Anna's Secret

high-fashion magazine. Anna remembered being terrified of her at first. But Betty’s genuine friendliness soon changed that. She had a flare for fashion, but beneath the surface lived and breathed a down-to-earth soul. Her bubbly personality soothed Anna’s frayed nerves.
Betty placed a warm hand over Anna’s ice-cold fingers and gently squeezed. “How you must miss our dear Steven. George and I think of you every day and wonder how you manage the grief.”
She turned and waved the waitress over. “Could you bring me a Perrier, my dear?”
Anna was grateful that Betty would carry the conversation and flit from subject to subject invariably answering her own questions.
“How are Jason and Mark processing the grief? I suppose their studies help dilute the sadness. You said they both have girlfriends now?
“Oh, that just brings back such wonderful memories of when Steven first brought you home. You were so shy and incredibly lovely. He was smitten from the get-go.”
Anna smiled and listened to Betty’s chatter, it oddly gave her comfort.
The waitress had to wait a few minutes before she cleared her throat. “So sorry to intrude, but are you two ready to order.”
“Oh, yes, my dear. Sorry. I didn’t see you there. Now tell me all about your lunch special, does it have onions, I like them my dear, but they just don’t like me.” Before the girl could answer, Betty was gushing over the ring on her finger.
“Is that an engagement ring? Oh, how lovely. Why, your fiancé is a lucky man.
“Anna, look at the size of this ring and the beautiful bride-to-be. Don’t you think her fiancé has impeccable taste?”
Anna nodded in agreement.
The young waitress beamed.
Anna sat and listened to a love story unfold as Betty genuinely wanted to hear how her fiancé had proposed.
Their lunch came and went, and Anna let Betty carry the conversation. They were currently on the latest kitchen renovation that Betty and George were undergoing. Anna nodded politely, answered where needed, but could barely concentrate. All she wanted to do was blurt out her news and be done with it.
She wished that things could be as they always had been, and she could have a peaceful luncheon with one of her favorite people in the world, without the guilt. Instead, peace had flown away that morning in Pastor Harry’s office never to return. She was going to have to tell a boldface lie to this dear soul.
“My dear, did you hear me?” Betty patted her arm.
Anna’s head snapped to attention as she forced herself to focus. She had no idea what Betty had just said.
“Are you okay, you look a little peaked?”
The opening that Anna needed fell into her lap.
“Well, actually, Mom, I have something to tell you. You’re not going to believe this. I’m still in shock myself.”
Betty was all ears. She leaned in closer and placed her hand over Anna’s. “Go ahead, dear. You know that George and I will help you in any way we can.”
The sincerity in her voice and eyes made Anna want to cry.
“I’m … I’m pregnant!
The astonishment on Betty’s face could have registered a seismic wave of ten on the Richter scale. Her perfectly arched eyebrows shot up to the roof.
“What! How … can that be? Steven was so sick!
Anna nodded and used the same words Pastor Harry used. “I guess it’s a modern-day Abraham and Sarah story.”
“Oh, Anna, I’m both delighted and sad. This must be so difficult for you.”
Genuine tears filled Anna’s eyes as she nodded in agreement.
“We’ll do anything, and I mean anything, to help. You just name it, and we’ll be there.” A troubled light stole into Betty’s eyes.
Anna could no longer look directly at Betty and bent her head in shame. Remorse filled her soul, as tears broke free.
Warm arms enveloped hers as Betty pulled her chair close enough to hug her.
“Now, now dear, it’ll be all right. How far along are you? You poor thing. You’ve looked so gaunt and malnourished, no one would guess.” She looked directly at Anna’s midsection and Anna breathed out trying to push the small mound to its fullest capacity.
“Five months now,” she hiccupped between sobs, knowing full well it was only four.
“And you’re only telling us now? Why haven’t you said something sooner? You shouldn’t have tried to deal with this alone. On top of being pregnant, you’re dealing with grief, school, and work. How absolutely dreadful.”
Anna had to think fast.
“It was the last thing I expected. I … I thought that I missed my cycle due to stress, and I had lost weight after Steven’s death.” She took in a deep breath, as a shudder ran through her. “I also became so distracted with starting a new job and school. I just wasn’t paying attention.”
One lie after another tumbled from her lips. Most of them were not complete untruths, but the message came through clear. Betty thought the baby was Steven’s, and that lie lived and breathed and would be passed along as truth.
“There, there, my dear,” Betty said as she patted Anna affectionately. “We’re here for you. You just have to learn to lean on others more and not be so fiercely independent.”
She pulled out a thick, soft tissue from her purse and handed it to Anna. “Promise me, my dear, that you’ll let us help you.”
Anna lay on her bed that night and trembled at the mess of her life.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Another Bible verse filtered into Anna’s troubled mind. She wished now she had not memorized so many Scriptures. They haunted her day and night. She knew if she came to God, he would give her rest but would also demand honesty. A mountain of embarrassment would follow. Honesty was off the table.
Betty had begged Anna to stop school and work, but Anna insisted they helped her fill her lonely days. She compromised and agreed to work only one day a week while she finished the six-month course she had