Missing Pieces of My Forever-Heart by Janet Grosshandler Read Free Book Online Page B

full scholarship and I accepted!” 
     
    What? What about Villanova and Fordham and being close to me? What about your promises, Jame?  “You’re kidding, right?  You can’t go to Texas!”
     
    “Cath, it’ll be fine!  We’ll write a lot.  I’ll be busy with fall basketball practice and games.   You’ll be going crazy joining all the journalism clubs and newspapers and things.  I’ll be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas and we’ll see each other then. It’ll be great, Cath.”
     
    Great. Sure. Wait until I tell him I’m probably pregnant.  Then what happens to all our college plans?
     
    Jame hung up fast because he and his parents were going out to dinner with the Rice coach to celebrate.  I sat in my room all night and worried.
     
    The next day he bugged out on our conversation claiming he had to study for a big physics test the next day.  And his Dad was taking him out to meet some of the people he worked with, probably wanted to show off his super son who just scored a full scholarship to Rice University.  Jame would be seen on TV college basketball games.
     
    I went home and sat in my room all night thinking about nothing.
     
    I finally cornered Jame the next day.  I told him to meet me at my car because we had to go someplace and talk.  We drove out to the lake park.
     
    “I know. I know, Cath.  Sorry, I’ve so busy and excited.  But you gotta understand how great this is! Man, Rice University! You realize how big they are?”
     
    “Jame, I…”
     
    “I know you’re upset that I won’t be at Villanova or Fordham like we planned, but this is the greatest opportunity for me.  I hope you’ll understand and I promise to never stop being your boyfriend even though we’re far away.”
     
    “It’s not that, Jame, it’s something else.”
     
    “Well, can we make it quick?  I gotta meet my Dad at home.  We’ve got paperwork we have to fill out for dorms and medical stuff.  I have to tell you, I am so psyched about Rice now.  Didn’t know I would love it so much.  Oh, and there’s something I have to tell you and it’s not going to make you happy,” he paused.
     
    What now?  Can the news get any worse?  Wait until my bombshell.
     
    Jame rushed into it.  “I have to leave for Rice by June 14 th for a six week summer session.  All the freshmen recruits get to do it.  We take two college classes to lighten our load each semester and then play basketball the rest of the day.  Sounds great, doesn’t it?”
     
    “First you’re going to Rice which is all the way in Texas and now you’re telling me you’re leaving in ten days?  What about us?  What about our summer?” I cried.
     
    “Come on, Cath.  This is my shot at big collegiate basketball! Can’t you understand it?  I have to do what they tell me.”
     
    “So now they own you, just like your father owns you,” I added bitterly.
     
    “Not fair, Cath.  My Dad’s been great.  He’s sacrificed a lot to get me where I am today.”
     
    “Yeah, and he never lets you forget it.  Did you ever think that maybe he wants you to go to Rice to get you away from me?”
     
    “Jeez, Cath.  How selfish can you get?  This isn’t about you.  This is about the biggest opportunity for me that a guy can get!  What’s your problem?”
     
    “I’M PREGNANT!”
     
    “What? How can you be pregnant? We used protection!  We were careful.  Are you sure? This is the worst!  Shit, what are you gonna do?”
     
    “What am I gonna do?  What are WE gonna do, Jame?  It took two of us to do this.”  Marymotherofbabyjesus I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
     
    Jame just stared at me like he had never seen me before in his life.  Then he took a deep breath, “Dammit, Cath.  This is going to ruin everything!  Don’t tell anyone yet.  I have to think about this. SHIT!”
     
    I drove in silence.  Jame asked me not to take him to his house.  He wanted to walk and think.  “I’ll call you,”