Mary Louise Ch. 03

"I'm riding to your graduation with you and your folks."

"I didn't invite—"

"I know, but your parents did. My parents are going separately, and bringing Aunt Lily."

Mary Louise couldn't say for sure, but she thought Rowdy seemed a little nervous. "Why are your parents coming? They hardly know me. Is there someone in the class they know?"

"No, it's because of you." He smiled and looked for a moment like he had the first time she'd met him. "You look very pretty. That's a different kind of dress isn't it?" Mary Louise felt herself flush at the question. She had made the same observation, and her mother had pointed out that it was technically her first maternity dress. Since it was high waisted, it already had some room for her burgeoning belly. Now, Mary Louise just barely stammered a reply. "Yeah, just a little. Uhm, you really don't need to come to this. It's going to be boring."

"No, it will be fine. One of those once in a lifetime things," he grinned but Mary Louise got a sinking feeling that for her it most likely would be her only graduation. "So how did the last few weeks of school go?"

Mary Louise moved towards him, but sat in a chair so he couldn't get beside her. "The usual, but my grades didn't drop. I won a scholarship to City College." She threw the fact out to test his reaction. So far it looked like nothing had changed since she'd last seen him.

"Wow! You must have had great grades to get that."

"Sort of, although it isn't...where did you go?"

"Stanford for my undergraduate and then to Harvard Business School for my masters' degree."

"Oh, I see. Very good schools in comparison to poor little City College."

"An education is what you put into it, not what they shove at you." Rowdy added quickly.

Mary Louise was surprised that he said that. It didn't fit her image of him. "Well, I like to learn. When I was little, I was often in my dad's study, pulling out the encyclopedias. First I just looked at the pictures and then I started reading them. Once I finished the World Book my parents' bought me the Britannica. It wasn't until I was in high school that I realized what a truly wonderful present that had been."

She looked up from her hands, which she'd been clasping and unclasping in her lap. Rowdy was staring at her. He didn't turn away either, not right away. It was the sound of footfalls on the stairs that made them both look away. A few seconds later, Jeanine entered the living room.

"Here you are, Mary Louise! I'm sorry it took me so long to get ready, sweetheart. But you look lovely dear. Don't you think she looks nice, Rowdy? Positively glowing!"

Mary Louise flushed at the blatant delving for compliments by her mother.

"Yes, Mrs. Walters, Mary Louise does look beautiful, in fact."

Mary Louise thought she heard something strange in his voice, but she pushed it away. She didn't want to have kindly thoughts or feelings about Rowdy right now. She needed to know how much he knew and if she could convince him to refuse to marry her, no matter what anyone said, or threatened. If only...her hopes began to lift.

***** Mary Louise threaded her way through the throng of her fellow soon-to-be graduates, looking for Karen. She already had her gown on, and her cap had been assiduously pinned to her hair by both her mother and Aunt Lou. Finally, she saw.

Karen was seated away from the others, staring down at her cap. She didn't notice Mary Louise until she tapped the cap on her friend's head. Karen's head jerked up and there was no missing the tears on her friend's face.

"What's wrong, Karen?" Mary Louise asked instantly, sitting down beside her. Reaching into the pocket of her gown she pulled out a few of the tissues her mother had pushed in a short time earlier.

"Everything, damn it all!"

Mary Louise moved back a little, shocked at her friend's words. She never cursed, or hardly ever. "What is it? You can tell me."

"Can I? Would you tell me everything? Even if it was a dark, dirty little secret?"

Mary Louise paused at her friend's onslaught. She started to say yes, but she had not yet told Karen either of her news. But then she'd tried to contact her. Nodding her head, she spoke. "I tried to call you. I called twice last evening and again this morning. Your mom said you were out."

Karen looked surprised. "I was home, but under house arrest." "Sounds like me. I'll go first I guess. I won the City College scholarship."

Karen yelped and hugged Mary Louise. "That is fantastic. You won't have to wait. I am so happy for you."

Mary Louise shook her head side to side. "Don't be because I can't accept it. I'm pregnant. My parents refuse to consider the alternatives and insist I get married to avoid any scandal."

Karen's face changed slowly. "Oh no! Me too. I just found out yesterday morning. That's why I wasn't on the bus. My parents are demanding I marry Donny and not go away to school in the fall. They were horrified at the mention of abortion and acted like I'd gone insane when I suggested adoption."

"What about Donny?"

"I've only talked to him for a few minutes. His dad has gotten him a job on the line already, and my folks are going to convert the big room over the garage into an apartment for us."

"Geez, sounds like its all planned out doesn't it?"

"And you?" Karen asked.

"Rowdy suddenly appeared this afternoon in our living room. Said he'd been invited to my graduation by my parents, but he never mentioned anything else. I'm hopeful I can talk him into refusing to marry me. Then my parents would have to see my way."

"You know what I think, Mary Louise?"

"No, Karen, what?"

"That night in the Davis' sports utility vehicle...we both did more than get royally screwed! We fucked up our entire lives!"

Both girls cried and laughed as they hugged each other.

* * * * *

The conclusion is very long and I'll put the rest up there in a week or so. Thank you very much. Please email me if you want more stories like this.