We Need to Talk

“What exactly is it we need to talk about?” David asked.



The gravestones thrust through the new spring grass like ungainly, gray flowers.  Peg shoved her hands deeper into her pockets and contemplated the procession of mourners leaving the graveside service.  It was a testament to Aunt Lily that, while she hadn’t been the most beloved person in the family, no one had dared think of missing her funeral.  A bagpipe screeled a doleful rendition of Amazing Grace and Peg shook her head.



“This is neither the time nor the place, sweetheart.”



“You’re going to say something like that and then not explain for several hours?”  Her boyfriend and lover of the past five years shook his shaggy brown head and eyed her warningly.  “You’re not going to try to break up with me, are you?  I'm telling you right now, I’m never letting that happen.”



She shot him a look of fond irritation and brushed a lock of hair out of her face that the light, spring breeze seemed to think belonged in her eyes.



“As if.  I almost have you trained.”



He snorted at that as she’d known he would and then settled back into silence.  He was thinking, trying to puzzle out what she might want to talk to him about.  He hated surprises.  If she’d learned anything about him in the past five years, it was that.  He didn’t even like surprise, because it’s Monday and I love you kind of gifts.  He liked to be prepared.



“Have I done something wrong?”



Peg sighed.  She had wanted to warn him ahead of time so that he didn’t make any plans for afterward, but she was now wishing she’d kept her mouth shut.



“It all depends on your point of view.  You might have done something right.”  She took his hand and tugged him up the rounded hill crowded with graves that lined the top like a strange stone mohawk.  “Listen, let’s just go pay our respects to Aunt Lily and then we can go to that little restaurant that serves that wonderful cheesecake and we can talk there.”



He followed willingly enough.  “Why do they call it paying respects, anyway?  There was nothing to respect about the old broad when she was alive.”



Peg bumped him with her shoulder in punishment and heard him chuckle.  “Just stick the flowers on the casket before they turn brown, already.”



With a dramatic sigh, he did so.  Peg stood in silence, listening to the wind whisper through the grass and the faint whistle as it curled around the headstones.  Graveyards were such peaceful places, she mused.  No living people to harass you.



“How long is moment of silence supposed to be?” David interrupted her thoughts.  “I think it’s been long enough.  I can’t think of a single nice thing to think about her and I’m starting to feel guilty.  Instead, let’s have this conversation you feel the need to have before I go crazy.”



“All right.”  Peg gave in.  “Let’s go get some cheesecake and we’ll just be late to Uncle Gary’s.”



“God, it’s bad, isn’t it?”  David sounded distinctly panicky now.



“What?  No.”



“You need cheesecake to soften me up before you tell me.  What’s that say except bad?”



Peg grabbed both his hands in hers and tugged him around to face her.  Leaning into his broad, solid form, she gazed up into the face she’d come to love so dearly.



“All right.  No cheesecake.  You know I haven’t been feeling well and I went to doctor’s yesterday.”



He nodded but didn’t look reassured. 



“They called this morning.” 



“I didn’t hear the phone.”



“You were in the shower but they called with the test results.”  She could see fear growing in his eyes and hurried to explain.  “No, I’m not dying, I don’t have some weird disease and I’m not contagious.”



“Just tell me before I burst a blood vessel.  Ok?”



Peg took a deep breath, gripping his hands tighter for support.



“I’m pregnant.”



He stared down at her, fear turning to confusion.



“Pregnant?”



“Pregnant.”



He looked even more confused, pulling back a step.  She felt the cold immediately, the loss of him more than the balmy temperature of the day.  His eyes roved over her and she waited breathlessly for him to say something.



“Pregnant.” 



Dazed was better than confused, she thought. She’d felt the same way when the doctor had said the word.  The urge to fill silence was overwhelming.



“You know the information they gave me about the new birth control pills?  Well, it states quite clearly in all that fine print that they are ninety-eight percent effective so I guess that means we’re a two percent statistic.”



“Pregnant.  You’re telling me you’re pregnant at Aunt Lily’s funeral?”



“I wanted to tell you over cheesecake, if you remember.”



“Maybe you should have told me at a bar.”



“You’d have been the only one drinking. Cheesecake seemed safer.”



He blinked, mulled that over and then nodded.



She waited.  Nothing.



“Say something.”



“You’re pregnant.”



“I know that.  Say something else.”



He pulled her close and tucked his face in the curve of her neck.  “I can’t.  I don’t know what to say.  I’m happy and I’m scared and I’m numb and...” He trailed off, his hands tightening on her. “I’m going to be a daddy.”



Relief crashed over her.  “Yes, you are.”



“I need a drink.”



She laughed.  “Uncle Gary is expecting us.”



“Uncle Gary can—” 



She poked him with a finger before he could finish the thought.  “Why don’t we go to that new restaurant down the street?  You can have a drink and I can get some cheesecake.”



He pulled back, his eyes locked on hers.  “We’ve never discussed anything like this.  I didn’t think you were ready.”



Peg kissed him, soft and slow, a smile building in her heart until she thought her chest would burst. “You know what they say.  Ready or not…”



David wrapped an arm around her shoulders and headed her back toward the car.  “We need to talk.”



“Yes.  We need to talk.”



Word Count: 1014