Pride and Prejudice

hot is for tea

Lizzy POV

Just as Jane and I were about to get out of the car at the gala, my phone lit up with an incoming call. I glanced at the name then instantly got apprehensive.

"It's Gee," I said anxiously, my hand gripping the phone.

Jane looked up from her purse and gasped, "Answer it."

I slid my finger to answer and pressed the screen to put it on speaker, "Hey Gee, did you take the test?"

"Bess."

Her tone. Noo. Nooo. It had happened.

"Oh, Gee."

I heard her start sobbing on the other end and I felt sick. "Bess I'm pregnant. The tiny chance of getting pregnant by your rapist fell on me. What do I do now?"

"I don't know," I took a breath, staring out the windshield but nothing registered with my mind except what she just said, "but I will be with you every step of the way, as much as you will let me."

I heard her sniffle on the other end. "I know you can't talk because you have the big gala thing that's about to start, but I just wanted to tell you. Can you pray with me later?"

"Absolutely. Are you sure you don't want us to just sit in the car and pray with you now? Jane is with me."

She sniffled again and I fought to hold tears back. "No, give me some time to process it and I will hopefully have a clearer head later."

"Jane and I can pray with you right now and then I can call you later or in the morning."

"You don't have to." She protested in-between sobs.

Jane looked at me with the "oh no, we are doing it" look.

"We are going to pray with you right now." 

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I lifted my head, blinking back tears after praying with Gee. "I do not feel like doing this right now. How can I act like everything is fine when my heart is breaking for her?"

Jane and I both slid out of the airconditioned car and into the sweltering heat. I leaned against the car for a moment, once again, trying to wrap my head around what had happened and what the pregnancy would mean for Gee. Jane came around from her side and grabbed my hand, "Hey, we can leave early if you want, nobody said you had to be perfect. I feel horrible for her too, and I only know her through what you have told me! You love this girl so much and knowing what I know about Gee, she will figure out a way to rise above it, despite the struggles, and turn it into a testimony."

I nodded miserably,  then ducked down a little to look at my makeup in the car door mirror to make sure it was alright. Standing back up, I took a deep breath, and with a nod to Jane, we walked up. 

As we approached the doors, a man from a couple two ahead of us held the door for his date, then the other couple who approached the doors arm and arm, and he stayed standing with the door open until we entered. Both Jane and I thanked him, and I smiled at the good Southern manners.

Immediately, my eyes began to adjust to the slightly dimmer interior and began taking in the decorations. The event planner had done a fantastic job this year. I was impressed, the atmosphere and decorations were exactly what they should be for a formal gala. All the circle tables had black tablecloths with centerpieces and were spaced out well, to where individuals could easily move between the tables even if people were sitting down on either side. There was a balloon display for pictures, a large area for dancing, and a stage for the band. The food would be brought to each person at their seat by a large waitstaff hired for the event, so just the utensils and glasses were on the tables. 

Leave it to me to distract myself with decorations and logistics. Ha.

Twenty feet into the expanse of the room, Lydia spotted us and made a beeline for Jane and I. She grabbed my arm and began to steer me around, "Who do you think is the hottest in a tux? I already have already spotted a couple of guys."

I grimaced, "I will let you decide who looks the nicest, like I've said before, hot is for tea, not for people."

She rolled her eyes and walked off into the fray.

Lydia, please don't be so hungry for attention from guys that you get yourself into a situation similar to Gee, where the guy flattered her by telling her all kinds of things, then drugged and raped her. Now she is pregnant with his child.

Jane turned to me, oblivious of where my thoughts had just wandered to, "What do you want to do?"

"Oh, this is the weird part. The beginning. I guess we should just go mingle?" I offered lamely, tapping a few of my fingers on my blush-colored clutch.

She grinned at my tone, ''Mom and dad are to the left, let's go over to them first.'' 

We headed over to their circle table with a black table cloth like all the others. Mom always gets to places early and stays until it shuts down so she can watch the entire event. She and Mrs. Lucas were standing talking, each of them leaning in to better hear each other, and keep their gossip from other ears.

Mom turned to look at us after a nod in our direction from Mrs. Lucas. Jane grinned at her, "What do you think?" she twirled around in her dress.

Mom grinned at her, "Sugar, you look gorgeous! 

"Thanks, mom! Of course, you do too! Now we are going to go and meet up with some other people."

"Wait just a minute!" mom exclaimed, and I looked at her suspiciously.

"Yes?"

She lowered her voice to a conspirational level, "Charles isn't here yet."

I raised my eyebrows, "And?"

Mom had an annoyed look flash across her face, "I just thought you would like to know that so you can do whatever you want until he gets here."

I barely stifled a groan, "Mom. I will not change whatever I do just for him.'' 

''Thank you, mom,'' Jane soothed, ''We appreciate you keeping an eye out, enjoy your evening.''

Mom nodded, pacified by her oldest daughter that was ever peacemaking.

My dad stood up from his seat, waiting until his wife had finished talking with us to take my arm much more softly than Lydia had previously done. He led me several feet away from mom to where she wouldn't be able to hear us, and I knew immediately where this was going. "What's wrong Lizzy? I know you and you only have that face on when something bad happened but you don't want other people to worry."

I gave him a small smile, "Gee, the girl I tutored in England- Do you know who I'm talking about?" He nodded and I continued in a quiet voice, not wanting my mother to hear. "She was raped and now she is pregnant. I just learned about it on the way here."

"Oh, Lizzy." He gave me a hug, which up until that point I didn't realize I had needed. "I'm sure you will be such an encouragement to her, and by the way, you look gorgeous.

He let go of me and I gave him a genuine smile, watery eyes included. "Thanks, Dad."

I turned away before mom could see me crying and interrogate me. I wasn't in the mood for that. As I started to ease away from dad, Jane excused herself and we found two empty spots at a table with an older couple we knew. They agreed to watch our clutches while we mingled, I sat mine down, then made my way across the room to the ladies restroom, occasionally smiling and making eye contact with people I knew. As soon as I pushed open the door, I found the first available stall and locked myself in it. I leaned against the side of the stall, wishing I could run my hands over my face to massage it, but I knew that would mess up my makeup. Instead, I put my face in my hands, trying to take deep breaths.

Jeez, Lizzy, it isn't like Gee is dead. Get a hold of yourself.

I racked my brain for any Bible verses that might help me right now. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

I ran the verse over in my head until I was confident that it would somehow all work out. Then I put a smile on my lips and went back into the fray of people gathered to support and give a better life to some of the African people.