Elsa did not love Harold. However, she stood in front of the judge and pledged to be his wife. It was a foolish mistake, yet she felt compelled to do it. The little movement in her womb suggested she accept him as her husband.

Her life spiraled out of control. Elsa met Harold in the bowling alley bar. Fifteen years older than her, he seemed to be someone she could lean on. After a pitcher of beer, she found herself talking about how Fredo abandoned her. Weeping on his shoulder, Elsa felt comforted.

Soon, they began meeting regularly at the bar. It lifted Elsa's spirits to have someone to talk to. Harold was a good listener. He claimed to understand her distress.

After three weeks of constant togetherness, Harold moved in to Elsa's studio apartment. Soon, his tenderness turned to control. He insisted upon knowing her every move. It swiftly became overwhelming.

Elsa considered moving back to her parents' home. Then she discovered she was pregnant. Harold proposed marriage. Reluctantly, she agreed. She did not wish to have her baby alone.

Elsa said "yes" to Harold although something at the back of her mind gnawed against her conscience.