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Can You Keep a Secret?

Bill Tope

“I don’t know what to do first, Maureen,”
lamented the young woman, now carrying
her fourth child in five years. “What does
Larry say about it. Lindsey?” asked Maureen,
referencing the other woman’s husband.

“He thinks we should just have the baby,”
muttered Lindsey in a tired voice. “We were up
all night discussing it. Larry says the government
creates all kinds of incentives to carry a baby to
term.” She sighed.

“But, this will be your fourth child,” Maureen
protested. “Larry can count too,” Lindsey
pointed out. “That’s easy for Larry to say,”
remarked Maureen. “But the female body
wasn’t meant to become pregnanat every
year,” objected her friend.

“I know,” said Lindsey somberly. “That’s why
I came to you. You’re my dearest friend. I
wonder if you can help me....take care of it?”
she beseeched the older woman. “I...I’ve
heard rumors that you....know people.”

“You mean an abortion?” whispered Maureen
furtively. “They’re illegal everywhere now,
Honey. I don’t think you could find an abortiion
doctor in the state nowadays, who isn’t already
doing time or lost his license. And in all the
surrounding states as well. You’d have to drive
sixteen or twenty hours in a car!”

Lindsey shook her head no. “Not that kind of a
procedure, no; I know how impossible that is.
I was thiniking more of a chemical procedure.”
She stared hopefully at her friend. Maureen
regarded the younger woman evenly. “Are you
serious about this, Linds?” Lindsey only nodded.
“Let me make a phone call,” said Maureen, and
she stood off at a distance and used her cell
phone.

When she returned, Maureen held out a piece of
paper with an address and a time written on it.
Lindsey took the paper. “Where am I going?”
she asked. “Where is this place? Hey, this is on the
West Side. That’s a dangerous area.” Maureen nodded.
“That’s one reason the police don’t go in there, it’s
too dangerous. That makes it safer for us.”

“Just show up there at that time and ask for Armand,”
she instructed her young friend. “Armand?” Lindsey
laughed. “You’re joking!” Maureen shook her head no.
“This isn’t a joking matter, Linds.” Lindsey sobered up
immediately. “How much will all this cost? it has to
be terribly expensive.”

“All it will cost you is your silence,” replied her friend.
“A loose tongue could literally cause people to die,”
she said. Lindsey cleared her throat. “How can I ever
repay you, Maureen?” she asked. The older woman
replied, “By never mentioning my name again.”

Forget you ever knew me, met me, even, Linds.”
“But Maureen, I can keep a secret,” said Lindsey
earnestly, feeling the loss already. Again the older
woman shook her head no. “The Movement,” she
said, “is too important.”

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