“I was just thinking about how close we all were,” Lulu said. “And then how many secrets we kept from each other.”
“I’ve gotten over the Jed part of it all,” Kate said. “At least I’m trying to. Whether I like it or not, she had her reasons for not telling me. And so did you two.”
Scotty watched as Kate reached into the pocket of her jacket, pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“I made a copy of this,” Kate said. “I don’t know if Beth ever showed you ... maybe it’s the one thing between her and me that you don’t know about, haven’t seen yet.” She smoothed out the black-and-white image. Scotty’s knees nearly buckled when she realized what it was.
“A sonogram,” Lulu said.
“Matthew,” Scotty said, reaching for it.
“Who was his father? Pete or Jed? Will we ever know?” Kate asked.
“At this point, I’m not sure it really makes a difference,” Lulu said softly.
“It does,” Scotty said, her voice harsher than she intended.
Both friends turned to look at her.
“Only someone who doesn’t have kids could say it doesn’t,” Scotty said. “Believe me.”
“The baby’s gone,” Kate said. “No one needs to raise him. But he still has us to love him.”
“Still,” Scotty said. “The father deserved to know.”
“And she decided not to tell him,” Lulu said.
“You were behind her in that,” Scotty said. “In that way, you encouraged her worst self.”
“Beth didn’t have a worst self,” Kate said. “Don’t say that.”
Scotty took a step closer to Lulu. “I tried to help her. I really did. I wanted to support her in all she was going through.”
“What are you talking about?” Kate asked.
Scotty stared at the sonogram. It reminded her of the joy she’d felt seeing Isabel’s, then Julie’s, sharing the moment with Nick. He had been as thrilled as she was. He had always been there throughout her pregnancies.
“Why did he have to start running?” she asked.
“What?” Kate asked.
“Nick. Turning into a running fool. Jogging away from us.”
“Come on, Scotty,” Lulu said. “He was just training for the race.”
Scotty shook the cobwebs from her mind. “Pregnancy is one of the greatest times of a couple’s life. The way Nick used to look at me, hold me. I wanted that for Jed.”
“Jed—he’s the father?” Kate asked.
“Mm-hmm,” Scotty said.
“When did she tell you?” Lulu asked.
“That last day,” Scotty said. “I’d gone over to help with her garden—she really wasn’t feeling good. It was so hot out, and I didn’t like thinking of her digging in the dirt, weeding, getting overheated.”
“Wait,” Lulu said. “The last day—of her life? In July?”
Scotty nodded, picturing the perspiration on Beth’s face, how Scotty had gently wiped it from her brow.
