Chapter 8 - The Suitcase That Wasn't ThereBy Thursday morning, the locked suitcase was gone.
Elena discovered its absence when she went to the sitting room to collect a book she had left beside the fireplace.
The walnut closet stood against the far wall.
Its door was closed.
She hesitated.
Then opened it.
The lower shelf was empty.
No suitcase.
No pale material.
Only a faint rectangular indentation in the velvet lining.
She stared for a long moment.
Vivian had moved it.
When?
Where?
And why?
Elena closed the door and found Ruth in the laundry room.
"Has anyone moved a large leather suitcase from the sitting-room closet?"
Ruth frowned.
"Not me."
"Did Graham take anything out of the house?"
"He left very early."
"With luggage?"
"I didn't see."
Elena checked the upstairs hallway.
Vivian's bedroom door stood partly open.
Her sister sat beside the window, staring at a row of bare trees.
She looked exhausted.
The maternity dress had been replaced by a loose gray sweater. Her hair hung unbrushed around her face.
Elena paused.
For the first time in weeks, Vivian looked like herself.
Not the polished hostess.
Not the glowing expectant mother.
Just the older sister who used to sit beside Elena after a bad day and tell her the world was allowed to disappoint her, but she wasn't allowed to surrender to it.
"Vivian?"
Her sister turned.
"What?"
"The suitcase is gone."
Vivian closed her eyes.
"Please."
"Where is it?"
"Elena, don't."
"Did Graham take it?"
A flicker of alarm.
"Why would he?"
"I don't know."
Vivian pressed her hands together.
Elena moved closer.
"Do you want me to leave?"
Her sister looked startled.
"What?"
"If you don't want to talk, I won't force you. But I need you to know I'm worried."
Vivian looked away.
"You shouldn't be."
"You cried before the baby shower."
"Everyone cries."
"You bought something from a theatrical fabrication company."
Vivian turned sharply.
For a moment, raw panic crossed her face.
Then anger followed.
"You went through my purchases?"
"I checked a household delivery log."
"That's my private business."
"You're right," Elena said.
Vivian blinked.
The agreement seemed to disarm her.
Elena continued.
"But someone also appears to have signed a company resolution in my name. Graham won't explain it. Mother left a letter warning me about signatures. And you're frightened every time I ask questions."
Vivian's eyes filled.
"Why can't you leave this alone?"
"Because I can't tell which part of it is hurting you."
Vivian covered her face.
Elena sat on the opposite side of the room.
She waited.
Minutes passed.
At last, Vivian whispered:
"Do you remember when we were children and Mother would say that every Hawthorne woman had a purpose?"
Elena frowned.
"Yes."
"What was yours?"
Elena considered.
"She said I was the one who could make sense of difficult things."
Vivian laughed bitterly.
"And mine?"
Elena hesitated.
"She said you held people together."
Vivian nodded.
"Exactly."
She lowered her hands.
"You got to be clever. I got to be useful."
"Vivian—"
"Everyone came to me when they needed something. Father needed me to smile beside him at functions. Mother needed me to keep the family calm. Graham needed me to believe in him."
She looked toward the nursery across the hall.
"And I thought, just once, there might be something that belonged to me."
Elena felt a chill.
"The baby?"
Vivian pressed her lips together.
Before she could answer, footsteps sounded in the hall.
Graham entered.
"Ah. There you are."
Vivian straightened instantly.
Elena turned toward him.
"Where's the suitcase?"
He looked confused.
"What suitcase?"
"The one in the sitting-room closet."
Graham glanced at Vivian.
Something passed between them.
Too quickly for Elena to interpret.
Then he smiled.
"Vivian moved some belongings to storage."
"Where?"
"Does it matter?"
"Apparently."
Graham crossed to the window.
"Elena, you've developed an unhealthy fascination with your sister's personal effects."
"And you've developed a habit of answering questions for her."
His smile disappeared.
Vivian stood.
"Please don't fight."
Elena turned toward her.
"Tell me where the suitcase is."
Vivian opened her mouth.
Graham spoke first.
"Storage. End of discussion."
For the first time, Elena saw anger flare across Vivian's face.
"Graham."
He looked at her.
"What?"
"I can answer my own sister."
Silence.
Graham studied her for a long moment.
Then he stepped away from the window.
"Fine."
Vivian looked at Elena.
"The suitcase is in the locked linen room upstairs."
Elena stared.
"Why there?"
"Because I moved it."
"Why?"
Vivian's voice broke.
"Because I couldn't stand looking at it anymore."
Graham's jaw tightened.
"Vivian, that's enough."
But his wife did not look at him.
She looked only at Elena.
"I'll show you," she whispered. "Not while he's here."
Graham's expression changed so quickly it frightened Elena.
He crossed the room.
"You are not going to do this."
Vivian stepped back.
For one terrible moment, Elena thought he might grab her.
Instead, Graham stopped himself.
He smiled.
"Darling, you're upset. We should postpone this conversation."
Vivian said nothing.
Elena rose.
"No."
Graham turned.
"No?"
"If my sister wants to speak with me, she will."
He studied both women.
Then he picked up his phone.
"Very well."
He walked toward the door.
At the threshold, he stopped.
"Before you make any emotional decisions, Vivian, remember what you signed."
After he left, Vivian sat down again.
Her face had lost all color.
Elena moved toward her.
"What did you sign?"
Vivian stared at the closed door.
May you like
Then she said something Elena would remember for the rest of her life.
"I don't think Graham ever intended for there to be a baby."
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