“There’s nothing to think about. You and I were friends before we dated. Once we did, I knew we’d be friends for life. I’m here for you,” I assured her.
“I want to believe you because I need a friend right now.”
I waited her out as she stared at me. I wasn’t sure what she was looking for, or what I should have done. Peggy buried her face in my chest and began to sob. I started to think this had nothing to do with her parents. I started to plan the demise of Mitch.
Peggy pulled her face away from my chest, and the look on her face made my heart break.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
My first instinct was to jump up and go track down Mitch. The only problem with my plan was that Peggy needed me. We didn’t say anything for a long time. I just held her and let her cry it out.
Of course, the whole time I seethed about him not respecting her wishes. Peggy wanted to be a virgin on her wedding night. I admit to having had a short-lived pang about being a gentleman and respecting her wishes, but thankfully, it was momentary. I couldn’t see Mitch forcing her to do anything. Peggy was stronger than that. If I found out he’d forced her, he wouldn’t survive the week without grievous bodily harm.
Peggy must have been exhausted because she fell asleep in my arms. I was able to get her to let go of me so I could study. I still had finals. History was tomorrow and Suzanne had given me passages to reread. She had taken the class and remembered the kinds of things I’d be tested on. I wanted them fresh in my mind for tomorrow.
After two hours, her eyes fluttered open and she looked confused until she saw me.
“How long was I asleep?” she asked with that husky rasp you sometimes get when you just wake up.
I went to the refrigerator and found a bottle of water. She took a big swig and sat up.
“A couple of hours. You needed it.”
“I really do need a good night’s sleep. You mind if I stay here?” she asked.
“I don’t mind, but you better tell your mom where you are. I don’t need her hunting me down.”
“You’d be fine with my mom. For some reason she likes you. Now my dad ....” She left unsaid that he wasn’t my biggest fan.
She called her mom and I could tell the conversation was tense. When she was done, she gave me a weak smile.
“Mitch has been looking for me. I blocked his calls,” she said. “I’m going to go take a bath. Can I use one of your t-shirts?”
“You’ve never asked before. Why would tonight be any different?” I said, reminding her of all the t-shirts she’d taken in the past.
“It was different, then,” she said, obviously flustered.
“I know, but you’re my friend. All my friends seem to take t-shirts. Why should you be any different?”
“Okay. I was just checking,” she told me and headed to the bedroom.
I grabbed Duke’s leash. I didn’t need him taking off. I went out to let him do his business and then went to find Mom and Dad. I told them what I knew and asked for any advice they could give me.
“All you can do is be there for her right now. She needs someone she can count on,” Dad began, and then he asked the big question. “If she asks, what advice are you going to give her?”
Surprisingly, our family had never talked about the pros and cons of abortion.
“I’m not sure I could advise her. If it was a perfect world, I’d side with having the baby. I’m not one of those who tries to split hairs. I think it’s obvious a baby’s alive at conception. I also believe one size does not fit all. Peggy’s of an age where having a baby could really affect her life.”
“You didn’t seem too worried about Angie,” Mom said, to play devil’s advocate.
“Angie had a support system: Greg, who’d stand up and give her baby a father; you and Dad; and me. I knew if it came down to it, we’d raise the baby as our own. Peggy doesn’t have the same assurances.”
“Would you be willing to help?” Dad asked.
I laughed.
“As much as a friend can. I won’t be there for the important things, though. Peggy will need to decide how she handles it with her family and Mitch. It’s not my place to take over.”
Mom got up and gave me a hug.
“I think my little boy’s growing up. You can help, but you can’t live her life. Ultimately, Peggy must decide what’s right for her. She’s lucky to have you as a friend.”
Chapter 21 – Family Night
Wednesday May 13
Peggy kissed me awake.
“Morning,” I said.
“Can we talk?” she asked.
My clock read six o’clock. I really didn’t have an excuse not to, so I nodded.
“First of all, I wanted to thank you for never pressuring me to go all the way. I can’t really blame Mitch, because I allowed him to take my virginity. I knew after it happened it was a mistake. There’s no greater evidence than what’s growing in my belly.”
“Have you told him?” I asked.
“You’re the only person who knows.”
“Are you two going out?”
“I plan on breaking it off. I’ve come to realize Mitch is not Mr. Forever—at least, not for me. I won’t let myself be trapped into marrying him,” Peggy confessed, and then got a playful look as she nudged my ribs. “If you were older, I might try and trap you.”
“Try a lot older,” I suggested.
“I hear you. Having a baby right now was not in the plans,” she said, and then looked off into space.
“Do you know what you’re going to do?”
“I may have to get an abortion. My scholarship is for running cross-country. If I can’t do it because I’m pregnant, I won’t have the money to go to school.”
“Can your parents help?”
“Not if I’m in Arizona and they’re here.”
“No, I meant financially?”
“Maybe, but I don’t want to count on it. Dad’s been a little flaky over the past year. Turning up pregnant might send him over the edge.”
“If you decide to have the baby, you know I can help you with money for school, housing, and daycare, through Angie’s charity. Mitch would also have responsibilities for helping financially. I know his family can afford to help.”
“Thanks. Knowing you’re there to help takes a lot of pressure off me,” she said as she hugged me. “I need to get home before my mom and dad kill me. I have a couple of finals today that I might want to study for.”
She got dressed and left. I had planned on going back to sleep, but some furry-butt was awake and demanded to be let out of his crate.
AS I WALKED UP TO THE school, Mitch came marching towards me. He had bad news radiating from him. He must have figured out Peggy was with me last night, so I put my hands up to slow him down.
“We just talked,” I told him.
Mitch took a swing at me. He had terrible technique and I easily ducked his punch. I sidestepped him and backed up towards the school. He made another run at me.
“Mitch, you’re just going to get hurt,” I said, trying one more time to reason with him.
I easily dodged him again. We were now drawing a crowd. I kept my hands up to fend him off. I knew there were cameras recording everything. I didn’t want to get suspended for fighting because of the school’s zero-tolerance rules. I wanted the record to show I kept backing off.
Peggy came running out and stood in front of me.
“Mitch, stop this right now!” she yelled at him.
“I know what you did! I drove by his house last night and again early this morning!” he yelled at us.
This got everyone’s attention. He looked like he planned to hit her, but he finally got control of himself and walked away. Peggy went with him to try and talk to him. He got in his car and drove away, leaving her crying in the parking lot. Pam went to go get her. I figured it was better if we weren’t seen together, after Mitch’s declaration.