Dawn of Eve - MJ Howson (read full novel .txt) 📗

gasped for air as she chased after the girl. The corridor zigged and zagged endlessly. Soon, a dark wooden door awaited ominously at the end of the hallway. The child stopped, opened the door, and looked back at Dawn, causing Dawn to stumble to a halt and fall to her knees. The girl’s piercing blue eyes were mesmerizing. The two stared at one another. All Dawn could hear was the pounding of her heart echoing in her head.

“Don’t . . . don’t leave me,” Dawn said. “Please!”

The girl smiled, turned, and ran inside, slamming the door behind her. Dawn began to run again. She felt the bottom of her feet being cut open from the coarse flooring. The faster she ran, the further the doorway seemed to drift away. Suddenly a voice in the darkness cried out, “Mom! No!”

Dawn screamed herself awake. She looked around her bedroom in bewilderment. The time projected on the ceiling read 11:55 p.m. Dawn flicked on the nearby lamp and turned to Eve beside her. The doll was flat on its back, the eyes open, staring at the ceiling. Dawn rolled the doll toward her and asked, “I know it was you. You’re in my dreams now. Why? Speak to me, Eve! Please?”

Eighteen

Silence

Dr. Cole scratched his beard as he flipped through past session notes spread across his desktop. Although he felt Dawn was beginning to make progress, he was also frustrated by some recent contradictions. The top of his notepad read Easton-D 10/4/19 #9. He glanced over his glasses and smiled at Dawn.

“Okay, that’s enough about your childhood for today,” Dr. Cole said. As much as he wanted Dawn to talk about her dad’s death, he knew she still wasn’t ready. He leaned back in his chair, causing the hinges to squeak. “How are things with Jacob?”

The question brought a smile to Dawn’s face. One that was quickly followed by a frown. A three-carat sapphire ring from her mother’s zodiac collection appeared oversized on Dawn’s slender finger. She’d been fiddling with the clunky gold band throughout the entire session. Dawn reached for the ring and began to once again nervously twist it back and forth.

“To be honest, he’s been distant,” Dawn said. “I’m not–”

The doctor’s desk faintly vibrated, causing the wooden Trust plaque to buzz. Dr. Cole sighed and opened the top drawer. His red-cased cell phone was flashing a notification. He canceled it, looked up at Dawn, and said, “Sorry. You were saying?”

“I’m not sure what’s going on. He’s always making excuses not to see me.”

“How so?”

“It’s his work.”

Dr. Cole dampened his fingertip and flipped through his notes again. Although Dawn often stressed the need to talk about her boyfriend, they’d yet to do any sort of deep-dive about him. Most of his notes on Jacob centered around Dawn’s perception of him.

“He bartends?” Dr. Cole asked.

“Yes.” Dawn leaned forward and clasped her fingers anxiously. “But he’s also a personal trainer. He’s got clients everywhere.”

“That sounds like it could make for a hectic schedule.”

“It does. He’s in very high demand.” Dawn immediately went back to playing with her ring. “I told you he’s a former model, right? Let me get his picture for you.” Dawn dove into her bag and began rummaging through the contents looking for her phone.

“Has his schedule always been this busy?” Dr. Cole asked. “Or did it change after the miscarriage?”

Dawn stopped searching through her bag. She looked at the doctor and opened her mouth to speak but said nothing. Dawn slowly lowered her bag to the floor, looked out the window, and furrowed her brow. As she tapped her finger to her lips, she said, “That’s a good question. I . . . I don’t know. It seems like he’s busier than usual.”

“Could it be that you need him more these days, and therefore he feels more distant?”

“Maybe.” Dawn returned to twisting the sapphire ring back and forth. “Maybe not.” Dawn leaned forward and cautiously bit her lower lip. “If you want to know the truth, I think he was relieved when I lost the baby.”

“Relieved?” Dr. Cole frowned and drummed his fingers across his belly. “Why would you say that?”

“Jacob, he . . . he never wanted kids. That’s why I think he’s pulled back.”

“Never wanted kids?” Dr. Cole tried not to express the frustration he suddenly felt. “I don’t remember us discussing that. I remember you telling me Jacob was having second thoughts about having kids. Now you’re saying he never wanted them?”

“Well . . . .” Dawn glanced up at the ceiling, her pale cheeks becoming slightly flush. She sighed, slumped her shoulders, and lowered her head. “I just assumed he’d come around.”

Dr. Cole glanced at the folder resting on his desk. He’d have to add this contradiction to the others. He looked at Dawn and said, “You told me that after your fourth miscarriage, you continued with your fertility drugs. Correct?”

“For a bit.” Dawn’s eyes began to scan the room. “Sometimes, I guess. On and off, maybe.”

“Were on them when you got pregnant with Jacob?”

“Well, I . . . I . . . . Yes.”

“I . . . I don’t remember you telling me that. I thought . . . .” Dr. Cole slid his fingers beneath his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “If Jacob never wanted kids, why were you trying to get pregnant with him?”

Dawn opened her mouth to respond but then closed it. She lowered her head and stared at the ring she was playing with. Dawn released the ring and began to twirl the pendant around her neck as she looked about the room, lost in her thoughts.

“He didn’t know, did he?” Dr. Cole asked. “That you were taking fertility pills.”

“It . . . it was a miracle. I wasn’t supposed to be able to get pregnant. Jacob and I having kids was never really discussed until after I got pregnant. Jacob was the difference.”

“And your fertility drugs.”

“No. No, I . . . I think it was Jacob.”

Dr. Cole nodded