Whisper

"Peyton, I'm an engineer," I laughed. "I can fix or rebuild anything. If I can't make it better than it was, at least I can make it so that it works."

"I'm pregnant," she said. If there had been a way to suck words back inside of your mouth, I'd have sucked mine all back in. But I just sat down on the bench next to her and tried to give her a supportive ear.

Peyton's parents were extremely Catholic. She had an uncle who was a priest and her entire family was deeply involved in the church. She wasn't quite as devoted as the rest of them, neither were any of her siblings, but the ramifications of her situation were quite dire.

Part of the way this situation had manifested itself was because of who she was. Peyton is so pretty that guys just took one look at her and fell for her. She just didn't see it. Her two sisters were the same way. When she looked in the mirror she just saw a girl.

Most of her life she'd only been allowed to date guys who met with her parents' approval. For the most part they were guys she'd met through or at church events. So up until a couple of months ago, Peyton at twenty three, was a virgin. Then she'd met a new guy in her church. He'd just joined and it turned out he went to our college as well. His name was Larry and he'd impressed everyone at the church. He actually asked her father first if it was okay for him to date her.

Peyton had put Larry off for two or three weeks, which for Larry, who was used to screwing girls on the first date and then moving on, was something of a record. And Larry stayed with Peyton for a week or so after getting her cherry. Then he moved on and started to avoid her. When Peyton's period didn't come, she took a test and called Larry when she found out that it was positive. Larry told her not to worry and that things would work out. He continued to avoid her. He told her that those home tests were often wrong and that she should get a real doctor's test.

She made the appointment and asked for him to go with her. When the day for the appointment came, she couldn't find Larry anywhere. He'd taken his finals early and moved away.

"What was Larry's last name?" I asked.

"Miller," she said tearfully. "I don't know what I'm going to do. My entire family will disown me."

"Peyton, you need to tell them sooner or later," I said. "A part of us being adults is accepting the responsibility for the things that we do. If you wait until you start to show, it will be far worse on you than if you're honest and up front about it. And don't worry, your parents will love you know matter what. And your friends will support you too."

"Do you think so?" she asked. By that time we'd been talking for most of the afternoon. I took her to a small restaurant and we ate and talked some more. She told me that I'd made her feel a lot better and if her baby was a boy, she'd name him after me.

"I'm damned sure not going to name him Larry," she said. She gave me her phone number and told me to call her the next day. Then she had me call the number right then so it was in my phone. I walked her back to her dorm and I was flying. I'd seen Peyton around town or around school for most of my life and had never even imagined us talking, let alone me having her phone number.

As silly as it seems, that afternoon I fell for Peyton so hard that there was simply nothing I wouldn't have done for her. Even as I walked home after leaving her, I remembered hundreds of little details about her from growing up. I remembered times I'd seen her smile and had been agog at how pretty she was. I remembered the grace that she'd handled embarrassing moments with and I realized that like most of the guys I knew, I'd probably always been a little in love with Peyton, I'd just never thought even in my wildest dreams that I'd have a shot.

Luckily for me things seemed to go my way that day. When I got back to my apartment, Kathy was gone. She'd left a note on my car that she really wanted to talk to me. So I decided to call her the next day. Unfortunately for me, life interfered. I've never really been messy. I grew up in a home that was always spotless, so I tended to keep my apartment that way too. With Kathy having spent the better part of a year auditioning for the role of wife, she'd really helped. So my apartment was never the typical bachelor pad.

I was trying to do some of the studying I'd neglected that afternoon when my phone rang. I assumed that it was Kathy and decided to just go ahead and get it over with.

"Will, it didn't work," said a tearful voice. "They threw me out...I'm"

I surprised even myself. "I'll be right there," I said.

I was in my car and moving before it even registered in my own mind what I was doing. As I said, I've always tried to be a good guy. But sometimes I tend to lead with my emotions and just let them take over. It often gets me into trouble that a bit of rational thought would prevent.

