's off work this week,' Jamie said. He had to stop himself saying Charlotte was sick, he was under strict instructions not to say anything that would alert the family to her pregnancy. 

'Lucky you,' Lucy said falling into step beside him. 'Have you heard the latest about Junior and Laura?'

'They're an item?' He'd known it was only a matter of time.

'Apparently so, he's finally dumped Debbie.' Lucy let out a weary sigh. 'I'd have thought Laura would have more sense, she's far too smart for Junior, and she's too quiet as well. He'll soon get bored.'

'John says he likes her cos she's different,' Jamie said although he wondered how long that would last.

Lucy rolled her eyes. 'That'll get old soon, and he'll be back with some other big boobed bimbo!' 

Jamie laughed, despite what John had said he thought Lucy was pretty much spot on. 'He might surprise us,' he said doubtfully.

'He won't, he's just like his dad, he gets bored easily.' Jamie nodded, he'd overheard the rumours about John's extramarital activities, they all had. 'And when Junior gets bored it's Laura who'll be hung out to try.'

Jamie frowned. 'What do you mean?'

'Well, the whole cheerleading squad is gunning for her cos they think it's her fault Debbie got dumped. Debbie's putting a brave face on it at the moment cos she knows if they start on Laura it'll get back to Junior. But just wait till the dust's settled, and Laura's been dumped, they'll hit her when she's down.'

Jamie groaned. 'I'm so glad I'm not a girl, you're like a bunch of pack animals.'

Lucy gave him a playful shove. 'Most of us aren't like that, just Debbie and her friends.'

Jamie inwardly groaned. Debbie was very much a stereotypical popular girl; bubbly, outgoing, lots of friends, however, she had a vicious tongue on her when she wasn't suited. 'Do you think we should warn Laura?' he suggested.

Lucy shrugged. 'The damage is done now, and I guess she'll be able to work it out for herself. She knows what Debbie's like.'

'I'm kinda surprised she would put herself in this position,' Jamie said feeling disconcerted. For a smart girl, she sure was acting dumb. He'd never thought she was that keen on John, she wasn't impressed by his popularity, and she didn't come across as the sort of girl who had to have a boyfriend. He guessed John must have been pretty persuasive, and she was rather meek. Fleetingly he wondered if that had been the situation between his mom and dad, Charlotte was no pushover but who knew what she was like back then?

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Jamie was dismayed when John sat down next to him at lunchtime. Ever since the dinner party, he'd been a lot friendlier, even reigning in all the dumb cracks. Jamie suspected that wouldn't last for long.

'Did you hear about me and Laura?' John asked glancing over at the table where the cheerleaders were sitting. Fortunately, Debbie was sat with her back to them.

'Yeah I did, so how'd you manage that?'

John grinned, taking a bite of his sandwich. 'Well with my good looks, charm, and personality, it was only a matter of time before Laura caved in.' 

'Right,' Jamie said pulling a face.

John shrugged looking more bashful. 'Okay, maybe it wasn't so simple. She drives a hard bargain, she made me finish with Debbie first.'

The corners of Jamie's mouth twitched. John made it sound like he'd made a big sacrifice for Laura, and he imagined in John's eyes it probably was. He wouldn't like someone, a girl especially, telling him what to do.

'Was Debbie upset?' Jamie asking trying to feign interest in the conversation.

'She was gutted.' John laughed and Jamie raised an eyebrow. 'Nah she wasn't really, she knew it had run its course, we've both gotten all the mileage we could get out of it.'

'Mileage?'

'You know, like kudos.' Jamie nodded, he knew what he meant but he couldn't believe John didn't realize how ridiculous he sounded. 'So what have you been up to? Laura was saying we should all hang out this weekend?'

'Yeah maybe,' Jamie said thinking there'd be more chance of snow on the hills of hell. But this must be why John was being semi-pleasant to him, he was a friend of Laura's and for this week, at any rate, John was on his best behaviour.

'Cool. So how's your mom doing?' John asked startling him.

Jamie tried to keep his face expressionless. 'What do you know about my mom?'

John put his hands up in mock defence. 'Relax my mom told me.'

A look of displeasure flitted across Jamie's face. He couldn't believe Louis had said it was a secret, and his mom had already told Darlene who was a terrible gossip. The news would be out in no time.

He looked at John warily. 'Right, well I guess my mom's fine,' he finally said, his appetite deserting him. 'But jeez she's thirty-five, she's kinda old to be having another baby.'

John looked at him open-mouthed, the sandwich he was holding was left dangling in mid-air. 'Lottie's having a baby? Whoa, I know I said she was hot but a baby!'

Jamie's stomach sank. 'You didn't know she was pregnant? But you said your mom told you?' 

John grinned at him. 'She told me she was ill, Lottie called her last night.'

Jamie groaned, and there he was thinking Darlene was a blabbermouth! He'd known for less than twenty-four hours and he'd gone and shot his mouth off. Louis was gonna kill him.

'John you can't breathe a word about this,' he hissed.

John smirked. 'So what's it worth to you?'

Jamie grabbed his arm. 'I'm serious! It's supposed to be a secret. My mom doesn't even know that I know. She wants to keep it to herself until she knows it's safe.'

John knotted his eyebrows together. 'What do you mean, until it's safe?'

'Until she's further along I suppose. She's had miscarriages before, remember?' He had to impress upon John how important it was that he keep the news to himself.

'I think I remember,' John said uncertainly, and Jamie guessed he probably didn't. It would hardly have impacted on John's childhood. 'Yeah, I think my mom might have mentioned it some time.'

'Right,' Jamie said letting out a deep breath. 'So don't say a word, not until I say you can.'

'Yeah sure,' John said losing interest. 'I'm glad it's not me who's gonna get a squawking brat coming into the house.'

Jamie smiled at him weakly, he wasn't thinking that far ahead. For all Louis seemed confident that once Charlotte was further along all would be well Jamie wasn't so convinced. Louis was rather conveniently forgetting that Charlotte had lost a baby in the later stages of pregnancy when she was married to his dad. Jamie wasn't about to remind him but he couldn't forget it himself. As far as he was concerned until the baby was safely delivered there were no guarantees that wouldn't happen again.

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