The Tragedy of Mary Jane Stark

Family Planning

"You're kidding." Mj pulled her hands away from him.

"I think I'm being serious. I don't know I guess I do want to be a dad one day. Is that so bad?" Peter keep his voice low.

"This isn't a funny joke." Mj backed away.

"It's not a joke. Mj think about it, we both had really shitty child hoods. Why wouldn't you want to give the childhood you always wanted to our baby." Peter spoke up.

"Than we can always adopt." Mj said firmly.

She couldn't tell him he's the reason she's infertile. What if that sends him spiraling. What if he leaves again. He just can't know. A part of her could see liking that future. Holding a little baby boy with Peters brown curly hair and Mj's dark brown eyes. But that future couldn't happen.

"I don't want to adopt. I want it to be ours. I want her to look like a mini you." Peter put his hand on Mj's stomach.

"That's funny, I was imagining our baby as a little you." Mj chuckled.

"So you do want a baby one day?" Peter asked.

"No I didn't say that." Mj pushed his hand away.

"But there has to be some part of you that wants it, if your imaging what our baby would look like." Peters voice strained.

"Peter I think your tired and not thinking straight. It's late why don't we go to bed." She tried pulling him by the hand to their room.

"Is it me? Are you afraid of having a baby with me?" Peters voice was barely a whisper.

"What? Of course not. If I were to ever have kids it would only be with you. But Peter we are also still young. We don't need to make that decision now." Mj said. To stall. Ten years from now maybe he'll change his mind anyway.

"I think I know what I want. I can see the future I want. It would just be one kid. And we'd drive down the mountain to a small town. Grab groceries once a month. We'd be left alone and give that baby the childhood we didn't have." Peters eyes sparkled at the thought.

It broke Mj's heart. He really wanted this. But he just can't know why, why she doesn't want a baby. Why she can't have one.

"Please let's just go to bed." Mj's throat went dry. How was she gonna lie to him about this forever.

"Do you really not want to have a baby with me?" Peters voice broke.

"Please you need sleep." Mj begged.

His face turned serious.

"Mj.. are you okay?" Peter asked. Mj's stomach dropped. He figured it out.

"Yeah why wouldn't I be?" Mj asked.

"I mean like- you haven't been on birth control in a year... and we haven't gotten pregnant." Peter was thinking hard.

"How would you know I haven't been on birth control?" Mj sassed

"Cause I haven't picked up the prescription. Every-time Id go and get your anxiety medicine before the blip, your birth control would be for me to pick up too." Peters face fell. "We need to take you to the doctor. I mean this isn't normal right?"

"Peter." Mj tried to stop his rambling but he kept going.

"I mean and when was the last time we like bought you tampons. Or- or you haven't been complaining about your cramps. Mj I think your sick." Peter said a matter o factly.

"I- I can't have kids anymore pete." Mj turned away from him. No use keeping the secret now.

"Anymore? Are you okay?" Peter put his hand on her shoulder.