Trina

"What is it?"

"I missed my period and I'm never ever late. I went to the store this morning and bought one of those self test kits. I'm pregnant. You are going to be a daddy."

I was stunned. I was going to be a father?

"Hello? Are you still there?"

"Yes, I'm here. You just caught me by surprise."

"Well, like I said, I don't know if it is good news or bad as far as you are concerned, but you need to know something. It isn't something that we have ever talked about, but I'm pro-life. I'm going to have the baby."

I was still trying to take it in when she said, "Are you still there Rob?"

"I'm still here Trina. Just thinking of all that I have to get done. Blood tests, marriage license, get you on my insurance and I'm sure that I'm forgetting something. Give me the address up there. I'll check and see what we have to do and I may need to mail you some papers or something."

"You don't sound too unhappy about the news."

"Why should I be unhappy? This just speeds things up a little."

"What do you mean it speeds things up?"

"I was going to ask you to marry me eventually. It is just going to happen sooner than I thought."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

Then it hit me hat she was getting at. "Katrina Elise Dumphries, will you marry me?"

"Of course I will."

"You know that we will have to pass on a church wedding right? That would take too long to set up and we don't want too short a gap between getting married and the baby arriving. We need to tie the knot as quick as we can."

"That's okay with me. I never wanted a big church wedding anyway. We can just have a big party and invite everyone to it."

"Works for me. I'll get started on finding out what we need to do. I love you."

"I love you too baby."

I got busy and over the next two days I found out that Trina could get her blood test in Alpena and fax it to me. I found out that we both didn't need to be there to get the license. I could go in and she could go in later. And I found out how to go about getting married at City Hall.

I talked to Trina every day and by the end of the week I was missing her something awful. I decided to drive up to Alpena on Friday after work, surprise her and spend the weekend with her. Then I had a thought. Trina's mother might like to be involved in our wedding even though it was going to be as small as it was. I called her and asked her if she would like to go with me to see Trina and visit her sister.

"Sister? What sister? I'm an only child."

"You don't have a sister in Alpena?"

"I just told you that I don't have a sister and I don't know anyone in Alpena except for that no account ex-boyfriend of Trina's."

"Martin Keller lives in Alpena?"

"He got into some trouble here with the law and he moved up there to stay with his parents."

After I hung up I called information and asked them if they had a listing for Keller in Alpena.

"I have a listing for a Herbert and Agnes Keller on Beale Street in Alpena."

"That's the one. Can I have the number please."

The address that Trina had given me for her "Aunt Betty" was on Beale Street. I called the number that the operator had given me and a woman answered the phone.

"Could I speak to Marty please?"

"He isn't here right now."

"When will he be back?"

"I've no idea."

"Out and about with Katrina?"

"Yes he is."

"Okay, I'll call back later."

"Would you like to leave a message or a number where he can call you back?"

"No need. I'll catch him later."

As I hung up the phone I was telling myself that I should have known that something like this was going to happen. It had already happened twice where Keller was concerned.

I got my daily call from Trina at three the next afternoon.

"Hello?"

"Hi honey, it's me."

"How are you?"

"Tired. Taking care of Aunt Betty until she can get back on her feet can be a real chore."

"I can just imagine. Taking care of her during the day and going out to party at night with Martin has to be very tiring."

There was silence on the other end of the lone and I said:

"I find it strange that your mother doesn't even know that she has a sister and just as strange that the address you gave me happens to be the address of Martin Keller's parents. Tell me if I have this figured right Katrina. You missed your period and you called Martin and gave him the good news only he didn't think the news was all that great and he said something and it upset you. You packed a bag and hurried off to see him, but when you got there he said:

"No way Katrina. I ain't going to marry you."

What to do? Hey, I know. I'll call Rob and tell him he is going to be a daddy. He'll never know. That about right Katrina?"

I heard quiet sobbing on the other end of the line.

"When the baby is born we will get a DNA test done. If the baby turns out to be mine I'll do the right thing and set up child support, but until the baby is born I do not want to hear your voice again. Goodbye!"

I haven't spoken to her since that phone call, but I have kept an eye on the calendar. She is due any day now and I wonder if I'll hear from her or if she already knows that the baby isn't mine. She did head for Martin right away. Did she know it was his or was it wishful thinking on her part and she tried to use the baby as a way to get Martin to marry her? He obviously didn't buy it so was it because he didn't care or because he knew it wasn't his? I wonder if I'll ever know the answers to those questions.