Married on Valentine's Day: Valentine's Day Nuptials

It was one week until Valentine's Day, when eighteen-year old Connie realized that she had made what could prove to be the biggest mistake of her life.

"No! I can't be pregnant!"

A skiing weekend in the mountains during the Christmas break had seemed perfect for both her and her boyfriend, Chris. It had been a time to relax and have fun together, as well as a chance to get to know each other more intimately.

"I am on the pill!" she had said to herself, at the time. Even then, Connie knew that it might be possible. "Pregnant!" she exclaimed aloud, as she felt another wave of nausea coming on. She had been experiencing repeated bouts of nausea early in the morning for several weeks and missed her last period. In the back of her mind, she vaguely recalled her doctor telling her that there were no guarantees even when practicing birth control.

"I am on the pill," she reminded herself, again. An unplanned pregnancy was the last thing that Connie expected to happen. She decided it was time to see her doctor and he immediately confirmed her pregnancy. She did not know whether to laugh or cry.

When Connie told Chris, later that afternoon, he was stunned, turned pale and remained silent for a long time. He had mixed feelings about becoming a father at age eighteen. A multiplicity of thoughts flooded through his mind. He knew his parents wanted grandchildren, someday, but they had their hopes set on him completing his university degree in psychology before he got married and had a family. The one plus for him was that they both liked Connie.

"You said that you were on birth control," he reminded her, gently. "Did you forget to take one?"

"I don't think so!" At this point, Connie did not know what to say or do and she started to cry. "Does it really matter?"

"Not really, but we are in this together," said Chris, putting his arm around her and hugging her tight. "Babies don't come into the world without two people being intimately involved."

"We have to tell our parents," said Connie. "Mine will be furious."

"Mine, too, but we will tell them together."

"What will we tell them?" asked Connie. "We have a late Christmas present for them?"

"Cupid came early!" said Chris, smiling at the thought of his parents as new grandparents hovering over their newborn infant, in the near future. "I have an idea. Trust me."

Connie was uncertain as to what Chris had in mind, but decided to trust him, as he was obviously going to stand by her, not desert her. "I just don't want to be an unwed mother," she thought to herself. "I wonder what Chris really wants. Before we decide anything, we will have to talk."

Chris called her later that night. "I really want our baby to have two parents," he said immediately.

"Married?" wondered Connie.

"Just relax, honey, as everything is going to work out perfectly," he assured her. "We are going to tell our folks tomorrow. By the way, my student loan just came through." The next day, Chris showed up in the afternoon with flowers, balloons and a box of Valentine's Day chocolates for her.

"I know this is really sudden, Connie, but I really love you and I want to build our life together, with our baby. Will you marry me on Valentine's Day?" He pulled an engagement ring out of his pocket.
"Get married on Valentine's Day?"

Connie was astounded and at first, she did not know how to respond.

"I don't see any reason to wait," Chris continued. "You do love me, right?" It had not occurred to him until that moment that Connie might not want to get married. "We can both continue our studies even with a baby. Students do it all the time."

Connie and Chris decided to tell their parents that they were in love and did not want to wait any longer for marriage. They planned to tell them about the Valentine's Day nuptials, but wait with respect to letting them know about the pregnancy.

"Imagine that!" said Connie's mother, the next day, as she chatted about the Valentine's Day wedding plans with her. "That is so romantic. Oh, I am so excited for you both! Connie, we have so much to do!"
"You will be even more excited when I tell you that you are going to be a grandmother," thought Connie to herself. "But, not yet."

"Shotgun wedding," thought the father of the groom, but he decided not to say anything to anyone about his suspicions. "Connie will make a beautiful Valentine's Day bride, son."