Faith flung the journal across the room. It landed with a thump on the loveseat under the window. Her heart had been slowly breaking while she read, but she'd been riveted, unable to stop reading. The reference to God carrying her mother finally broke the spell.

"Why?" She shrieked. "Why, Mama? You could have taken this family secret to the grave."

Tears poured down her face.

"And what about you, God?" she demanded. "Why didn't you stay her hand?"

"You asked her to write a family history."

"Well, I didn't know we had a bunch of skeletons in our closet."

"Most humans keep skeletons in their closets. You've read the stories in the Bible. Unfortunately, all of my children have flaws. I didn't try to hide that."

"Why not? It could have kept their families from the pain of exposure."

"Sometimes exposure is the only way to keep sin from escalating. Your father begged me to stop him. I tried other things first."

Faith put her head in her hands and sobbed.

"I keep hoping you guys will learn from the mistakes of your predecessors. It rarely happens, but I keep trying to teach you."

"I suppose this is what Mama was referring to when she talked about the inevitability of betrayal in a relationship. I thought she was just talking about the times she and Daddy almost lost their love. I should have gotten a clue that something more serious threatened their love when I read her opening quote about an earring being pulled from the sludge in a drain. But when they found out about Zach and Daddy shut down emotionally, I figured that was plenty of muck."

Faith left the journal where it had landed and went to bed. She tossed and turned while she watched time pass in red numbers on her ceiling. At 2AM she got up and searched through her medicine cabinet. The only thing she could find that might induce sleep was some Tylenol PM. She took some and went back to bed. The last time she looked up, her ceiling read 2:37.

She was awake at 7:30. She got up and forced down some breakfast. As soon as the courthouse opened, she went to gather statistics. After typing everything up and emailing it in, she took out her wedding "to do" list. She went to the florist. Then she decided to make the round of gift shops. She wanted something unusual to give her bridesmaids and groomsmen, not something blasé like a bracelet or a money clip. After hours of searching, she dragged home empty handed. Nothing suited her. She made a cup of tea and sipped it slowly. When Aaron arrived, her jangled nerves had been soothed. She had managed to stuff the skeletons into a closet in her mind.

When the four of them arrived at the home of the adoptive parents, they found two relaxed couples sharing lemonade by an indoor pool. A little boy splashed happily in the water, showing off his breaststroke.

Faith took in the palatial surroundings.

"I wonder if all this can take the place of a mother's love?" she thought.

She heard Teresa's soft gasp and looked over at the girl. Her eyes were as round as the inflated life preserver floating in the pool.

"She's thinking that there's no way they can offer their child the things this couple is giving their son," Faith thought. "I hope this meeting shows her that love is more important than material comforts."

The four of them sat down and politely accepted some lemonade.

The adoptive parents had met the birth parents when the girl was three months pregnant. They had shared the ups and downs of the pregnancy. They were in the birthing room when the baby was born. The birth father coached the birth mother through labor. When the baby was born, they each held him and told him they loved him before turning him over to his adoptive parents.

While they were talking, the boy in the pool was trying to get some attention. Finally he hollered, "Hey, Mamas look at me." He was standing by the side of the pool poised as though to dive. Both women started, but the birth Mom gripped the arms of her chair and stayed put while the adoptive Mom jumped up and went to her son.

"This is when it's hard," the girl said through clinched teeth. "She's his mother. She sets the rules and enforces them. I don't interfere."

"And we appreciate that," the adoptive Dad said.

The two young couples left together, with Aaron and Faith a step behind. The adoptive parents waved good-bye. As the they stood by the car of the young couple who had given up their son, the girl turned to Teresa.

"If I had it to do over again, I might settle for pictures," she said. "I like being there to celebrate birthdays and stuff, but it's hard."

"It's like we give him up again every time we leave," the boy added. "Now that we're married and expecting a child, we're having to think everything through again. How do you tell a kid that he has a brother that doesn't live with us?"

"We made the right choice in giving him to them," the girl said. "We never could've provided the life he has here. I don't think our love would have been enough to overcome the hardships of a teenage marriage. He would've suffered."

"I guess we won't know if we made the right choice in staying a part of his life until he's grown and can tell us how it felt," the boy said. He shrugged.

"We're talking about maybe looking for jobs out of state," his wife added. "That way we can disappear from his life without seeming to abandon him. We can send him emails and stuff so he knows we still love him. We know they'll raise him right and that he'll always be loved."

Teresa and Jacob were silent as they drove away. Finally Jacob spoke. "It doesn't look like there are any perfect answers."

"No," Teresa said. "The best we can do is try to find our baby a loving family. We can make the decision of how to keep in touch later. We've got seven months."

When the four arrived at the church, it was only 6:45. They took the time to pray before Jacob got in his car and drove off.

