n the buses that they took, what they did, and the food they ate. He did admit to sleeping with Joycelyn without the use of protection. He kept the intimate details to himself.

believe that he had been deceived like that. He felt like the world's biggest chump, to have been so stupid. There was

aughter and now she is pregnant. Do yo

nd I will not deny that it happened. I know we...I didn't use any kind of protection. I will not

e James, after all we are only a

et, I will take her word for it that the baby is mine. T

or the evidence? Are you

rred to DNA testing. "Time will tell if she is telling the truth or not. If I am the father of her child, then so be it and if I am not then time will tell."

are you go

am going to take care of my child. I am go

going to raise a grandchild." With

s that Joycelyn had. She had similar features, but more wrinkles and was older. She had dark shades under both her eyes and James suspected what

nna mar

an option. She is a

James, but she is a

matter-of-factly. He

her own action. If she got into any trouble her mom would not have to

that fake i

e it to get

needing it any lon

and I am goin

h her, James. She does what she wants

ught. She wanted to act like an adult that day and now

to hold her, but he fought the urge to do so. He had imagined what it would be like if he got a woman pregnant, but he never imagined that she would be just a child. Fifteen, he kept saying in his head. I can't believe this is happening. I have heard of this happening to men befor

I can take care of my child myself. If need be I will be mommy and daddy t

that every child deserves to know their father

ou know about my dau

celyn had told him. "She didn't te

uldn't blame her for not telling him all, b

she is on

for what and

next te

'd sh

ne said. "Joycelyn tell him what you

s' eyes and told him. "I did something stupid last ye

you do?" J

y, so I was walking around just looking. I got hungry and a craving for some Popeye's. Didn't know how I was going to get there, but I knew I h

" Jame

ignition and the engine was running. It was just sitting there like God himself put it there just for me. So I jum

happ

cked. I hit the gas a

earing. His baby mama, no he didn't like that

SUV it folded up like a piece of paper. I was arrested

bailing her out of trouble. I thought that i

tough love," J

d with her. She doesn't li

lling the story,

ad," sa

I refused to tell them my name so they put me in the adult facil

do that?" Jame

ous re

been in trouble with the police, James thought. Wha

e told them that I was out of control and that she didn't know what to do. They put me on probation until I a

!" James

any judge, J

ate. Her sentences were always the maximum allowable by law. Some had speculated that she was on the fast track to the Florida Supreme Court. They called her 'The Hammer', because when she banged her gavel it was like hea

know

f you get into trouble she is the last judge t

a personal inte

he going to say when she find

s. I told her las

and sisters about this now I will eventually have t

ull. I did my best, but

nce I was 10. You had your own life to live and didn't want to be bothered by

mes took Joycelyn's hand and looked he

his, together," Joyc

y her and take her off

e, I normally woul

ancipated

rlds apart. I will not compou

He knew she was joking. He was close to his mom; she was his best friend. Oh no, I have to tell her. What is she going to say? He wondered. He wanted to make it all better. He reme

room. Joycelyn and James were now alon

Joycel

," James

looking at

habit of staring at people.

s did you mean

was

older, you would

brought up with old-fashio

hen do you

stion should've been 'Am I in love with you?' If you would have as

I was jumping for joy inside. I didn't want you to know that, so I gave you an attitude at first, but when you kept talking to me, I was like 'great'. You got past that,

ne on my merry little way. I told you I was not trying to go to jail for talking to a youngster. You took away my most fun

w old I was, what w

ld hav

lk to me. You looked like a nice guy and when you got up close to me, I saw that you were c

he case, but it was my right,

do love m

u acted like an adult the day we met and now you are pregnant. You thought you knew what you were doing. You will have to de

as raised to do. He had learned to take his heart out of things when it matters, so his head won out. He would be on guard whenever he was around Joycelyn from this moment on. He really didn't want it to be this way,

ry for lying to you. I want to be with yo

ot going t

y n

n. YOU are only fifteen and I am twenty-eight. I am an adult, and you are a child. I am old enough to b

nothing bu

am not proud of, others that I take pride in. You are just beginning to live and now that you are pregnant your life will change in ways that you cannot even begin to imagine.

ill in school. I still do things that I did before I got pregna

You think you are invincible, that nothing will affect you, but you are wrong. Make no

t would

egnant and only fifteen. You have basically

now

that one lie you told I could lose some

that," she

could go to j

m presses

tired of men my age having sex with young girls and what is worse you're pregnant. They are putting a stop to it. Because nine times out of ten, you end up on welfare and the m

ied to you. That I told

then at me and ask me why I couldn't tell you were that young and what will I have to say to tha

t that happ

Not only did you take away my right to choose, but you may have taken away my freedom

you put that

I c

love you. Th

s trying to tell me, but later I found out. You may think that love is all two people

ave each

be a couple. In any relationship there must be trust and right now I don't trust you. If you can

the only thing I lied about.

n with. And lying to me o

lie to yo

see, we

ht his attention. Joycelyn touched James' face with her right hand. Not expecting this, James was start

d. James could hear how upset she was, but th

o kiss you, I wouldn't. I cannot afford to let m

ou going to do

I would do since I learned of t

ith the same stern, not wanting to be bothere

o be at each other's throats. That doesn't mean that we won't disagree, but it makes no sense in fighting about things that w

ink I

e at each of them, but I know that sometimes that won't be possible. I want to know everything that you know. I want you to call me if you need anything. I will take responsibility for my actions an

who has not talked down to me, nor have talked about me, as

s, so I have to talk to yo

turn to ask you, are you hungry?

later. Now that I know where you live, I will come t

through this by myself." Joycelyn opened the doo

o help you." James turned to leave, but Joycelyn grabbed him by the arm. James t