I drove back to Peyton's parents' house and knocked on the door. The door opened slowly and Peyton's dad stood there holding a drink in his hand. He was clearly upset. He also wasn't the pious church going man that everyone had come to know and respect at that moment.

"What do you want?" he asked taking another sip of his drink.

"I'm here to see Peyton," I said. He took one look at me and his face got red.

"Are you the one who..." he began and I for some reason, was as pissed as he was. As I look back on things now I realize that both of us had misunderstandings at that moment. If either one of us had just slowed down and let the other speak. Things might have gone better. But for me they'd have been far worse. If we had taken the time to talk or to listen to each other, he might not have hated me, but I probably wouldn't have ended up with Peyton either.

"Yes," I said. "I'm the one who..." I was going to say, "I'm the one who told her to tell you she was pregnant."

"Well good," he said. "You can take her ass with you..." I later learned that he was only upset and never intended to kick Peyton out of the house.

"I will," I spat.

Peyton's mother looked relieved. Peyton herself was afraid and shocked.

"But Daddy he..." she began.

"Get the hell out of my house," he said. Peyton had already packed a small suitcase. I guess her mother had intended for Peyton to go and stay with a relative until this thing could be worked out but it just didn't end up that way.

I gently guided a crying Peyton out to my car. We drove around for a while and I finally got her to talk. Then I got her to eat and we talked some more. Once again that moderately sized town thing came up. A lot of people knew who I was and everyone knew who Peyton was. So when people around town saw us together, especially huddled in a booth talking very seriously, it got around.

When I insisted that we be placed in an area without smokers and Peyton sheepishly explained to the waitress that she was pregnant, that was all it took. Word had gotten around town in less than two days that I had gotten Peyton Carlisle pregnant.

That first night we didn't go back to my apartment until almost midnight. Peyton was falling asleep in my car. We'd tried a few of her friends but unfortunately Peyton only knew "good girls," that she'd gone to church and school with. All of them were horrified that she was pregnant; including her best friend, Millie, whom she'd spent the previous day studying with. I didn't understand how one day could make her more or less of a monster.

Finally I told her that we could go to my apartment and she nodded her head. I got out a pillow and a blanket. She headed right for my couch and I grabbed her arm. I guided her into the bedroom. She was so tired she didn't object. I closed the door behind her and headed for the couch.

The next day I had an early final, it was my last one. I woke Peyton and asked her if she had any classes left. She said she didn't, so I let her sleep and went and took my final. When I got back, I made a big breakfast. Apparently the smell of the food woke Peyton, because she quietly came out and sat down at the table. She just looked at me.

"Hungry?" I asked and she nodded. I guess it was too early in her pregnancy for morning sickness and not all women get it. I think that Peyton's appetite and all of the food she eats just goes towards making her prettier. As she shoveled down food, she just got better looking. Realistically, she probably just felt more comfortable and less hungry but I had to feed my fantasy.

"Will, what are we going to do now?" she asked. God damn it, I loved to hear her say, "We."

"Do you mean today or in the long run?" I asked.

"Both," she said. She looked at me intently and I really loved the feeling.

"Peyton, we have some decisions to make," I said. "If hearing her say, "we," had lit ME up, when I said, "we," HER face positively glowed.

"Okay, the first decision to make is yours Peyton," I said. "Do you actually want to have this baby?"

She nodded very quickly. "I made a really bad mistake," she said. "But killing a child would be a bigger one." I heard all kinds of echoes of her Catholic upbringing there but as I'd told her, that part was her choice.

We spent the rest of the day making plans and scheduling appointments. I found out then exactly how sheltered Peyton's life had been. She didn't know how to do anything. Even the classes that Peyton had been taking at the university were all geared towards her someday being the perfect wife.

We went to an appointment with both the local doctor and Peyton's priest. Both of whom looked at me as if I'd taken a shit on the Mona Lisa. We got Peyton the vitamins she needed and signed up for parenting and birthing classes. We also got a very stern lecture from the priest and appointments for both of us to see him separately.

It took a couple of days for things to settle down and for us to get into a rhythm. But we discovered that we got along great and were very comfortable together. Then the phone calls started to come in.

