by Fred Allen
The proof was now in. All of Sandy’s fears had come true. Nobody likes to be made a fool of and the love she had felt for Jonathan didn’t make it any easier. Beth’s description of the “rotten bastard” was obviously accurate but did nothing to ease Sandy’s aching heart or stem the flow of tears.
Anita returned on schedule with plans for the following weekend that would require a babysitter. Sandy declined saying she had a lot to do to get ready for her senior year in high school. Robbie eagerly volunteered his services saying he was so well organized that he was ready for a flying start in Grade VIII.
The following week their father was back from Ottawa and the family left for ten days at the Ross family summer home at Old Orchard Beach near Portland in Maine. This was always a combination holiday and shopping expedition for school clothes. The summer home had been built by their Great Grandfather Ross early in the century. Grandfather Ross described his father as a very successful entrepreneur and a major bootlegger. Sandy and Robbie were never really sure whether their Grandfather was just pulling their legs when he showed them the spacious basement and the decaying logs that remained from what he told them was the dock at which shipments of booze had been unloaded from big schooners that had come in from the West Indies and even Europe. Hard as they tried to enlist the aid of their father to verify these stories, they came up empty. Their father and his father-in-law were very close so the truth of the stories continued in doubt although, as they got older, and got to know their Grandfather better, their suspicions increased that this was just another illustration of his quirky sense of humor.
They always stopped to shop in Bangor on their way south and, at the end of a full day of shopping, most of the school clothes having been acquired, the need for the small trailer behind the station wagon was fully justified.
The weather was wonderful and Grandfather Ross always had many interesting things planned for them. He promised to let them in on a family secret and take them out in the bay where he swore that one of the rum running schooners had sunk and they could dive for booze as he proved to them that all his stories were true. But each morning Grandfather Ross would sadly announce that the weather was not quite right or the tides were wrong for the expedition.
However, they were never at a loss for things to do. Nelson was there and the old Newfoundland dog was really showing his age. Despite having really slowed down, Nelson still wanted to go everywhere with them. Grandfather Ross knew some great trout streams within a drive of an hour or two. Grandmother Ross had planned a full day of shopping in Boston for the “girls” with a stopover at a downtown hotel already reserved. Sandy, to her mother’s surprise and some chagrin, opted for the fishing trip over the shopping trip. Perhaps her choice was based upon experience that had proven that Grandfather Ross was much more fun than Grandmother Ross and particularly when Sandy would have to deal with both her grandmother and her mother. But then, just perhaps, it was that Boston was getting very close to Jonathan and although she felt quite secure in her conclusions about him, she wasn’t totally certain that the continued exposure to her mother and grandmother would not drive her to some extreme avenue of escape.
They returned to Fredericton with the station wagon and trailer stuffed with purchases. They had bought so much that their father suggested-to a chorus of protests-that they would have to leave Wee Willie behind. But he found room for the baby’s car seat, strapped him in and the baby was sound asleep before they even got out on the main highway.
Sandy and Robbie were back to school the day after Labor Day and Sandy found herself caught up in the frenetic “back to school” routine. New classes, some new faces, new-although often used-text books and some new teachers. Sandy had selected a very heavy program because this was the only way to keep her options open. Her scholastic record was very good and being fluently bilingual, the mandatory French class was unnecessary and this made it possible for her to take an additional science credit. She elected biology because it would be taught by one of her favorite teachers.
Trevor called a few times and they took in a show together and she went with him to the university for the annual “Welcome Back Bash” which included a great dance band and the traditional harassment of freshmen normally referred to as initiation. Trevor was very nice and made absolutely no effort to return to the ground he may have assumed he had gained during the “near miss”. They never mentioned Jonathan but she felt certain that he had his suspicions. She told him of her call to Beth Miller but omitted Beth’s concluding sobriquet relating to her opinion of Jonathan. During the show he would put his arm around her shoulders and when he escorted her back to her door on each occasion he kissed her warmly but his hands remained on her shoulders and showed no inclination to carry on the explorations they had indulged themselves in a few weeks earlier. Each night he would conclude his kiss, look into her eyes, and say very softly “Always remember, Sandy, no matter what happens, I love you very much”.
While her father had never questioned her about her dates, he obviously really had a high regard for Trevor. Peter Marshall knew Trevor’s father very well. Lawrence Martin had been the Royal Canadian Air Force’s youngest Wing Commander in World War II and had been decorated with both the Distinguished Service Order and the Distinguished Flying Cross. His distinguished war service was one of the reasons Peter Marshall held Trevor’s father in such high esteem but Lawrence Martin was not only a member of the Provincial Legislature but also a senior member of the Provincial Cabinet. As the Sergeant-at-Arms for the Provincial Legislature, Peter Marshall worked with Lawrence Martin on a variety of ceremonial and mere housekeeping matters relating to the operations of the Provincial Legislature. Lawrence Martin was also very active in the Canadian Legion as a Past President of the local branch and already a member of the National Executive.
