Chapter 36

DAWN GROANED OUT IN FRUSTRATION and forced her eyelids open as the reoccurring dreams she'd been having woke her up yet again.

While she couldn't remember it clearly, it involved David and It was even more upsetting now that she couldn't fall back to sleep.

She rolled over to the corner of her bed, turned on the lamp, and sat with that same dreadful feeling of doubt that had kept her up almost every night since she'd left.

Did she do the right thing?

Those kinds of thoughts raced through her mind and her chest felt constricted. She was either the most selfish woman on Earth or the stupidest. Regardless, the pain she felt was simply not subsiding and so far, the passage of time hadn't helped.

She'd been betrayed before but it felt nothing like this. This was utter devastation—the type of loss one felt when one lost someone to death.

She still couldn't get over what David had done to her, what he'd done them, and the more she thought about it, the more it made her question if he had ever really loved her at all.

When the first glimmer of sunlight appeared through her window, she closed her eyes, willed the anxious thoughts of David away, and got out of bed.

She headed to the kitchen hoping the last piece of pudding in the fridge would do justice to her feelings but seeing a semi-naked man washing the leftover dishes from the previous night wasn't what she had expected and she hadn't quite realized how loud and unladylike her scream was until he jerked from his position and broke a plate.

"What the fuck?!" He exclaimed, staring down at the broken pieces.

"W-who are you?" She demanded immediately and he gave her an odd look. "I said who are you?!" She exclaimed, shooting him a murderous look.

"Hey, hey" Becky rushed out, equally half-naked and looking stoned.

Dawn gaped at them. She needed just a few seconds to pick up the pieces and decipher what had happened and now that she thought of it, it explained why the couch made creaking noises all night.

She made a mental note not to sit there for the next coming days.

"I'm sorry if he scared you, Dawn, you were asleep when we came in and I didn't want to wake you" she turned to the man. "Mike and I were—"

"John" he corrected. "My name is John"

"Sorry John, this is Dawn, my friend I told you about"

He stretched his hands out for a handshake. "Nice to finally meet you"

Dawn stared dubiously at his hands, wondering what and where they'd touched and after a moment of uncomfortable silence, John cleared his throat and withdrew his hand.

"Seems you're not a fan of handshakes"

Becky gave a small smile, noticing the awkwardness as Dawn continued to stare at him.

"Why don't you go in and shower, I'll tidy up this mess," she told him.

"You sure?"

She nodded and he chanced a glance at Dawn before walking out.

When he disappeared, Dawn released a breath and rested on the counter's surface.

"I almost had a heart attack"

Becky leaned down to pick the broken pieces. "If you stay with me longer, you'll get used to it"

Dawn rolled her eyes and snorted.  "Fagot"

"At least I'm single and having fun not pregnant and away from home" she snort-laughed.

"I'm not away from home" she defended. "I have no home anymore"

"What about David, Aren't you planning on going back to him?" She asked, tossing the plate into the trash can.

Dawn walked to the fridge and pulled out her pudding. "Why should I?"

"Everyone has a past and lies, he was a little bit of a coward, yeah, but he's sorry" she shrugged. "Plus he stood out in the rain for you and his friends came over in his plight"

"Since when did you become his advocate?" She frowned.

"Since I had to do three grocery runs in the span of four days and fill the fridge with strawberries and pudding" she groaned and Dawn chuckled, fisting her mouth with a spoon full of pudding.

***

"DAD!" ALEX EXCLAIMED ALMOST the moment he walked through the door.

David drooped the box of chocolate on the table and met Stella's eyes as he walked towards his bed.

"How are you? Have you been good?"

He leaned back and looked at those big, meek eyes that gave life a new meaning.

"Yes Dad" Alex smiled, his grin so innocently sweet that David couldn't help but give it right back.

He'd been worried his sour mood would be contagious but the reality was, it was the other way around—it was Alex's naturally happy-go-lucky disposition that was contagious.

He reached over and cupped his cheeks. "I've missed you"

"Then why didn't you come to visit me?" He frowned.

He released his face and held his hands. "I'm sorry. I had adult things to take care of but that won't happen again"

"Promise?"

