Page 33 of A Chance to Believe

Cassie frowned at the girl. ‘Are you dating him, going out together?’

‘Not really. We’ve been hanging out together a bit.’

Trying to remember who had been among the teenagers who came over, there was no one boy who stood out.

‘This is the one you’ve been fooling around with?’

Kimberley made a face. ‘No. That was another boy. It didn’t work out.’

‘Why not?’

‘He wanted to go all the way, but I wouldn’t. So, he went off with the Leech.’

‘Who?’

‘Crystal Leech. She goes with all the boys. She’s really pretty.’

Cassie flopped down on the armchair. ‘Sounds like you’re well rid of him.’

‘Yeah. I guess.’

‘Is that why you need the condoms, so you can go all the way with this other boy you like?’

‘I figure, if I’m prepared and he wants to …’

‘What happens if they fail?’

Kimberley moved away from the door and perched on the edge of the bed. ‘Is that really what happened?’

‘If condoms have a ninety-seven per cent success rate, that means a three per cent failure rate. So, for every hundred times you have sex, you have three chances of contraceptive failure. It’s more complicated than that, but it gives you a fair idea of the risks.’

‘That’s gross. You had sex that many times with my dad?’

Cassie grimaced. She should have known it would get way too personal under the circumstances.Awkward. ‘I didn’t exactly count. Besides, there is no guarantee that the failure couldn’t happen on the third time out of the hundred. It could have been a tiny split in the condom we didn’t notice. It could have been failing to dispose of it fast enough. We’ll probably never know exactly. That’s why people who are serious about not getting pregnant will often use two methods at the same time. The only guaranteed method is no sex at all.’

The girl looked horrified. ‘I’m going to university. No way would I want to get pregnant. Dad would kill me.’ She screwed up her nose. ‘Right after he killed and dismembered my boyfriend and buried him in the bush somewhere to be eaten by dingos.’

An interesting and possibly accurate summation of Shayne’s probable metaphorical reaction to that situation. Short of the actual murder. Cassie was pretty sure he wasn’t a killer. Most farmers hated having to kill anything, even though it was necessary at times.

‘In that case, if you don’t want your father in prison for murder and if you are determined to have a sexual relationship, think about other options to add to the condoms. You could organise to go to Bialga to see a female doctor.’

Kimberley twisted the box in her hands. ‘There’s a women’s clinic at the local medical centre run by someone from Bialga once a month. I suppose I could go there.’

‘Good idea.’ She hesitated but went ahead. ‘Do you need a pregnancy test?’

‘What? No. That was months ago. Last winter. I’m pretty sure I’d know if I was preggers.’

Cassie expelled a shaky breath. ‘I doubt if your father would appreciate becoming a grandfather at the same time as becoming a father again.’

‘Hell no. Though it would be kind of funny, so long as it wasn’t me. I’d like to see his face.’

Cassie returned her grin. It had a humorous side, though she didn’t think Shayne would see it.

The girl stood up to go. ‘Thanks. I mean, really. It was good to have someone to talk to.’

‘My pleasure. And Kimberley?’

‘Yes?’

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