The weight of the shopping bags dug into my shoulders as I navigated the familiar curve of the driveway. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the manicured lawn of what was now our house – mine and Liam’s. A thrill, still fresh despite weeks of living here, fluttered in my chest. This wasn’t just another rented apartment; this was the place where we would build our future.
Liam was away in Singapore for a conference, a necessary evil that felt like an eternity despite only being three days. I missed his easy laughter, the way his hand instinctively found mine, even the clutter of his work papers on the kitchen counter. The house felt strangely silent without him, a beautiful but empty shell.
As I rounded the last bend, my breath hitched. Plunked squarely on the doorstep, a beacon of jarring color against the muted tones of the brick, sat a suitcase. Not just any suitcase, but a behemoth of sunshine yellow, the kind you’d expect a flamboyant tourist to wheel through an airport. It looked utterly out of place, abandoned and somehow menacing.
My brow furrowed. We weren’t expecting any deliveries, and Liam certainly wouldn’t own something so…loud. As I drew closer, I noticed a piece of folded paper taped to the handle. My name, “Eleanor,” was scrawled across it in handwriting I didn’t recognize. Below it, two words that sent a shiver down my spine: “Open and run.”
My heart slammed against my ribs. My first thought, sharp and cold, was danger. Had someone followed me home? Was this some kind of twisted prank? My fingers tightened around the shopping bags, the flimsy paper handles suddenly feeling inadequate as a weapon.
My rational mind screamed for me to call the police. To back away slowly and dial emergency services. But another, more insidious voice whispered in my ear – the voice of curiosity, the one that always got me into trouble. What if it was a mistake? What if it was something…else?
Taking a shaky breath, I dropped the shopping bags with a soft thud on the porch. My gaze darted around the quiet street, searching for any sign of movement, any lurking figure. Nothing. Just the gentle rustling of leaves in the afternoon breeze.
With a hesitant step, I approached the suitcase. The yellow plastic felt strangely smooth under my trembling fingers. I peeled off the note, the hurried, uneven letters amplifying the sense of urgency and dread. “Open and run.” The words echoed in my mind, a chilling command.
My hands shook as I fumbled with the latches. They sprung open with a soft click, and the heavy lid creaked upwards. I braced myself, my eyes squeezed shut for a fleeting moment, expecting…what? A bomb? Something gruesome?
Slowly, cautiously, I opened my eyes.
The first thing I noticed was the overwhelming scent of lavender and something else…something sweet and vaguely familiar. The interior of the suitcase was lined with a soft, floral fabric. And nestled within, carefully arranged, were dozens of baby clothes.
Tiny, exquisitely crafted outfits in pastel shades – soft blue rompers, delicate pink dresses, miniature knitted sweaters. There were tiny socks, smaller than my thumb, and even a pair of impossibly small booties. My breath caught in my throat.
Beneath the clothes, I saw neatly folded receiving blankets, their edges embroidered with delicate flowers. A small, plush teddy bear with one button eye missing lay nestled amongst them. And then, my gaze fell upon a small, sealed envelope tucked into a side pocket.
My hands trembled as I picked it up. My name was written on it again, this time in a neat, familiar script. Liam’s script.
Tearing it open, I unfolded the single sheet of paper. The words swam before my eyes as tears welled up.
My Dearest Eleanor,
If you’re reading this, you’ve found the big yellow surprise. I know the note might have scared you – it was a silly inside joke with my sister, who helped me with this. Please forgive the dramatic delivery!
I couldn’t wait until I got back to tell you. Eleanor, my love, we’re going to be parents.
These are just a few of the things I’ve been picking up, imagining our little one wrapped in them. I know it’s early, and there’s so much to figure out, but seeing them, holding them, made it all so real. I wanted you to have this little glimpse of our future while I’m away.
The lavender scent is from the little sachets my mum used to put in our baby clothes. I thought it would be a comforting touch.
I love you more than words can say, my Eleanor. I can’t wait to come home and celebrate this incredible news with you.
All my love,
Liam.
The letter fluttered from my numb fingers and landed softly on the pile of baby clothes. The world seemed to tilt, the late afternoon sun suddenly blindingly bright. My knees felt weak, and I sank onto the porch steps, the rough brick cool against my skin.
A wave of emotions washed over me – disbelief, shock, and then, an overwhelming surge of joy that brought tears streaming down my face. A baby. Our baby.
The bizarre yellow suitcase, the cryptic note – it all suddenly made a strange, heart-stopping kind of sense. Liam, in his excitement and perhaps a touch of his sister’s theatrical flair, had orchestrated this unexpected announcement.
The initial fear evaporated, replaced by a warmth that spread through me, chasing away the chill of the empty house. I reached into the suitcase, my fingers brushing against the soft fabric of a tiny blue onesie. A sob escaped my lips, a mixture of relief and pure, unadulterated happiness.
I picked up the little teddy bear, its missing button eye somehow endearing. Our baby. The thought echoed in my mind, a precious, unbelievable reality.
The silence of the house no longer felt empty. It felt full of possibility, of a future I hadn’t even dared to fully imagine until now. A future with Liam, and with the tiny life that was growing inside me.
I clutched the teddy bear to my chest, a silly grin spreading across my face. “Open and run,” the note had said. And in a way, it was right. I had opened the suitcase, and now, I wanted to run – straight into Liam’s arms, to share this incredible secret, to begin this new, extraordinary chapter of our lives. The big yellow suitcase, once a source of fear, now felt like a treasure chest, holding the most precious gift of all.
I Walked up to My Groom at the Altar – All of a Sudden, a Woman in White Dress Appeared behind His Back
After six months of dating, Chris proposes to Beth. His enthusiastic family runs with the wedding planning — only to include unorthodox items on the program, causing Beth to leave her wedding.
