Love with the Proper Stranger

Angie, a Macy's salesclerk, learns she is pregnant after a one-night stand with Rocky. The situation forces her to confront her future and the consequences of her choices. The discovery sets the emotional stakes for the rest of the story.

Angie confronts Rocky during a mass audition at Carnegie Hall, hoping for answers or accountability. Rocky only vaguely remembers her, leaving her feelings unresolved. The moment marks the collision between their past and their uncertain future.

Angie asks Rocky to help fund and locate a doctor willing to perform an abortion. She reveals her pregnancy and her desperation, hoping for support from him. Rocky's hesitance begins to reveal his priorities and his feelings for Angie.

Angie's working-class brothers pressure her to marry Anthony, a successful restaurateur, to provide security. They view marriage as the practical route for the pregnancy. The tension between duty and desire starts to pull Angie in different directions.

Rocky and Angie scrape up enough money for the abortion, balancing fear and urgency. They navigate the dangerous terrain of uncertain options, hoping to avoid the worst outcomes. The money hunt strains their relationship but also exposes their willingness to help each other.

Angie's brothers confront Rocky and Angie, chasing them through the neighborhood. The pursuit adds physical danger and tests their resolve. It also reinforces the brothers' control over Angie's future.

Rocky escapes into a friend's warehouse, where he and Angie discuss life, their mistakes, and their uncertain future. The moment deepens their emotional connection and reveals resilience in both characters. They begin to see a possible path forward together.

The couple visits a dubious abortion provider in the Meatpacking District, only to discover the operation is not a doctor but a back-room abortionist. Rocky's decision to protect Angie becomes a turning point in their relationship. Angie's relief comes from Rocky's choice to spare her from danger.

Moments after the traumatic episode, Angie rests in Rocky's ex-girlfriend's apartment. The calm allows her to reflect on her feelings, and Rocky's steady presence helps her feel safer. The experience cements a growing respect between them.

Rocky, inspired by Angie's strength, agrees to consider marriage after meeting her brothers, but Angie rejects the notion of marriage as duty. She longs for romance and the bells and banjos she imagines in a life with a partner. The moment shifts their dynamic toward a more hopeful future.

Acting independently, Angie moves out of her family home and starts dating Anthony, the restaurateur who offers to marry her and claim the baby. The relationship represents a shift toward self-determination. She tests what she wants from life beyond family expectations.

Angie invites Rocky to come over for dinner at her apartment, setting up a formal date night. After two stiff drinks, Rocky makes crude advances and Angie rejects him, insisting she wants romance and not a repeat of past mistakes. The argument clarifies what she really desires in a relationship.

The next day, Rocky stands outside Macy's with a comic protest sign reading 'Better Wed Than Dead,' ringing bells and playing a banjo. The quirky, public gesture captures Angie’s attention and signals a new possibility for them. The moment marks a hopeful turning point toward marriage and partnership.