New York City
May , 2009
"You're what?" Miracle McCarthy spun on her younger sister, her mouth dropped open in shock. Her Silk gown swirled about her legs, and she grasped the closest thing to her for balance, a faux marble half-Column topped with a huge fern in robust health.
Janis McCarthy lay on the brocaded Davenport, plucking moodily at a box of pralines. With an irritated shake on the wrist, she disentangled the lace sleeve of her negligée from the candies " please don't get all dramatic about it, Mimi. I just need some advice and, believe me, if I could turn to anyone else, I would."
Mimi watched Janis's tongue cover the full lower lip while she studied the sweets, the mannerism had been cute on the chubby, curly- haired child her sister had once been, she thought angrily, but on the heels of the news she'd just causally dropped into the conversion, it now smacked of a lewd insolence.
At Mimi's protracted silence, Janis looked up. " all right, if you must have it repeated, I'm expecting. Pregnant. With a child." She enunciated the words with schoolroom precision and widened her eyes in mock horror. "I've been sullied, soiled, ruined. I am impure-"
Mimi winced as if the words were a physical assault. "You have had sexual intercourse with a man, " she stated, knowing she sounded stupid and slow but hoping to God that Janis would burst out laughing at the awful joke. Her lips were stiff as they formed the unfamiliar words.
Janis waved a pale hand, " all right. Say it that way. "
Mimi stared at Janis. "With whom?"
Limpid eyes drifted up to Mimi's astounded glare. Janis raised a brow and her baby doll mouth curved into a smile.
" come now, Mimi, do you think I'm going to tell you as easily as all that?".
The impudence of Janis's tone sent irritation sizzling along Mimi's Nerves. Clearly, her sister, who had always been the Darling of the family, the perfect, creamy - skinned, downy -soft débutante of the decades, had now proved beyond a doubt that she was nothing more than a spoiled, self-centered child. The time, Mimi thought with a weary , fatalistic outrage, this time, she'd gone too far.
" fine," Mimi snapped. " Don't tell me. Don't tell me any of it. I don't want to know ." she turned swiftly to the door, half hoping the movement would force her sister to confess, half-hoping Janis would let her go.
" I don't intend to tell you," Janis said loudly. I stopped, turning slowly.
Janis popped another praline past perfect lips and chewed appreciatively.
" not that part, anyways."
Despite her desire to leave, I hesitated. It was incredible, this nonchalance in the face of the most monstrous confession she could have made. A combination of fear and shame for my younger sister Janis bubbled beneath my breast. Without another thought, she strode to the satin covered Davenport on which Janis lounged , grabbed the box of candies and flung them back against the wall.
I watch as Janis gaped as the little nuts clattered to the floor, some bouncing like marbles.
"Listen to me, Janis McCarthy," I ground out, teeth clenched against a sudden nausea.
"You are in a lot of trouble. If this cretin who defiles you doesn't stand up and do the right thing, you shall be ostracized from this town. We all shall be! Neither mom or step dad, nor all the family wealth will be able to save you from punishment. No one will have you. Do you understand? No One, Do you remember Nora Davidson?".
At this,Janis blanched, I caught the first inkling of fear in her sulking eyes.
"Nora, was not even with a child. She was merely caught -in-ah-" I struggle for an acceptable euphemism.
"They were caught naked," Janis grumbled, " just say it, for pity's sake."
"They were caught in a compromising position," I insisted. " Nora with that odious, middle-class man. And now the whole family had moved somewhere out west. They couldn't stay here in New York, not after, not with everyone knowing what she'd done. Is that what you want for us? For people to mock us.?"
Janis watched me petulantly, as if it was my reaction that created the scandal, not her own pregnancy.
"I shook my head and close my eyes,"
Who is responsible? I questioned Janis who was busy picking on her nose,
"The Flynn's? The O'Brien's? The Anderson's? I spout out with a guessing eyes.
" Pah," Janis Spat. " the Flynn's. Who couldn't do without them? And their horrid dinner parties! If I never see another swan sculpted out of liver-"
" Pâté, " I corrected sharply.
"Whatever, I can live without it."
My fists clenched by Janis sides. " what in the world are you thinking?
How can you be so indifferent? Do you really think you'll be able to bear this child without repercussions? For the love of God, Janis, people won't even walk on the same side if the street with you!"
Janis narrowed her eyes. " then perhaps I'll. . .I'll. . . see someone . . . A doctor," she said, frowning.
I grasped and stared at her as if she'd grown another head. " you'll do no such thing! Do you know how many women died trying something like that? "
Janis leaned forward , mouth twisted in anger.
" Do you know how many women die in childbirth? " I countered.
Inexplicably, a lump grew in the back of my throat, and I had to swallow hard before speaking.
" it's worse, Janis,," I insisted, " much worse. I won't let you do it."
A long moment passed before Janis shrugged and leaned back. " all right. I'll go away."
Hope sprang into my heart. " yes," I said thinking. " yes, you can go away. To Denmark! To Aunt Jocelyn. We can trust her. We'll tell people you've gone to visit your aunt!" My mood swept upward. " it won't even be a lie. And the child can stay there with her."
"No!" Janis said.
"Perhaps she knows a good woman in her Vill-"
"I said no!" Janis sat up straight, and her feet hit the floor with a slap.
I abruptly closed Janis mouth.
"I want it," Janis stated.
I felt rooted to the spot. " what ?" It was breath of a word.
"I won't leave it there. The baby. I want it."
Into my head popped an improbable vision of Janis in the parlor with a baby amidst the countless admirer's who always congregated around her.
"What would you do with a baby?" I asked. But at the same I had the reluctant thought, who could leave a baby behind?
"I don't know, it could be fun, " Janis said in a small voice. Then she smiled, thinking " men just adore babies, ya'know . I've seen it. They turn into mush around them."
A hopeless awareness descended on me at that moment, a clarity that allowed me to see Janis would never understand the magnitude of my problem, nor would she see how it could ruin all of our lives. Janis had no intention of helping herself.
She would simply sit back and allow me to come between her and disaster- again.
.
Janis McCarthy (fictional person) - is Miracle (Mimi) McCarthy step kid sister. Who got pregnant and don't wanna tell Mimi who defiles her and got her pregnant.
Miracle McCarthy is a lady who hasn't been with a man before.
This story might be confusing at first, just keep on reading, you'll understand.
.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter next chapter will be ready very soon, don't forget to vote and comment. Tank you.
.
Regards
To
Edna_ßRuce and my readers.❤