The Ordinary Days
A/N: Another chapter goes up! Thank you for your patience as it took me a little longer to post this one, but you get a nice long chapter this time. Huge thanks again to those of you who have been keeping up with this story and leaving comments/kudos. I'm so pleased with how well this story is being received. :)
WARNINGS: Peggy's assault is very briefly mentioned in the scene where Steve wakes her up. There is also some very, very mild sexual content but nothing that'll make you clutch your pearls (yet!).
Chapter Seven
Peggy's eyes opened slowly and for a fleeting, blissful moment in the fog of sleep, she had forgotten what had transpired with Steve the night before. But then suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks that she had nearly seduced Steve into sleeping with her last night and she had revealed to him that she was pregnant.
She groaned as she sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes, feeling groggy like she had the worst hangover of her life. It was probably a pregnancy symptom, but Peggy felt like she could lie back down and go to sleep for a million years.
The thought crossed her mind that Steve probably hates her, even though he had tried to assure her he didn't last night. Who wouldn't hate their wife after learning that she was pregnant with another man's child and lied to him about it? Peggy was shocked that Steve had taken the news so well. It seemed to her that he was merely acting okay with it out of obligation to be a good husband, but surely he must be feeling at least a little resentment toward her?
But then again, maybe not…the way he had so lovingly kissed and caressed her last night almost made her believe that he had feelings for her; not of contempt or anger, but of affection. Originally, before venturing to his room, Peggy had thought it was going to be a challenge to seduce him and convince him to sleep with her. But instead he had practically jumped at the chance as soon as she started kissing him.
Peggy closed her eyes and laid her head back down on the pillow as she relived the experience of kissing Steve…his lips were so soft and his hands calming when they traced her skin. And his body! Peggy had hardly seen a man as muscled and toned as Steve was, but it made sense given how easily he had picked her up to carry her across the threshold the first day they arrived at the farm.
Peggy hated to admit it to herself, but Steve had made her feel so damn good. The way his hands felt on her waist and how he had kissed her neck…The only real experience she had with kissing men was a bit of necking with a handful of impatient young bucks in the dark corners of parties and movie theaters, but none of them ever made her feel anything except annoyed. Steve, however, made her feel desirable, cherished, loved even…
She shook the thought out of her mind. He doesn't love me, she told herself. He never could love me. Maybe he could have before, but not now after he knows that I lied to him and ensnared him in this marriage with a child that isn't his.
Sighing deeply, Peggy figured there was no use staying in bed all day and pretending last night didn't happen. She got up and began to get herself ready for the day.
Peggy came downstairs smoothing out her pale blue linen day dress and found Steve sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a mug of steaming coffee with the newspaper open on the table in front of him. He looked up at her when she walked in.
"Morning," he said in a tone that Peggy couldn't quite discern.
"Good morning," she returned as kindly as she could muster, feeling that after what happened last night she will have to make it up to him for years to come. She fetched an empty pot from the cupboard and filled it with water from the sink to start making her usual tea.
"How are you feeling?"
Peggy was confused by the question for a moment, but then remembered he now knew she was pregnant. No one had asked her how she was so far during her entire pregnancy so she wasn't used to being asked about her condition quite yet.
"Oh…I'm feeling fine," she replied. "Did you sleep well?"
"Well enough," he said, taking another sip of coffee as he glanced back at the paper.
Peggy sat down at the table across from Steve while she waited for the water to boil. There was a silence between them that Peggy knew would be there for many mornings to come in the aftermath of what transpired last night, so she didn't bother to try to say anything. Steve finished the last sip of his coffee right as the water in the pot was beginning to boil.
"I'm heading out to the fields to help with some weeding," he said as he got up and put his mug in the sink to wash. "I'll be back by suppertime."
He walked toward the door to grab his hat and Peggy stood up. "Wait."
He stopped and turned to look at her.
