A Kiss Before Dying

April  1959  was  coming  to  the  town  of  Blue  River  in  the  state  of  Iowa.  It  was  nearly  dark  in  the  small  room  near  the  Stoddard  University  campus.  The  two  people  in  the  room  that  Sunday  evening  were  both  second  year  students  at  the  college.  They  were  looking  at  each  other  in  silence.  The  handsome  young  man  was  angry.

His  plans  had  been  working  so  well,  and  now  this  news  had  come.  But  he  wasn't  going  to  show  his  anger.  That  wouldn't  help  him.  He  walked  to  the  window  and  for  a  few  seconds  he  looked  out  at  the  lights  of  the  town.  He  looked  at  the  yellow  lights  in  the  streets.

He  looked  at  the  red  light  on  top  of  the  municipal  building,  the  tower,  which  was  the  tallest  building  in  Blue  River,  a  mile  or  two  away.  Then  he  turned  and  he  smiled  at  the  young  woman  sitting  on  the  bed.  I  love  you,  the  young  woman  replied  miserably,  I  don't  care  about  being  poor.  I  don't  care  about  being  poor.  I  don't  care  about  being  poor.

I  don't  care  about  my  family.  Were  you  sure  that  you're  pregnant?  He  asked  her  gently.  Are  you  really  sure  that  you're  going  to  have  a  baby?  I'm  sure  that  you're  going  to  have  a  baby.

I'm  sure,  she  replied.  I'm  sure,  she  replied.  She  the  doctor  told  me  that  I'm  two  months  pregnant.  She  started  to  cry.  What  will  we  do?

Can  we  get  married  soon?  Cry,  the  young  man  said.  Everything  will  be  okay.  He  smiled  again.  The  young  woman  stopped  crying  and  she  tried  to  smile  too.

Let's  get  married  right  away.  Let's  get  married  right  away.  Right  away,  she  said.  I'm  sure  that  my  father  will  like  you.  When  he  meets  you,  we'll  be  so  happy.

Well,  we  could  get  married  immediately,  the  young  man  said.  But  this  isn't  what  I  planned,  Dorothy.  You  know  that  I'd  plan  to  meet  your  father  in  New  York  in  the  summer,  at  the  end  of  the  college  year.  I  wanted  to  ask  him  for  permission  to  marry  you.  Then  I  want  your  father  to  like  me,  Dorothy.

He  went  on  quickly.  He  went  on  quickly.  If  we're  already  married  when  I  meet  him,  he'll  guess  the  reason.  He'll  guess  about  your  pregnancy.  He  won't  like  that.

He'll  be  angry.  He'll  stop  giving  you  money.  We'll  be  poor.  I'll  have  to  leave  college  and  get  a  job  in  a  store.  And  you'll  have  to  leave  college  to  take  care  of  the  baby.

We'll  have  to  live  in  a  trailer.  How  will  you  feel  about  that?  How  will  your  family  feel  about  it?  It's  love.  You  and  love.

The  young  woman  replied  miserably,  I  don't  care  about  being  poor.  I  don't  care  about  my  family.  We'll  be  happy.  I'm  sure  about  that.  And  I  don't  believe  that  my  father  will  be  angry.

Anyway,  we  don't  have  any  choice.  I'm  pregnant.  We'll  have  to  get  married  soon.