Disclaimer: Xena and Gabrielle belong to Renaissance\MCA Universal and all that. They are not mine and I make no profit from this. Sarah, Nicole, David, Grandma and everyone else are mine. Please do not use them or copy my stories without permission.

Feedback is very much appreciated, e-mail me at: XenaWarriorPrincess4@juno.com

Part 1

"Sarah, just tell me what's bothering you, please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it's none of your business."

"You're my best friend, what bothers you bothers me."

"Not this time."

"Maybe I could help or something . . . "

"No." I stole a glance in her direction as she sighed and looked at her feet. I didn't want to be mean to her but I just couldn't tell anybody, not yet.

"Did something happen with David?"

"No."

"Your dad?"

"No."

"Your grandma?"

"No." I began to walk down the hall toward the bathrooms and she followed me, still questioning.

"Did you get a bad grade, or get into trouble or something?" she asked, fluffing her blonde hair and examining her reflection in the mirror. I sighed from inside the toilet stall. If only it were that... I leaned my head against the cool steel wall, waiting for a wave of nausea to pass. "No." It came out sharper than I meant for it to. Nicole turned and leaned against the sink.

"Fine, but if you want to talk you know where I am." She picked up her bag and went out.

I came out of the stall and went after her. Nikki had sounded hurt and I hadn't meant to hurt her. It was just too much. All yesterday afternoon David had given me the third degree as to why I was behaving like I was, this morning it was my father, and now Nicole. "Nik...wait..." She was about to turn the corner and stopped. "I'm sorry...I just....." My voice trailed off, if I said anymore I might have started crying. I took a deep breath and tried again. "I just can't talk about this yet. Please try to understand."

"It's all right, I understand." She smiled and that made me feel better.

"Call me tonight, okay?"

"Okay." And with that she turned and went out the front doors of the school.

I decided to walk the opposite way down the hall to kill a little more time before going home. I came back to the deserted bathrooms and went in. I looked into the mirror, wondering if the empty, tired-looking blue eyes that stared back could possibly be mine. Of all the people.... My thoughts were interrupted as 3 girls came in. They stopped talking when they saw me. Goody two shoes, that's what they were. Cheerleaders or something. They each went into a stall, giggling as if they shared some secret. I gathered up my books and, feeling more than a little depressed, began my long walk home.

"Dad! Grandma! I'm home!" I called, slamming the front door behind me. I turned left and went into the kitchen, finding Dad and Grandma sitting at the table drinking coffee.

"Nice to have you home early." Dad remarked. Usually I went to the diner with David and some friends, or to the basketball courts if David had practice, after school.

I smiled, "Thanks."

"What's the cause of us being graced with your presence before 10pm?" Grandma asked.

"No reason." I went upstairs to my room to avoid further questioning.

I shivered as I opened the door to my room and pulled David's letter jacket tighter around me. My boyfriend, David, was a jock. He played basketball and football and was great at both. Everyone at school thought it was funny that I dated a jock, usually they weren't my type. But there was something about David, I could never quite pick out what it was. He was tall and dark, with bright green eyes and an easy smile. We had been dating since last year, our Junior year. He stocked groceries at his dad's friend's store, making good money because he worked odd hours. He lived across town with his older sister and parents.

I sat my books on my desk. I felt tired, so I stretched out across the bed. I hugged my arms around me and rolled over on my side, pretending that I didn't know the cause of my sudden fatigue and nausea. It was a lot easier not to face it, to just drag it out, hoping against hope, day after day, that I would discover it wasn't true. I tried to imagine what things would be like after everyone found out. Claiming that she knew all along, Grandma would condemn and criticize me, saying that is was a disgrace to the family, then yell at Dad telling him where he went wrong in raising me. Nicole would try to comfort me, saying that everything would be all right and that she'd always be there for me. That was Nicole, she was always there, especially when you needed her. The jerks at school would giggle and say that I got what was coming to me. My friends would be sympathetic, but none the less whisper behind my back. No doubt they would become distant. And Dad.....he was the one I most dread telling. Oh, how I didn't want to hurt him. He had done so much for me. When my mom died the year I was three, he raised me on his own until Grandma insisted on moving in with us when I turned ten. She said that I needed a woman around since I was getting to 'that age'. David, I couldn't fathom telling David. I had no idea how he'd react. Would he be mad? Or kind? Maybe even take responsibility? Marry me? I had no idea, and he is the one I should know best.

