Chapter 3: Scheming

Mrs. Grafton waited quietly while Jennifer studied the pictures. "Do you know how to delete them?"

"I think so..." But then Jennifer surprised her mother, maybe herself too, "Do I have to though?"

"No ... but I thought you'd want to ... you don't know what he's planning to do with them ... maybe show them around the school..."

"Donnie wouldn't do that." Jennifer protested. "Maybe some close friends, but not all over school ... he wouldn't do that."

"You don't know that," her mother countered. "Boys like to brag, you know. He might even put them on the internet."

"No way he'd ever do anything like that," Jennifer argued. "He likes me too much to do something that would hurt me."

"Really? He let his friends ... uh, play ... with you."

"We talked about that though ... He let that happen only because I was having fun ... He would never let anything really happen. He loves me too much."

"Love ... is that what this is all about?" Jennifer's mother asked. "Really? ... The pictures are beginning to make some sense now."

"Mother... he's my brother ... of course he's going to love me ... and I love him."

"Like brother and sister... right... sure, that's why you were practically naked with him taking pictures of you."

"But mother ... I didn't know he was taking pictures." Jennifer, knowing her mother was about to start screaming, covered both ears with her hands.

"Maybe not..." Jennifer's mother said quietly. Then, continuing calmly, "But I'm guessing from seeing those pictures ... in another two or three minutes... if I hadn't come home when I did ... the towel would have been on the floor ... certainly not anywhere near your body."

"I don't think anything would have happened," Jennifer protested. "After all, we are brother and sister. We do know better."

"And you think you would have stopped, even if I hadn't come home when I did?" Mrs. Grafton asked, her voice showing considerable concern ... and restraint.

"Well ... I think so ... I mean, Donnie's real concerned about me being his sister."

"But you don't seem too concerned about him being your brother."

"That's not true. I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to. The pictures make it pretty obvious that if you were thinking about it at all, it was because you were trying to change his mind."

"But mother..."

"Jennifer ... look at me ... can't you tell I'm not mad ... I just want what's best for you."

"But..."

"No ... don't say anything ... listen to me ... What if he wasn't your brother ... what then?"

"Uh ... I know one thing for sure." Jennifer said, her eyes lighting up.

"What?" her mother asked.

"Well I'd definitely want him to be my boyfriend."

"You're in love with him, then? And he's in love with you, too?"

"Uh ... yes ... and I think so ... at least he acts that way."

"I still think you're a bit on the young side for all of this ... but I am beginning to think it might have been better if I hadn't come home when I did." Mrs. Grafton said with a trace of sadness.

"But mother ... we are brother and sister."

Jennifer's mother dropped her second bomb of the afternoon. "No ... no you're not."

"What? What do you mean we're not?"

Jennifer's mother explained, "I was already pregnant with you when I met your father. Donnie was nearly a year old. His mother died giving birth to him."

"Then you're not really Donnie's mother ... and Daddy, uh ... your ex-husband ... is not really my father?"

Jennifer's mother nodded slowly, "Uh ... yeah ... that's about right."

"Then who is my father?"

"A guy I thought I was in love with ... not sure he even told me his real name ... Anyway, he was long gone before I even figured out I was pregnant."

"Oh, wow! ... and Donnie knows?" Jennifer asked.

"I doubt it..." Jennifer's mother answered. "His father and I agreed ... even though we were getting a divorce ... neither of you should be told unless it was really necessary."

Jennifer, wide-eyed, continued to express her amazement, "Wow! ... My god! ... That sure changes a lot of things."

"For the better, I hope," said her mother.

"Oh yeah... lots better ... It means we don't have to be ashamed of how we feel ... well, uh ... how I feel anyway ... I mean ... I hope he feels the same way."

"Oh, I'm sure he does ... I've seen the way he's been looking at you the last couple of years..."