The Fast Times

"Married?" Nancy nearly exclaims, her mouth moving quicker than her thoughts can catch up.

Pete explains his talk with Principal Logan that morning, while they sit in her car, her driving. They stopped to get fast food, after school, and hadn't even started eating when Pete said, "...we have to get married."

"We can't get married," Nancy sputtered, "I don't...we shouldn't!"

Pete isn't offended, he feels the same, "We'll be in debt till...who knows how long, Cy," he reasons. "I know that getting married is a huge thing, but--"

Nancy cut him off, "Stop. Lemme eat and process this, okay? Maybe I'll call Norman and...maybe he'll give me the rest of the money my grandma left me."

Pete nodded, "Okay. I didn't even think it all through. I don't want you to ask anyone; I don't wanna ask anyone to pay for us to have our baby."

Nancy grabbed her bag of food, eating her fries. Pete sits there, thinking about it all; during school, he had been too nervous to tell Nancy, he didn't want to stress her out. The thought of being pregnant and getting married at 16 would be too much, he had thought. He didn't know what to expect from her, or even himself, he honestly didn't care, he just wanted things to be easier for them. Getting married, to him, was no big deal.

Nancy was thinking it through; it all bothered her. Her stomach was in knots and the idea of just changing her life so quick maybe her nervous. She was mentally praying that Norman would be give her all the money so she could live and have her baby without any monetary problems.

Nancy got halfway through her food when she looked at Pete, noticing him picking at his own food, "Do you wanna marry me?" She asks this sheepishly.

Pete looked over at her, "It doesn't matter to me...I would hope to, one day, cuz I do love you, Cy. Whatever you wanna do, I'm okay with."

Nancy felt some guilt then, "Its not that I don't want to, I just...I dunno..."

"You don't have to if you don't want to. And you have a lot of time to think about it."

Nancy sighed, "Okay...I'll call Norman first. Then, if he says no, we'll do it."

Pete gave a smile, just a tiny one, "Whatever you want, Cy."


Nancy stood outside with the cordless phone, looking at the Wentz's black labrador dog, Pandora run around chasing a squirrel. Her thumb ghosted over the number 5, feeling nervous about calling Norman. The last she spoke to him was the week previous, telling him how her pregnancy was going; but, he had to get off the phone, afraid Darla would hear him. Now, she was afraid that Darla would pick up or catch them, she didn't want Darla to intervene and cut her off completely. She needed the money, and wasn't getting used to the idea of tying Pete down.

Finally, Nancy forced her thumb to dial and listened to the phone ring. It rang 4 times before Norman picked up, "Nancy?"

Nancy exhaled, "Hi Uncle Norman."

"How are you honey?"

"I'm okay. How are you? Can you talk?"

"Yeah, D's grocery shopping. How's the baby?"

"Everything is okay...I, um...I need money. I don't have insurance and I have to pay every time I see the doctor, I have to pay for vitamins and the delivery. I wouldn't call if it wasn't important."

"I figured as much, Cy. I can--"

Norman was cut off suddenly; then the one thing Nancy had been frightened of happened; "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Nancy shut her eyes at the sound of Darla's voice. She didn't know what to say or do. Her heart was in her stomach.

"Did he give you money, you little--"

Nancy hung up the phone and nearly slammed it to the ground. Her eyes shut tighter and tears quickly formed, rolling down her cheeks. She swallowed, sniffed and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, and then returned inside, calling to Pandora.

As Nancy entered, with Pandora racing ahead, she came face to face with Peter. Nancy jumped in place, surprised to see the elder Wentz; he looked at her, very unthreateningly. He looked almost sorry, but he didn't speak; Nancy expected him to call her names as well.

"Close the door," he told her.

Nancy shut the sliding door, "I'm s-sorry Mr. Wentz, I was--"

He cut her off, "Follow me."

Nancy blinked, set the cordless phone down and did as Peter instructed. Peter led the way to his office, loosening his red and black striped tie as he went, and let Nancy in first, shutting the door behind them. She was honestly expecting him to murder her; her eyes scanned the room for weapons, but all there was were photos of the Wentz kids and awards on his wall, old trophies as well, most belonging to Pete.

"I heard you," Peter said, breaking the silence; he walked over to his desk and sat, "you're having money issues."