I guess I fell asleep after that, because the next thing I knew Grandma was beating on my door. "Sarah!", she crowed "It's time for supper!"

"Okay, Grandma. I'll be right down."

"Well, hurry up." She said, before turning and going back downstairs.

Sitting up and pushing my hair out of my face, I rubbed my eyes and yawned. I went to the dresser and straightened my hair and clothes, and being suddenly hot, took off David's jacket. I went downstairs and sat at my place at the table. Dad said grace and we began to eat. I didn't realize until then that I was starving. Even the steamed carrots that I usually wouldn't go near smelled good. I heaped them and some pot roast onto my plate. As I was replacing the spoon in the bowl of carrots, I caught my grandmother looking at me.

"They been making you chop wood at school?"

"No ma'am," I smiled "I'm just hungry," I answered around a mouth full of potatoes.

"Stop filling your mouth so full."

I swallowed. "Yes ma'am."

Conversation lulled until Dad started talking about something going on at work, and my eyes began to wander. They wandered over to the white kitchen counter, over the blue and white spice jars, over the white tiled floor, coming to rest on the red table that I was sitting at. Red. I would be so relieved to see red. I never thought that there would be a time in my life that I would want to see red so much. God, I was scared witless.

After supper I went back to my room and pulled a small date book out of my desk. I turned to last month and counted forward from July 25. Damn. Over two weeks late. I sat in the chair and slumped over the desk, laying my head in my arms. I felt a tear run slowly down my cheek. I began to sob. After several minutes of sobbing the phone rang. It was Nikki.

"Are you okay? You sound like you've been crying."

"Yeah, I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm great! Guess who called me when I got home?"

"Who?"

"Roger! Isn't that the most? The power forward for the high school basketball team!"

"Yeah, that's great."

"He wants me to go to the diner with him after school tomorrow. Why don't you and David come too?"

"Okay. That'd be fun."

"Great! Oh this is sooo great! I thought I would wear my black poodle skirt with a green blouse, how do you think that would look?"

"It will look wonderful, I'm sure."

"Great! I can't wait! See you then! 'Bye!"

The next day at school was a haze. All of my classes flew by in a blur of friends, jokes, teachers, assignments, and last but not least, Nicole bubbling about going to the diner with Roger. I spent the beginning fifteen minutes of first period with my head over the toilet throwing up. Nicole chattered about how the flu was going around while she held my hair back.

After our last class Nicole and I found Roger and David talking out in the hall. The four of us walked together to the diner at the corner. We found a booth near the back and sat down, Nicole and Roger on one side, David and I on the other. Each of us ordered a hamburger and a milkshake. As Roger talked about the upcoming basketball season, David put his arm around me and gave me an affectionate squeeze. I closed my eyes and lay my head over on his shoulder; it was the most relaxed I had felt in days. I thought about telling him this evening, but decided against it. I'll tell Nicole first and see what she says. I've been friends with Nicole as long as I can remember. Our moms had become friends just after we were born, so the two of us have grown up together. We've always shared everything. I was at Nikki's house when Dad told me that my mom had died. When her parents finally allowed her to take ballet lessons we talked Dad into letting me take them too. When Grandma moved in and took over Nikki was there. When Nicole got her first kiss, she called me the very second she got home to tell me all of the details. She lived one street over from me, so one of us was at the other's house almost constantly.

Our food arrived but everyone was more interested in talking than eating. Roger and David were debating whether or not the school's basketball team had a chance of making it to the state finals this season and Nikki was watching Roger with an adoring gleam in her eyes. I was happy for her. She and Bobby, her steady boyfriend, had broken up this summer and she had been taking it hard.

"Why so quiet, Sadie?" David asked, snapping me back to reality.

"Just thinking."

"Don't think too much. Your brain'll rot!" Roger said.

Nicole playfully hit him for his taunt. "Leave her alone!"

I smiled and stirred my strawberry milkshake. "You know what I heard? That Janet Marshall was dating Martin Golds."

"NO!" Nicole said, her eyes widening.

"Yep."

The four of us gossiped for another fifteen minutes, then the boys decided to run to the mechanic's shop up the street and pick up a part for David's car. They promised to be back for us in half an hour. I was glad to get them out of there, it gave me a chance to talk to Nicole in private. David kissed me and ran a hand through my dark hair. "You won't miss me too much will you?" he asked, grinning.

"Get outta here." I said giving him a good-natured shove.