"Will, there's a girl on the phone for you," said Peyton. Her face looked concerned. "Her name is Summer," she said.

I ran over and took the phone from her and hung it up. "Girlfriend?" she asked.

"That wasn't a girl, Peyton," I said seriously. "That thing used to be my sister."

Her face lit up again. The next time the phone rang was far more serious. It was one of Peyton's sisters. She had all kinds of news for Peyton. Her father was still angry and getting angrier as the days went on. He had forbid any of them to have contact with Peyton. Even after speaking to the priest who couldn't reveal any information on Peyton to him, he continued to rail against her. I thought that it was all just posturing because he didn't want his other two daughters to follow Peyton's example.

She was never to set foot in their house again. And if she didn't get married before the child was born she's be stricken from the family forever. He refused to have any bastards destroy their family lineage. Then the priest started in on us. I guess he figured that if we did something to placate Peyton's father everything would work out. But all that did was get my dander up.

I told him we'd be fine. Peyton asked me that night what my plans had been for the summer before she impacted my life. I told her about going to Florida for my internship and then going to Boston and she cried. I woke early the next morning and left before she got up. I think that Peyton had assumed that I'd gone to school. I'd gone to the plant and put in an application. They were always looking for fresh young engineers and hired me on the spot. It was a Thursday and I didn't have to start work until the following Monday. I went to see the priest for my solo appointment after that. Payton's was scheduled for the next day.

When I got home I knew that something was odd. Peyton was fully dressed and her suitcase was by the door.

"I was hoping that you could take me to the bus station," she said.

"Peyton, I'll take you anywhere you want to go," I said. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to stay with my Aunt Sally," she said.

"I thought you didn't like her," I said.

"I don't," she said sadly. "But she's the only person who'll take me in and I can't ruin your life, Will. You've done too much for me already. You're supposed to be in Florida by next week so I have to go somewhere."

"Peyton, I've already called the company in Florida to tell them I'm not coming. I start working at the plant next week. They're going to pay me a great salary and we'll have benefits too; as soon as I get my ninety days in. So we'll be fine. Plus it'll give you a chance to put some of that fancy education your parents paid for to use." Her face got the weirdest look on it and she hugged me.

She came back to me a couple of hours later with her serious face on. "Will, can we talk about something?" she asked. I just smiled and nodded.

"I don't know why you're doing all of this for me...for us," she corrected. "But I need to ask you an even bigger favor."

"Okay," I said. "I'll do it." Her face brightened.

"Will, you should probably let me ask you first and give you an explanation of my plan," she said.

"Peyton, you already know, I'd probably do anything for you," I said. She turned around and just walked away then and started crying on my bed. I followed her into the room and started rubbing her back.

"Peyton, what's wrong," I asked her.

"It's me Will," she cried. "I'm just asking for too much. Ever since I've met you, I've just been taking things from you without giving you anything in return. But this is just too much."

"If it's too much, I'll tell you," I said. "What do you want Peyton?" Even as I asked, my mouth dropped open in shock. And she looked up at me.

"No Peyton," I said suddenly. "I absolutely refuse. Even for the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, there are limits. I absolutely refuse to sell my Mustang and buy a minivan."

"You think I'm beautiful?" she asked.

"You don't want a minivan?" I asked in the same tone.

"No, I wanted a year of your life," she said seriously.

"Peyton, I'm twenty two," I said. "I've got a lot of years left. You can have one of them."

"Seriously?" she asked and her face got even brighter.

"You really don't want a minivan? I get to keep my car?" I asked. Then she hugged me with everything she had and just shook her head looking at me.

"Yes, you can keep your car," she said still smiling at me and shaking her head.

"Okay, what do I have to do?" I asked. "Do I have to become Catholic and go to church for a year?"

"Of course not," she said. "But you will have to go to church a few times, like when we get married and..."

"When we what?" I asked.