"Steve, I…I know last night was a disaster and probably a lot for you to take in, but I sincerely hope we can be friends after this," she implored earnestly. "You keep saying you're my husband and I'm your wife and that's why you need to stay with me, but I promise I will try to be the wife you deserve so you don't feel like you have to stay married to me. And once the baby comes along, I hope we can raise it together and you might come to see it as your own one day."
Steve took a moment to consider her words, pondering with an expression that Peggy couldn't quite read. Was he angry? Sad? Thinking of a way to let her down gently and explain how he thought about it last night and he decided he does want to leave her after all? Peggy's mind sent her in spirals as Steve contemplated in deafening silence. But then he gave her the tiniest of smiles.
"I think I can do that. I'd like us to be friends, too. I know this marriage isn't an ideal arrangement for either of us, but…with the baby coming, we'll need to stick together and raise it the best way we can."
"Really?" she asked incredulously, her heart daring to lift a little.
"Yeah," he replied, nodding reassuringly. "I was thinking it over this morning and it's neither your nor the baby's fault that this is how your situation ended up. I wish we lived in a world that was kinder to people in situations like yours, but we made our choice to get married and we've got to deal with it. My mother always said, 'when life deals you a bad hand, just play what you have and hope for the best.'"
Peggy gaped at him. "And you're not upset that I lied to you about the baby?"
Steve gave a noncommittal tilt of his head. "I have to admit, it definitely caught me by surprise and I wasn't sure how to feel about it at first…But honestly, if I were in your situation, I probably would've done the same thing."
Peggy gave a relieved sigh. "I'm glad to hear that, Steve, truly. Now you should go, I don't want to keep you any longer."
Steve grabbed his coat, put on his hat, and turned back to Peggy with a small smile. "I'll see you tonight."
Peggy smiled warmly back. "See you."
To Peggy's relief, things returned relatively to normal between them over the next couple of days. They fell back into their normal routine of Steve going out to help with the farm during the day and Peggy doing work around the house and yard until he came home, and then at night they shared whatever dinner Peggy had scrounged up and went off to bed separately.
The difference, though, was now it felt like a veil had been lifted between the two of them and Peggy felt freer to chat with and get to know Steve a bit better now that she was no longer hiding such a secret. She learned a little more about his time during the war and how the science experiment he had gone through made him stronger somehow, which explained his almost-inhuman muscles. She didn't really understand the science, but listened intently to him talking about the way he became a better and faster soldier. She also learned that he liked to draw and dance, and Peggy revealed she loved dancing too. They found little things in common with each other which made the time they spent together much more bearable.
Steve was similarly lifted by the fact that they had become closer and he could not help but feel excited by the fact that she was slowly opening up to him. They could talk at length about topics that interested them both, from music to films to even the war, and he found her an engaging conversation partner. Sometimes, though, he felt he fell a little short with her when she started talking about history or politics as it was never really Steve's interest to study those in school. But Peggy didn't seem to mind; in fact, she seemed content to teach Steve about the references she made so he could be up to speed with her. Privately, Steve appreciated the gesture.
After one particularly good dinner with pleasant conversation, Steve was in high spirits and went to bed feeling happier than he had in weeks. He got into bed and quickly drifted off to sleep, having a warm and pleasant dream where he was running through a wheat field and was hand in hand with a beautiful woman with red lips…
But then his eyes snapped open when he heard screaming.
Immediately recognizing it as Peggy's voice, his soldier's reflexes made him leap out of bed and race into the hallway to face Peggy's door. He hesitated – should he just barge in there when he doesn't know what's going on? He figured he should knock but through the door he could hear the sound of her whimpering.
Not caring about the consequences of going into her room unannounced, Steve tore open the door and in the dim light saw Peggy tossing and turning in bed while she cried out, clearly having a nightmare. He went to her bedside and tried gently shaking her.
"Peggy? Peggy, wake up!"
Her eyes snapped open and she gasped as she saw a tall shadow standing over her in the darkness, but then realization flooded her face.