"How about we get something to eat before we go to your house?" Aaron suggested, looking at Teresa.

"I don't think I could eat anything," she said.

"Maybe a milk shake or something that will go down easy," Faith said. "You shouldn't face your father on an empty stomach."

"At least I won't vomit in his lap," she said.

"True." Aaron grinned. "But your baby needs the nourishment, too. And, we don't want to arrive at your house while your parents are eating."

"Okay," Teresa agreed.

"Now why didn't I think of using the baby as motivation?" Faith thought.

It was 8:00 when they pulled up in front of Teresa's house. As they walked towards the door, Teresa grabbed Faith's hand and held on like a little girl going into monster world at an amusement park.

"Oh God, please help me," Teresa said as she put her hand on the doorknob.

They went into the living room.

"Mama, Daddy," Teresa said. "This is my youth leader, Aaron, and his fiancé, Faith."

"Pleased to meet you." Aaron held out his hand.

Teresa's Mom took his hand. Her Dad grunted.

Teresa went and stood between her Dad and the television.

"You need to turn that off, Daddy," she said. "We want to talk to you."

He looked up. "I already got saved, girl," he said. "I don't need to talk to your youth leader. You know I don't like that church you go to no ways. You need to come back to our church where you belong."

Teresa looked mutely at her mother.

"Now, Clarence," she said. "Be nice."

He glared at her, but he picked up the remote and snapped off the TV.

"Make it quick," he said as the three of us sat down on the sofa.

Teresa looked from her father to her mother.

"I'm pregnant," she blurted, reaching out and taking my hand.

"You're what?" her father roared.

Her mother fainted.

Aaron jumped up and knelt beside Teresa's mother. He gently slapped her on the cheeks.

"Don't you hit my woman," Clarence demanded. "You've already let my daughter be corrupted."

Teresa's Mom sputtered and sat up.

"I'm all right, Clarence," she said.

"Who's the father, slut?" Clarence turned his attention back to his daughter.

Teresa cowered next to Faith. Her grip tightened. Faith's fingertips were starting to turn purple.

"There's no need to call her names," Aaron said. "She's repented of..."

Clarence interrupted. "Shut up, you so called youth leader. If you were really a man of God, two of the kids God gave you to guard wouldn't be in this kind of trouble."

Aaron's mouth clamped shut.

"That's not fair, Daddy," Teresa said.

"He didn't," Faith started.

"That's enough out of you two," Clarence said looking from Faith to Aaron. "I imagine you're sleeping with your whore, too. Now get out of my house and let me deal with my daughter."

He raised his hand as though to strike Aaron.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir." Aaron stood to his feet. "She asked us to come with her and protect her. She was afraid you'd react like this."

"Protect her? You can protect that little whore from now on. She's not my daughter any more. Tell me who the father is and then get out of here," Clarence said. "All three of you."

Teresa had begun to cry. Faith put her arm around Teresa and started to lead her to the door.

"I suppose it's that white trash Jacob kid," Clarence screamed after us. "I know where to find him tonight. On the basketball court!"

"Clarence, please," Teresa's Mom said weakly from her place on the floor.

"Shut up, Marjorie," he said. "The acorn don't fall far from the tree. I ignored the rumors about you in high school. I should've listened" He spat in her direction. "I was weak. Love sick. Well not anymore."

Marjorie started to cry. Aaron and Faith led Teresa out of the house. As they got in the car, Teresa whispered, "I told you."

They were less than a block away from the house when a car careened around them.

"That's my Dad," Teresa cried. "He's going after Jacob. You have to stop him."

Aaron stomped on the gas.

"Hold on," he said. "I know a short cut."

As they screeched to a stop at the school, Teresa's Dad barreled into the parking lot. Aaron sprinted towards the gym. "You two stay in the car," he called back over his shoulder.

Teresa was already running toward the gym, hauling Faith with her "No way," she shouted.

Her Dad was out of his car and running, too.

"You can't protect him, you little whore," he called. "You better get out of my way, or you'll both get hurt."

Aaron hurried through the gym door. Clarence grabbed a fist full of Teresa's hair and pulled her backwards. "I said get out of my way."

He hurtled into the gym and straight onto the court. He ran directly towards Jacob.

The referee was blowing his whistle and shouting, "Get off the court." Fans jumped to their feet.

"You piece of white trash," Clarence shouted at a shocked Jacob. "Just can't keep your manhood in your pants." He drew back his fist and socked Jacob in the face. He went down with a crash. When his head hit the floor, it sounded like a bowling ball thrown hard into a lane. Blood poured from his nose. "You man whore," Clarence said. As he raised his fist again, two Sheriff's deputies ran onto the floor. With the help of the referees, they cuffed him. As they hauled him away, he called back over his shoulder, "That's for knocking up my daughter."

