Page 52 of Love Story
It was a bad beginning to the conversation, and things went downhill from there. John explained that the two of them had fallen in love and then John said something he hadn’t planned to say. Not yet anyway.
“I want to marry your daughter, sir.” His eyes found those of his nemesis across from him. “I’d like your permission for her hand.”
The yelling began then. “You’re out of your mind, boy.” Her dad was on his feet. “Get out of my house.” He pointed toward the front door. “Now!”
At that point Elizabeth was on her feet, too. “Daddy! Sit down! Please! John’s not going anywhere.” She looked at John, and despite the anger and tension of the moment, her eyes told him yes. Yes, she wanted to marry him. As much as he wanted to marry her.
“What’s this all about?” Her mother slid to the edge of the sofa.Uptightdidn’t begin to describe her expression. “Elizabeth, you sit down. And don’t ever take that tone with your father.”
All of them sat once more, and John had no choice. He swallowed hard. “Sir, this is complicated.”
Elizabeth reached over and took John’s hand. He had never loved her more. “Daddy, I’m pregnant.” She took a quick breath. Again, John could see her heart beating at the hollow of her throat. “John and I are going to have a baby.”
No matter how hard John tried he couldn’t remember everything that happened next. For nearly an hour, everyone took turns yelling and crying and making sweeping statements about what the plan of action should be. But the bottom line was simply this:
John couldn’t take care of Elizabeth. He was a medical student, not a doctor. No matter how he might be able to support her in the years to come, he wasn’t there now. And her parents made it very clear that the two weren’t welcome to live with them.
Then Elizabeth’s father produced an ultimatum. She would withdraw from school and leave for a home for unwed teens. Perhaps in Minnesota. Or maybe Wisconsin or Illinois. Somewhere far enough so John couldn’t find her, couldn’t see her.
Elizabeth would go away and have the baby, and then she would give the infant up for adoption. At that point, she would return to Ann Arbor and start school again.
As if nothing had ever happened.
Elizabeth told John later that she had wanted to scream or throw something, gather her belongings and run out the door all the way to his house. But what were her options? John certainly understood why Elizabeth felt trapped.
She explained everything to him the next day before class. Her parents were making the call to withdraw her later that afternoon. John figured the two of them had just one last chance. He went home that day and told the Wesleys. They weren’t angry or demeaning. They admitted these things happen.
But even if John and Elizabeth married that week, there was no way the two of them could move in with them. Not enough room. “It was one thing to takeyouin.” Mr. Wesley was kind as he gave his answer. “We cannot take in you and your wife and a baby. I’m sorry.”
And that was that.
John could do nothing to stop the chain of events that followed. He felt like a statue, his heart more stone than flesh. He was powerless to change things, unable to be with Elizabeth or even talk to her. The day after the Wesleys told him no, John went to her English class and waited for her.
But she never came out.
Like her dad had promised, she’d been pulled from school. So he drove to her house the next night at two in the morning. Her parents wouldn’t be awake then, he figured. He was right. John tapped on Elizabeth’s window, and she slipped out. She was wearing a long flannel nightgown, and she began crying as soon as she saw him.
“You came!” Her voice was a tortured cry.
“Shh...” She was in his arms now and he whispered into her hair. “We can’t let them hear us.”
“Right.” She stifled the sound of her sobs and clung to him. “I’m so scared, John. I leave in a week. I don’t even know where I’m going. Somewhere in Illinois. That’s what I heard my father say.”
For a long while they held each other. Time was short, so John got to the point. “We need a plan. They can’t keep us apart forever.”
Elizabeth nodded. Her beautiful eyes were so afraid. “Like what?”
John’s mind raced, desperate for a solution. “Try to find out where you’re going. You can tell Betsy and she can tell me. Then I’ll come to you, Elizabeth.”
Her tears came harder. “What about the baby?” She put her hand on her stomach. “I don’t want to lose our child, John. It’s not fair.”
John had wrestled with this, too. Her father was right about one thing. Elizabeth was young. She deserved the chance to finish her education. Until now John hadn’t known whether she wanted to raise the baby or not. “So... you’re saying you do want to get married? Keep our child?”
“Of course. School can come later. Or not at all.” She used the palms of her hands to wipe her tears. “I want us to be a family.”
John had never felt more helpless. “We have nowhere to live, no money.” He clenched his jaw, his mind racing. “I’ll find a way to make it work, Elizabeth. I’ll do whatever I can.”
They kissed goodbye, both of them desperate to see a light at the end of their tunnel. John almost wished he had a faith in God. Because he needed help now more than ever. Instead, as they were kissing a light came on at the back of the house. Elizabeth jerked away. “I have to go.”