"Steve?"
He reached over and turned on the lamp next to her bed, making her blink. "You're having a nightmare, Peggy. I heard you crying out for help from my room."
"Oh…" she said, sitting up. "Steve, I'm sorry to have woken you. I must've given you a real fright."
Steve's heart began to slow as he reassured himself that she was in no danger, but he could see she still looked pretty shaken up.
"It's alright," he shrugged. "I'm just glad you're okay. Do you want to talk about what you dreamt?"
Peggy sat up and shivered. "It wasn't just a dream, it was a memory…I was remembering what happened to me the night of…well, when I got pregnant."
"Oh," Steve frowned, daring to sit on the edge of the bed by her feet to be at eye level with her. "That must have been very harrowing for you to have to go through again."
"Truth be told…I've been having this same dream every night for the past few nights," she revealed sheepishly. "I usually wake up in a cold sweat and it takes me hours to fall back asleep. But tonight was the first night I yelled so loud that you heard me."
"You know, it's not uncommon to go through something terrible like that and then have nightmares about it later. That happens to soldiers all the time."
"But I'm not a soldier," she said bitterly. "I wish I had the constitution of one right now, though; my heart's beating like I just ran a marathon."
"It's no wonder; you were yelling so loud I thought someone must've broken in or something."
"I'm sorry," she repeated in a small voice, but Steve waved her off.
"I'm just glad you're okay," he repeated soundly. "Do you need anything before I go back to bed?"
Peggy thought for a moment, and then looked at Steve shyly. "I don't suppose…you wouldn't mind staying with me for a few minutes while I calm down, do you? I'm still a bit shaken up."
Steve gave her a modest smile. "Sure, I don't mind."
He looked around the room and picked up a blanket that had gotten tossed to the floor during the fray. He sat down on the edge of the bed next to her and placed the blanket around her shoulders, keeping his arm wrapped around her as she gently leaned back against it.
"Is this okay?" he asked softly and Peggy nodded. Steve leaned back against the headboard to get more comfortable. Peggy sank into his side.
"Mmm. Just make sure your arm doesn't fall asleep."
Steve chuckled softly. "I'll try."
"I'm only sorry you have to see me in such an undone state," she said with a yawn. "You've never seen me with no hair or makeup done."
"For what it's worth, I really don't care about that sort of thing. I think…" he swallowed. "I think you're beautiful no matter what."
Out of the corner of his eye, Steve could see Peggy smile. Her eyelids drooped and after a few moments, her breathing slowed and Steve knew she was asleep.
For a brief moment, he considered staying with her for a while longer and letting sleep overtake him too…But he figured that would not be wise.
He gently scooted out from under her and rested her head back against the pillow. He turned out the light and closed the door behind him, venturing back to his own bed.
Peggy woke up to discover herself laying on her side alone in her room and wondered how long Steve had stayed with her before going back to his own bed. She got up and threw her silk robe over her nightgown as she headed out into the hallway, wondering if Steve was awake yet. The hallway was dark but the smell of coffee that permeated the air told her what she needed to know.
She tied her robe closed as she quietly crept down the staircase and poked her head around the corner to see Steve up to what she learned was his morning routine: sitting at the dining table drinking coffee while reading the newspaper. One of the stairs she was standing on creaked and Steve looked up over the rim of his mug.
"Morning," he said, smiling. "You're up pretty early."
"I was just checking to see where you'd gone," she explained as she pulled up a chair to join him at the table. "Thank you for doing what you did last night, by the way. I slept like a baby after you helped me fall back asleep."
"Don't mention it," he replied casually, sipping his coffee. "I'm happy to help when I can. You should go back to sleep, though; you had an exciting night and you need to get as much rest as you can right now."
"Oh, are you my doctor all of a sudden?" Peggy asked playfully and Steve chuckled.
"No. But speaking of which, have you visited a doctor yet? Since you found out about your…condition?"