Nancy nodded, "Yes...but sir, I don't want any money from you."

"I heard Pete talking about marrying you."

Nancy couldn't help but to stare at him. His face was as stoic and calm as you could be. She would expect any teen's father who had heard they wanted to marry another would be angry, angrier more with the fact that he also knocked up his girlfriend. She couldn't believe how calm Peter was, she had to pinch herself to assure she wasn't daydreaming.

"I don't want to get married, Mr. Wentz," Nancy confessed.

"Why not? You're already pregnant," he spoke sarcastically, trying to belittle her.

"I don't want to tie Pete down," she nearly whispered. "It's bad enough I'm pregnant, he shouldn't have to marry me."

Peter nodded in agreement, "I'm happy you said that, because I have a proposition for you."

Nancy's nerves shot through the roof; she had a feeling he was going to kill her.

"Yeah?"

Peter opened the side drawer to his black mahogany desk and grabbed his check book. He flipped open the navy blue case and grabbed a gold pen from the corner of his desk and began to write, "I'm going to give you $10,000. As soon as that baby is born, I'll give you $4,000 for the next 18 years."

Nancy frowned, "Sir, I don't understand, what for?"

Peter finished writing the check and met eyes with her, "For you to tell Pete to go to Columbia, tell him you're giving the baby up for adoption and for you to leave town."

Her eyes widened, "I can't do that! That's horrible! I can't lie--"

"You'll be taken care of for the next 18 years, and then some, Nancy," Peter spoke soothingly, still oh so calm. "You want Pete to go to college, don't you?"

"Yes, but--"

He cut her off, unbelievably calm, "You want your baby too, right?"

"Yes," she muttered, "but I can't lie to Pete. He's...he'd be heartbroken."

"You don't love my son," Peter accused, "you're 16 years old, you don't know anything about love and marriage and being a parent. I know what's best, and what's best is if you left and let Pete get on with his life. You too, you should grow up, find someone who can love you...and I believe you will."

"This is your grandchild," Nancy sputtered, tears burning her eyes again. "Don't you want to know him?"

Peter sighed, "Nancy, I've thought about this, and it's sad, yes, but it would be better for everyone if you just went away. Maybe you should give the baby up for adoption, I'll still pay you."

Nancy felt sick, "I can't. I can't do that to Pete...not even your wife, she wants this baby in her life, they both do."

Peter was growing angry at her resistance and crying, "You're tearing my family apart! My wife and I have no legal obligation to you! You don't pay rent, you don't pay anything around here! If I wanted, I could call the police department and have you removed for intruding! Is that what you want, Nancy?"

The tears came down in a stream; she shook her head, letting out a mangle sob, "No!"

"Then I suggest you do what's right, Nancy," Peter said firmly.

She shook her head, rubbing her eyes vehemently with her hands, "No."

"I can have you removed within the next 2 hours--"

"I'll go!" She spat out in a hard sob, "I-I'll leave! But I don't want your money! I don't want anything from you," her voice was softer now, her throat burned. "I'm sorry I ruined your family, I didn't do it on purpose. I'll leave, okay? I'll leave and tell Pete I lied and that it's not his son. I'll leave, I'll leave," she kept repeating.

For a moment, Peter felt guilty. Knowing he had a grandson, now, made him feel just a little bad. But, he believed Nancy leaving was for the best.

"Good," he muttered.

Nancy rubbed her eyes, "I'm sorry...I'm really sorry, okay? I won't bother your family anymore. I'll go away."

Nancy turned to leave, but Peter stopped her, "Wait."

For a millisecond, Nancy thought he changed his mind, but she knew it would be too good to be true. She watched him write in his checkbook again, then tear a written check out; "Take this, it'll help you."

"I don't want--"

He lent it out to her, "Just take it."

Nancy knew she had no choice; she had nothing. She swallowed her broken pride and took the check written out to her with a shaking hand, "I'll pay you back, I promise."

"You don't have to," Peter said, "think of it as a gift to the baby."

Nancy's stomach churned, nodding slowly, then turned and left his office. She folded the check and put it into her pocket, then grabbed the cordless phone, dialing Rae's number immediately.