For my 25th birthday this year, my boyfriend, Chris, whisked me off to Hawaii.
It was a fairytale because we had only been dating for six months, and I wasn’t expecting anything. But then, Chris proposed to me on the beach — I said yes, swept away by the enchantment of the moment, although I knew that six months of knowing someone was not enough before marrying them.
Little did I know that fairytale was about to unravel into more drama than I had signed up for.
Beach proposal | Source: Pexels
I wasn’t one of those girls who spent hours dreaming up their wedding. So when Chris’s family, fueled by their eagerness and involvement, took complete control over every detail of the wedding, even offering to foot the bill — I allowed it.
I’ll admit that there were moments when I felt sidelined, especially when I said that shades of blue for the color scheme weren’t my cup of tea.
But contributing to their enthusiasm was the better option than fighting with them.
Then, the big day arrived, and I was completely calm about everything — knowing that Chris’s Mom and sister had sorted everything out. I wasn’t close to my family, so other than my father, they didn’t play any big roles.
Blue wedding decor | Source: Pexels
“Beth,” his Mom, Leeanne, said, fixing my hair. “I want you to walk down the aisle with your eyes closed.”
“What? Why?” I exclaimed, already thinking about tripping over something while walking.
“I can barely walk properly in these heels with my eyes open,” I chuckled.
“It’s just tradition,” Leeanne said. “I did it, too. The whole thing is about seeing your husband first — the first thing out of the darkness.”
“He’s supposed to be the light,” Chris’s sister, Maggie, giggled.
The whole thing sounded strange. It wasn’t anything I had heard of before, but I also knew that people always came up with superstitions and stories.
“I wouldn’t have to wear a blindfold and mess up my make-up, right?” I asked.
“No, just close your eyes and hold onto your father’s hand tightly,” Leeanne said.
When I told my Dad what I needed to do, he laughed, thinking I was joking.
Pair of glittery Jimmy Choo heels | Source: Unsplash
It was absurd, of course. But my wedding only got worse from there.
At the altar, I opened my eyes, expecting the loving gaze of my fiancé, but I got way more than I bargained for.
Chris smiled at me, and after a second, another sight sent shockwaves through me — a woman in a white dress stood behind him.
I couldn’t tell whether he knew she was there from his expression. I wondered who she was, but the murmurs around me revealed her identity — Julia, Chris’s first wife.
“Chris, what’s happening?” I whispered, pointing to Julia. My voice was barely audible amidst the collective gasps.
Woman standing in white dress | Source: Pexels
But before either Chris or I could process this bizarre twist in the ceremony, Leeanne walked down the aisle, holding onto a little boy’s hand. Every face turned to look toward them.
Then, Julia stepped forward and held her arms open for the boy, ready for him to walk in.
“This is Eli,” she said, looking at me. “He’s six years old, and he is autistic. He’s the best part of me, but he’s also part of Chris. Elizabeth, this is our son.”
“But he wouldn’t tell you that,” Maggie chimed in from next to me — she was one of my bridesmaids.
“Did you know about Eli?” Maggie asked.
Boy covering his face | Source: Pexels
I shook my head. The air had become dense with emotion. The crowd’s eyes were on me, but my gaze was fixed on Chris, desperate for an explanation, an excuse, a denial, anything.
But there was none. Instead, he fingered his watch nervously, guilt undeniable on his face.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I demanded, my voice shaking.
“I didn’t know how,” he stammered, avoiding eye contact.
I turned to look at Eli, who was holding tightly onto Julia’s hand and looking around the room. I could clearly see Chris’s features all over his face.
“You let me believe that your divorce was admirable and that there were no ties to Julia,” I said. “But you abandoned your family. You abandoned your son.”
“He abandoned Eli when he found out that he was autistic,” Maggie said loudly.
My heart sank. How could I have almost married a man who was so thoughtless and cold? He left his son behind because of something that he was born with.
As the truth unfolded, I felt I was drowning in the weight of everything. Leeanne, upon discovering that Chris wanted to remarry, had orchestrated this dramatic revelation.
Man holding his tie | Source: Pexels
“You’re too young, Elizabeth,” she said. “You’re too young to be caught up in his mess. He couldn’t care for Julia, so she cared for herself and Eli. Chris has disappointed me in many ways, but nothing will make up for the neglect of his own child.”
It turned out that my wedding was just a harsh, public lesson aimed at a man who had turned his back on his responsibilities.
I kicked off my heels, handed them to Maggie, and walked away from the altar — not as a bride but as a woman who had narrowly escaped a life bound to deceit.
The experience was painful — sure, it had only been six months of knowing Chris, but I knew what I had felt for him was real. That’s why it hurt so much when I found out the truth.
People holding passports | Source: Pexels
In the aftermath, I took time to focus on myself. I decided I needed to travel and live life while still young. I needed more bad romances and horrible dates before figuring out who I wanted to be with.
I just knew one thing for sure — I didn’t want to be with someone like Chris. A man who lied about having a son — a son that was rendered invisible to him because he was autistic.
I’m just grateful that the only thing I had to pay for was my wedding dress — which had been returned three days after the so-called wedding.
Even now, when I think about the entire episode, I admit I’m not mad about it all. Leeanne did what she needed to do. And she did it to protect me and that sweet little boy.
Little boy with red hair | Source: Pexels
Has anything unreal happened to you?
Here’s another story for you | Fred is about to get married to Julia when five other women dressed as brides show up and spoil his plans. Julia loves him, and Fred is very convincing. Even after the can of worms is forcefully opened, Julia can’t help but wonder if he is a changed man.
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