They were graduated from their different colleges on the same day in June, 1940, and on the next day they were married. The part of the ceremony asking who gave the bride away was omitted, and afterward her three foster families met at his parents’ home to exchange polite, stilted conversation about her childhood. Pictures were taken, cocktails accepted or declined, and the affair was over by early afternoon. The schedule called for dinner downtown as guests of his parents, but he decided that an early train would be better. In the coach going north, Karen cried. It had not been the day that she had hoped for, although she could not say what that had been. She fell asleep after a while, her head on his shoulder, and when they arrived in Manitou, there was still light.

They had to find a taxi to make the trip to the cabin they had borrowed from one of his father’s friends. The fare was three dollars, and after a half hour of riding, the groom began to have his doubts about what they would find. Karen was in no mood for something primitive, gritty, and uncomfortable. He wanted to tell the driver to turn around and go back to a hotel.

They came to the lake and found the cabin. In the dimness they could see one lamp down the road, swinging in the wind. The porch didn’t creak, he could feel no heavy dirt under his feet, and the door swung in easily. He felt along the wall for the light switch, then he turned to her. “Ready?”

She nodded. She looked terribly unhappy.

“Well, put the packages down,” he said.

“Why?”

“Did you forget?”

“What?”

“Put them down.” He took them out of her hands, then moved to pick her up.

“Joe, you’re a fool.”

“Tonight you’re a bride,” he said.

When he put her down again she kissed him. “Are you going to treat me like one?”

“Yes.”

“I’m so scared. We could have undone it any time until this morning. Now we’re—something, anyway.”

“Trapped, do you think?”

“Joe, you’ve been so good to me. I don’t know.”

“I would have had some things another way today. There have been a few things we’re going to like later on. You’ll see. Give yourself a chance.”

She stood still a moment. “Give me a kiss.” He did. She said, “A girl in the store told me about a friend of hers who spent her wedding night in the bathroom. One look at her husband and she was gone, screaming. What do you think of that?”

“What are you trying to tell me?”

“That I’m going to take my medicine.” She kissed him again. “I love you. I hated last night after you’d gone home. I didn’t sleep. It was so lonely. Today would never come.”