It was thundering and lightening that night, and Nancy had just thought through what she was going to tell Pete. She was going to lie and make herself look bad so he could have his family and have a future. Her stomach is in knots when Pete comes walking down to the basement.

Nancy sat on the bed, her hands on her pregnant stomach, absentmindedly, as Pete muttered something about work. Nancy can only think about what she's about to say; she's going to lie to him, tell him she's going to Rae's, and that their relationship was most definitely over. Her eyes burned at the thought, but she believes what Peter had said; Pete needs to go to college and have a life, so does she.

"Cy?" Pete said, causing her to look at him, "Are you alright, babe?"

Pete can see Nancy is looking as if she would vomit at any given moment. She wore grey sweatpants, a black pullover sweatshirt and her sneakers. Her backpack and her purple duffle bag is sitting at her sides; her feet were planted on the floor, and he wonders how long she's been sitting this way.

Nancy shook her head, decided to get it over with; "I lied to you," she mumbled, "I lied...I'm sorry. I...I'm really sorry."

She rehearsed everything she would say, but it's all a blank when she's face to face with him.

Pete frowned, "You lied? What're you talkin' about?"

Nancy started to cry, "I'm so sorry," she cried, meaning it in so many ways. "I'm really sorry, okay? Don't hate me."

Pete went over and pushed her backpack away to sit with her, "Don't hate you? What're you talking about, Cy? What're you sorry for?"

Rip it off like a bandaid, she said to herself.

She swallowed and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her sweatshirt; she inhaled a breath, looking down at her feet, "The baby isn't yours. It's someone else's. I'm leaving. I'm sorry."

It took a few seconds for it all to register to Pete. He held her hand still, confused, "What?"

Nancy pulled her hand away, stood up and looked at him; guilt and pain surged through her, "I lied, okay? I can't marry you, I can't ruin your life anymore. It's not your baby, I'm gonna leave."

Pete's brow furrowed, "What?!"

He doesn't believe what Nancy's saying, he thinks she's joking, but he's still angry. Nancy can't stop crying, and he's on the verge of hitting something. Each millisecond that passed made him grow angrier and angrier.

"It's not yours!" She practically screamed, knowing no one would hear her. "He's not yours! He's someone else's, and I'm leaving you. I can't marry you! Okay?!"

The words hurt them both deeply.

Pete stood up, "Are you joking?"

Nancy wanted to say yes, but she shakes her head instead; "No."

"You cheated on me?" He questioned, his breath short.

"Yeah."

"Who? Chip? He really is the dad like he had said?"

Nancy shook her head, not wanting to cause any more problems, "No. Not Chip, you don't know him."

"Tell me his name!" Pete growled. "Who the fuck is he?!"

"No one," she snapped, "you don't know him."

"Do you even know him?" He spat.

Nancy's heart ached like it hadn't ever before. She can't even confirm or deny; it's all a lie, she thinks, so why answer.

"Why the fuck are you just telling me?" He asked her angrily, his fists balling.

"Because..." Her mind goes blank for a second, but she quickly thought of an excuse, "cuz you wanted to get married, yeah, and--and...and I didn't want to lie anymore."

Pete didn't know if she was lying or not, he couldn't tell.

"How could you?" He asked breathlessly.

Nancy swallowed, "I'm sorry. I didn't...know what to do. Norman sent me money and I'm gonna leave and I'll leave you alone."

"You can't just do this!" He yelled, "You can't just lie to me for 5 months and walk away! My mom is in love with him, how could you do this to her?! To me?!"

A fresh batch of tears began to burn and roll, "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."

Pete was on the verge of tears himself, "So, it's true then? You are a slut like everyone says?"

Nancy was set to defend herself, but didn't; she just shrugged lowly, unable to answer.

Pete's anger flared then, "Goddammit, Nancy, I can't believe you! You're fucking disgusting!"

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Pete shook his head, refusing to accept her apology, "Get the fuck out," he dug into his pockets and grabbed her car keys, then proceeded to throw them at her.

The set of keys hit her stomach, and fell to the ground, but did no damage; Nancy winced, and bent over to pick them up. Pete walked away from her, going over to the couch and grabbing his stash of weed. Nancy didn't say a word as she grabbed her bags and headed up the stairs and making her way outside, where it was beginning to pour.