Minneapolis, Minnesota
“Are you sure?” Leah Garrison looked at her best friend. “Susanna, are you absolutely certain?”
“Oh, Leah, I’m with child. There’s no doubt about it. My monthly times have been absent three months now. There’s no other explanation.”
Leah sat down on the edge of Susanna’s bed. “Who . . . who is the father?”
“Who else? Terrance Deveraux, my beloved.” Susanna went to a picture of the man on her dressing table. “He’s the father,” she said with a sigh.
“Have you told him?”
“Yes.” She frowned and sat down on an ornate wooden chair. “He refuses to believe the baby is his. He said that I’ve played him fast and loose.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “I swear, Leah, I’ve never been with anyone but Terrance.”
“I believe you.” Leah nodded sympathetically. “I know you’ve had eyes for him alone.”
At nineteen, both girls were watched with great interest by their social circle to note when they paid more attention to one gentleman than another.
The newspaper had printed more than one society notice mentioning Susanna and Terrance being seen together.
The last article even questioned the possibility of wedding bells before the year was out.
“He wants nothing more to do with me. He told me he was going to Europe to spend the summer abroad and that he wanted to forget about my scandalous behavior. Oh, Leah. What am I going to do?”
“Have you told your parents?”
“No, but I must. I did confide in my maid Gretchen. She’s been loyal to me for years. She tried to help me see a doctor, but it didn’t work out.”
“A doctor?”
“A midwife, actually.”
“For what purpose?” Leah fixed Susanna with a hard look. “Were you trying to put an end to the matter?”
“Well, Gretchen said there were things that could be done.”
“But that would be murder,” Leah said a little louder than she’d intended. She lowered her voice and leaned forward. “Susanna, you cannot punish the child for the sins of the father.”
“And what of me, the mother? I know I did wrong, Leah. I know I’ll never be able to live with this. My parents are extremely religious, as you well know. I just don’t know what I’m going to do. I’d be better off dead.” She buried her face in her hands and began to cry in earnest.
Leah was beside herself. What could she say?
Could one of the charities her family was involved with help?
There was Bethany Home, a charity that aided unmarried mothers-to-be, but this was designed for ladies of ill-repute and poor women who’d been put upon by cads and forced into compromising situations.
Susanna was a young woman who’d enjoyed the best of everything life could offer.
She could hardly go to the current institute for unwed mothers.
“You mustn’t say such things, Susanna. You aren’t better off dead.
Remember that only God can create life. This baby is His creation.
We must think about what can be done to help you in this matter.
There must be some place you can go where you can receive proper care and give birth.
You could then give the child up for adoption.
I’m sure my mother or grandmother will know of a place. ”
“That will take far too much time. Everyone will know,” Susanna declared, looking up. Her cheeks and eyes were wet, a look of pure misery etched in her expression.
“Some might suspect, but it’s none of their concern.” Leah did some mental calculations. “It’s July, and you’re three months gone. That means this baby is due in January. We just need to find somewhere you can go to until after the baby is born.”
“But there is no place.”
“Don’t you have a relative or someone your parents could pay to take you in?”
Susanna shook her head. “I can’t think of anyone. Oh, Leah, I’ve made such a mess of things. My whole life is over.”
“No, it’s not. Look, I think you should talk to your parents. I’ll go with you, if that would help. Or if you need someone they respect to stand by you and make suggestions, I’m sure my parents would be happy to do so. They’re good friends of your folks. They’ve always gotten along well.”
“It’s true, they have.” Susanna took a handkerchief from her dressing table drawer and dabbed her eyes. “But such a thing would shame them. They’re going to be so angry and disappointed in me. Perhaps I can tell them the truth, and then your folks could talk to them a few days later.”
“Yes, that might work. Something very intimate and private. Mother could invite them over for dinner. Just the four of them.”
Susanna nodded. “I think that would be good. I’ll tell them tonight, and maybe you could arrange it. Even with such grave news, my parents wouldn’t dream of turning down an invitation from your folks.”
“All right. I’ll go home and explain it to Mother.
She’ll manage the rest. No matter what, Susanna, remember that God is still in control.
Only He can create a life, so there is already a reason this child is alive.