He smiled. If his little boy who constantly fought for his life could be happy then he had no choice but to suck it up. He was a father now and he needed to get his head out of the gutters for the sake of his son.  "Promise"

Alex grinned widely. "The doctor told me about how amazing the happy kittens' carnival is. Can we go see it when I get out?"

"Of course, you can"

"Can your wife come with us too?"

David paused and looked at him. "How did you know I had a wife?"

"Grandma told me that you had a wife and that she's very pretty. Does that also make her my mother?"

David felt his chest shrink. He'd visually pictured the three of them together. Himself, his son, and the woman he loved but somehow, the more time passed, the more that picture distorted and faded.

He took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Yes"

He frowned slightly. "Then why hasn't she come to see me?" He sagged his shoulders. "Doesn't she like me?"

David groaned inwardly. This was getting harder than he thought and the more he was forced to talk about his wife the more he felt like breaking something.

"She loves you, Alex, she's just—"

"Did you two fight?"

His eyes caught briefly with Stellas' before he answered his son.

"Sometimes things don't always work out between adults and they stop seeing each other temporarily but you don't have to worry, she'll visit soon"

"I think that's enough with the interrogations Alex" Stella stepped in, tapping David in the shoulders and gesturing for them to walk out.

"Be back in a minute" he kissed his head and walked out.

"I'm sorry for the questions, he gets a little nosy sometimes," Stella said as they stepped out.

David scrubbed his hands over his face. "It's okay, sooner or later he's going to have to meet her"

"How are things with Dawn?"

He sighed. "Not good"

"I'm sorry David. I feel like it's all my fault. Should I talk to her?"

He shook his head quickly. "No, it's all my fault, I'll handle it"

She nodded.

He glanced at his watch and changed the subject. "Where is mother anyway"

Stella shrugged. "She left but wouldn't tell where she was going"

He sighed. "Okay, I'll just see the doctor for a few minutes"

"You should, he's been worried about you"

"Thanks" he nodded and walked away.

***

LATER THAT AFTERNOON, Dawn stood in front of the mirror and let out a dry sob as she caressed her stomach.

"What on earth are you doing?"  Becky laughed, tying her hair into an updo.

"I look fat, don't I?" She glowered, rubbing her hand on her slightly swollen stomach.

Becky rolled her eyes and smacked her lips as she smoothened out her spicy red lipstick.

"You're not fat, you're pregnant."

"Mrs. Belcher said otherwise," she mumbled.

Becky looked up from her mirror and quirked her brows. "And you believed when she called you fat?"

Dawn nodded and she frowned. "Since when did what the landlady say matter?"

She whirled around to face her friend with a sigh, "well... You know..."

Becky groaned inwardly at her and sighed before turning away.  "You're delusional, it comes with the whole pregnancy package"

"Hurtful"

Becky shrugged and chuckled lightly. "Oh, I almost forgot, Paula, called"

"Did you tell her what happened?"

"Had to, she threatened not to buy my eggs if I didn't"

Dawn sighed "I really didn't want her finding out about our separation"

"Well she knows now and I bet she isn't gonna go easy on Da—"

The knock on the front door made her pause and crane her neck. "Expecting someone?" She asked and Dawn shook her head.

"If it's Tanner and Luke tell them I no longer live here, okay?"

"And if it's David?"

She paused and then muttered. "The usual"

Becky sighed and walked to the door. She'd expected to see David standing there with a bouquet like he did every morning but out of all things, she was definitely not expecting to be greeted by his mother.

"Good Morning," Amanda said, moving her sunglasses lower to her nose as she sent a small smile.

Becky returned the gesture. "Nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Amanda, to what do I owe this welcome?"

"By any chance, is Dawn in?"

"Well uh,"

"I really need to speak to her please"

"I'm not sure if—"

"Please. It'll only take a few minutes"

Becky sighed "Come on in"

***

"COFFEE OR LATTE?" THE WAITER ASKED, smiling down at both women.

Amanda shook her head politely and offered her a smile.

"Black" Dawn requested and after a few minutes, her order came in.

"You must be surprised to see me" Amanda began, breaking the cloud of tension that had formed between them.

"A little surprised" she muttered, staring at her for just a moment before sliding her gaze back to her coffee.

