The Earring

Book 6 Part 3

The next morning she dropped Teresa at school. They had decided not to submit a change of address form for her. Teresa was afraid that the school counselor would call child welfare.

"I'm only 16," she said. "I'm not almost 18 like Jacob. If they report me to OCS, I'll be put in foster care until I'm 18."

"When will you be 17?" Faith asked. "She had visions of Jacob being locked up for statutory rape."

"In July. Why?"

"Just wondering. You might want to pursue emancipation."

Faith kept her thoughts about legal entanglements to herself. She was fairly certain that Teresa's dad would charge Jacob if he could. As soon as she was home, she googled 'statutory rape in Louisiana.'

Faith was relived to find out that Jacob was safe from a carnal knowledge charge. If the Internet was right, Jacob would have to be over 19 to be charged for having sex with a 16 year old. He could only be charged as a 17 year old if Teresa were 15 or younger. There had to be a two-year age difference.

When Faith got to her Mama's house, she found Jacob propped up in bed watching a DVD. They had discontinued the satellite service. There were magazines lying on the bedside table.

"Have you had breakfast?" she asked.

"Aaron fixed me a bowl of cereal," he said with a grin.

When Faith frowned, he quickly said, "He offered to make me some grits or toast or eggs. I'm not much for a big breakfast, though."

"If you're like my brothers, you'll be hungry in about an hour."

"Probably. Look, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"If Teresa and I get married, do you think it can work?"

"There's always a chance, but teenage marriages rarely make it, especially when there's a baby involved."

"Oh, I don't mean get married and keep the kid. I just mean get married."

"Is that what you want?"

"I've been thinking about it. If we decide to let those Jacobson people adopt our kid, then we would have an apartment until the baby is born. I could go to summer school, and the money from grandma would kick in. We could save that so when we have to move out after the baby comes, we'd have the money to pay the deposits and all on the apartment. Teresa wouldn't have to leave town. She could finish high school here. She's only a Junior, you know."

"I know," Faith said. "I found that out this morning. You're fortunate that you don't fall under the statutory rape law."

Jacob flushed. "I hadn't even thought about that."

"I don't think Teresa has either. I looked up the law on the Internet. It appears that you're safe."

"I do love her, you know," he said.

"I can see that. And she loves you too. That brings us to the million-dollar question: "Is love enough?" Faith looked out the window. Spring was in the air. "You seem to have thought about the logistics of marriage. What would be the advantages and disadvantages?"

Jacob reached over, picked up a sheet of paper from the bedside table, and handed it to her. He was one step ahead of her. There were two columns headed pro and con. The pro column started with the reference Exodus 22:16.

"What does this verse say?" Faith asked, pointing to the reference.

"If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife."