Consequences

Polly arrived at the ranch the following month for her visit. Prior to her arrival, Reggie made sure he was home in time for dinner every night. He did not want Betty to think that he was sneaking off to meet Veronica. He was still so ashamed of his behavior because he did not even know the moment his own baby started moving. That still stung. He knew that his neglect of Betty could not be good for a growing fetus. He resolved to do better. He hoped that he could make it up to Betty for his ill treatment of her.

Reggie kept pushing Polly and Cole together so, they had no choice but to get to know each other. Polly was an older version of Betty, and just as sweet. Reggie was very happy to see that Cole no longer took Betty riding alone. Reggie went riding with Betty every morning. They ate their lunch while gone, and he would place his head on her lap while they talked. The baby was making sure it was a part of their new intimacy by kicking and bouncing in its mother’s womb. They both took great joy in this. Sometimes they would ride with Cole and Polly, and other times alone. Reggie also took Betty around the ranch for her errands.

“Babe, you really should slow it down some,” Reggie would say, amazed at her stamina.

“Reggie, I feel fine. Don’t worry, mother hen.” She kissed him while laughing at him.

Reggie spent all of his evenings home with Betty. Betty briefly wondered if this was for Polly’s benefit, but no one else seemed to think so.  Polly was surprised at how charming Reggie was and she loved him for the devotion he showed to her little sister. Reggie and Betty had dinner parties, pool parties went to clubs, and just acted like a newlywed couple in love. Reggie took them on extravagant shopping trips in Houston and Dallas. Everyone who met Betty and Polly loved them.

“Sis, Mantle seems to care a lot about you.”

“Reggie loves me as a sister. Don’t forget sis, this marriage is only until the baby comes. I’m trying so hard not to get used to this.”

“I see now, why you love him Sissy. Maybe he won’t want to leave you. Reggie’s not dumb enough to choose Veronica over you.”

Betty just smiled. She would let her sister think all was well between them. She knew how much Polly worried about her. I will enjoy this for as long as it lasts

 Reggie enjoyed the feeling of his child kicking and moving inside his wife’s womb. It seemed as if the baby became more active when he was around, sensing its mother was happiest when he was near. So the baby kicked up a storm, which kept Reggie close by her side.

Betty and Polly laughed affectionately at him when he would stop whatever it was he was doing to inquire if the baby moved.  After a two week visit, Polly left to go back to California, feeling relieved her sister was being treated well. Polly promised to return for the birth. She knew Betty would be leaving soon after the baby was born. Despite the change in their marriage, Betty refused to think it would continue after the baby came. A promise was a promise. She had told Reggie she would divorce him, so she would. Betty wanted Reggie to be happy, even if it was not with her. She would cherish these months with him for the rest of her days.

Surprisingly, after Polly left, Reggie continued to be attentive to Betty. He hated to admit it, but he loved talking to Betty more than he loved talking to Veronica, and he had missed their close friendship. Before Polly had visited, Reggie had asked Betty to move into the master bedroom with him. She gladly agreed. They would talk about everything and anything during these times, renewing their past relationship. He would rub her feet, and/or her back, seeing how uncomfortable she was with the added weight of the child on her legs and her spine. They both enjoyed this, sometimes making love, or sometimes just holding each other. Reggie had accompanied Betty to her prenatal appointments, and they found out they were having a girl. They were given a Teddy bear that said, ‘Our baby’s, heartbeat’ inside a huge red heart. Reggie made a video of the bear with the heartbeat sounds and sent it to his parents and friends.

They could not agree on a name, but it was fun for them to kick names around. They studied the sonogram images together, deciding the baby looked just like him.

“What about naming her ‘Duchess, Queen or Princess?” He would tease Betty.

“Sure Reggie, Queen Mantle. Great!” They would break up in laughter at his silliness.

One night, while he was on the phone, answering a call from Veronica, Betty called out to him.

“Reggie, come quick!  She’s moving and turning somersaults!”

“Sorry Ron, I have to go,”

“Who’s moving Reggie? Who is that bitch talking about?”

“The baby’s moving, Ron, and Betty is not a bitch! Look, I gotta go. The baby is moving! I can’t miss this!” He quickly hung up and raced to feel his daughter’s antics.

