Jamie slowly got up, and followed Lucy over the table where John and Laura were sitting. Evie was right behind him, tugging at his sleeve.

'Hey Junior,' Lucy said taking a seat. 'How're things?'

John frowned at her, and then put his arm around Laura. 'They're great Luce, why'd you ask?' Laura turned a perplexed face to them, and Jamie sat down giving her a weary smile.

'Oh I just heard you might have your hands full, that's all,' Lucy said with a broad smile. 'It must be hard for you fighting off all these girls.'

John shrugged. 'Nah, that isn't true, and even if it was, there's only one girl I'm interested in.' He exchanged a smile with Laura.

'Oh, that's not what I heard. I heard you took a certain somebody out the other night.' Laura moved back from John, her eyebrows knotted together.

'The only girl I've taken out is Laura, not that it's anything to do with you,' John said and Jamie could tell he was rattled. 'So why don't you do one okay, go back to your ginger boyfriend.'

'I don't have a boyfriend, but say I did, I wouldn't care if he was ginger. I'm not superficial like you.' Jamie groaned, exchanging a look with Evie, while John and Lucy descended into their usual arguing.

'Hold up,' Laura said raising her hand. Her quiet tone gave Lucy and John pause for thought. 'Lucy, why are you saying John took Debbie out?'

Lucy flushed. 'Cos everyone's talking about it Laura, it's common knowledge and I think you should know.'

Laura caught John's eye, and Jamie waited for him to deny it. John put his arm around Laura, squeezing her shoulder.

'Ignore her babe, she's just out to make trouble,' he said giving Lucy a filthy look. 'I saw Debbie the other night when I was out with the guys, I didn't take her out, I bumped into her. I guess the gossip merchants have nothing better to talk about.'

Lucy snorted and Laura turned her attention to Jamie. 'Do you believe him?' she asked.

'I guess,' Jamie stuttered while John nodded furiously at him. 'I mean I wasn't there, but yeah, John could have bumped into Debbie.' Lucy gave him a scornful look.

'I did bump into Debbie, she's a friend,' John insisted to Laura. 'I dumped her, I didn't want to hurt her even more by saying we couldn't be friends, I hope you understand.' He smiled reassuringly at her, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

'No one believes you, Junior,' she snarled but John didn't even glance at her, he kept his eyes on Laura.

'I don't want any trouble, John,' Laura said, her voice hesitant. 'Debbie could make my life difficult.'

'She won't babe, she's my friend, she won't do anything like that,' John said quickly. 'That's kinda why I was talking to her. To smooth things over.' Jamie and Lucy exchanged glances, and Evie giggled. Laura, however, seemed satisfied.

'Okay, if that's all it is. I don't want to be messed around.'

'You won't be, babe,' John assured her, and Jamie caught his eye. John looked down, and Jamie was almost certain he was spinning Laura a line.

                                                            ~~~~

Jamie made a beeline for his bedroom when he got home from school. His mom was back at work and he was back to walking home. John had offered him a ride but he didn't want to get too friendly with him again, the whole situation with Laura made him uncomfortable. He was pretty sure John wasn't being straight with her, and Laura was his friend first and foremost.

He pulled his mom's diary out from under the mattress and contemplated it. He now knew his dad had hit his mom, but he also knew his mom was pining for her ex when she'd married his dad. The only thing he was happy to have confirmed was that his mom hadn't had an affair with John Lombardo, or if she had it had happened many years later. He opened the diary and continued reading.

June 1964

It's summer vacation, thank god. No more school work and I have Nick all to myself! He's so much happier now he has some time off, I think he works too hard and he takes it out on me. I need to be more understanding.

July 1964

Nick's been so affectionate lately, it's like we're having the honeymoon we never had. I love him so much, I don't know how I could have doubted him.

Jamie's nearly eighteen months now, he's so active and I can see Nick's really taking an interest in him. I'd love another child, I wouldn't want a big age gap but I suppose I should wait until I graduate.

August 1964

I broached the subject of another child with Nick. Big mistake! He got angry, said I was barely getting through college as it was, and another pregnancy would make it impossible. I guess he has a point. I asked what he expected me to do once I graduated and he was kinda clueless.

My mom came to visit, Nick was all charm. He insisted we give up our room for her and sleep on the sofa. After she left he moaned that his back was aching...

We went out with some of Nick's friends to celebrate our anniversary. It was fun I suppose, but there was this one woman there who Nick seemed to be paying a lot of attention to. I asked him who she was since I'd never met her before. He said he worked with her, I thought it was kinda strange she'd come out with us...

September 1964

That woman who came out for our anniversary came over for dinner tonight. I was so annoyed cos Nick hadn't warned me. I looked a mess and she was all dressed up. I shouldn't have cared though, she barely spoke to me all evening, I might as well have been the domestic help.

I asked Nick about his colleague and he got all defensive. I've seen her around the college and she never acknowledges me but then she comes into my home!

I am so sick, this marriage is a joke!

I told Nick I'm quitting college and going back to California. I won't be made a fool of. He laughed at me at first, but when I wouldn't give in he got really angry. He started shouting and the neighbours banged on the wall, he calmed down after that but I could tell he was furious.

November 1964

Nick's been really sweet the past few weeks...that woman has disappeared. I see her around college but she's not sticking her nose up at me any more, she looks embarrassed. I guess whatever was going on is over with.

December 1964

I was hoping to see my mom again for Christmas but Nick said it was his parents' turn. I guess he has a point but we see his parents almost every week.

Jamie paused, the diary entries were getting mundane, maybe his dad had only hit his mom the once? He had no real idea and he wished he could ask his mom about it. She'd said he could talk to her but he didn't think she meant about this. A sharp knock on the door startled him, and he shoved the diary under his pillow just in the nick of time as his mom opened the door, Louis behind her. He looked up at them, sure his face was a picture of guilt.

'I've just had Angela on the phone,' Charlotte said glaring at him while Louis looked sheepish. 

Jamie groaned, Angela was Lucy and Evie's mom. 'Oh, what did she want?' he asked although it was pointless playing dumb.

'She called to congratulate me,' Charlotte snapped, and she gave Louis a brief angry look. 'Jamie, how could you go and tell your cousins I'm pregnant?'

'Now Lottie,' Louis said placing a hand on her arm. 'It's my fault okay, I shouldn't have said anything.'

Charlotte turned on him. 'No you shouldn't have! You of all people should know to keep your mouth shut. And now half the family knows.' She folded her arms and glared at Jamie again.

'Look I didn't tell Lucy and Evie, John did. I thought he already knew cos he said something about you telling his mom you were ill. I made a mistake, sorry.' He knew his tone wasn't apologetic though, even to his own ears he sounded petulant.

'Great so Darlene probably knows as well,' Charlotte grumbled. 'I might as well take out an ad.'

'I don't see what the big deal is anyway,' Jamie snapped. 'No one cares but you.' Now Louis's face flashed with anger but Charlotte just shook her head.

'See, this is exactly why you should have kept your mouth shut,' she said to Louis. 'He's too immature to understand.'

She turned and walked back out of the room. Louis looked at him, clearly disappointed, before he followed Charlotte back downstairs. Jamie grabbed his pillow and threw it at the door. Seriously, if his mom didn't treat him like a child then maybe he wouldn't act like one!

                                                                                ~~~