Peggy's face fell. "No. I've been putting it off for fear of questions arising about the due date…But I suppose I must do that soon, mustn't I?"
"I would if I were you, at least just to make sure the baby is alright," Steve said gently. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to spare the time to drive you into town today because Howard is coming by to take a look at the new tractor. But we can go tomorrow."
"That would be fine. Thank you, Steve."
Steve flipped his newspaper to the next page and took another sip of coffee.
"Don't mention it."
The rest of the day went along uneventfully until a summer storm rolled in by the early evening. Peggy had to scramble to take down the laundry that was hanging from the clothesline and ushered Benny inside as it was starting to sprinkle.
"I know you're not the cleanest thing," she told the dog, "so don't jump on any of the furniture, won't you?"
Benny wagged his tail and followed her into the kitchen, plopping down onto the cold floor.
Steve came home early and shook out his hat and coat once he stepped inside.
"It's really comin' down," he told Peggy as she was finishing up dinner. "We had to make sure all the barn doors and gates were locked so the animals don't take off running when there's thunder and lightning."
"There's supposed to be thunder and lightning tonight?"
"Daniel said he could tell by the shape of the clouds that the storm'll get pretty bad."
Peggy frowned, ladling their soup into bowls as she could hear the wind starting to pick up outside.
After dinner and conversation (tonight they talked about their favorite film stars), the pair said good night to each other and ventured off to their separate rooms. As Peggy was climbing into bed, a flash of light crackled through the gap in the curtains and she heard the low roar of thunder a few seconds later. The wind was howling loudly, causing the tree outside her window to bend and scrape against the side of the house, making an eerie scratching sound. Peggy wondered how on earth she'd fall asleep with all this racket…
She turned onto her side and hugged one of her pillows, feeling more and more uneasy as the thunder increased in frequency. She thought about last night…and how safe and warm she felt with Steve's arm around her. Would he maybe…?
No, Peggy told herself harshly as she readjusted her position. You're a grown woman; you don't need a man to cradle you to sleep like a baby. Just close your eyes and go to sleep.
But try as she might, she tossed and turned as the rumbling got louder and more intense. A particularly bad lightning strike made her eyes snap open and she shot up in bed, looking around the room in alarm. She glanced at the clock and groaned when she realized it was only barely past midnight. How was she going to get any rest with the storm raging on outside her window?
Peggy sighed deeply, pondered something for a moment, and then made up her mind. She threw the covers off of her and slipped out of bed, grabbing her robe. She pulled it on as she quietly opened her bedroom door and crept into the dark hallway, stopping right before Steve's door. Swallowing, she knocked lightly, wondering if he would even hear it if he was asleep. But a moment later the door opened and a sleepy-looking Steve appeared, concern flooding his face.
"Peggy? Are you alright?" he asked, alarmed, but she nodded.
"I'm fine, I just…the storm is so loud outside my window that I can't sleep."
"Oh," he replied, the worried lines in his face evaporating.
"I, um…" Peggy swallowed. "I know it's very untoward of me to come into your bedroom in the middle of night, especially given what happened the last time I did this…" Steve raised his eyebrows almost imperceptibly. "But I was wondering if, um…Could you come lay with me for a few minutes until I fall asleep, like you did last night?"
Steve's eyes widened slightly, but then he nodded in understanding. "Are you afraid you might have another nightmare?"
"Yes," she replied, lying only a little. She was, in fact, a bit afraid of having another nightmare, but in reality she just wanted to feel the warmth and comfort of Steve's arm to help her sleep.
"Alright, sure. If you think it would help you."
"It would. Thank you, Steve," she replied as she turned and went back to her room, him following behind her. He shut the door as she laid down on one side of her bed, leaving enough space for Steve to lay next to her. He obliged and sat up against the headboard, wrapping his arm around her as Peggy instinctively rested her head against his shoulder. Suddenly a sense of calm washed over her and she knew this had been a good idea.
