The Fast Times

School was canceled the following Monday, leaving Pete deep in the warm covers of his bed. He was in a deep sleep when he heard his father yelling his name. Pete jolted, knowing that this wasn't a dream, and the way his father yelled was more than just a simple wake up gesture.

Something was wrong.

Pete got out of bed, zipping his hoodie up. He reeked of cigarettes and weed, having spent the good part of Sunday night smoking out on his roof before the blizzard. Pete usually like to be outside than in, especially when he was alone.

He shuffled downstairs, hearing his father snap, "Get your ass down here, now!"

Pete jumped off the second step, yawning, "What's wrong? Schools canceled! They called yesterday!"

His father and mother stared at their son with different expressions. His mother looked on the verge of tears and his father's face was beet red, his lips pressed hard in a tight line. Pete was suddenly nervous.

"Sit down," the elder Wentz growled at his son.

Pete sat at the counter, his eyes darting between his parents. His mother wiped her eyes, sniffling. "Who died?" He asked.

Dale Wentz shook her head, "Darla Carson called us."

Pete raised a brow, "Nancy's aunt?"

"Yes," Dale nodded.

His father cut in, "You--do you know what the hell you did?!"

Pete's eyes widened, "What did I do? I-I--is Nancy okay? What happened? I haven't seen her--"

His father cut him off, "You got her pregnant! How in the hell could you be so fucking stupid, Pete?! Do they not teach you anything at that goddamn school?!"

Pete paused, he stared at his father, "Wait, what? What happened?"

"Nancy's pregnant," Dale said softly, looking over at her husband. "She went to the ER and was informed. Her grandmother called Darla, Darla called us."

Pete was in shock. He couldn't think, what his parents had said wasn't sinking in. He stared at them, his jaw slacked.

"Where--when..." He couldn't compose a thought.

"You have a lot of fucking growing up to do, Pete!" His father growled. "You threw your entire life away sleeping around without protection! How dumb are you?"

"It was one time!" Pete shouted. "We were drunk, it was once! She can't be pregnant! You can't get pregnant doing it one time!"

His mother shook her head, "Yes you can, Pete."

"That's impossible!" He snapped. "We--we only..."

"No more hanging out with your lazy friends, no more car, nothing! You're going to get a damn job--"

Pete felt his anger bubbling, "Dad, calm down!"

"Calm down?!" His father exclaimed. "Calm down? You knocked up some girl, and you want me to calm down?! You're 17, you live under my roof!"

Pete coiled back, "I didn't know she would get pregnant! She said she did it before--I assumed she knew--"

"Wait a minute," His father lifted a palm, shutting Pete up, "what do you mean she did it before?"

Pete's cheeks burned, "She--we aren't virgins, dad. Nancy said she had sex before, I just...I thought maybe she would know what--I thought she was in birth control, maybe," he stammered.

His father looked to his mother, "Could he be the father?"

Dale rolled her eyes, "They're together, Peter, what do you think? Nancy doesn't sleep around--"

"How would you know?" Peter muttered, his eyes flicked over to Pete. "I think a DNA test will be in order."

"But dad, I don't--"

"Look," Peter began shortly, his finger pointed at his son, "This is your one chance at redemption. You got a scholarship to DePaul, you have a shot to play soccer professionally, to have a chance at a comfortable life. You tell me right now, Pete, if this girl ever slept with anyone else around this time."

Pete shrugged, his heart racing, "I don't know."

"That's it," His father muttered, looking more pleased. He looked to his wife, "We are not going to let this girl sink her teeth into our son without--"

"Peter," Dale snapped at him in disbelief, "She's 16 years old, what do you think she's going to get out of Pete?"

"He has his whole life ahead of him. She may've gotten pregnant by someone and thinks Pete will just be there and deal with this. We're going to get a DNA test done, we're going to make sure that this baby is our son's before we do anything for her and that baby."

Dale sighed, "She just found out, Peter, can you calm down."

"What did Nancy say?" Pete asked, breaking his parents intense stare.

They looked to him, Dale answered, "We didn't talk to Nancy, just Darla. Alma and Nancy are coming over tonight to talk about this."

Pete's mind ran blank, he wasn't sure what to make of this. It wasn't registering at all. Even with his father angry words and his yelling, it didn't sink in.

Pete looked at his parents, "I'm sorry I messed up."

His father inhaled, "Boy, you better hope this kid isn't yours."

"Dad--"

"No," Peter said, raising his palm to silence his son. "Just go upstairs, I'll handle it."

"Dad, I can--"

"All you have to do is pray that this isn't your mistake."

"And if it is?" Pete snapped back. "If it is, me and Nancy'll handle it, okay?"

His father shook his head, "We'll discuss this later, go upstairs."

Pete rolled his eyes, climbed off the stool and left the kitchen. He headed back upstairs, trying to let it all sink in.


"Are you still going to break up with him?"

Nancy was still thinking deeply while Alma sat with her in her bedroom. She didn't know what she was going to do. Her head was all over the place, but more than anything she was sick and she couldn't stop shaking.

"I don't know," she whispered.

"Darla and Norman are coming down," Alma told her. "We'll sort this all--"

"How pissed is Darla?" Nancy interrupted.

Alma exhaled, "Not really."

Darla was furious and angry, from what Alma had gauged from her daughter. She wanted to talk to Nancy, but Alma refused, knowing good and well she would've yelled at her.

"Are you okay, Nancy?" Alma questioned softly.

"No, I'm not," Nancy replied. "I'm stupid."

Alma patted her knee, "You're not stupid. This happened for a reason--"

"Yeah, to remind me how dumb I've been since mom and dad died."

"It's not the end of the world, you have options."

Nancy just shook her head, "Yeah, I shouldn't have to face this--shouldn't have an option to choose due to a baby."

"Are you scared?"

"I don't know--not really," she muttered. "I'm...mad at myself. I'm mad at Pete."

"He should know by now," Alma said softly. "Are you okay with that?"

"It doesn't really matter."

"Honey, have you thought about what you want to do? I know you've only known for a little while, but have you thought about anything?"

"I don't want to keep it...I mean...I don't think I can. I'm overwhelmed, Gram."

"I know what you mean, Cy, I've been there...I had your father at 29, wasn't sure if I loved your granddad enough to start a family, I was senior partner, first female partner, and it was scary."

"What did you think then?" Nancy asked softly.

"That it was now or never, but you're a teenager, you just turned 16, so you have all the time in the world. If you don't want this baby you have the rest of your life to choose when you have them."

Nancy nodded, feeling a little better. "I don't want to make any decision until I talk to Pete."

"If you choose to keep your baby, you know I'll be right there to help."

"Gram, you have arthritis and you're 65--"

Alma smiled, cutting her off, "Doesn't mean I can't help."

Nancy gave a small nod, "Thanks Gram."

"You're welcome sweetheart."