Been A While, Spidey

Chapter 7

ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER!

"Betts!" I called her as soon as I stepped out, okay ran out of office at 7 in the evening. I would have called MJ first but Peter is still a sore spot for her.

"Hi, Sanu! What's going on?" She's in Boston with Ned, working as an assistant in one of the publishing company.

"I got a job. At Stark's."

"Oh." Her surprised voice came through. Then she yelled at some one, Ned in the background. "GET OUT! GIRL TALK!"

I heard a glass break. I won't ask.

"Is Ned okay?" I asked, in spite of myself.

"He's fine. Tell me about today."

So I told her. All of it. Even his conversation with Harry.

"So how did he react when you said you still love him?"

I groaned. "I knew you were gonna fixate on that. Well, he just looked stunned  when I hastily added and shouted  'AS A FRIEND'. I cleared out quickly after that and he didn't call me back in."

I could her rolling her eyes.
"You are pathetic. I KNOW he still loves you, via Ned."

No.

"No, he's not. He's with Felicia Hardy!" I cried as I sat down on a bench after buying a hot dog.

"He went on one date with her. I know because he calls my boyfriend every night with every little detail. They're actually just friends with benefits. Like you and Harry."

"Not anymore. Shadab and I are official." I hate that word.

"You are one idiot. I mean, yeah, Shadaeb's not that bad looking but he doesn't hold a candle to Peter, who I consider a brother. Also, you told me you like him well enough but you can't maintain any feeling. Physically wise. While with Haz, it's the opposite. Pete's the only guy you'll ever have that connection with. Romantic, physicial, mental, emotional. He's your soulmate. You know that." She says softly.

"Yes." I whisper. "But soulmates don't always end up together."

"But you will!! Goddarn, I'll make sure."

"Just...stop. I know I make bad life and love choices. But tell me what Peter says to Ned about today. Also, did you say 'Goddarn'?" I laughed.

"Oh, fuck off."

I tsk-tsked.
"Bad girl."

"Whatever. Are you going to that memorial of Gwen in February?"

I took a breath. Gwen died 3 years ago on February 27th when she fell off the Brooklyn Bridge in a freak accident. Peter, who had been out then to get me pickles and chocolate ice cream(both of which I hate but I- nevermind) always blamed himself since he'd passed the bridge 5 minutes before she fell off. Which was stupid. It was NOT his fault. An other reason 2021 was crap. Her death, Tony's death in late March..... May 6th, Maggie Smith's relapsed cancer news....2021 was the worst year.

"Yes, of course. But why after 3 years? Isn't it generally 5? I mean her dad's is."

"Her favourite number was 3." Betty says quietly.

"Oh." I say equally quietly.

"Yeah."

"Um, Betty, I'll call you later. I need to talk to Michelle too. Bye, blondie."

"Bye, India." She hung up.

"MJ!" I video call her, forgetting the time difference.

She's in Paris now, some art scholarship.

As soon as I looked at her frizzy, clearly unwashed hair, frowning face and the fact that it was dark and she was obviously in bed, I knew it had been a bad time. Also a bad day for her. Her professor was a real ass, misogynistic bastard who had been suspended often for his comments and even once driven a student to almost suicide by his gruelling antics. He also made ALL his students cry on a regular basis.

"Do you know what time is it here?" Her annoyed voice came through.

"You know very well I'm bad at math." I retorted.

"It's 1! A.M! I NEED MY 4 HRS SLEEP!"

"Jeez, take a chill pill. Menstruating or what?"

The next words made ny blood run cold. I know she didn'tmean it, she was just over exerted and irritated.

"No, I'm just acting like you when you were pregnant!"

"Bye." I say, knowing I was about to cry.

Her panicked, regretful vlice came through. "No, No, Sanya, I didn't mean, I'm so-"

I cut off the call.

She actually mentioned it. Which was right up there with the unmentionables, like Voldy's name.

Well, I'm not talking about it.

The only promise that Peter and I made to each other which we actually kept was that the next time we speak about this would be to each other, to finally move on.

Everyone knew what had happened on May 6th 2021 but only Peter and I were privy to the whole thing. Which, as parents of Thomas Antony Benjamin Parker, was how it should be.

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3rd PERSON/NARRATOR/AUTHOR:

Well, I'm sure we'll get the whole story soon, shan't we?

I mean, after all the climax of this story isn't how the pregnancy ended.
It's how Peter and Sanya heal, who they end up with, if they end up with any one. Because I can't promise if they'll end up with each other. They've had a rocky past, and their present isn't gonna be easy. We'll just have to see of their future lies with each other.