Disclaimer: I don’t own anything except this story. I also don’t own the song “It Takes A Little Time” by Amy Grant (I do own the CD, it’s great!)

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“I am so starting to show!” Tatum whined, looking at herself in the mirror.

“Well, of course you’ll look fat if you keep on pulling your shirt so tightly and sticking your stomach out like that!” Andie told her “You look great, honest. Now could we study for this test? I know you’ve got plenty of other things on your mind, but if you’re going to stay in school you’ve to try to keep your GPA up.”

“I do not look great.” Tatum pouted “I look like a cow.”

“Tate, you don’t look like a cow.” Pacey insisted. He put his arms around her and gently pulled her away from the mirror “You look beautiful.”

“Oh, you have to say that because you’re the one who knocked me up.” Tatum muttered

“As if I really needed to be reminded of that fact.” Pacey said “Joey’s already giving me plenty of bull over it. She acts like it’s entirely my fault that you’re pregnant.”

“Well, don’t take it personally.” Tatum sighed “She’s been giving me the cold shoulder a lot, too. Why can’t she just be happy for us?”

“Because for one thing, ‘she’ doesn’t relish the idea of changing of changing any more dirty diapers.” Joey interrupted as she walked into the room. She dropped a laundry basket on the floor “Mainly because ‘she’ already has to bust her ass doing your laundry.”

“Oh boo-fucking-hoo.” Tatum snapped “You guys see this? I’m the one who’s ballooning up and will continue to do so for the next six months. I’m the one who can’t keep her breakfast down every morning, and she’s whining because it’s her day to do the laundry.”

“Oh boo-fucking-hoo yourself.” Joey muttered as she walked out of the room.

“Ah, screw you!” Tatum called after her.

“Screw you!” Joey yelled from down the hall.

“Oh that about does it.” Tatum snapped “You know what? You can just take this laundry and shove it up your-”

“Uh, Tate?” Andie interrupted. She pointed to the doorway “Toddler at 12 o’clock.”

“Alex.” Tatum sighed. The one year old held onto a chair to steady himself, then stumbled cautiously over to his aunt “How did you get out of your crib?” Tatum asked.

Alex held up his arms “Up?”

Tatum laughed and picked him up. The toddler cooed and snuggled against his aunt. He put his little hand on her stomach “Bah-be?”

“Yes, Alex.” Tatum said “Baby.”

“Bah-be!” Alex said loudly. He pressed his ear against Tatum’s stomach.

“Isn’t that cute?” Tatum giggled “He’s trying to communicate. C’mon, little guy. Let’s get you back to bed.”

“No no no!” Alex yelled as Tatum picked him up and carried him out of the room.

“Yes yes yes.” Tatum replied. She smiled at her friends “The sooner they learn to talk, the sooner they learn to talk back.”

* * * *

“You know what I was thinking?” Abby said to Tatum the next day as they left the clothing store.

“Hm, ‘how is it possible to combine shampoo and conditioner into one hair care product?’” Tatum guessed. She and Jen laughed.

“Funny!” Abby muttered “Very amusing. No, I was thinking more along the lines of a way to get some fast cash for the baby.”

“I’m listening.” Tatum said.

“Well, your millionaire mommy dearest left you some cold hard cash when she died, right? Which your millionaire relatives cheated you out of and kicked you out of the house, right?”

“Right.” Tatum replied “Because I’m a bastard and that entire family is terrified of doing anything that would cause a scandal.”

“So,” Abby said “sue ‘em! Come on, they cheated you out of your inheritance! They dishonored your mom’s final wishes!”

“75,000 dollars would be really helpful.” Tatum admitted “But do you think I’d have a chance?”

“Are you kidding?” Abby asked “If that family is as petrified of scandal as you say they are, they’ll probably give you a hundred grand just to shut you up.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Tatum said “We’ll see.”

“Meantime,” Jen said “What are you going to do about school and your job?”

“I’m staying in school.” Tatum replied firmly “I don’t know what I’ll do after the baby is born. I guess I just have to jump off that bridge when I get to it.”

“Isn’t it ‘cross that bridge when you get to it?’” Abby asked.

“My way’s more colorful.” Tatum shrugged.

* * * *

“I can’t believe the way people at school are acting.” Tatum muttered at dinner that night.

“The kids are giving you crap?” Bessie asked.

“No, the kids have been great.” Tatum sighed “It’s the teachers who aren’t exactly being supportive. I fell asleep in English today, and Mr. Peterson got all ‘If you can’t handle it, you shouldn’t be here.’ So I just told him that it’s unconstitutional and illegal for a school to expel a student or treat her any differently just for being pregnant.”

“Good for you.” Bessie said.

Tatum nodded “Of course, the bitter old S.O.B didn’t believe me, so I just told him to check out article six of ‘Verona School District 47J vs. Parker’. I’ve done my homework. Sure put him in his place.”