"All right, all right....we're going!" He grabbed Roger by the arm and half-dragged him out of the diner.

Nicole smiled at the sight. "They think they're so cute, huh?"

"Yeah..."

She took a sip of her milkshake and rolled her eyes.

I sighed and chewed on my thumb nail thoughtfully.

"Nicole..." I began mustering up all the courage I had.

"Yeah?"

"I'm pregnant."

"WHAT THE----!"

I quickly leaned across the table and put my hand over her mouth. "I don't want the whole world to know!" I whispered. Her eyes were as big around as my fists.

It was the first time I had said, or even thought, 'pregnant' pertaining to my present condition. I slowly lowered my hand from her mouth.

"Oh my God!," she gasped "Sarah...how?"

I raised my eyebrows at her.

"I mean, I knew you guys were doing it and all, but..."

I slowly shook my head. "I don't know."

"It's David's, right?"

"Of course it's David's! He's the only guy I've ever been with." I was a little hurt that Nikki would ask that kind of thing. She knew I wasn't loose.

"Sorry, just wanted to make sure."

I took another drink of my milkshake, swallowing hard to keep it down.

"Have you told him yet?" she asked.

"No, and I wish I didn't have to. You're the first person to know."

"I guess this explains why you've been acting so strange lately."

"It's a feasible excuse isn't it?" I said, smiling a little.

"I'll say." She looked at me and I could see the sadness and concern in her eyes. "Sarah, what are you going to do?"

"I have no idea."

We sat in silence for a few minutes before we heard the door to the diner open. It was David and Roger, back sooner than we expected them to be.

"Don't say anything to anybody, okay?" I whispered.

"Okay." she said, before looking up and forcing a smile to welcome the two boys back.

It had been 4 days since I'd told Nicole. We had talked about it briefly several times since that afternoon at the diner and Nikki was sympathetic. 'You know I'm always here for you.' is how she would end each conversation. I knew, and I was grateful.

David called Saturday morning and asked me to go to the drive-in with him that evening. He had football practice all day then he would come pick me up about 7pm. After he called I moped around the house, thinking of the task that lay before me. I'd have to tell him tonight. I had avoided it long enough. He had been worried for the past week. Because I had been acting strange, he knew something was up. At 6:30 I went up to my room and changed into my nice jeans and a purple t-shirt. I put on the gold locket that had been my mother's and some small gold earrings. I pulled the top of my hair back in a white scarf and let the rest of it fall down around my shoulders. I went downstairs to wait for David. He announced his arrival just before seven by honking the horn. I called good-bye to Dad over my shoulder and ran out the front door before Grandma could follow me, yelling to be home before ten. We made it to the drive-in movies in time for the 7:15 show and parked near the back. After he turned the car off, he put his arm around me then leaned over and kissed me. I kissed him back, knowing where this was headed. After a while of kissing he began pushing his tongue in my mouth and running his hand up the back of my shirt, trying to undo my bra. I pulled back and said "Not tonight, okay?"

"Why not, baby? It's been so long."

"I know," I sighed "I'm sorry."

"Come on, no one can see us. Or we'll go back to my place, my parents and sister are out. We'll have the house to ourselves for an hour or so anyway."

I shook my head and sat up some more. "David, I've got something to tell you."

"What? What's the matter, Sadie?"

"I--I'm going to have a baby." After a few seconds of stunned silence I ventured a glance at him. He was sitting there, his mouth half-open too shocked to say anything. His left hand was gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were white. A few moments later he recovered. He closed his mouth and gritted his teeth together, then took a deep breath. All of the sudden he slammed his hand into dashboard with all his might. I almost jumped out of my skin at the unexpected movement. "DAMN IT!" He screamed loud enough that I'm sure everyone else heard. David threw open the car door and jumped out. I got out too and followed him as he began walking between the cars, completely oblivious to the dirty looks people were giving us for interrupting their privacy.

"David, wait..." I caught up with him at the back near the fence "...please don't be angry."

"How could you let this happen?" he shot back at me.

"Let it happen? This wasn't my idea you know!"

"I was SO careful, Sarah." he said, trying hard to keep his voice on an even tone.

"Nothing's a hundred percent, I guess."

"Don't feed me that shit! I don't want to hear it!" He turned and leaned against the fence, running his fingers through his hair while he thought. Hot tears began to run down my cheeks. I waited to see if he would say more but he didn't, so I whispered "I'm so sorry, David."