"Better?" asked Steve, and Peggy hummed in affirmation. "I'll try not to wake you after you fall asleep."
Peggy nodded as her eyes started to droop closed. "It's alright, you didn't wake me last time."
"You're a heavy sleeper," observed Steve and Peggy chuckled.
"Yes, I suppose I am…"
After a few minutes her breathing began to deepen and Steve looked down out of the corner of his eye to see that she had fallen asleep despite the whistling wind outside. He thought he should probably go back to his room and let her sleep, but the storm was so loud and she looked so peaceful that he did not want to leave her. Moreover, he felt surprisingly comfortable with Peggy laying against his shoulder and the tiredness of the day started to overtake him, too.
His eyes drooped and he let sleep wash over him like a warm blanket with Peggy nestled snugly into his side.
Steve was the first one to wake in the morning as he slowly blinked his eyes open. For a moment he forgot where he was, looking around the room which was slightly unfamiliar to him, but then he remembered being woken up by Peggy in the middle of the night. He was surprised to find he was no longer propped up against the headboard, but at some point during the night he had shifted onto his side, facing away from Peggy. Her warm body was wrapped around him from behind, one of her arms tossed over his waist and her legs tangled with his. Her forehead rested against his upper back and he could feel her peaceful puffs of breath against his skin.
Steve's heart beat a little faster as he realized she was cuddling him in her sleep and he wondered what he should do. Should he try to move out from under her embrace but risk waking her? Or wait until she woke up naturally only for her to realize what she was doing and become embarrassed? He should have felt panicked, but the reality was that having Peggy wrapped around him from behind felt so soothing and natural that he did not mind at all. He closed his eyes and imagined for a brief moment that this was how their married life had turned out: going to sleep in the same bed, waking up with Peggy curled up against his side, leaving little kisses on Peggy's forehead and cheeks and neck until she sleepily stirred…
Peggy gave a soft sigh which broke Steve out of his reverie. She moved a little and Steve waited, wondering if she was waking up. He knew she had when he heard her gasp softly and she scooted away from him in bed, sitting up. Steve turned over to look at her.
"You're awake?" she asked with widened eyes.
"I just woke up," he lied.
"I'm sorry, I…I didn't mean to get so close to you," she admitted. "I move around in my sleep sometimes, I suppose."
"It's fine, I -"
"No, it's not fine," she said hotly as she got out of bed. Steve sat up and watched her cross the room to sit on the little bench of her vanity desk, facing away from him. "I didn't mean for that to happen."
"Really, Peggy, it's okay," said Steve as he tried to look at her through the reflection of the mirror in front of her, but she averted his gaze. "Did you sleep well last night?"
Peggy thought for a moment, then finally looked at his reflection and caught his eye. "I admit I did, actually."
"Well, then, no harm, no foul. If sleeping next to you helps you get proper rest, then I don't mind doing it."
"You're…you're not embarrassed that you woke up with me clinging to you like that?"
Steve shrugged. "You can't really control what you do when you're asleep, right?"
Peggy cast her eyes down, thinking. Then she said, "I suppose you're right. I didn't have any nightmares last night, thanks to you."
Steve smiled. "Good, I'm glad. Let me know if you ever need me to sleep with you again. Er, that is -" he stuttered when he saw Peggy raise her eyebrows - "I meant to say, let me know if you want me to sleep next to you, you know, in case you have nightmares or anything."
Chuckling a little to herself, Peggy turned around to face him. "I know what you meant."
Steve shook his head in mock annoyance, grinning. "Well, I suppose I should go downstairs and get breakfast started, shall I?"
"You want to cook?"
"Sure, I can cook some eggs. I can do scrambled eggs, fried eggs, omelets…"
"Mmm, I do think eggs sound rather good right now," she joked as Steve got up and headed toward her door.
"Eggs it is."
After breakfast – which, true to Steve's word, was fried eggs – Steve drove Peggy into town to see the doctor in Denver. Dr. Roberts examined her and told her he determined she was about nine weeks along.
