Jamie followed Lucy into the party. Since she was by herself he assumed Kevin hadn't managed to convince her to go with him, despite all his bragging to the contrary. However, as soon as they were through the door Kevin made a beeline for them.

'Hey Luce, you wanna drink?' he asked her eagerly.

Jamie frowned at him, silently imploring him to take it down a notch, he could see Lucy was a little perturbed by his attention. 

'Okay, could you go get it for me please,' Lucy said looking like she was attempting to swat away a fly. Kevin departed, keen to carry out her wishes. 'There's not many people here is there?'

Jamie scanned the room. 'It's still early. John's not here yet, let's hope it stays that way.' 

'I thought you guys were friends?'

Jamie laughed, and Kevin reappeared with Lucy's drink. 'Nah I just tolerate him cos my mom's best friends with Darlene.' He was never quite sure why his mom liked Darlene, she seemed a little dumb compared to Charlotte.

Lucy nodded sympathetically. 'It's not so bad for me, my parents kinda only know John's parents through uncle Louis.'

'Yeah, you're lucky.' Jamie couldn't help thinking it was ironic that the side of the family he preferred was Louis's side, and in a way, they weren't even family at all. However, since his mom had married Lou they'd treated him as one of their own. Sometimes he used to be disappointed when he'd have to spend the weekend with his dad knowing that his siblings would be spending the day with Louis's family.

Jamie looked at Lucy for a moment. 'What do you think about what John said about my mom?' 

Her response was instant. 'John's a jerk, he was just showing off for Laura.' Jamie agreed but it didn't necessarily mean John was lying. 'And he hasn't dumped Debbie, as far as she's concerned they're still an item.'

'That's her lookout,' Kevin said trying to join in the conversation. 'Do you wanna dance Lucy?' 

She pulled a face. 'To the Village People?'

Kevin grabbed her hand. 'Yeah, show me your moves.'

Lucy let herself be led away while Jamie went to dump his bag, and then get a drink. He stood alone in the kitchen contemplating his conversation with Louis, and with Lucy. He couldn't shift the feeling that both of them weren't telling him something. Still, he wouldn't find the truth out tonight, he should concentrate on enjoying himself. He grabbed a drink and made his way back to the living room; someone had turned the record player up and Donna Summer's 'Hot Stuff' was blasting out.

'Hey, my song,' a voice yelled over the noise and Jamie groaned. John Junior had announced his arrival. He strutted in dragging Laura behind him. Jamie caught her eye and she flushed, seemingly embarrassed to be with John.

'Someone get us some drinks,' John yelled and Scott scurried away while John made his way over to Lucy and Kevin.

'You finally got yourself a boyfriend Luce?'

Lucy rolled her eyes. 'You finally got two girlfriends Junior?'

John laughed, and smiled down at Laura. 'Ignore her, she's always had this crush on me-'

'I have not!' Lucy was indignant, and Jamie sidled over, amused to see how the exchange would go. Lucy flicked her hair over her shoulder, a sure sign that she was enraged.

John cocked his head to one side. 'Lucy we all know. This goes right back to kindergarten, I remember how you used to follow me around.'

Lucy scoffed. 'I used to follow Jamie's mom around, you'll be saying I had a crush on her next.' Charlotte had been their kindergarten teacher.

John raised his eyebrows. 'Is that a confession?'

'Junior you are infantile, I'm not gonna continue this. Go hassle some other girl.' She glared at him defiantly and Jamie waited to see if he had a comeback.

John smirked and grabbed Laura's hand. 'Nah I think I'll give my date some attention, I've been neglecting her.'

Laura looked down clearly not welcoming John's attention. She looked even more awkward when he pulled her into his arms to dance to Dr Hook's 'When you're in love with a beautiful woman.' Jamie could see John's mouth moving against Laura's ear, he was probably trying to sing the song. He hoped against hope that Laura wasn't taken in by him.

                                                                   ~~~

The party was in full swing and Jamie had taken refuge in the kitchen, all the hot sweaty bodies in the living room were making him feel claustrophobic. He sat sipping a beer from Scott's dad's homebrew. He suspected it was a failed batch and that's why they'd been allowed to have it. The door banged and Laura came in.

'Sorry,' she murmured. 'I was just getting a drink.'

'It's okay. I'm not doing anything, just hiding out I guess.'

Laura took a seat beside him. 'I guess I am as well, John's a bit overpowering. I wasn't even sure about coming here with him tonight.' She bit her lip as if she'd said too much.

'I wouldn't disagree with you on that score.'

Laura looked at him, her eyes widening. 'Oh, I thought you were friends. I know he's always teasing you but I thought that was in jest.'

Jamie shook his head. 'Nah he means it. We were friends when we were kids, our moms engineered it, we're not friends now.'

Laura looked at him uncertainly. 'The way he was talking the other day, in the dining hall....' She drifted off, blushing. 'Sorry I shouldn't have said, I guess he was being a jerk.'

Jamie took a deep breath. 'He was being a jerk but, I dunno Laura, I'm not sure if he was lying.' There, he'd admitted it out loud.

'Have you asked your mom?'

'I can't. I mentioned it to my stepdad and he was kinda evasive.'

Laura nodded. 'Well, why not ask your mom? She's the only one who can really put your mind at rest.'

Jamie sighed thinking it wasn't that simple. 'My mom never talks about my dad, except to tell me what the arrangements are for seeing him. I don't kid myself that he was anything other than a bastard to her.' Laura's mouth dropped open, and he guessed she was shocked. 'He was, I was only little when they split up but I know it's his fault, I just don't know why. She said it's cos she was too young when they got married, she was pregnant with me you see.'

He'd never admitted that to anyone, his mom hadn't even told him, he'd only found out by chance one day.

He was eleven and he'd needed his birth certificate for something or other, and his mom had been busy trying to calm a screaming Julia. She'd told Jamie where he could find it but he'd also found the marriage certificate of Nicholas McKenna and Charlotte Elizabeth Harper, dated August 1962. He was born in February 1963, and he knew enough to figure it out. They'd had to get married because of him. He'd continued to rummage around his mom's possessions wondering what else she was hiding, and before long he found some old diaries. There was one entry he very clearly remembered.

I can feel something growing inside me, I swear it gets bigger every day.

Judy didn't believe me so I had her feel my stomach.

'Maybe it's cancer,' she said.

I laughed and laughed. Cancer or a baby?

Whatever it is, I have to get rid of it.

He'd slammed the diary shut, and buried it back in the bottom of the drawer feeling contaminated by its contents. He'd told himself it didn't matter, but the words had stayed with him.

'I'd still talk to her if I were you,' Laura said breaking through his thoughts. 'She's the only one who can tell you the truth.'

'Maybe.' Jamie wished he hadn't said so much, no doubt this would get back to John. He remembered again his mom's diaries and wondered if she still kept them. He knew he shouldn't go looking in them, but if the answers were inside, was it really such a bad thing to do? He had a right to know the truth.

                                                                                 ~~~