Shall I Bring Out Your Suitcase Now? – Suggested the Wife

Do you want me to bring out your suitcase now? Claire asked.

Take it!

How? the young woman, who had been preparing for a long protest, exclaimed, surprised by the suddenness.

Just like thatdo you need the suitcase taken out? Claire repeated.

What suitcase? Nora thought, stepping onto the hallway rug and walking away. It seemed everything had gone smoothly, but a lingering sour taste remained.

That evening a sudden scan broke the silence.

Youre going to have a baby! Were going to have a baby! Nora announced solemnly, looking at Leon for the expected reaction. Arent you happy, love?

Nora Bennett first appeared at their college in her third year, having transferred from another city with her boyfriend David Riley. Davids father, a serviceman, had been reassigned, and the family moved away. The girl who had been Davids girlfriend followed him, and Nora proved herself a true battleready friend.

David, however, vanished after the relocation. He disappeared from his parents radar, taking the finalyear medical college papers with him and remaining unreachable by phone.

Around that time Nora noticed the attention of the handsome anatomy lecturer, Dr Leonard Whitaker. Clever and quickthinking, Noras curly hair seemed to work for her. Going back home with a child on her back was out of the question; it promised nothing good.

The baby was the only hope for her parents, and any failure could bring a harsh rebuke. Bringing a extra mouth into a crowded household was not welcomed, especially with the familys many pet projects that never saw the light of day.

A thirtyyearold, wellestablished man seemed a suitable option. It was no secret that the Whitaker household had never had children.

Thus Nora entered a liaison with married Leonard. She soon realized he paid little heed to contraception, which meant he wanted to become a father.

Alright, LeonardI’ll make your dream come true. Youll be a happy dad, she thought, and set to work.

After a month and a half she could share the joyous news: the baby would be born seven months early, a detail that would go unnoticed by the unobservant and unremarkable to the wise.

Everything was arranged grandly. First, a simple dinner in a festive setting: Nora rented a room from a solitary elderly lady, Mrs. Hawthorne, for a symbolic weekly fee. Mrs. Hawthorne was progressive in matters of intimacy and posed no obstacle to Noras meetings with her lovers, content with a modest rent and occasional treats. Modern pensioners did not lead easy lives.

When Leonard sipped a glass of wine and Nora had only a small taste, she handed him a positive pregnancy test, like in the television dramas, and declared, Youll have a child! Well have a child! Arent you glad, love?

Leonard did not spin her around in a waltz, lift her onto his shoulders, or propose. After a brief pause he said:

Im not ready.

Not ready for what? Nora asked, surprised; in her mind he had always been ready, like a Boy Scout.

For a child, he replied.

So you were ready to make children, but now you balk? she asked with a wry smile. Whats the problem?

Leonard ignored the question and left the room.

Useless teacher! Nora shouted after him, her familys blunt Russianstyle language spilling over.

Leonard was not a heartless scoundrel; he was simply infertile. The child could not be his. He remembered Noras earlier involvement with the nowmissing David Riley, and the puzzle fell into place. Leonards infertility traced back to a severe bout of mumps in childhood, which had left his sperm count low and motile.

Both he and his wife had begun medical examinations after three years of marriage, discovering that even on the most fertile days, conception never occurred. Their semen analysis showed few, sluggish sperm. When luck was needed, a single vigorous sperm might suffice, but that didnt happen for them.

They kept this secret, pretending to work hard on the problem. Later they considered adopting a child from a care home, while continuing to live for themselves, which was not a bad arrangement.

Leonards father, a cancer patient, was being pitied by the family, who wanted a grandchild to brighten his final days. The illness progressed, and Leonard and Claire (Leonards wife) decided to let the grandfather go peacefully, believing that extra knowledge only increased sorrow.

Everything at home was fine: Leonard loved Claire, and she trusted him completely. A small infidelity, they thought, might even strengthen their marriage. After Nora announced her pregnancy, Leonards affection for her waned dramatically.

Leonard began to ignore Nora, and she, feeling rejected, showed up at his house during his absence, intending to reveal the truth of their affair. Claire, a balanced woman, responded to Noras dramatic declaration with a calm, Take it! and, as before, asked if she wanted the suitcase taken out.

What suitcase? Nora thought, stepping onto the hallway rug, feeling that everything had gone smoothly but a faint aftertaste lingered.

That night the scan rang again.

Who do you believe, Claire? Leonard demanded, genuinely upset. Theres nowhere to test you! Dont you know Im a decent family man?

Leonard truly was a respectable family man, with no scandalous tiesat least none that were evident.

Claire trusted her husband fully and believed his word this time; the matter seemed closed. No one showed up with a suitcase.

Nora, not one to stay silent, realized that the era of public accusations was over. Well take another route, she thought, recalling a famous revolutionary slogan, and decided to use the words of a past leader.

She turned her attention toward Yuri Stevens, Leonards fatherinlaw, whose address she found online. Yuri, under medication, greeted the pregnant Nora with joy: A grandchild at last! He promptly offered her £3,000 a month as financial support, reasoning that her son was still undecided, so she could take her time. He promised never to abandon her.

Yuri also liked Claire and didnt want to cause her trouble, so he kept the arrangement secret for as long as possible.

Buoyed by the support, Nora left with a sense of triumph. She could now afford to continue her studies, something she might have postponed until after maternity, but the monthly stipend was a welcome boon for someone from a modest background.

Her pregnancy progressed without severe nausea. She shopped for pink baby items; an ultrasound showed she was expecting a girl. Visits to Yuris house were filled with fresh fruit he delighted in giving herluxuries she could not normally afford.

When the due date arrived, Yuri, despite his frailty, came to collect her from the hospital, promising to remain by her side even after his own health waned.

Of course I wont abandon you, Nora thought, chewing on a cherry, while Leonards bitter words echoed in her mind.

Yuri passed away when the baby was six months old; illness, as often happens, claimed him. Nora attended the funeral, and the neighbors agreed to look after the child, saying they would keep her safe in the crib.

She wondered why she had come to the funeral. Perhaps she expected a will naming her as heir, as Yuri had promised. No such document existed; Yuri had broken his word.

Relatives were shocked by Noras presence at the funeral, yet they did not invite her to the memorial meal, a common omission at such gatherings. The attending caregiver spilled the truth that Yuri had kept hidden for years.

When Nora tried to board the bus to the memorial, the driver, at the request of Leonard and Claire, closed the door on her. The bus pulled away as she pounded the door in frustration.

Over the years Nora had saved a portion of the £3,000 she received, supplemented by the maternity allowance and childsupport payments, enough to sustain her as a single mother. She later secured a job at a medical centre, handling incoming callsa role well suited to her training.

She placed her sevenmonthold daughter in a local nursery. A year after Yuris funeral, Claire became pregnant again, her husbands sperm finally proving viable.

Spring arrived, and the Whitakers welcomed a healthy boy. Their joy seemed boundless. Occasionally, Claire recalled the episode with Nora, wondering if she had ever truly been unfaithful. She dismissed the thought, telling herself it no longer mattered. Leonard proved to be a caring, loving father, just as a good husband should be.

In the end, Noras path was winding and fraught with deception, loss, and unexpected generosity. Yet she learned that truth, perseverance, and a willingness to accept help can turn even the bleakest circumstances into a hopeful future. The real lesson is that honesty may be painful, but it is the only foundation upon which a stable life can be built.