"That means you're due in mid-December," the kindly grey-haired man told her. "A Christmas baby! You're a lucky woman."
"Imagine that," she replied unenthusiastically as she shifted uncomfortably on the cold examination table.
"I'll have my nurse give you a list of things to do and not do, foods to avoid, things like that," he explained as he washed his hands in the small basin by the bed. "Oh, and tell Steve he'll have to make sure you get plenty of rest and don't overexert yourself."
"Oh, you know Steve?" asked Peggy, wondering how he knew her husband's name since she didn't recall saying it at any point during her examination.
"I do, he's been coming to me with ailments since he was a kid. Not so much these days, obviously," he chuckled. "But I saw the announcement of your wedding in the paper last week and put two and two together."
Peggy's eyes widened. If he knew she was nine weeks along, and married Steve only last week, then that meant…
"Don't worry, honey," said Dr. Roberts because he must have seen panic flutter across her face. "Your secret's safe with me. Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that. Plus I would never do Steve the dishonor of making any assumptions about him or his wife."
She exhaled a sigh of relief. "You'd really keep this a secret for Steve's sake?"
"Of course. Everyone who knows him knows he's a good man. You should know you're lucky to have married him, Mrs. Rogers."
Peggy nodded wordlessly, a pang of guilt hitting her stomach. They finished up and the doctor motioned for her to follow him and he took her out to the reception where Steve was waiting for her. He and Dr. Roberts shook hands and exchanged polite words, Steve thanking him as they left.
"While we're in town, would you mind if we visited my mother?" he asked as they made their way back to the truck. "She doesn't live far from here."
"Of course. Is she doing well?"
"Last I heard. But she would never really tell me if she were doing poorly. Anyway, how did the visit with the doctor go?"
"Everything's fine and dandy. I'm due in December."
Steve smiled warmly as the truck came into view. "Right around Christmas?"
"Mmhmm. Oh, before we leave for your mother's, can we stop into the post office so I can make a telephone call to a friend?"
"Oh? Sure thing. It's right down the block."
They made their way toward the small post office and Steve waited outside so Peggy could have some privacy. Peggy used the telephone station to tell the operator an address and a female voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Rose, it's Peggy."
Rose gasped. "Oh my god, Peggy! I've been so worried about you! We haven't been able to talk in ages. How are you doing?"
"I'm doing alright," she replied unconvincingly. "I don't suppose you've…told anyone about our last conversation? The morning after the dance hall?"
Peggy heard Rose sigh. "No, but I hate keeping it from Dottie and Whitney. They're worried about you too, especially since you kind of disappeared from us and we learned through the newspaper announcement that you got married?"
Peggy swallowed down her guilt. "Y-yes…I know you know the real reason, but do they suspect anything?"
"They think you're crazy, actually. But I think they knew you'd been seeing Steve periodically at the house, so naturally they put two and two together and assumed you were lying to them about your relationship for months. They're a little upset, actually."
"I guess that's better than them knowing the real reason…"
"Peggy, are you sure you're okay? Do you want me to come pay you a visit?"
"No," she interjected immediately, paralyzed at the thought of Rose finding out she was pregnant. "I mean…no, it's alright. Steve and I are still getting used to being around each other and I wouldn't want to bombard him with visitors, at least not for a while."
"Okay. But you let me know if you need anything, alright?"
"Alright, Rose. I have to go now, but I just wanted to thank you for keeping my secret."
"Of course, Peggy. Take care."
"Goodbye."
Peggy hung up the receiver and felt a wave of shame wash over her. She knew her friends probably hated her for abandoning them to get married out of the blue, and to be honest she did not blame them because that's exactly what she did. Even though they didn't know the real reason came from a place of desperation, Peggy figured she would be upset with any friend that did that to her, so she figured they just needed time before she could speak to them again.
She rejoined Steve and it was likely obvious that she was upset because Steve immediately asked, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she downplayed, starting to get annoyed that she was being asked that question so often today. "Let's go to your mother's."
