In the Woods When First We Met

151. Billy and Josie

While Gilbert had been copying his notes down for Anne about the War of 1812, back on Friday afternoon- that fateful Friday that everything had erupted at school- Billy and Josie had engaged in a heated conversation in the corner of the classroom.

"Look, Josie, you know I did stuff with her," Billy said. "But I didn't attack her like she says. She's the one who was trying to lure me. She's gross and she throws herself at boys. I didn't mean to get taken in by her. I'm sorry."

"I know," Josie said. "We were all just fine before she came here. All she's done since she came has been to ruffle feathers. But I still think its gross you would even consider doing anything with her. I can't even imagine you kissing that girl."

"Well I didn't kiss her," Billy said.

"Oh, you didn't?"

"No."

Josie felt better. "That's good. Anyway, I wish you hadn't done anything. But you can't change it now. The only thing left to do is...minimize the damage."

Billy looked at Josie dumbly.

Josie explained, "You have to establish that it wasn't you."

Billy nodded. "Oh, I know. And I think it should be okay; my parents wouldn't believe I did anything with her. Or to her. But I don't see why you have to go home and tell your parents," Billy argued. "Or anyone else's, either- I thought you were on my side!"

"I am," Josie said.

"Then why are you going to go home and tell everybody?" He asked. "If you're on my side then you shouldn't bring it up at all! Just keep quiet about everything..."

"You can't deal with it that way, not if there's a baby coming. Ruby said she was talking about a baby. Otherwise you could have just said the whole thing was a lie, and people would have believed it."

Why did there have to be a baby, then? Billy thought, upset. He hadn't thought about that at all when he'd done this, and now it could ruin everything. ...A baby gave Anne proof.

"How long ago did you guys do that?" Josie asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"I don't know, I don't remember," Billy said, shrugging. "Two or three months maybe?"

If Anne had been there, she could have told him that it had been two months, two weeks, three days, and eight hours.

"Then it'll show sometime soon, probably."

"...don't go home and tell people, Josie. Can't we just try to keep the story from getting out?"

"Do I have to do all your thinking for you?" Josie snapped. "What do you think will happen if she tells everyone you did this, and you deny it, and everyone believes you- but then a baby comes? Everyone's going to go back and think, she was telling the truth after all!"

Billy felt miserable. "So what are we supposed to do?"

"That baby has to be part of the story now. So we should all go home and tell our parents that Anne's having a baby and she's saying you're at fault. We can all say we think it must be Gilbert's, because Ruby can even attest to them spending time alone together in that ramshackle old building in the woods."

"But if it really was Gilbert's, why would she be saying it was mine?"

Josie thought about that a minute. Then she said, "Money. Your family has more money than Gilbert's father. So she wants to pass it off as yours so she can finagle money out of you. And she's decided that if that doesn't work, she'll take Gilbert up on his offer to marry her."

Billy nodded slowly. He could see that making sense.

As long as Jane didn't tell.

He looked over at Jane. She was looking over at Billy and Josie with a conflicted expression.

On the way home that Friday afternoon, Jane had asked, "What were you and Josie talking about?"

Billy shrugged.

"You know," Jane said sharply, "You're really past the point of not telling me things. I already know too much. You may as well tell me."

"Fine," Billy said. "She's going to go home and tell her parents that Anne's having a baby and blaming it on me."

Jane's eyes widened. "So it'll be out now."

"No," Billy said. "It won't be out, because we're saying she's lying."

Jane's shoulders slumped. She'd hoped Billy was going to finally admit to their parents what he'd done.

"But, Billy, if she's having a baby," Jane said, "Then how can you say she's lying? ...You should just tell mother and father the truth."

"Josie thought of that," Billy said happily. "It's Gilbert's."

Jane made a face at him. "You're going to blame this on Gilbert?"

"Sure," Billy said with satisfaction. "Mr. Perfect can see what it's like to be blamed for everything for once."

Jane was sad. Then she thought, "How are you going to make people think it was him instead of you?"

"Easy," Billy said. "Ruby caught them alone together in the woods, in some little house or something. She said it seemed like they'd been sneaking off alone together a lot, right? There you go."

Jane bit her lip. Ruby thought Gilbert and Anne were getting married. Maybe they were. Maybe it was for the best. If Gilbert married her, then Ruby would have to quit her fussing, Anne wouldn't be shamed for having a baby out of wedlock, and no one would have to know the terrible thing that her brother had done.