"No, I'm sorry," he replied as he looked up. "I'm bailing, Sadie. I've worked too hard to have my life ruined now. Everyone says I am almost guaranteed a football scholarship to college, I've got a good job and I'm happy with my life the way it is. I'll be damned before I let this mess it up. You're on your own." He started walking back towards the car but I grabbed his arm.

"Wait--" I cried. He turned and slung his arm as hard as he could sending me staggering back several steps, almost falling on my butt. He stalked back to the car. By this time the movie was over and the drive-in had begun to empty. He got in the car and slammed the door, stopping only long enough to throw my purse out the window before flooring the car and roaring out of the lot. I bent over and picked it up, as I stood there and wiped the tears from my face I slowly soaked in all that had happened. Just then I heard my name called across the parking lot.

"Sarah! Need a ride?" It was a friend from school and her boyfriend. I hoped that she hadn't seen the fight David and I just had. "Hop in, we'll take you home." she said and smiled warmly.

"Thanks." I replied as I climbed in the backseat.

I came in the front door and went up to my room without saying anything to Dad or Grandma. I didn't feel like explaining why I was home early. I went to my room, laid face down across the bed and cried. I cried and cried until there were no more tears to cry, just dry sobs. After almost an hour I rolled over on my back and wiped my face. I stared at the ceiling. Just stared. I didn't think about anything because I was afraid of what I would think. I concentrated on the sobs as they rose in my throat until I got the dull headache that comes from crying too long. I turned back over on my stomach and propped myself up on my elbows then pushed the tear soaked hair that stuck to my face aside. I stood up and waited a second for the dull heaviness of my head to fade. It felt like it took the greatest effort in the world to trudge over to the dresser and pull out my nightgown. I undressed and slipped it over my head feeling the cool softness against my skin. I went over to the bed, turned the pillow and straightened the rumpled sheets. Then I got my robe out of the closet and went downstairs to the kitchen. Dad was there as usual, having his cup of coffee, decaffeinated because of the late hour. He looked up and smiled when I came in. "Grandma's gone to bed already, Saturdays wear her out." he said. I poured myself a cup of coffee and stirred it until the milk and sugar dissolved, then sat down at the table next to him. "Are you okay? Look like you've been crying." he inquired.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little upset, David and I had a fight."

"I'm sorry, sweetie."

"It's all right." I took a sip of the coffee and felt it burn as it went down.

"The weather's been nice lately hasn't it?," Dad remarked "Not too hot for the last months of summer."

"Mmm, it has been nice."

"The weatherman said it was supposed to rain yesterday, but it held off."

I nodded. "Dad...there's something I've got to tell you."

"What's that, dear?" he asked, as he sat back and crossed his arms, giving me his full attention.

I licked my lips. "Before I tell you I just want to say how terribly sorry I am, please don't hate me."

He leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek. "Sarah, I could never hate you."

I tried to think of an easy way to say it. Fathers and daughters just don't talk about this kind of thing. Feeling a knot of dread form in my throat I swallowed hard, trying to suppress it. I focused on my hands that were folded in my lap. I looked up at Dad, opened my mouth to speak, then sighed and returned my gaze to my hands again. Dad looked at me expectantly. "Sarah, whatever it is, just tell me." he said kindly. I continued to stare at my hands, knowing that if I looked at Dad I would lose the tiny amount of courage I had managed to build up. After another minute I whispered, "Daddy, I'm pregnant."

All the color drained from his face. He took a deep breath then slowly leaned his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands. I saw his shoulders trembling and realized that he was crying. The only other time I had ever seen Dad cry was when mom died. Tears began to well up in my eyes too. I wanted to say something but there was nothing to say. 'Sorry' would do no good now. He rubbed his eyes with his finger tips for a few seconds. Then he sat up straight, took another deep breath and let it back out. He looked at me with his puffy red eyes. "Is that what the fight between you and David was about tonight?"

I nodded and said "Yes."

"And what did he say when you told him?"

"He dumped me." My voice broke when I got to 'dumped' and I put my fist to my mouth, pressing my knuckles against my lips.

"How long have you known....?"

I lowered my fist and rested my chin on it. "About a week." I said quietly. About a week. In about a week my life had turned upside down.