Steve looked like he wanted to argue, but dropped the subject. They climbed into Steve's truck and made their way to Mrs. Rogers' apartment building. Steve knocked on the door and Sarah's face burst into a grin when she saw who her visitors were.
"Steve? Oh, and Peggy, darling!" she exclaimed as she kissed her son on the cheek. "What a pleasant surprise! Come in, come in."
Sarah welcomed them warmly, making a fuss about how Steve needed to eat more and how Peggy looked simply marvelous. They sat in her simple living room and had tea and cookies while she asked them a plethora of questions about the farm, their house, married life, and everything in between.
Privately, Peggy was relieved that her mother-in-law made her feel so taken care of and welcomed. She did not imagine that Mrs. Rogers approved of what Steve was doing when he had told her he was marrying a woman he barely knew to save her reputation, but she made no indication that she disapproved of Peggy. On the contrary, she seemed to like Peggy a lot and Peggy tried her best to reciprocate her kindness as best as she could.
"These are the best cookies I've ever tasted, Sarah," she said earnestly as she took another one from the tray.
"What a sweetheart you are, Peggy," remarked Sarah as she gathered up the tea kettle and took it back to the kitchen. Peggy smiled genuinely and glanced at Steve, who was smiling back at her.
"How's everything in the apartment, Ma?" asked Steve as she puttered about in the kitchen. "Everything working okay?"
"Oh…now that you mention it, the hot water heater has been acting up again. Goes in and out sometimes when I'm using the sink or the bath."
"I'll take a look at it while I'm here," offered Steve, standing up. "Is the toolbox still in the closet?"
"Yes. Don't hurt yourself, son," she called out after him as he went down the hallway, waving her off.
Sarah sat down in an armchair, facing Peggy who was sitting on the loveseat.
"I'm so very happy to get to know the lovely person Steve married," she said warmly as she stirred her cup of tea. "He deserves a bit of happiness after what happened to him during the war."
Peggy frowned in confusion. "Steve hasn't really told me much of what he experienced when he was away…He only told me he volunteered for a science experiment that gave him his new physique, but then was sent home under honorary discharge."
"Mmm," Sarah nodded. "That's not everything that happened, though. The scientist he was working for got shot and killed right after they injected him with the serum, and that hit Steve hard. The formula for the serum died with the scientist, Dr. Erskine, and the U.S. government thought Steve was too great an asset to send into the war as the only super soldier they ever created. So after he was out in combat for a few weeks, they forced him to go home and stay out of the public eye. That was hard for Steve because he wanted to stay and do his duty for his country."
"Oh dear," exhaled Peggy, sinking back in her chair. "So the government experimented on him and then tossed him aside when they thought he was no longer useful?"
"Precisely," said Sarah grimly. "But that was a year ago now and I think Steve's pretty much gotten over it. He's got other things to occupy his mind now."
There was a twinkle in Sarah's eye that Peggy did not miss. Peggy swallowed with guilt.
"Sarah…there's something that I think you should know," she said, carefully considering her words. "I probably shouldn't tell you this now, but I feel it would be dishonest to keep it from you since you've been so kind to me and your son."
Sarah sat her teacup down and looked back at Peggy, expressionless. "Is this about the baby?"
Peggy's mouth dropped open slightly and she blinked. "I…yes, how did you know about that?"
"Steve wrote to me the day after you told him," she explained calmly. "I hate to admit it, but I suspected there might be a baby in the mix when he explained what happened to you and the real reason behind why he was marrying you. And I completely understand."
"You do?" questioned Peggy, taken aback.
"Of course. A young woman in your social standing would have her life ruined with a baby out of wedlock. Even if it wasn't her fault," Sarah added kindly, to which Peggy nodded appreciatively. "So, naturally, marrying a man as quickly as possible was the next logical step. And I'm not surprised Steve volunteered to change his whole life around to help someone in need; that's just who he is."
