“What do you mean pregnant?” The man stood leaning over the young girl; he had to be at least two feet taller than she.

The small one bedroom apartment the two lived in was nothing much to speak of. The wall surrounding the two were a well worn tan, it was most likely supposed to be beige when it was initially painted. The aqua curtains showed their dust by turning a slight brown color, but swayed in the light, early spring breeze. The two were standing in the kitchen/living/dining room. The tiny table beside them stood covered in magazines, advertisements, and bills. The man, his deep brown skin gave him the appearance, as he loomed over her, of a panther about to pounce on a tiny white dove.

“What do you mean pregnant?” He asked her again

“Yeah, I am, you’ve said that now three times now!” You would have never in your life guessed that such a strong voice could come out of a small figure.

“Well I don’t want no kids Roni, that ain’t part of the plan, so you better just get out of my house!” He pointed towards the black, wooden, door that led to the hallway.

“What do you mean ‘git out’?” Roni was standing on her tip toes now just to make herself a bit taller. She even dared to point her finger in her furry. “I dropped out of my school for you, I had a 4.0 average, I left my home, you know I got no where to go!”

The panther did have a heart buried in there, and lowered his nasty tone to a less nasty one. “Well then you better go get rid of it.” He said.

“What?”

“You know, ‘get rid of it’, what girls like you do when they stuck like tis’.” He looked at her deeply, the turned and grabbed his jacket. “Look Roni, I don’t want no trouble, I’ll drive ya there and pay for it. C’mon let’s go, I’ll drop you off before I go to work.”

“Here,” as he pulled to a stop in front of the small clinic. He shoved a wad of bills into her hand. “You go do what you have to do, and call Masy to come bring you on home. I’ll see you after work.” Roni go up and out, and without a wave he drove off.

Rhonda Lee, Roni, Holmes was alone now. Being forced into something she wanted no part in, her mind was swimming. She sat down on the hard cement bus bench and tried to sort her thoughts. Now Roni wasn’t a religious person, no, not at all, but she was raised in a semi-Catholic home, and she knew that the thing she was being told to do went completely opposite of that. Besides that, this was her baby! She was not about to just destroy it. But what to do? The March wind’s chill swept through her light clothes and chilled her to the bones. What to do? She unrolled the wad of bills, and discretely counted them out. 600, was how much it would cost to destroy her baby. But this was also 600 she could use to start a new life. She could never go back to her home here if she didn’t go along with his plan, he’d be sure to notice soon enough.

A bus pulled in front of her. A dozen or so people got off, going onto their busy lives. She looked in at the driver, he winked as he asked “You commin’?”

“Yeah,” Roni got up and smiled, “I think I am.” She boarded that bus, planning never again to set foot in Cincinnati.

Roni had no plan, no idea of what she would do now with herself. She had been the top of her class back where she went to school, but that ship had sailed and her’s went the other direction. Now Roni had nothing to show for herself except a coming baby and 600, so when the sign ‘Welcome to Chicago’ came something inside of her stirred, and made her think that this might be a nice place to call home for a while.

“Thanks Butch!” Roni called to the driver as he again gave her a wink as she paid, and exited his bus. The air there seemed to freeze her blood, but there was something different about this place, something good. Roni quickly found a pay phone and phone book, she knew what she was looking for.

Roni remembered an old friend of her mother’s speaking of this nice place in Chicago where they help women. St. Anne Haven for Unwed Mothers, was the place. “That’s where I’ll try first. Maybe they’ll have room there.”

Roni got the directions she needed at the local convenience store, and set out for the Haven. She was greeted and ushered to meet with Mother Margaret.

Mother Margaret sat behind her simple wooden desk, pictures of the Crucifix, and others adorned the walls. “Good day Mother,” Roni replied as she took a seat in front of the desk.

“Good afternoon dear child, now how may I help you?”

“I have heard that you take in unwed mothers as well as pregnant, unwed girls, and let them stay here and feed them. Is that true?

“Yes, as well here at St. Anne’s we offer pregnancy resources, such as classes for the mother.”

That sounded perfect for Roni, but would they let her in? “How does a girl register here, and how much does it cost?”

“We can get you registered right now, and our services are free of charge. We are financed by donations from the city people and organizations. Besides our nuns all our staff are volunteers to help these ladies.” Mother Margaret opened a creaky drawer and pulled out a packet of papers and a pen. She slid them to Roni. “Now we ask that you do supply us with some information and I personally keep it locked and confidential.” Roni cautiously picked up the pen. ‘How much do I fill in? Do I fill it in honestly? It is best to be honest, but my age….’

“Mother Margaret,” Roni said. “You said that everything I tell you is confidential, right?”

“Yes dear child.”

“ ‘Everything?’”

“Yes, everything.” Mother was leaning slightly over the desk. Roni looked deep into her eyes, as if to see if the Mother was lying. She saw nothing but love and compassion.

Rhonda had never been upfront about anything with anybody. Sometimes she wished she had, you know shared her hurts and joys with someone, just to let them out, even to her distant mother. Especially now, when everything was falling apart around her, she felt like she could hold it in no longer.

“Mother Margaret, my name is Rhonda Lee Holmes. I am 15 years old and I am pregnant, I think.” Mother Margaret slowly took the packet back and began to take notes.

“Dear child, you are so young, but I have seen younger. Child, Rhonda, where are your parents?”

Roni sat up straighter and stiffened her body. “I ran away a year ago, and I don’t want to go back, please Mother, don’t force me to go back. Roni pleaded. “And call me Roni.”

“I told you dear child, everything said here never leaves these walls, and I can’t force you into doing anything but I do suggest that you at least make contact. Now, you would like to register here?”

“Is there room?”

“I wouldn’t offer if there wasn’t room.” She smirked.

“Well, then yes I’d like to register here.”

“Great, now Roni, I have your name and your age, but what is your birthdate?”

“February 23,1960.”

“And you think that you are pregnant?”

“Yes Mother.” Roni replied

“And what of the child’s father?”

“He’s gone, actually I’m gone. I left after he asked me to destroy the baby. He’s out of the picture.”

“Well that’ll be it for now, now we have pregnancy tests here, would you like to go and have one done before supper?”

“Yes please.”

“Good, you can see our volunteer Mid Wife Sister Pauline Maxwell.” Mother Margaret rose from her leather chair and walked around and gently escorted Roni out into the hall. “Sister Teresa, Sister Hannah, would one of you please take this young lady to see Sister Pauline; she will be staying here at the Haven?”

“Yes Mother, come with me Miss…” Sister Teresa said as she came along side Roni.

“Roni”

“Roni, well right this way.” The two walked off down the hall.

“Oh Roni child, I will have a room prepared for you and supper is promptly at 6:30.” Mother Margaret called after her.

“Yes Mother.” Roni called back.

After she was sure they couldn’t be heard Sister Hannah turned to Mother Margaret, “Mother, we have no room here at the Haven, we’ve been sending all young ladies to St. Catherine’s.”

“Do not worry dear sister Hannah, we shall make room, this poor, lost lamb trusted us and I couldn’t send her away. She needs us.”

“I see Mother; well I won’t be one to question your judgment. See you at supper.”

“Very well dear, see you then.”