“That bitch!! She’s using that brat to steal my man!!. Daddeee!!”  Veronica went into such histrionics and anger that Lodge had to call the family doctor over. His daughter was slowly losing her mind over this Mantle creep. Veronica screamed for an hour before the sedative the doctor gave her started working. She was terrified he would not leave Betty when the child was born. “I can’t lose him, Daddy. I can’t!” Lodge had never seen his daughter like this about anyone. He even had that fool Archie come over, but he was not able to take her mind off Mantle. Lodge would make sure his baby got her heart’s desire, no matter the cost.

After slamming down the phone, Reggie raced out of the room and spent the evening caressing Betty stomach.  He reported its progress to his parents, proud that he was part of the pregnancy. He sent them the images from the sonogram, and they were ecstatic.

“She’s so cute” they would gush to anyone who would listen.

Teresa even began calling him ‘Reggie’ again, a sure sign she approved of him.

One evening, Betty and Reggie were watching television when she received a package from an unknown source. Inside it was an article from the Riverdale Gazette announcing Reggie and Veronica’s wedding, along with a wedding invitation, dated exactly two weeks after Betty’s due date. After reading the article, Betty jumped up, dropping the package and crying out:

“You lying piece of shit!  I’m leaving you. Right now! I don’t want to stay with you any longer. You and Veronica deserve each other!” Betty rushed off, running as fast as a seven-month pregnant woman could run.

“Betty what‘s wrong. Babe, talk to me!” He picked up the paper she dropped and was horrified at what he saw. There it was in living color. The newspaper article informing all of their family and friends of their upcoming nuptials in Jamaica:

 We had a little setback, but thankfully we now can move on. “We want children immediately”, the bride -to- be, Veronica Lodge gushed. Her handsome finance,

Reginald Mantle, nodded his head in agreement.

“Yes we want lots of kids” he said. They make a very handsome, power couple.

There was even a picture of the happy lovers in a steamy kiss. All dated yesterday.

“Bets, I don’t know anything about this! Please believe me. Don’t you see that she’s doing this to break us up?” He entered the room and saw her packing.

“You don’t have to worry about Chick. I just text and told him I was in love with Cole and could not stand being away from him a moment longer. I don’t want to see you ever again. Thank you for everything. Goodbye Reggie.” She wept silently, but refused to listen to anything he had to say. Enough was enough. “You belong with Veronica, and I won’t  stand in your way any longer.”

“Betty, please listen to me. I kept my word. I haven’t lied to you. I haven’t planned any wedding with her. Please believe me! Come on babe!”

Betty just kept packing.

“Please have the rest of my things sent to my sister.”

Betty said a tearful good bye to everyone, totally disregarding his words.

“Please don’t leave, don’t leave me, Betty!” Reggie ran and grabbed her. She refused to look at him. “Betty. You know I’ve never lied to you! That invitation is a fake. Look at me!”

He was trying to get her to look at him. She knew if she did, she would not leave.

“I’m sorry Reggie. I was a fool to believe you wanted us. I just don’t trust you.”

She would always love him, but she would not be second to Veronica Lodge ever again.

“I’ll notify you when the baby is born, if you stay away from me now. Don’t try to contact me at all.”

“Betty! Please! I want to be there! Babe, listen, don’t go! Please, don’t leave me!” Cole came to take Betty’s suitcases to the car.

“Hi Cole, I’m ready” Cole was taking her away from Reggie.

“Reggie, I quit. I’m going with Betty.”

“Why you….!”

Reggie was restrained by the ranch servants. He watched helplessly as Betty walked out of his life.

“BETTY!! Don’t leave me!!” He ran after them, but Cole stopped him.

“Don’t make it worse Reg. I’ll look after her. Let her go, man.” Reggie sank to the ground and watched them leave. He wept inconsolably, and got very drunk that night. Calls from Veronica went unanswered. He felt totally devastated.

“Teresa, she’s gone! I swear I didn’t plan a wedding with Veronica so soon after the baby came. I swear it.” He said drunkenly as Teresa held him, while they both cried.

“I know Reggie, I know. She’ll be back, she loves you. She’s just hurt right now. Who would do such a thing?”

“Betty didn’t believe me, Teresa.  Veronica did this to drive her away from me”, he slurred, “She’s ruined me. Veronica got her revenge. I lost the baby, after all, and I lost Betty too.  What am I gonna do, Teresa?”

“Oh my baby, I’m so sorry.” Teresa held him, until well after he finally drifted off in an inebriated stupor. After a week of Reggie staggering home drunk or he was carried home unconscious from drinking, Teresa called his parents.

“Reggie needs you, whether he would admit it or not”.

They would come to Houston and bring their son back to Riverdale on the next flight to Houston.