Teresa moaned and sank to the floor. Aaron dropped down beside Jacob. Heads turned to look up into the stands. Faith followed their gazes to where Jacob's parents stood frozen where they had jumped to their feet. As EMTs carried a stretcher onto the floor, his parents finally sprang into action. As they made their way down the bleachers, onlookers parted in front of them like the Red Sea before the Israelites.

Faith helped Teresa to her feet, put her arm around her protectively, and guided her out of the gym. Aaron was right behind them.

"Drop us at my place," Faith told Aaron. "Teresa can stay with me until we figure out what to do."

"Sounds like a plan," he said. Teresa said nothing. She was crying softly. "I'll go to the hospital and check on Jacob. I'd probably better talk to his parents while I'm there."

Teresa moaned.

"I'll take her to get some stuff while her Dad is in jail," Faith told Aaron when he dropped them off.

"If his car is there, don't go in," he warned.

For the first time since they entered the gym, Teresa spoke.

"Tell Jacob I love him and that I'm sorry," she said.

There were no more fireworks that night. When Faith and Teresa got to her house, it was dark and the doors were locked. Her mother must have been called to the police station. Teresa took the spare key out of its hiding place. It only took her a few minutes to throw her things into a garbage bag. She didn't own a real suitcase.

"We can call your Mom in the morning," Faith told her when Teresa balked at leaving a note her father might find.

"Maybe," she said. "She'd tell my father where I am. If he gets mad, he might try to come find me and do something violent."

"Has he ever hit you or your Mom?"

"No. He talks big, but that's all – until he hit Jacob."

"Then I don't think he'll start hitting women now," Faith said as they got in the car. "But it's your decision. You don't have to call your Mom if you don't want to."

"Can we go by the hospital?" Teresa asked as they drove away from her house.

"Do you think that's a good idea? Jacob's parents will be there."

"You could go in and see how he is. I would stay in the car."

"Let me call Aaron," Faith said. "He's there. He can advise us."

"I don't think that's a good idea," he said. "Let me talk to Teresa."

She listened and nodded her head a few times. When she closed the phone, she leaned back and said, "I guess you'd better just take me to your house. He's unconscious. His parents are pretty upset. Probably in shock." She was silent for a minute. "I guess that was a pretty traumatic way to find out your son got his girlfriend pregnant." She started to cry again. "I wish I could die."

"I don't think they're the only ones in shock," Faith said. "You need a good night's rest. Things always look better in the morning."

"Nothing is going to change in the morning," Teresa said. "And I'm not going to be able to sleep a wink."

"Do you mind if we run by my brother's house and pick something up?" Faith asked.

"Whatever." Teresa was slumped in her seat. "As long as I don't have to go inside."

Faith wanted to get some sleeping pills from Ivy. She knew Ivy kept a supply of pill samples that a nurse friend gave her. Ivy produced several different brands.

"Are any of these safe for a pregnant girl in the first trimester?" Faith asked her.

No," she said. "I don't think there is such an animal. Why?"

Faith quickly explained what was going on.

"Poor girl," Ivy said. "Just ply her with warm milk and pray hard. That's about all you can do."

When they got to the apartment, Faith took Teresa into the bedroom.

"Do you mind sharing a bed?" she asked.

Teresa looked at the rumpled double bed.

"I don't want to disturb you," she said. "I can just bunk on the couch. That way, if I can't sleep, I can turn on the TV."

They made up the couch. Teresa put on a baggy t-shirt with Jacob's basketball number on it. Faith plied Teresa with hot milk. Finally Teresa settled down on the couch, and Faith went into the bedroom. She tossed and turned. She heard Teresa crying in the living room. Faith got up and went in and tried to comfort her.

"I'm sorry," Teresa said. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay. I wasn't asleep anyway."

"I'm sorry," Teresa said again. "I'm such a nuisance. If I wasn't here, you'd be sleeping like a baby."

"Probably," Faith said. "Babies don't sleep too well. I kept one once. I walked the floor a lot that night."

Teresa giggled.

"Now quit telling me you're sorry and try to get some sleep. You're going to want to check on Jacob in the morning. You don't want to have bags under your eyes when you see him."

Teresa dutifully lay back down on the couch.

"Will it bother you if I turn the TV on really low?" she asked. "I think the noise might help me sleep."

"Be my guest," Faith said. "I run a fan at night. I won't even hear the TV."

She didn't hear the TV, but she still couldn't sleep. She got up and peeked over the couch at Teresa. The exhausted girl was asleep. Faith considered taking one of Ivy's pills, but didn't want to be drugged if Teresa needed her. She was also afraid that Clarence would bond out of jail and come searching for his daughter. Finally, Faith picked the journal up from where she'd thrown it. That seemed like an eternity ago.

"I might as well read," she thought. "I can't possibly feel any worse."