Page 43 of Ruckus

“He fucked you.” Greaser spits his beer across the table in shock.

“We shared a night together.” This time it’s him who she corrects.

He still looks surprised and Mrs. Stowman, well… she just looks kind of high.

“That one night has resulted in something, and I thought I should come here and…”

“If you caught something, you did not catch it from my boy. He may not have had many morals but he knew right from wrong, he knew what ya can catch from club girls, and I…”

“She’s pregnant, Mrs. Stowman,” I blurt out, watching her mouth drop open the same way Greaser’s does.

“Preg—”

“Nearly thirteen weeks.” Alicia’s hand is still shaking as she pulls it from mine and takes the sonogram photo from her purse.

Mother and son lean forward and study it once she’s placed it on the table.

“I don’t want you to think I came here asking for anything. I have support, and the baby will have everything it needs. I just thought you ought to know.” She bites down hard on her lip while she waits for their next reaction.

“A baby?” Griller’s mom picks up the picture with teary eyes and a smile on her trembling lips. “And you're sure my Seggy is the father?”

“Couldn’t be surer.” Alicia’s hand strokes over her still flat stomach and smiles.

“You see what this is, Sid? This is a gift. It’s a sign.” Mrs. Stowman quickly crushes out her cigarette, wafting away the smoke travelling toward us, then shoving me out of the way so she can kneel beside Alicia. “May I?” She holds her hand infront of Alicia’s tummy and after my friend looks at me a little helplessly, she nods her head allowing Mrs. Stowman to touch her there.

“A baby. My boy’s baby. And you're healthy, everything is normal?” Her eyes raise up from Alicia's stomach to check.

“Everything is perfect.” She nods.

“And you're well. You take care of yourself?”

“I suffered a little at the start from sickness, but I’m fine now. In fact, I’m eating everything in sight.” Alicia giggles nervously.

“That's good, it’s good to eat.” She quickly stands back up and heads for the refrigerator. “I’m gonna fix you something up, right now,” she tells her.

“No, that's not necessary, we just ate on the way here,” Alicia lies for the second time today.

“Well, you must take something for the journey home, unless of course you plan on staying in town tonight?”

“Oh no.” Alicia comes back at her far too quickly. “I mean… We have to get back, or the club will send out a search party.”

“Is the club really the place for you to be in your condition?” Mrs. Stowman asks, tilting her head and gritting her yellow stained teeth.

“The club has had its troubles, but the members keep us well protected,” Alicia assures her, and Greaser laughs sarcastically. Mrs. Stowman nods her head, though she doesn’t look convinced.

“I wish we could stop longer, but we have to get back. If you want me to, I’ll stay in touch, keep you updated.”

“Of course I want that. Alicia, you are giving me a great gift. You're keeping my boy alive.” She wraps Alicia up in a bear hug and I notice the way Greaser frowns before she pulls away.

“You must let me give you something for the ride home.” Mrs. Stowman starts looking frantically around her kitchen.

“Really, it’s fine. I’m not hungry.”

“You say that now, but hunger can strike any time when you're carrying. Ahh perfect.” Her eyes light up when she spots something in the cupboard she’s looking through. Pulling out a ginormous jar of pickles, she dumps it in my hands and weighs me down.

“I craved pickles with everything when I was pregnant with Seggy, and he loved them. He was always carrying a pickle in his hand as a child, wasn’t he, Sid?” She looks to Greaser.

“All the time.” He nods his head and humors her.

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