School started out very well for Sandy, but as they approached the end of September she became increasingly worried. Her period was late and this had never happened before. Sandy had always been as regular as clockwork. All efforts to rationalize her apparent condition were unsuccessful and then, on the last Friday of the month, she awoke feeling sick to her stomach. And now she was sure; she was pregnant. She didn’t go to school that day and her mother provided no argument. She and Anita had a shopping trip to Saint John planned and Sandy could look after Wee Willie and Anita’s kids when the latter came home from school.
The arrangement with Jonathan had been that she would call him collect because if he were to call her there was no way of knowing who would answer the phone. After his lying to her about Saint John, not even mentioning that Anita would be driving him down to Cambridge plus Beth Miller’s reaction at the mere mention of his name, Sandy’s initial heart break had been replaced by anger and embarrassment for having allowed herself to be used. But, obviously, Jonathan was thinking about her because one of his friends, who had visited him early in September, had phoned her on his return telling her that Jonathan wanted her to phone him. When the friend tried to set up a date with Sandy she suspected that Jonathan’s treachery had reached the point that he was recommending her to his friends as an easy lay. But Sandy was becoming desperate and, while she had no wish to continue their social relationship, she thought he might be able to draw upon his experience and provide some advice.
Sandy fed Wee Willie and put him down for his afternoon nap. After the usual demand for hugs, Wee Willie was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Sandy dialed the number Jonathan had given her and heard his voice as the operator asked him if he would accept a collect call. He accepted the call and his first words were as to how happy he was to hear from her. He had feared that it was just a case of out of sight and out of mind. There was some exchange of small talk and then Sandy could hold back no longer. “Jonathan, I’m pregnant and I’m worried sick. What are we going to do?” There was lengthy silence at Jonathan’s end and he told her that it was difficult for him to talk because he
had someone with him. He said he would call her back and asked when she would be alone. She told him that no one else would be answering the phone between then and six o’clock. He said that he would call her back in a couple of hours.
He called back at about four o’clock. Anita’s kids were back from school but Robbie had taken them over to their own house and said he would feed them over there. Wee Willie was in his playpen busily trying to throw all his toys out onto the floor. Jonathan started with the usual questions. “Was she sure? “If she was sure “How far was she along and whom had she told?” His following remarks explained to Sandy the vehemence of Beth Miller’s description of him. He told her that he had been very careful although Sandy was at a loss when she tried to recall any memory of precautionary measures. This was followed by the crusher. “How was she so sure that he was responsible? And while Sandy was recovering from the implications of this remark, he continued “Perhaps you should speak to Trevor.” She hung up as the tears began to flow. Then she was aware that Wee Willie was at the corner of his playpen watching her very carefully and she realized that he had never seen her cry before. She quickly wiped her eyes and picked him up and sat down on the sofa with his little arms firmly fixed around her neck and hearing him saying her name in her ear over and over or, at least, “Andy, Andy, Andy … “ which was as close as he could get to Sandy. It was as if he was trying to comfort her.
Wee Willie appeared to be quite satisfied to sit quietly in her lap as the full meaning of Jonathan’s comments sank in. First was the implication that she had had other partners and the second could only be interpreted as meaning that Jonathan and Trevor had been talking about her. She also remembered the attempts of Jonathan’s friend to date her when he delivered the message. She put Wee Willie back in his playpen resisting the plea of his outstretched arms.
Anita dropped Sandy’s mother off at about nine o.clock and carried on to her house having passed it on the way and noted her kids’ bikes were there. Her mother relayed the message that Anita wanted her to baby sit the following weekend so she could visit Jonathan who, according to Anita, was feeling lonely. Sandy hadn’t baby sat for Anita since school had opened giving her reason as being the pressure of school. She called Anita immediately declining the assignment, again citing the pressure of school work.
It was mid-October when Sandy decided something had to be done. The morning sickness continued and it became increasingly difficult to conceal her condition from her mother. October was annual medical time and while the rest of the family had completed their checkups she was running out of excuses for postponing her visit to the friendly old family doctor.
Trevor called a number of times but when her mother answered, Sandy signaled that she was not at home and when she did answer she would cut him off as quickly as possible with excuses of heavy school commitments. Sandy was very angry with Trevor because she was convinced that he had talked to
Jonathan and the thought of them discussing their intimate experiences with her made her furious.
About the last weekend of the month Sandy accepted an overnight baby sitting assignment with Anita when Robbie was not available. Sandy was badly in need of a confidante and she just couldn’t think of anyone as experienced with men as Anita. Of course there was her mother but Sandy’s relations with her mother had been cool since the incident with Robbie. The tension generated by that incident had not improved when her father had not been satisfied with Robbie’s explanation of the ugly red welt on his face. His explanation of a fall on his bicycle had not satisfied their father and she had not been very convincing in backing up Robbie’s story. To make matters even worse, it became obvious that Robbie was taking measures to avoid his father and they had always been pretty close.
