SERIES: Dogs In a Manger

PART: 2 of 2

RATING: PG (Adult thematic material)

PAIRING(s): AF/LDF; SF/CR For Now

DISTRIBUTION: To LW, Myself and FG so far; any other archives are welcome to ask, but disclaimers must be included, my email left intact. send a URL, and provide full disclaimers as well as credit me fully. Please inform me if you are going to submit my work to any sort of search engine.  Please do not submit my work to a search engine that picks out random sets of words and uses them as key words, such as "Google"

 

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CATEGORY: Romance/Drama

FEEDBACK: PLEASE?!

SETTING IN TIMELINE: Set pre-canon, post high school for the girls

SPOILLER/SUMMARY: Laverne finds herself pregnant after a prom night indiscretion - leading to a search for respectability and comfort.

NOTES: Lots of alt-canon.

 

***

 

Laverne chomped on her wad of Wrigly's, straightening the hem of her black skirt.  She had deliberately worn her nicest clothing, and on the way out of their apartment, Shirley proclaimed her prettier than Mamie.

 

"anxious" was no longer simply a word to Laverne.  It was a state of mind, absorbing her every breath and thought until she could no longer think of anything but the baby growing inside of her, and what that would mean to her relationship with Fonzie.

 

She played with the zipper on her handbag, enjoying the noise it made in the too-quiet visitation room.  The grays and browns of the walls and furniture were oppressively gloomy.  When a door opened across from her, admitting Fonzie to the room, Laverne felt the world light with color.

 

She stood to greet him and was swept up in his arms.  "Hey, baby." He pressed her to his body, spreading shudders of delight beneath her skin.

 

"Easy, Fonzarelli," she heard a voice behind them - a blue-uniformed guard.  She felt embaressed with the added presence, but shifted her attention back to Fonzie.

 

"How's it on the outside?" he asked, his voice deliberately tough.

 

"Good.  Me and Shirl got a place together."

 

"Hey, that's great!  I always knew you'd make it," he grinned.  "I've been meaning to tell you something..."

 

"I've got something to tell you, too.  Fonzie..."

 

"Laverne..."

 

"You go first."

 

He took her hand.  "You're a nice girl.  You know I like you a helluva lot.  But..."

 

"But?"

 

"...But I don't want ya waiting around for me."

 

"What?" Her voice was fraught with anxiety.

 

"I got a lot of other girls waiting for me on the outside," he explained.  "You're a cool chick, Laverne.  I taught you everything you need to know to hook a guy as cool as me."

 

Tears dribbled down Laverne's cheeks.  "I'll never find a guy that cool," she sniffled.

 

"Don't cry," he urged.  "You're gonna do better than me."

 

"I don't want - "

 

"It'll be okay, Laverne, I swear."

 

"Time's up, Fonzarelli," said his guard.

 

She sat in her chair for five minutes after he was gone, wondering what she would tell her baby when it was born.

 

***

 

 

"I'm glad you're here," Shirley said, as she opened the front door.  It had been two weeks since Laverne's visit with Fonzie at the trade school, a time that had not passed easily for her best friend.  "She hasn't left her bed for days - she won't even talk to me."

 

"'Cause Fonzie dumped her?"

 

"That's part of the reason," Shirley drew their blond-haired visitor to an unoccupied corner.  "Laverne's...expecting!"

 

Lenny's childlike face twisted into a mask of shock.  "No!" he gasped.

 

"Lenny, you have to promise you won't tell Squiggy about this.  Laverne hasn't told her father yet."

 

"Okay," he crossed his heart for her.  "I promise I won't say nothing."

 

Shirley led him to the bedroom she shared with Laverne - the sight of his friend, sprawled out across her mattress in her pajamas and staring blankly at the ceiling, disturbed him.  "Don't touch anything," Shirley hissed below her breath before she left them alone together.

 

Bravely, Lenny crept toward the occupied twin bed.  "Vernie?"

 

A moan sounded from the bed. 

 

"It's okay.  It's me, Len," he sat down beside her on the bed.  "I know about your plight."

 

She sat up.  "She wasn't supposed to tell nobody!"

 

"She had to - Shirley wanted me to come over, and I was in the middle of this big pool game at Dominick’s and..."

 

"Len!"

 

"She said I'm the only person who could get you out of a mood like this," Lenny held out his arms.  "So here I am."

 

"You're a real sweet guy, but you can't help me," she sighed.  "What I need is a father for this kid."

 

"Laverne...I think I know a guy..."

 

"Yeah?  Does he like kids?"

 

"Loves 'em."

 

"Would he be able to put up with my Pop?"

 

"Put up with him?  He sorta looks up to him."

 

"Len, you're not setting me up with Squiggy again, are you?"

 

"No, Laverne!  Me!  I'm saying I'll be the dad for your kid!"

 

"You?!  Nah..."

 

"Yeah!  I'll make a good living - I'll look after him...I'll be nice to you.  Please, Laverne?"

 

"Are you asking me to marry you?"

 

"I don't got a ring..." He jumped off of the bed and got down on his knees.

 

She backed away from him on the bed.  "Lenny - this is a serious thing you're asking me here."

 

"I know.  But you need a dad - I always wanted to be one."

 

"You're twenty-one.  You got plenty of time."  He smiled wanly.  "Uh, Len...you know this is gonna be a 'name only' marriage, right?"

 

His eyes dimmed a bit, but he said, "it's okay."

 

She bent over the edge of the bed and hugged him.  "I love you, Len.  Thank you so much."

 

He patted her side to break the hold.  "I'll take my leavings so you can get dressed."

 

"Where are we going?"

 

"To your Pop's place."

 

She made a face, but telling him was a necessary thing.  "Okay - Do me a favor - don't tell Shirl."

 

"Do me a favor - don't tell Squig!"

 

Laverne chuckled, and when he left she dressed for the first time in weeks.  Her heart and stomach felt comfortably settled.  She and Lenny could get married for appearance’s sake - until the baby was born, they could keep their separate living arrangements.  When he - or she -arrived, they could move into a smaller unit in the building and begin their life as a real family. 

 

A real family, except for one thing...

 

Laverne shook off the sadness inside of her.  Fonzie wanted things to be this way , and so he would have them.

 

And she would have her own life, on her own terms.  Her own way.