He grabbed his wallet, pulled out some money, and ordered me to go have an abortion. I got really mad. I started screaming and calling him names. I think I even hit him. I don’t remember for sure. I was just so scared and upset.”
“What did he do?” Cara asked, trying to visualize the scene. She’d worked with a great many distressed youths in her time, but the implications of Teri’s situation made hers one of the worst.
“He told me to calm down and promised he’d take careof everything. He told me he’d even give me money to make up for the trouble.”
“And what did he want in return?”
“My silence and Jamie’s life. He absolutely insisted I have the abortion. He said I was too young to be a mother, and it was just going to mess up my future. He told me he’d give me two thousand dollars, and what I didn’t need for the abortion, I could use to have fun and forget my problems.”
Cara was growing more angry by the moment. She could imagine Bob Kerns thinking it a simple solution. Use the girl up and then throw her aside before things got too complicated. It was just one more example of the Bob Kerns method for getting what he wanted.
“What happened after that, Teri?”
“I told him I wanted five thousand dollars or I’d go to the papers. I’m still not sure why he agreed, but two days later he brought me the cash and the name of an abortion doctor in Wichita. He said the guy was a friend and would do the whole procedure without asking too many questions.” Teri hugged Jamie closer to her. “I just couldn’t kill my baby.” Teri looked at Cara with a pleading expression that begged to know she’d done the right thing.
“You were very brave to bear Jamie alone. You did a wonderful thing giving her life,” Cara confirmed.
“I took the money,” Teri said, as though it made her an accomplice in a heinous crime. “I let him think I was agreeing to the abortion. I dropped out of college and disappeared. I never even called Danielle. I know she must have been worried, but I couldn’t let her know what had happened. I was afraid she’d hate me for what had taken place between me and her dad.”
“A good friend would have stood by you,” Cara replied. “If Danielle was as close as you say she was, I think she would rather have known and helped you through it.”
“But then he would have known I kept the baby,” Teri explained. “I couldn’t allow him to know or he might have tried to force the abortion issue.”
“Yes, I could see that happening.”
“You could?” Teri questioned.
“Yes. As a matter of fact, Bob Kerns has forced me into several unpleasant circumstances.”
“Really?” Teri wiped her face with the cuff of her sleeve. “But you’re famous. You have this HEARTBEAT thing and everybody knows you.”
“It doesn’t stop evil people from trying to hurt the innocent.”
Teri’s head snapped up at this. “You think he’s evil, too?”
Cara nodded. “I know he’s evil. But, Teri, God can protect us from the likes of Bob Kerns.” She said the words even as she wondered how God might rescue them both. “I know it sounds simplistic, and maybe you won’t believe me when I tell you this, but God is watching and He cares. He will see that Bob Kerns gets what he deserves.”
“Well, I don’t plan to wait around for God,” Teri replied.
“What do you mean? What are you planning to do?” Cara asked, suddenly frightened for the young woman.
“I plan to get revenge!” Teri exclaimed, waking the baby. Jamie fussed only until Teri put her on her shoulder and patted her soothingly.
“Revenge is something best left to God,” Cara advised. “You have a baby to worry about. What if your plans backfire and Jamie ends up in the middle? Kerns is a powerful lawyer with friends in high places. He could easily take Jamie away and cause you all kinds of costly battles in court.”
“Not if he’s dead,” Teri said flatly.
“That’s no answer,” Cara
“What did he do?” Cara asked, trying to visualize the scene. She’d worked with a great many distressed youths in her time, but the implications of Teri’s situation made hers one of the worst.
“He told me to calm down and promised he’d take careof everything. He told me he’d even give me money to make up for the trouble.”
“And what did he want in return?”
“My silence and Jamie’s life. He absolutely insisted I have the abortion. He said I was too young to be a mother, and it was just going to mess up my future. He told me he’d give me two thousand dollars, and what I didn’t need for the abortion, I could use to have fun and forget my problems.”
Cara was growing more angry by the moment. She could imagine Bob Kerns thinking it a simple solution. Use the girl up and then throw her aside before things got too complicated. It was just one more example of the Bob Kerns method for getting what he wanted.
“What happened after that, Teri?”
“I told him I wanted five thousand dollars or I’d go to the papers. I’m still not sure why he agreed, but two days later he brought me the cash and the name of an abortion doctor in Wichita. He said the guy was a friend and would do the whole procedure without asking too many questions.” Teri hugged Jamie closer to her. “I just couldn’t kill my baby.” Teri looked at Cara with a pleading expression that begged to know she’d done the right thing.
“You were very brave to bear Jamie alone. You did a wonderful thing giving her life,” Cara confirmed.
“I took the money,” Teri said, as though it made her an accomplice in a heinous crime. “I let him think I was agreeing to the abortion. I dropped out of college and disappeared. I never even called Danielle. I know she must have been worried, but I couldn’t let her know what had happened. I was afraid she’d hate me for what had taken place between me and her dad.”
“A good friend would have stood by you,” Cara replied. “If Danielle was as close as you say she was, I think she would rather have known and helped you through it.”
“But then he would have known I kept the baby,” Teri explained. “I couldn’t allow him to know or he might have tried to force the abortion issue.”
“Yes, I could see that happening.”
“You could?” Teri questioned.
“Yes. As a matter of fact, Bob Kerns has forced me into several unpleasant circumstances.”
“Really?” Teri wiped her face with the cuff of her sleeve. “But you’re famous. You have this HEARTBEAT thing and everybody knows you.”
“It doesn’t stop evil people from trying to hurt the innocent.”
Teri’s head snapped up at this. “You think he’s evil, too?”
Cara nodded. “I know he’s evil. But, Teri, God can protect us from the likes of Bob Kerns.” She said the words even as she wondered how God might rescue them both. “I know it sounds simplistic, and maybe you won’t believe me when I tell you this, but God is watching and He cares. He will see that Bob Kerns gets what he deserves.”
“Well, I don’t plan to wait around for God,” Teri replied.
“What do you mean? What are you planning to do?” Cara asked, suddenly frightened for the young woman.
“I plan to get revenge!” Teri exclaimed, waking the baby. Jamie fussed only until Teri put her on her shoulder and patted her soothingly.
“Revenge is something best left to God,” Cara advised. “You have a baby to worry about. What if your plans backfire and Jamie ends up in the middle? Kerns is a powerful lawyer with friends in high places. He could easily take Jamie away and cause you all kinds of costly battles in court.”
“Not if he’s dead,” Teri said flatly.
“That’s no answer,” Cara
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