We sat in silence for what seemed like a long time. Dad leaned back in his chair and slowly finished his cup of coffee, staring off in the distance. When I was a child the teachers in Sunday school told us that a person's true character comes out in a crisis and I've always found that to be true. It was true now. Dad was probably saying nothing to avoid saying the wrong thing. That was Dad, he always tried his hardest to do what was right. He hardly ever jumped to conclusions, judged, or criticized me. If we disagreed about something, that was all right. I had been brought up to be obedient but I had also been brought up to have a mind of my own.

"Well," he said as he stood up. "It's too late to think rationally about this tonight. We'll talk tomorrow after I get back from town." Dad always went to town on Sunday. He did the grocery shopping and paid bills so Grandma wouldn't have so much to do. "But do me a favor and tell your Grandma, okay?"

"She's not going to take this well, is she?"

"Probably not." He sighed and sat his cup in the sink. "Good night sweetie, I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy." He kissed me on top of the head and I watched him as he climbed the stairs, suddenly I thought that my dad looked much older than he actually was. I heard the door to his room shut. I sat my cup in the sink next to his and glanced at the clock. It was 10 til 10, probably not too late to call Nikki.

I crossed the hall to the living room and sat on the sofa. Quickly dialing Nicole's number I shivered and tucked my feet beneath me, trying to keep warm. Two rings, three rings, four rings...."Hello?" Nicole answered in her perky voice, as usual.

"Hi Nikki, it's me."

"Hey Sarah!"

"How are you?"

"I'm good, Roger's called me a total of three times since Tuesday! I think he really likes me!"

"That's wonderful, Nicole! I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks."

"I told David tonight."

"You did? What happened?"

I sighed heavily before answering,"We went to the drive-in and I told him. He got really mad and jumped out of the car. I followed him to the back of the parking lot, we had a fight and......he dumped me."

"I'm sorry, Sarah."

"It's all right," I said, trying to blink back tears. "I told Dad a few minutes ago, too."

"How did he take it?"

"Pretty well, actually. But I felt really bad because he cried."

"Whoa! He cried? I haven't seen your dad cry since...." she let the sentence trail off.

"My mom died." I finished

"Yeah."

"He wasn't mad like I thought he might be. I don't think the full effect of it has hit him yet. He said we'd talk about it tomorrow when he got home from town. He also asked me to tell Grandma."

"Uh-oh. She is going to be so pissed off."

"I know. I don't want to tell her. I wish there was some way not to."

"You could just wait until the baby is born." she said with a giggle.

I was silent for a moment. I wasn't considering the idea, but I didn't want to talk about the baby being born. I had hardly had time to get used to the idea of there even being a baby. "Yeah, I guess I could," I said. "But I think she'd catch on eventually. So, has Roger asked you out again?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Not yet, but I hope he does soon." We talked for fifteen more minutes then I hung up the phone, turned all the downstairs lights out, and quietly climbed the stairs. I could hear Grandma snoring noisily as I tiptoed past her room on the way to the bathroom. I quickly washed my face then went to my room. I stood in front of the mirror and combed my hair after I took out the scarf. Then I slipped between the covers and fell into a restful sleep.

Grandma was downstairs laboring at some chore or another and Dad had already left when I woke up the next morning. I had slept in and as a consequence missed breakfast.

I showered, dressed, and went downstairs. After being promptly reprimanded for sleeping past 9am by Grandma I fixed myself scrambled eggs only to get sick at my stomach halfway through eating them and wound up throwing the other half away. I went over to Nicole's house after breakfast. I felt like I had been focused too much on myself and my problems lately and I wanted a full update on what was happening with Roger. I knocked on the door once and it was flung open by a squealing Nicole.

"YOU'LL NEVER GUESS!!!" she bellowed, before I could even lower my hand from knocking position.

"Nicole, settle down. You are going to give someone a heart attack." said Mrs. Wattford, Nikki's mom. "Hello, Sarah. How are you today?"

"I'm fine, thanks." I smiled. Nicole rolled her eyes, being sure that her mother couldn't see, and moved aside to let me in.

"What's happened?" I asked.

"Roger asked me to go steady!"

"Really?! That's terrific!"

"Come on!," she said as she pulled my arm "Let's go for a walk around the block and I'll tell you all about it!"