Sandy decided upon a strategy in approaching Anita. She would tell Anita that she was asking on behalf of a friend at school. She should have realized that this was the oldest ploy in the book and very obvious. She should have known from her own experience that this was just not something that a girl would tell a friend no matter how close they were.
On Saturday morning when the kids had finished breakfast and gone outside, Sandy told Anita that she wanted to ask her advice on behalf of a very good friend and on a subject that was highly confidential. They went into the den and Sandy described the plight of her fictitious friend. Anita’s reaction was predictable and opened with the usual questions but this did not explain the slight trace of a smile around the corners of her mouth. “How far was she along? Was she sure? Did she know who the father was?” But then the smile on Anita’s face widened and she shook her head. “Come on Sandy; you’ll have to do better than this. Just level with Auntie Anita; so the lovely Sandy got “pranged”. It happens in the best of families.”
Sandy realized that she should have known better. The ruse she had decided upon using was so transparent. The tears flowed as she sobbed “Oh, Anita, what am I going to do?” as Anita now sat beside her and put her arms around her shoulders. She should have kept her mouth shut. Now Anita knew and her secret was in real jeopardy.
“First,” Anita said, “we need some information such as when, who, where and we’ll just assume the “how” is unnecessary.” Sandy could see no reason for holding back now. Perhaps Anita had some ideas. She told Anita the dates in August, that it had happened at Anita’s house and while she was not absolutely certain she was quite sure that it had been Jonathan.
Anita appeared to freeze at the mention of Jonathan’s name and her voice took on a completely different tone. “My, my, we have been an active little girl, haven’t we? Being pregnant is serious enough but not knowing for certain the answer to the most important question “Who?” compounds the problem.”
“Your first step,” Anita continued, “is to tell your parents… .at least your mother. If you don’t, I will!” Anita was very firm and Sandy had no doubt that she would do exactly what she said.
Sandy realized she had achieved nothing in approaching Anita. It had been so silly to expect any help from her especially after Jonathan had been mentioned as one of the potential fathers. She knew now that Anita’s relationship with Jonathan was more than what had appeared to be a mutually satisfying but fleeting arrangement of convenience. She also knew that she must act quickly at least on Anita’s advice to tell her mother.
The following day her mother drove her father to the airport to meet the Lieutenant-Governor and accompany him to the annual meeting of Provincial Lieutenant-Governors in Ottawa. This conference would run for most of the following week and her father would carry on to meet several other commitments in Western Canada. He would then return to Toronto where he and several other Canadian VC winners would participate in the taping of a special Remembrance Day Program that would be aired on November 11th. Afterwards he would then carry on to Montreal for the annual pre-Armistice Day reunion of his regiment.
By the time her mother returned from the airport Sandy had bathed Wee Willie and put him to bed and Robbie was closeted in his room working on some school project. Robbie had declined to accompany his father to the airport and Sandy had the impression that this disappointed her father to whom it had become obvious that Robbie was troubled about something. Her father had never really played the heavy with his children. When something was bothering one of them, he preferred to wait them out and then listen when they were ready to unburden themselves. Sandy was quite certain that Robbie’s preoccupation had something to do with the incident involving her mother’s violent reaction to what had appeared to be a purely innocent question.
His mother’s angry warning about divulging certain information to his father seemed to be weighing heavily on Robbie’s mind as he was caught between fear of his mother and loyalty to his father. Her mother’s violent reaction to Robbie’s question also suggested that she had good reason for concealing the identity of the man who had returned to Anita’s with her. Sandy’s suspicions had been f
urther aroused when Robbie confided in her that he had been certain that he had seen this man with his mother in Quebec City.
Sandy was on the sun porch when her mother drove into the driveway. Sandy was relieved because she had been afraid that she might stop off at Anita’s on the way back from the airport. “Mother, would you sit down here for a moment; there’s something I would like to talk to you about.”
Sandy had been thinking all day about how she was going to tell her mother. There was no easy way for a girl to tell her mother this kind of thing and this was especially true for Sandy whose relationship with her mother had been cooling for a long time. Sandy had decided that the direct approach would be the easiest and even before her mother had settled in her chair she blurted out “Mother, I think I’m pregnant!”
Sandy’s bombshell had the predictable stunning effect. Her mother was speechless for seconds before uttering the torrent of expected questions. “When? Where? Who? Are you sure?” And when Sandy seemed uncertain on the vital question of “Who?” her mother’s level of exasperation raised significantly. “How could you do such a thing? Why did you wait until your father was gone to drop this on me? Why am I always the one to bear the brunt?”
Sandy remained silent as her mother expressed her anguish but convinced that the focus and nature of her mother’s concern was already emerging. For MarieLouise the first concern would be as to how this would effect Marie-Louise. Her mother then appeared to be lost in thought and when Sandy pleaded tearfully “Mother, what am I going to do?” she had to repeat her question before it seemed to register with her mother.