"Okay, Duke, we're not condemning you. Yes, we're very angry, but we want to deal with this calmly and rationally. Okay, so you and Mindy have had sex and now she's pregnant."
"We think she is, but we're not sure, because sometimes those things are wrong, and Mindy really doesn't think she is, but she's afraid to go to the doctor because of her parents."
"Well, Duke, we do have to tell her parents."
"But, but, you can't!"
"No buts about it, I'm going to go call her parents, and we'll talk about your punishment later," Babsie said as she walked out of the room.
"Dad, you need to listen to me. Mindy's parents belong to this crazy church that will force us to get married if they find out she's not a virgin!"
"Duke, are you sure that you're not over-reacting? Besides, you can't get married without parental consent, you're only 14!" With that, Babsie came bounding back up the stairs.
"Um, Ike, that didn't go very well, Mrs. Thompson demanded that we consent for them to be married ASAP, even when I pointed out that Mindy might not be pregnant. She did agree to take Mindy to the doctor, though." Duke just shook his head, they would never understand.
The next day, after school Duke got a phone call.
"I'M NOT PREGNANT!" He heard Mindy shriek in his ear.
"Praise God for small favors." Duke said, happily. "It was a false alarm!" He yelled to the rest of his house.
"But my parents still want us to get married. They're making all these plans and everything! Duke, I'm scared."
"Don't worry, baby. Oh, can you get away, my parents want to talk to the two of us, together."
"Um sure, how about tomorrow after school?"
"That's cool. I love you."
"Love you too."
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Carmen and Esme needed new clothes, since they were both down to a size one/two. All of their clothes were too big, but they didn't want Babsie to overreact, so they waited until they found just the right moment. Babsie was so preoccupied with Myst breezing through sixth grade, Duke being promiscuous, and Matt in the hospital, that when the girls asked for new clothes, she let them buy their own.
"Hey Mum, can we ask a big favor?" Esme asked her mother.
"Sure, Es, what's up?"
"Well, you know that Carmen and I have both been dieting a bit, and it's worked, but now nothing fits, can we have some money for new clothes?" Babsie looked at her daughters in their baggy clothing, and without even thinking to ask how much they had lost, she gave them each $100, and told them to shop carefully, because it could either buy them each an outfit, or a full wardrobe. So, cautiously, they hit the mall and each managed to get a lot of clothing for their $100.
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It was only about a week after the pregnancy scare when Babsie sat Duke and Mindy down for a talk. After laying down the new rules, which included them not being allowed to be alone together, she asked them something that neither of them expected.
"So, was it good?" The two looked at each other with shock and confusion.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Duke asked. Babsie looked at her son with a sly smile on her face.
"Was it any good in bed?" Their jaws dropped as they both blushed tomato red. Laughing her vilest laugh, Babsie flounced out of the room.