Truths Unveiled - By Kimberly Alan Page 0,12

him. And he’d stopped working for the high school in order to avoid a scandal or the appearance of impropriety.

A lot of the girls dated older boys. And many boys in her class dated younger girls. Michael Presley was one of them. His girlfriend, Jennifer Murphy, was a sophomore. She was also Susan Murphy’s younger sister.

Pam recalled checking the clock on the wall. Twenty after midnight. She still hadn’t heard from Tom. She had expected him to attend the play that evening. When he didn’t, she presumed he got called out on ambulance duty. She tried to ignore the uneasiness brewing in her stomach. Then she overhead Jennifer, who had recently arrived at the party.

“My sister is pregnant.”

It came out like a declaration. Pam turned to the young girl and found her dark eyes, defiant, staring at her. “And Tom Jarrod is the father. They’re getting married at the end of this month.”

Instantly, everything stopped. The room became silent. Everyone’s eyes fell on Pam. A few snickers followed. Megan grabbed her hand and urged her up the stairs and out of the house.

“Don’t think about it,” she told Pam. “Jennifer is a horrible little girl. Her sister is even worse. Let’s go home and call Tom. I know I said he was bad news, but once you two started dating and I got to know him, I sort of changed my mind. It seems like he really grew up. He really likes you. I can’t believe he would two-time you with …with Susan Murphy.” She scrunched up her nose. “How icky!”

Though Pam wanted to agree, she also knew Tom and Susan had dated earlier in the year. Susan was beautiful, rich and close to Tom’s age. Whether she was still a virgin didn’t matter. She certainly had more experience with men than Pam. Though Tom never pressured her sexually, she knew enough to understand he had desires she wasn’t ready to satisfy. Adding that to Jennifer’s statement and Tom’s unexpected absence filled Pam with a sense of dread. The rest of the night and the several months afterward whizzed by in a blur.

Pam didn’t get a chance to hear the whole story from Tom. Intervening incidents prevented that. Instead, her parents confirmed the marriage a few months after it took place.

“Pam?”

She blinked, startled to find Tom sitting across from her. Absolutely amazing. “Do you have any pictures of your boys?” she asked, determined to switch her thoughts to more pleasant topics.

Tom kept his eyes on her while retrieving his wallet from his back pocket. “Sure. But you didn’t answer my question.”

Pam really didn’t feel like rehashing the past, but if he did… She released a low exhale. “Of course I think we made a good couple. But I was so young. And I had such a big crush on you. I cringe now, looking back.”

Handing her a photograph, Tom countered, “Think about the razzing I took about you. You were jail bait all the way. All my friends said so. And a preppy high school senior going to Harvard in the fall. They took bets about you leaving me in the dust in no time flat.”

Pam studied the boys’ faces. “They look like great kids.” And she sincerely meant it. While A.J. favored his mother’s features, Mark looked like the spitting image of Tom.

“Oh they are,” Tom agreed, replacing the picture. “Would you?”

Pam frowned. “Would I what?”

He gave her an exasperated glare. “Have left me in the dust in no time flat?”

“Certainly not,” she insisted, noting again the controlled way in which Tom handled the topic of his children.

Why? she wondered. Should she ask? No, she decided.

First of all, it was another topic that was none of her business. Second, she knew him well enough to understand that if he wanted to talk about them, he would. Going along with his choice of topic, she shook her head.

“No. I think you would have dumped me first. You were ready to start your life. I needed at least eight more years of school, then a hospital residency. Maybe it was self-preservation, but I used to tell myself that the long-distance relationship wouldn’t have worked out anyway. Sure we’d try, but eventually we’d fizzle out.”

“That’s what you really thought?”

Oh, dear. He really seemed miffed. But why? No doubt he knew statistics proved she was right. And besides, he’s the one who screwed up. Then she realized she was slightly pleased at his reaction. In a way, it was flattering. Unexpectedly, a giggle