The Dove Captured the Wolf

Was Reggie making love to her, feeling her breasts, kissing her, at this very moment?...

The thought set off the tears again.  She was going crazy thinking of Reggie and his girls. Her baby was already a part of her. How can she have a baby alone?  "I can't tell Reggie about this"

Betty had started speaking to Archie and Veronica again.

Their getting engaged was small potatoes compared to her having a baby. 

She knew she no longer loved Archie. She didn’t tell Veronica about the baby.

How could she? Everyone knew Veronica couldn’t keep a secret. Betty had to talk to someone.

 She called Nancy and they met at a restaurant on campus for lunch.

“Nancy I have a problem and I need your advice” Betty was nervous.

“Oh Betty, I know it’s hard being a senior  and all but you’ll get….” Nancy assumed Betty was nervous about leaving home

after graduation or something. "How are you dealing with Archie being engaged to Ronnie?"

Nancy had  noticed Betty seemed different, but knowing Archie was going to marry Ronnie. no surprise there.  But Betty 

actually looked beautiful, she was even glowing.

“Nancy, I don't care about that anymore. I'm in trouble. I’m Pregnant!!” Betty blurted out

“OH MY GOD. Archie!!?? “ Nancy asked. Betty never told anyone about her wild night with Reggie.

Betty shook her head   ” No it's Reggie's baby”

“You slept with Reggie Mantle??!!!!”  Nancy shouted

“Please Nancy, Shhh!!, This is a secret. Yes, the one and only!  I practically raped him the night I heard of the

engagement.   I can't tell  him about the baby , I used him and dumped him after we did it.  Nance, I know he doesn't love 

me"

“ I just can’t have a baby  right now, and I won't get an abortion. I refuse to bring such shame on my family”

“Why can’t you tell him Betty?, And why not have it? We will all help you.  Are you ashamed of the baby?”. Nancy was very 

puzzled about this.

“No, it’s not the baby’s fault it’s parent aren’t a couple. What  else can I do? I would love to keep it though that is impossible”

Betty was babbling on, almost hysterical, the tears flowing copiously. She loved her baby already. She gently rubbed her

abdomen. Could she give her baby to strangers? She would make sure she would be in it's life.

Nancy joined her in crying. The waiter John asked them if he could help.

“Just bring us plenty of tissues for now”, Nancy said to him.

She and Betty laughed at the helpless look on John’s face.

“Tell Reggie sweetie , please. He will find a solution. Chuck had said Reggie seemed different lately. Now I know why”

“I can’t tell him Nancy. You know how he is. I would die if he offered to pay for an abortion, or said it was one of many other

babies he has.  He’ll hate me if he is forced to marry me. It’s all  my fault. I forced myself on him that night, then dumped

him.”

Betty cried harder. “He has a girlfriend now, I heard”, she cried even more at this.

“Tell him Betty!! You're being silly. You know he doesn't have any other children” Nancy was sure Reggie wouldn’t hate Betty.

She always felt Mantle had a secret crush on Betty. Her hormones are out of whack right now.

What Betty  and Nancy didn’t know was  that Reggie had told Chuck about what happened between them. Reggie 

confessed to Chuck how hurt he was. Reggie felt that Betty didn’t feel the same way about him. He felt she had used him, 

and that  she still loved Archie.

Chuck had not shared this  information with Nancy, or anyone else.

 A very broken man Reggie Mantle was, but he was always able to hide his true feelings.

He hid his true feelings  under a very cold sense of humor,  a  rock hard demeanor, and a jackass attitude.

His heart was definitely not into these girls he dated. But he pretended he did. Did Betty even care?

Reggie  had stayed away as  Betty  had wanted, and he was  continuing his player facade even worse that before.

He didn’t have sex with anyone though.

“I can’t tell him Nancy, I won’t. I've decided.  I’m going  to give the baby up for adoption. I can’t disgrace my parents by 

being an unwed mother. I’m so ashamed my behavior. But I have to say it was the greatest night of my life.  I’m not 

ashamed off my baby. I’m  ashamed at  how I used Reggie that night. I have a room at a nice boarding house

in Massachusetts. I will give the baby to an agency after it’s born. It’s all arranged. They will place the baby in

a loving home.”

“I won’t trap Reggie into marrying me either. I know he doesn’t love me”

When Betty said this, the tears began falling again.

"Bet's who could love the baby more than you? More than us, your friends. And more than Reggie?."

God all she can do is cry!!

“Betty please tell him. He should know. It’s  just not fair, baby. Why don’t you tell your parents? We aren’t in High school, you

know. Please??” Nancy kept trying.  She knew it would kill Betty to give the baby up."Betty it would kill us all if you gave the

baby away. Please don' give the baby up!"

 “Thanks for listening Nance”. Betty hugged  Nancy and went home.

Nancy didn’t  even feel the bitter  tears that fell from her eyes when Betty left.

Nancy had to do something. Betty may hate her but Reggie needed to know. They had to interfere, it seemed. She would

speak to Chuck.

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Chuck and Reggie had  arranged to go to the lake to go fishing, that Saturday.