"Will, I know it's a lot to ask," she began. "But I've thought this all out. I looked at it from my dad's perspective. He's really into our family history and what other people will think and all of that. So if we get married before the baby is born, then there's really no scandal. I'm sure that once we're married, he'll come around and then once the baby is five or six months old, we'll file for a divorce and you can go on to MIT just one year later. There's not nearly as much shame to the family if I get divorced as there'd be if I was an unwed mother. Being an unwed mother is usually chalked up to the parents not raising you right. But a divorce can be blamed on a lot of things. And of course, you'll have a friend for life and my undying gratitude."

"Okay," I said. But I was a little bit hurt. "Half of the town thinks I got you pregnant anyway," I said.

"I love you Will," she said. "Thank you so much."

"Don't worry about it," I said. "It's probably not going to happen."

"Why not," she said.

"Because Larry will come to his senses and come back for you before the baby is born," I said.

"Why the hell would he waste his time?" she said. It was the first curse word I'd ever heard from her and there was some anger mixed in with it. "There's nothing here for him. My baby doesn't need him in his or her life and I don't either. I wish with all my heart that I'd met you before I met him."

I don't think I heard another curse word from Peyton for weeks afterwards. The next time she'd curse would be on our wedding night.

The next day at Peyton's appointment with the priest, we told him the news. Peyton also got to meet my family that day too. My mom adopted Peyton that afternoon. My dad kept patting me on the shoulder. He had that, "Cat that swallowed the canary," look the whole time. Even my brother in law was smiling at me. Summer wasn't as thrilled, but even she came around when she was included in planning the wedding.

The announcement for the wedding date went up on the church bulletin board so her parents must have seen it, but we still didn't hear a word from them. There were so many people who showed up for our wedding that we had to turn some of them away. The church simply couldn't hold them. I did manage to slip her mom in the side door so she could watch the ceremony without being seen and I pointed her out to Peyton as we did the ceremonial kiss. The strangest thing about is was that when we did the kiss, I only expected a perfunctory peck but Peyton pulled me in for a full-fledged lip lock that lulled the church into silence. Her technique showed that Peyton hadn't kissed a lot of guys but her eagerness shocked me.

My parents had given us a week long cruise for our honeymoon and we had to miss the reception to drive to the airport. Peyton held my hand as we left the church and everyone in town seemed to be happy. On the way to the airport, Peyton asked me why I was smiling so much.

"Are you that relieved that the ceremony is over?" she asked. "Honestly, I don't understand men. Don't you understand that for a woman her wedding day is the highlight of her life? It is the bride's day. Your mom and I have planned this day for the past six weeks. I was barely able to fit in my dress. My little bump here is starting to show. In a few weeks, everyone in town will know who doesn't already."

"Well, don't worry," I said. "I'm sure your next one will be better."

"My next what?" she asked.

"Wedding," I said. She just looked at me strangely.

We got on the plane with Peyton carrying her veil and her book of thank you cards. She was filling out thank you cards for everyone who'd attended the wedding. She'd have more thank you cards after we went through all of the wedding gifts. She spent an hour telling the flight attendants about our wedding.

The plane landed late and we had to hustle to get to the ship. But we made it with time to spare. We settled into our cabin and then went to explore the ship. We were both pretty exhausted from traveling and all of the festivities, so we had dinner in our cabin. Peyton went into the bathroom and I grabbed a blanket. When she came out of the bathroom, I watched her from the other side of the room. I almost laughed at her.

She had on a very tiny pair of white panties with white stockings and garters. She had on a lacy white bra and the very same long trailing veil that she'd just gotten married in. She carried a small bouquet to make up for the one that she'd thrown back at the church. She slowly walked towards the bed the way she'd walked down the aisle only hours before. She stood in front of the bed looking like an angel. My jaw dropped open. Her breasts stood like two quivering melons on her chest. Her legs were perfect. Stories could be written about her ass alone. Even the tiny baby bump growing below her breasts only made her even sexier.

Suddenly, she dropped the flowers on the bed and looked around the room. "Will," she yelled. "Why the hell are you on the sofa?" She came across the room and just plopped down in front of me. She folded her arms across her chest, clearly angry.