Peggy sighed sadly. "Sarah, I hope you know that I felt truly awful about lying to him about the pregnancy. My mother convinced me Steve would have broken it off with me if he knew about it before the wedding, but once we got married, I realized how wrong it was to keep it from him. To tell you the truth, I'm still surprised he hasn't woken up one day and realized he should get the heck out of Dodge while he still can."
Sarah exhaled slowly and glanced out the window, sunlight illuminating the lines and wrinkles of her fair, aging face. She then turned back and looked Peggy square in the eyes. "If there's one thing you need to know about Steve, it's that he will always, always believe the best in people. He doesn't see people for their faults; only their good qualities, and if there are none, then he sees their potential to be good. I know you're not a bad person, Peggy; in fact, I know you better than you think since Steve would talk about you for hours on end after he came home from dropping off deliveries to your house." She smiled as Peggy blushed in spite of herself. "But my son doesn't give up on people, and if he's loyal to you, he's loyal to you for life. He won't give up on you."
There was silence for a moment as Peggy took in her mother-in-law's words, wanting to express how unburdened it made her feel to know that Steve probably didn't hold any resentment toward her for lying to him. But as she tried to find the words to express her deep gratitude, to Peggy's surprise a tear suddenly slipped down her cheek and she impatiently brushed it away.
"Goodness me," exclaimed Peggy, sniffling. "I swear I've cried more in the last couple of weeks than in my entire life."
"I hate to say it," said Sarah as she graciously passed Peggy a handkerchief, "but it's probably the pregnancy hormones."
"Marvelous," replied Peggy sarcastically, to which Sarah laughed.
Steve returned to the living room a moment later, taking off a pair of work gloves he had put on. "The water heater's fixed. I told you if you have any problems with it you have to let the landlord know so he can take a look at it for you."
"I know, I know," Sarah said, throwing up her hands in surrender as she stood up. "I'll do that next time, I promise. Now I don't want to keep you two for much longer but let me go pack up some treats for you to take along on the road."
"Oh, Ma, you don't have to -"
"No point in arguing dear," she called from the kitchen, making Peggy burst into a chuckle at Steve's exasperated expression.
"I think I'm going to go to bed, Peg," yawned Steve as he dried off the last of the dishes Peggy had washed, putting them away in the cabinets. She placed the leftover roast in the ice box and smiled a little to herself at what Steve called her. Her friends called her "Peg" every once in a while and her father did too periodically when he was in a good mood, but the way Steve said it made it sound more like a term of endearment than just a shortening of her name. She admitted to herself that she liked it.
"Okay. Good night, Steve."
"'Night."
He started to walk out of the kitchen but Peggy cleared her throat with a rush of nervousness.
"Um…Steve?"
He stopped and turned to look at her. "Yeah?"
Peggy bit her lip. "I don't…I don't suppose tonight you would mind…"
"Helping you get to sleep?" he suggested gently, and she nodded.
"Just for one more night," she added quickly. "I feel a bit wound up from going out today and I want to get a good night's rest."
"Of course. One more night."
Peggy noticed there was a ghost of a sly grin on Steve's face, much to her annoyance.
After changing into their nighttime attire and getting ready for bed, Steve was the first one to lie down in Peggy's bed and she joined him not too much longer after. He dared to slip under the covers this time and Peggy made no objection to it. I wouldn't want him to get cold, she justified to herself as she climbed into bed next to him.
He extended out his arm and she sank into his shoulder, smiling at the familiarity of the feeling. The warmth and comfort of Steve's body made Peggy instantly start to feel tired, so she let her eyes flutter closed.
"Good night, Steve," she mumbled sleepily as she settled into his arm a little further. Steve tightened her grip around her comfortingly.
"Good night, Peg," he whispered back to her.
Just before she was about to drift off to sleep, Peggy could have sworn she felt Steve gently place his lips on the top of her head before he let sleep overtake him as well.
