One Girl's Story

She met a boy and fell in love

She thought he was the one.

But his status was married and out of bounds

So a romance – there could be none.

Then one day the boy told the girl

He was free to take her out.

So they started dating, it seemed so right.

She was happy, there was no doubt.

So the story goes, she had some news

She had to tell the boy.

The news was that she was with child.

His reaction was without joy.

Now the girl was alone in the world,

Oh, what would she do?

She kept her secret to herself

Giving no one a clue.

She found an apartment she wanted to rent

And moved away from home.

To keep her secret as long as she could

And live her life alone.

The phone calls started soon there after

They put her in a depression.

The wife who left was apparently back

Threatening to sue for alienation of affection.

The time soon came to tell her parents

The one thing she did dread.

They’d be shocked to learn their precious daughter

Was pregnant and unwed.

The mother called the boy to her home

His intentions she did ask.

He said he had none, he was married.

Her mother was aghast.

The boy suggested perhaps the girl

Should be sent away.

The expense to send her to a home

He would help defray.

So the decision was made to send the girl

To a home for unwed mothers.

It would be a disgrace if she stayed home -

For her parents and younger brothers.

And so she went to Cincinnati

To a place called Maple Knoll.

To await the arrival of her baby -

The one she would never hold.

The boy lost his job and packed his bags

There was no reason to stay.

He went to California, and alas,

The money he did not pay.

When she entered the home she was going to keep

The baby growing in her belly.

She knitted little baby clothes

And named the baby Shelley.

But as time went on others told her

It would be selfish

To keep the child when she could grant

a childless mother’s wish.

So conceding to pressure all around her

And having thought it through.

She concluded that it probably was

The best thing she could do.

She went to the hospital and her baby was born.

They placed it on her tummy.

The baby was crying and the young girl said,

"Don’t cry, baby, it’s me, your mommy."

She reached up to hold the tiny infant

But her arms they were tied.

Then they whisked the tiny baby away

And something in her died.

The next day a nurse asked her

"Would you like to see your girl?"

"Oh, Yes!" the young girl answered,

Her heart in a whirl.

She was the smallest daintiest little child

The girl had ever seen.

And a feeling arose within the girl

One she had not foreseen.

But she could not hold this infant of hers

She was promised to another.

If she held the baby she was afraid

She’d want to be her mother.

She put her finger in the baby’s hand

What tiny little fingers.

The baby squeezed and held on tight

Oh, what a feeling it conjurers.

The girl went back to Maple Knoll

To recover from her strife.

They told her she would soon forget

And get on with her life.

They waited for her to come downstairs

To sign on the dotted line.

She made them wait the whole damn day

She found it hard to sign.

But eventually she did sign away

This child she had carried.

The baby went to someone else

Someone who was married.

The story does not end here

That you can bet.

For never ever did the girl

Ever, ever forget.

She thought about the child of hers

That she had given away.

And wondered if her baby girl would

Search for her someday.

The next few years are blurry,

She can't remember a lot.

She just went through the motions of living

And the demands that each day brought.

Wedding invitations and baby showers

Her friends led normal lives.

Even through she was happy for them,

Each one brought tears to her eyes.

When others talked of their pregnancy

and glowed with pride,

She couldn't speak of her own experience

She had to keep it inside.

Through all the happy occasions

Such as Christmas and Mothers Day

Silent tears were shed, especially around

Her little girl's birthday.

She would hang her head and whisper "no"

When asked if she had children.

It made her uncomfortable to lie so much,

Because lying was a sin.

But lie she did for many years

And it got easier each time

To pretend her baby didn’t exist

Except in her heart and mind.

She married late and had no children

For that she did morn.

Was it punishment for giving away

Her first born?

Then one day 31 years later

Her dreams did come true.

A phone call from the adoption agency

Came from out of the blue.

This lady told the woman

With you I want to be straight

Does this date mean anything to you

12-16-68?

Oh yes the woman answered

As her heart beat ever so fast.

Her child was looking for her

Oh my, finally, at last!

Her daughter had been searching

And wanted to meet her mother.

They found a letter in her file

Written by her grandmother.

The letter said she just wanted

This baby girl to know

She was given to others out of love

Even though it hurt so.

Now it has come to pass

The two did finally meet.

After many years of waiting

Her heart is now complete.

The baby that she gave away

Is now a woman all grown.

And is a beautiful young lady

With a child of her own.

What lies ahead for the two women

Remains to unfurl.

But now I'm not ashamed to say

That I am that girl.