a secret life

Nina was obsessed with The Secret Life of an American Teenager. It was her guilty pleasure. She supposed. As much as she thought the show was preachy, she still found herself wanting to be more like Amy on the show. Who showed her man every week, just how much she loved him. Amy always went to bat for Rickey, and god knows he was a train wreck. Her Casey wasn't quite that awful. Besides, Nina thought she was the first female he'd ever had sexual relations with. Yes, it was she... who took his virginity. She was sure of it.

So thinking that she was the first of everything, well...she was the first to seek out his father's mother. It was her duty. Amy from the TV show would have probably done the same thing. And since Nina's life only revolved around fluff pieces at a TV station, Nina was ready to embark on her own TV show. It wasn't just the NINA SHOW. Casey was her better half. Yes, the name of the show would be THE SECRET LIFE OF A YOUNG HEARTLAND WIFE. She liked the idea. And there would be lots of cool music on the show too. Like little intro seg-way tunes from Surfer Blood.  She was listening to their CD while driving over to Casey's grandmother's.

Thankfully, it wasn't a long drive. Just to the older more elegant side of town. The grandmother lived right smack in the forest, along with other red brick homes that looked like royalty compared to the other pill box homes, around.

"Oh, I'm so happy to meet you." Nina poured on the charm as soon as she saw the silver haired woman. She did look a little like the Queen of England, petite yet stout.

"Are you here to sale me something?" She hid behind the screened door.

"No..no. I'm Casey's wife." She pulled out a photo of the two of them.

"Casey?" The screened door popped open and the woman examined the photo carefully.

"Yes." Nina could feel the connection. "I wanted him to come, but he's so..bashful." She told her as the old woman let her in. Naturally, she told Nina that she looked very familiar. "Maybe you've seen me on Channel 7. I do the weather on Sunday mornings."

"Right." She didn't sound completely sold on her. "What do you want?" She kept holding the wedding photo though.

"You can have that." Nina smiled. She'd made Casey go to a real photo studio for that picture. She got a commission, kind of. They were paying her because, well, she was almost a local celebrity. And it wasn't everyday, they had someone who was on the news in their showcase window.

Nina made herself comfortable in the stuffy livingroom. God knows, when this old lady had company last.

"I'm doing this for Casey. It seems his mother has neglected to give him anything of his father's. I can tell he's hurting, you know. Its just, really, he's sort of lost. And well, could you, would you..help him out." Nina remained innocent enough. She wasn't asking for money.

"That mother of his. She's a piece of work." The old woman shook her head as if she knew where Casey was coming from. "He was such a beautiful baby."

"Really?" Nina felt happy and sad all it once. Out came volumes of baby pictures of Casey. "How did you get these?"

"We wanted to raise our grandson." The old woman sat by her all teary-eyed.

Nina couldn't help but yearn for a baby just like this. "I'm so sorry." What could have happened? She hoped the old woman told her. Nina felt it was her cause now to bring them all together. One big happy family.