“Maybe he’s right.” Joey said.

Tatum looked shocked “Excuse me?”

“Well, what I mean is that maybe instead of wasting time falling asleep in class or the nurse’s office, you should just stay home.”

“Oh, that’s just great!” Tatum moaned “My own sister, ladies and gentlemen!”

“I mean it.” Joey told her “And while you’re at it you could try to make yourself more useful around the house rather than lying around in the way.”

“First you tell me to quit school, now you’re telling me I’m in the way in the house!” Tatum yelled.

“Well then maybe you shouldn’t be in the house.” Joey shot back “Maybe you should move into an unwed mothers’ home or something.”

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this!” Tatum said “You think that this has been easy for me?”

“For you? What about your family? Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean that the world is revolving around you now!”

“Jo, that’s not fair.” Bessie said “If you were pregnant-”

“If I was pregnant?” Joey repeated “What makes you think I would ever be stupid enough to get pregnant?”

“That’s about enough of that!” Bessie snapped.

“Just because you two ruined your lives doesn’t mean I’m going to!” Joey said.

Tatum stood up and ran up the stairs.

* * * *

In her room later that night, Tatum took out a note pad and a pen, and sat on her bed. She though for a few minutes before she started writing the note;

“Dear Bessie,

By the time you guys read this, God only knows how far away I’ll be. This has nothing to do with you, you’ve been nothing but supportive and understanding through this whole mess. I just can’t face Joey right now. Especially since she’s right. I don’t want to be a burden to you guys, you already have enough to deal with, so I’ve decided to leave home, at least for now. Even though I know you probably will, I still have to say please don’t worry. I handled driving 3,000 miles by myself, I’ll be ok on my own. I’ll call as soon as everything gets settled.

Tatum”

After reading and rereading the note several times, Tatum folded the note and put it on the dresser where her sisters would be sure to find it. Then she started writing another note;

“Dear Pacey,

Please don’t worry about me. I’m going to be fine. I just need some time to be on my own and sort things out. Please don’t blame yourself. I promise I’ll call you as soon as I can. Tell the others I’ll miss them. I love you more than anything.”

* * * *

Tatum opened the door and checked to be sure the hallway was empty. It was 4:00 in the morning. The first bus would be leaving the station in half an hour. She had just enough time to get there. She crept down the hall. She stopped in front of the open doors to her sisters’ bedrooms, then walked quietly down the stairs and out the front door.

* * * *

A few minutes later, Tatum walked up to the front door of Pacey’s house. She hesitated for a moment, then slipped the note under the door and walked away. She turned around for a second, but her vision was blurred by tears.

* * * *

“The 4:30 bus for Acton is now boarding.” A voice over the loudspeaker announced, jarring Tatum awake. She stood up, picked up her bag, and walked out of the station. Once she was on the bus, she gave the driver her ticket, put her bag in the overhead bin, and sat down in the window seat in the back of the bus. She put on her headphones and put an Amy Grant CD in her portable CD player. She took one more long look at Capeside, shut her eyes and tried to fall asleep while listening to “It Takes A Little Time”

“It takes a little time sometimes
To get your feet back on the ground
It takes a little time sometimes
To get the Titanic
Turned back around
It takes a little time sometimes
But baby you’re not going down
It takes some more
Than you’ve got right now
But give it
Give it time

What’s this walking through my door?
I know I’ve seen this look before
Sometimes on faces in the street
And sometimes in the mirror
Looking back at me
You can’t fix this pain with money
You can’t rush a weary soul
You can’t sweep it under the rug now honey
But it don’t take a lot to know

It takes a little time sometimes
To get your feet back on the ground
It takes a little time sometimes
To get the Titanic
Turned back around
It takes a little time sometimes
But baby you’re not going down
It takes some more
Than you’ve got right now
But give it
Give it time

Well it may not be over by morning
But Rome wasn’t built in a day
You can name that thing a thousand times
And it won’t make it go away
Let me put my arms around you
And hold you while you weep
We’ve been talking
And you know what?
I’m sick of this talk
And it’s nothing that won’t keep

It takes a little time sometimes
To get your feet back on the ground
It takes a little time sometimes
To get the Titanic
Turned back around
It takes a little time sometimes
But baby you’re not going down
It takes some more
Than you’ve got right now
But give it
Give it time

You can’t fix this pain with money
You can’t rush a weary soul
You can’t sweep it under the rug now honey
But it don’t take a lot to know

It takes a little time sometimes
To get your feet back on the ground
It takes a little time sometimes
To get the Titanic
Turned back around
It takes a little time sometimes
But baby you’re not going down
You’ve got to face this thing
Right now
So give it
Give it time
It takes a little more time
It takes a little time
to get your feet back on the ground
Baby you’re not going down...”

* * * *

To be continued.....

* * * *

Part 21 coming soon!

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