Chuck was the only male friend Reggie had who he could trust. Reggie never pranked Chuck. He had great love and

respect for Chuck’s friendship.

Chuck had to help Reggie and Betty. They had to stop her from going away. They would never be able to stop her if she left. 

Betty just couldn’t give up that baby!! None of them would ever get over that.

‘Hey Chuckster, how is everything?”, Reggie greeted him.

 Chuck updated Reggie on all the news from town. He purposely left out Betty.

After a funny story about Jughead being  jealous of Ethel, and losing his appetite, Reggie asked

“What about Betty? How is she?  I haven’t seen her around much ” This was said, oh so casually. No expression on his 

face.

“Nancy saw her last weekend man. Nancy said she looked very good. It seems having a baby agrees with her. She plans

to give it away though. ”

That’s a man for you, straight and to the point. Very subtle Chuck

“What did you say just say, Chuck!?”

“Betty 's pregnant and giving up the baby for adoption.  You didn’t know?”

“What!!!!  She’s having my  baby, giving it away and not telling me??!”  Reggie turned and started running , calling out

“Sorry  Chuck, gotta go. I have some unfinished business with a certain Blonde!”

 Chuck just waved and smiled as he continued to fish.

 Maybe he and Nancy can be Godparents.

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Reggie called the Coopers, demanding to speak to Betty. he was on his way over there. He was thoroughly pissed off.

Betty had to see him! He was terrified.

“ Reggie, she won’t come to the phone, but I will let you in when you come over."

Alice Cooper said to him. She knew her daughter and knew she needed Reggie right now.

Her grand baby needed his papa.

“I’m on my way and thank you Mrs. Cooper”.

Imagine Betty’s  shock when she looked into angry caramel colored eyes glaring at her from her door way.

“Reggie!? What are you doing here? ” God, how she loved him! The sight of him made her feel weak.

His eyes swept over her looking at her abdomen, to see if his baby was showing. He came in her room, uninvited.

“The one and only”

“Why are you here?” asking him again.

“What were you going to do Betty? Just throw the baby away, No! Throw me away!”

“Reggie, what…?”

“Don’t play with me Blondie!! You know what I mean!  Did that night with me mean nothing to you?”

 He reached out to touch her,where his baby was sleeping,  gently stroking her belly.

He was very angry with her. She wasn’t going to tell him! The pain was unbearble. Tear came to his eyes. 

Betty never saw him like this. But she knew he wouldn’t hurt her.

She was not afraid of that. She was afraid he didn’t love her.

Reggie grabbed her arms and shook her gently so not to hurt her or his baby.

“How could you just give our baby away and then never tell me? Do you hate me that much?”

He was incredulous. How could she? "I guess this is my fault too, I should have told you how I felt, especially after we 

made love" This last was whispered. She turned brick red at that statement.

‘I’m gonna kill  you Nancy’ Betty thought.

“How could you not tell me!? Talk to me Blondie!”

“Reggie I don’t want anyone who does not want me. How do you know it’s yours, anyway?”

“Look Blondie, don’t play with me.  I know it's my baby! Hey, You made me stay away!  You would not talk to 

me or answer my calls, remember? I wanted to see you!”

She began to cry.

“You could have tried harder!” she cried. “Still a Jackass dating all those girls!”

“I wanted to know that you wanted me not Archie. I wanted you to hear about the others

so  I could see if you cared about me. I wanted to make you jealous, I never slept with them after we were together. I've been

so lost without you Babe”. He reached for her, needing to hold her. She needed his arms around her.

“Reggie, I don’t want you to hate me. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I know I didn’t leave you any choice that night. Now

this! Instant trap We' were not planning a life together. You're not ready to settle down!” She was crying into his chest,

wetting his shirt.

“It takes two babe. I love you Betty, I do want to settle down. With you. Will you marry me and let me raise my baby with you?"

"I've  loved you long before I knew about the baby. Way before we made love.  I was a fool not to have told you this before.  

I knew how you felt about Andrews. Bets, what about you? Do the baby and I  make you feel trapped?” He was holding her. She was trembling like a frightened rabbit.

“Yes Reggie, you are a fool. No, Reggie I won’t feel trapped. I love our baby. Yes Reggie, I’ll marry you. No Reggie I don’t want Archie.

"You've made me forget him, once and for all.  I love you, too” She realized this was true. She hugged him closer. She would

be able to keep her precious baby. ‘Thank you God’, she prayed.

They kissed. They held each other, neither wanting to let go, until   Mr. Cooper cleared his throat."‘Thank God that’s settled."

He said, gleefully going to tell his wife. Betty was surprised her folks knew about the baby.

"'I'm having your baby and I'm so happy you want us Sweetie" Betty kissed him again.

"I'm so happy you feel that way, babe. I want you both, badly" he whispered into her hair.

 Betty was not good at hiding things from her folks. They would not have let her give the baby up for adoption. They knew

young Mantle would make things alright.

They would have told him  before Betty left for the boarding house. They even knew about that. They saw the mail, and 

heard some of phone calls and messages left for Betty.

"Mary, we have a wedding to plan." Hal Cooper hugged his wife.

Everything would be alright.

Hal knew young Mantle would do the right thing.