During our half hour walk I was filled in on all of the details. Roger had stopped by this morning with a dozen daisies and carnations. He told her that he had had a crush on her for sometime, only from a distance. He would have taken action sooner only it turns out that he's a little shy. "Daniel has teased me relentlessly saying that Roger looks like a pelican." Nicole shook her head in mock annoyance. Daniel was Nikki's 12 year old kid brother that she was very fond of. I giggled, because secretly I kinda thought Roger looked like a pelican too. With his long, skinny legs, tall stature, and narrow shoulders he fit the pelican mold almost perfectly. We went back to her house and hung out for a while, then around 11 o'clock I went back home.

At home I found Grandma in the laundry room, a small room off of our kitchen. I went in and pleasantly told her I was home. I was in a good mood for the first time in days. Talking with Nicole and seeing her so happy had made me happy too.

"I don't guess you'd want to help sort laundry, would you?" she remarked.

I sat on a step-stool and began putting towels and washclothes into a basket. Dad would be home soon. I had to tell her now. She seemed in a good mood as well, which for her were few and far between, and I sure hated to spoil it. I stood up and began emptying the towels and washclothes into the washer. I didn't see Dad step into the into the doorway as I said, "Grandma, I told Dad last night and now I've got to tell you....I am going to have a baby." Her good mood was definitely spoilt. She turned to me and with one swift motion slapped me solidly across the face. For a few seconds I was too stunned to move, then I raised my hand to my stinging cheek. I looked at her and found that she was glaring back at me. Her actions surprised me so much that I turned to run out of the laundry room. It was then that I noticed Dad. I could tell by the look on his face that he had witnessed the whole thing. I ran past him and went out the back door. I sat on the swing and gently rocked back and forth. I could hear shouting inside. Guess I should go back in... I thought. I hugged my arms around me and closed my eyes, letting the warm afternoon breeze dry my tear soaked cheeks. I opened my eyes and surveyed the backyard. My eyes came to rest on the small flower garden that I kept during the spring. Mom used to keep one too, in the same place, when she was alive. Gardening had been her favorite hobby. I stood up and went back in the house. Dad and Grandma were in the living room.

"Mother, its not your place to judge my daughter!" I heard Dad saying as I walked down the hall toward the room they were in. "I don't agree with what she's done but there is nothing any of us can do about it now." he continued.

I stood in the doorway of the room, not saying anything. Dad looked up and saw me.

"Sarah, honey, are you all right?" he asked.

I nodded.

"You should ground her!" Grandma yelled, pointing her finger at me.

"Why?," Dad asked. "What good is it going to do now?"

"You should have never let her go out with that--that BOY!"

"What was I supposed to do? Keep her on a leash and never let her out of my sight?"

"The second two young people get alone together that's all they think about!"

I turned beet red. Dad and Grandma are talking about my sex life. Great. Why don't they just announce it over the loudspeaker at the supermarket?

"What do you want me to do?" Dad asked her again.

"Nothing I can think of is bad enough for the filthy little tramp." she said bitterly.

My face burned with embarrassment. No, worse than that, humiliation. I was not a filthy tramp. I decided to voice my feelings.

"I am not a filthy tramp." I said evenly.

Grandma glared at me, surprised that I had spoken. "Oh really?," she said mockingly. "Then how do you explain being 17, pregnant, and husbandless?"

"Expressing your love for someone doesn't make you a tramp." I replied, feeling a tad brave.

"And just where is this someone that you love so much now?" she looked at me, waiting for an answer.

I didn't say anything. My face began to burn with humiliation again. I glanced at Dad and noticed that he looked embarrassed too.

"Exactly what I thought!," she snapped. "Tell me, Sarah, was Mr. Wonderful worth sacrificing your decency? Respectability? Virtue? Hmm? Was 'expressing your love' worth having an illegitimate child?"

"You don't understand anything about it." I replied flatly.

"I understand loose morals when I see them!"

"I do not have loose morals!"

"If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck it must be a duck." she said haughtily. "I don't know how any son of mine managed to raise a...," she paused, searching for the right word. "....a whore."

I stood there, fuming. I had had it. She'd walked all over Dad and I since the day she moved in. I looked her right in the eye. "Don't you ever call me a whore again you dried up, old, bitter woman."

Her wrinkled mouth gaped in astonishment. She gasped for breath and pointed her finger at me. "Did you hear what she said to me?!" she yelled at my father. "Are you going to let her get by with talking to her elders like that?!"

Dad threw his hands up in the air. "Leave me out of it. If anyone needs me I'll be in my room." He went out of the room and I followed him. I headed upstairs to my room, leaving a shocked Grandma behind me in the living room.

Continued in Part 2.