Susan Brown looked at the little white stick for the umpteenth time. The small blue plus sign appeared to stare right back her. In her mind she heard its mocking voice.

“Nooo, daddy’s little angel, I will not change to a minus sign. I am positive. Positive, you’re in deep shit. Positive, your life is over. Positive, you’re pregnant.” The voice was followed by an evil hollow laugh.

Hot salty tears pooled in Susan’s eyes. She knew the evil stick wasn’t wrong, and that truth hurt her like…  She shook her head as memories of what she did three weeks ago surged forward. Her watery eyes instantly went to the picture of her boyfriend, Jason next to her bed.

Dressed in his football jersey, he smiled at her.

“He loves me. I know he does.” Still holding the EPT test in her hand, she reached for her phone. Her trembling fingers paused over the green glowing numbers. He doesn’t have any money, girl. He spent it all on your promise ring; broken promise.  She stared at the small blue topaz on her ring finger, and fresh tears rolled down her face. Mom…mom will give me the money. She can help me.

Susan’s eyes shifted to her alarm clock. It was five o’clock. She took a deep calming breath, and dried her tears. She knew her father would be home soon, and she had to hurry to catch her mother alone.

Susan walked into the kitchen where she knew her mother would be cooking dinner. “Mom, I need help, I’m…”  Susan froze as she stared at her mother and father sitting together.

“You’re what, Angel,” her father said, looking up at his only child. He narrowed his eyes in obvious confusion as his daughter stood in silence.

“Oh my God!”  Susan’s mother covered her mouth with her hand.

Her dad quickly looked at his wife. “What?” He then followed her eyes back to Susan, and down to her right hand.

In her haste to speak with her mother, Susan had forgotten that she still held the pregnancy test. Her father glared at the small white stick. His face grew red as he slowly rose from his chair. Susan took a small step back as the fury built in her dad’s eyes. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry, Daddy.” Susan began to cry uncontrollably while backing away.

“That…that, bastard.” Dan Brown shook his fists in anger. Huge swollen veins throbbed in his head, and a string of saliva hung from the corner of his trembling lips. “I’ll kill him. I’ll kill him.”

“Dan, please.” Mrs. Brown placed a calming hand on her husband’s shoulder, and he stopped
in his tracks. “Susan, are you sure?”

Susan looked at her mother, and held out the damning test. “I took two. They’re both…it’s positive.  I’m sure, Mom.”

Dan shook himself free of his wife. “Where is he? Why isn’t he here, so I can wring his neck?”

“Dad,” Susan lowered her head, “Jason, doesn’t know. It’s not his fault…”

“Not his fault! Not his fault. You’ve been having sex, haven’t you?”

“Yes, but…”

“But what; it was an accident? Is that what you’re going to say?”

“Jason…we, didn’t mean for this to happen. We made a mistake. Dad, I…”

“When, where did this happen? I let that…boy into my home and…”

“It…it was last month, after the football game, at the homecoming party. Dad…”

Susan didn’t get to finish. Her father spun around, and stormed out the back door.
***

Despite being a probation officer, Dan was just like any other dad. His daughter was his joy, the one pure good thing in a mad world, and a young thug had just ruined it. He reached into his glove compartment, and pulled out his service revolver.

Ten minutes later he stopped his car on Jason’s lawn, and stomped to his door. He rang the bell and pounded on the door. After a few minutes Dan glared into Jason’s half-asleep eyes. Before the boy could speak, Dan shoved him back and stormed inside.

“Mr. Brown, what’s going on?”  The boy’s eyes flew open as he saw the gun pointed at him.

“You…destroyed my baby.” Dan’s hand shook as he strove to speak.

“What? I didn’t do anything; I swear.”

“She’s pregnant, you piece of shit. I warned you not to hurt my angel.”

“No…no; it wasn’t me.” Tears ran down Jason’s cheeks in a most unmanly display.

Mr. Brown snorted in disgust at the boy’s shameful crying. “Oh, you were a man when you knocked up my little girl, but now you’re crying like a child. I should end your sorry-ass right here.”

“I didn’t get her pregnant,” shouted Jason.

“She took two tests, both positive.  You just needed to celebrate in someone after your silly homecoming game. I know about the party.”

Jason closed his eyes and lowered his voice, “She…she said it was me.”

“What are you mumbling about?”

Jason looked up at Mr. Brown. “I didn’t go to the game or the party; I was in Tampa with my folks. I called Susan from Florida. Don’t you remember? You answered the phone.”

“I…I answered.” Dan lowered his gun as his mind flew back. “You…you called that Saturday night. I…told Susan not to stay on the phone long.”

Mr. Brown staggered backward, “Wait a minute; then who did she meet at the party?”

Jason stayed silent until Mr. Brown raised his gun. “Okay, okay, people said Susan lost a bet, and…and did stuff… with the players.”

“Which players?”

“They … they said it was… all of them. I think there’s a video on MySpace.”

Dan stared at the boy as his words sank in. Instantly, shock replaced anger, and doubt destroyed certainty. He couldn’t imagine that Susan, his little angel would, but if there was a video. He knew she wouldn’t know who the father was; a whole team, the possibilities were endless.