She nodded. "I'm sorry I cried on you." She sniffled a little. "I don't usually do that."
"Don't worry about it," he said. Then he sighed. "Did you leave your mother a note or anything?" he asked gently.
"Yes, I told her I had something I needed to do and that I would call her around dinner time."
He glanced at his watch. "That would be now."
"I'll call."
He nodded and smoothed her hair back as she sat up straight. "You don't want your family to worry."
"Thank you," she said.
"What are you going to do?" he asked.
"What do you mean?"
"About the...pregnancy?"
She absently rubbed her hand over her stomach. "Well, I guess I'll have to tell my family eventually. I mean, unless they think I'm living with a beach ball under my shirt, they're going to notice the belly."
He nodded. "So you're going to keep it?"
"The baby? Well, yeah. It isn't the baby's fault that the provider of the sperm was a pervert." She looked genuinely confused. "Why wouldn't I keep it?"
"Well, some girls choose to...not have it. They feel...I don't know, they feel they can't...keep it."
"Oh. I'm not them. I don't feel that way," she said.
"Okay. Then, yeah, you're definitely going to have to tell your parents. And John."
She sighed, pulling her phone out of her purse. "I know."
He took her hand and she looked back up at him. He looked as helpless as he felt. "I don't know what to say, Janie. I don't know what to do in this situation."
"Just being here's enough," she told him.
He nodded and let go of her hand. Janine dialed her home phone number. Her mother answered on the second ring.
"Hi, Mom," Janine replied.
"Janine! Where are you?"
"That's...a funny story. Um, I'm sort of in New York."
"I gathered that," her mother said dryly. "What I want to know is why you left alone and if you're on your way home yet."
"No, Mom, I meant the city. I'm in New York City."
"What!" her mother screeched.
Janine held the phone away from her ear and grimaced.
"What are you doing in New York City?" her mother demanded.
"I came to see Jess."
"You—" Her mother stopped and took an audible breath. "Are you with him now? I gather you haven't been mugged or shot at yet."
"Nope, I got straight in a taxi and came straight to his apartment. No mugging or shooting as of yet. In fact, I haven't even seen a drug dealer or a gun. I'm quite disappointed in the big, bad city."
"Why would you go see Jess?"
"That's...an even longer story. Anyway, I just wanted to call and let you know I'm safe and...you know, just to let you know what I did."
"I can't believe you did this. Did he know about this?"
"No. Actually he didn't even recognize me at first."
"Well, he never was the brightest bulb in the box."
"Hey, it isn't his fault I was fat and ugly the last time he saw me. I wouldn't have wanted to remember me either. In fact I do my best to forget."
"When are you coming home?" her mother asked.
"I don't know. I just got here. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Where are you staying? I know you're not getting a hotel; you're underage."
"Mom, I'll be fine. I'll call you tomorrow."
Her mother sighed. "Fine, Janine."
"I love you. Bye."
"Love you, bye," her mom replied, and hung up.
"Mad?" Jess asked.
"Yes, but not explosive."
"Okay. Well, I'm going to make something for us to eat. My roommate, Todd, he's the one that made the mess in the living room, he works until nine tonight, so he won't be here to bother you until then. I assume you're staying here tonight?"
"I don't really have anywhere else to go," she said shyly.
He nodded. "Okay. Um, Todd sleeps on the twin mattress in the living room. I take the bedroom because I pay more rent. I can crash on the couch tonight and you can have the bed," he told her.
"You don't have to do that. I mean, I showed up here and completely surprised you. I don't want to kick you out of your bedroom too. You should sleep in your bed."
"I don't want you sleeping in the living room with Todd. That's enough to make anyone uncomfortable, but most definitely you."
"Well..." She didn't really want to argue with that. "I can sleep on the floor in your room," she said. "All I need is a pillow and I'll be fine," she insisted.
"Yeah, that's the act of a true cad. Make the pregnant girl sleep in the floor while you're sleeping in a comfortable queen bed."