"Come off it. That shit might work with Sheila-the-bitch but it doesn't hold water with me. This is honesty personified."
"You're swearing; that means you're mad. If I tell you, you might get even madder. I know you won't like what I say."
"Maybe, but I'll still love you and I really have to know." Woof plodded into the room and after doing a three-sixty, plopped down on our feet.
Karen took a deep breath. "Mary Ellen spent the weekend in my bedroom."
God! I'm harboring a minor fugitive! I tried to speak calmly. "Is she still there?"
"No. She snuck out back when she saw her mother and Buddy coming with the police."
"Did she break into our house?"
"No. I told her where to find the key when I knew Daddy and Timmy were staying in Boston. I know I'm in big trouble, but it isn't fair for them to take her baby, and they will if they find her."
"Where is she now? I know; you don't know exactly, but guess."
She snuggled closer and whispered. "Hiding out back; the barn, I guess."
"It's cold out there."
"If I flip my bedroom light three times she'll sneak back in."
It was my turn to sigh. "I agree she should have a say about her baby, but she can't have her child in your bedroom!"
"It's only for tonight."
"Flip away," I said. "I don't want to actually see her." Karen was gone a moment or two, then she was back in the chair.
"There's more?" I asked. "You have a plan?"
"I was going to call Thatcher and ask him about places where she could have her baby. I wasn't going to involve him, just ask him for information."
"Well, I saved you the problem of contacting him yourself by beating up the baby's grandmother and getting sued."
"May I ask Thatcher about places like that?"
"Why not? Only, please don't tell him she's hiding under our roof. I'm giving you permission to lie blatantly about it, just to keep my ass out of doing ten years hard-time. Who else knows about this?"
"A lot of girls; Julie and Annie for sure, only they don't know where she's hiding. I had to lie and tell them I didn't know exactly where she was; only that she was in contact with me. They're trying to raise some money for her."
"I didn't think any of the girls liked Mary Ellen."
"She's kind of a jerk and she was stupid to mess around with Swifty, but everybody feels sorry for her now. They feel especially sorry for the baby."