We must trust that even though it was wrong for you to engage in such activities, God can and will guide you in what you should do next.
Just know that I’ll be here for you and help in any way I can. ”
“I only went along with his—his wooing because he said it would prove my love for him.” Her face wrinkled as the tears came again. “I thought he loved me.”
“I know,” Leah said. She went to Susanna and wrapped her arms around the girl’s shoulders. “I know. He betrayed the love you gave him. I’m so sorry. But don’t despair. I will be here for you. You can count on me.”
“Thank you, Leah. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
That night after supper, Leah asked her younger brothers to give her some time alone with their folks. Being teenagers, they were happy to get away and tend to their own interests.
“You were awfully quiet during dinner, darling girl. Are you unwell?” Mother asked.
“No, just heavy of heart.”
“What in the world is wrong?” Father asked, taking a seat beside Mother on the settee.
Leah pulled the pocket door closed and took the chair to the right of her parents. “I need your promise that you won’t say anything about what I’m going to tell you. At least not just yet.”
“Leah, you know we’re not going to blindly promise anything. Tell us what’s going on, and then we’ll do what we can to reassure you.” Father’s tone was firm but loving.
“My friend Susanna is in trouble.” Leah drew a deep breath. There really was no way to sugarcoat this. “She’s going to have a baby.”
“What?” Mother’s eyes widened, and she looked from Leah to Father and back again. “When?”
“January, as close as we could figure. She’s beside herself. The cad who put her in such a delicate position wants nothing more to do with her. He has no intention of marrying her and doing the right thing. In fact, he’s headed off to Europe for the summer.”
“I presume you’re speaking of Terrance Deveraux?” Mother stated more than asked. “I heard their whole family was leaving for the rest of the summer.”
“No doubt to distance themselves from any rumors or responsibilities,” Leah said, shaking her head. “It’s so much easier for the man to just walk away. Susanna is overcome with the weight of what she’s done. She even considered ending the pregnancy.”
“Oh goodness.” Mother closed her eyes and sighed. “That poor girl.”
“I suggested she arrange with her parents to stay with a relative until the baby is born and can be given up for adoption. Susanna, however, says there’s no one who could help.”
“There are a few homes for unwed mothers in various locations,” Father offered.
Mother opened her eyes and nodded. “We could surely help them find such a place. We’ve worked with a great many charities. There’s Bethany Home, but it’s full at the moment.”
“She can’t very well go to Bethany Home with prostitutes and down-on-their-luck women. Although they are precious in God’s sight and mine, Susanna’s been raised in luxury and never had to work a day in her life. She wouldn’t be able to survive there.”
“Sometimes we don’t get to choose when we put ourselves in positions of despair,” Father replied.
“Perhaps not, but there must be a better answer. Besides, I doubt her parents would ever allow for her to remain here.” Leah straightened.
“Look, I wanted to let you know so you could help. Susanna plans to tell her parents tonight. I thought you could encourage them to join you for supper soon, just the four of you. You’re all very close. They’ll listen to you.”
“Of course.” Mother already seemed to be thinking about what could be arranged. “I will check into a few things first, but I’ll issue the invitation tomorrow for the following evening.”
“Thank you both. I know this is difficult to manage. If you could have seen her, however, I know you would have thought all of this up yourselves.”
Father smiled, and his compassion was evident in his voice. “I’m just glad you feel at ease telling us the truth, Leah. A lot of young women would have tried to hide it away.”
Leah felt comforted by his words. “I’ve listened to stories of such women since I was young.
Helping Mother and Grandmother at Bethany Home and in the poorer parts of town has opened my eyes to the injustice done to women.
I can’t help but feel a tremendous amount of anger toward men who abuse women in such a fashion.
They do as they will and bear no consequences for their actions. ”
“Oh, they bear them. Perhaps not in this world, but they will answer for them elsewhere. The Lord is the one who will call them to account,” Father said with a reassuring look.
“Society will judge them as well. A man lives or dies by his reputation and good name, or lack of one. Everyone in Minneapolis knows that Terrance Deveraux and Susanna Anderson have been a couple for years. It won’t bode well when society sees her slip away to the unknown and him turn to others for female companionship.
Word will get around, and the daughters of polite society will be guarded from such a man. ”