Amanda half-smiled "have you been living well. Are you comfortable?"

"I am," she said stiffly, lifting her coffee cup to her lips.

"I heard you were pregnant. Is the baby growing well?"

Her baby, was it growing well?

She didn't want to think about it, she didn't want to think about anything, her meeting with the doctor was due by the end of next week, and the more she thought of her chances, the more she felt suffocated.

She took a large sip from her cup and sighed. "You seem like the only one who is genuinely interested in my baby"

Amanda paused for a moment and rubbed her hands together. "Dawn, about David, i—"

"There's really no need to get into this Mrs. Amanda" Dawn cut in, straightening her spine and smoothing her hand along her skirt in a deceptively casual manner.

"There is my dear. I know David hurt you and he hasn't been honest but he's a good man and has his reasons for keeping you in the dark"

"It doesn't matter now"

"But it does" she stretched her hand on the table and held Dawns' into hers. "He loves you, Dawn, more than anything else and because he doesn't want to lose you, he kept you away from the truth"

"We promised no secrets and he lied. He caused this not me" she said, pulling her hand away and grabbing her coffee cup back.

"He was scared, scared that you wouldn't understand. Believe me when I say he never wanted any of this. He respects you Dawn and wouldn't do anything to hurt you on purpose" she inhaled. "What he had between Stacey is in the past, he overcame it with you. He moved on."

"That doesn't change the fact that he rejected my child. If he loved me or even cared about my feelings the way he claimed he did then he wouldn't have said those things"

"Dawn"

She scoffed. "What do you all honestly take me for. I'm no fool, Mrs. Amanda, David clearly sent you here to try and coax me. The only reason I'm still seated here is because of the respect I have for you, lets not ruin that"

Amanda inhaled deeply and clutched the handle of her bag right. After a short moment of silence, she spoke again.

"There has always been a problem with birth in our family..." She looked up at her. "It all started when Luther's grandmother passed away during childbirth. They all thought it was a natural cause because Gabrielle was never an energetic woman but when his mother, Meredith also died with the same cause, they began to worry"

"That's doesn't make any sense" Dawn spoke, the feeling of uneasiness growing in her gut as she stared straight at her. For a fact, she looked genuine.

"The doctors said they couldn't find anything medically wrong but it didn't stop the women from dying. My sister was a victim of this ill fate too and so was Stacey. David is well aware of this fact and that is why he doesn't want you to have children. He is scared that the fate of his mother might be yours as well"

Dawn was quiet for some time. She tried very hard to process the information she'd just received but no matter how she attempted, it didn't make any sense.

"So you're saying I'm going to die too?"

"If you don't terminate the baby, yes but by the way you look unphased, I'm sure you already knew"

Dawn gulped hard, suddenly feeling lightheaded and nauseous. "It doesn't matter if I knew or not. I will not give up my child"

Ananda smiled. "You've always been stubborn and tough, that's what I admire about you and I wish I had taken such a leap of faith but I too was a coward" she placed her bag on the table and did the last thing Dawn had expected, she got on her knees.

"Mrs. Amanda" Dawn gasped, turning to look at the few heads that had turned to them.

Amanda lowered her head and clutched the hem of her dress.  "I know it's selfish of me to ask this of you and I am sorry it took us this long to come clean. You have every right to hate us but Dawn, my son is falling apart, he is suffering  and I fear if this continues I will lose him"

Dawn felt unwilling tears begin to burn in her eyes as she tried coaxing her into getting up. "Mrs. Amanda please get up, this is not right"

Amanda jabbed her hands on her chest. "Hate me instead, all the anger and resentment you feel for my son, pass it on to me, slap, curse at me and I will take it all but please go back to him. He is a mess and I'm afraid he won't make It out of the theatre with his current condition. I don't want to lose my only son"

Seeing how honest she was on her knees made Dawns' heart pang with a feeling she couldn't understand.

"Amanda..." She fell on her knees and hugged her.

"I'm sorry Dawn" Amanda cried and Dawn held her in place, letting a few drops fall her self.

They hadn't cared if they made a scene or attracted curious eyes. All that mattered was the intense purge of emotions that freed both their hearts, and in that very moment, Dawn made her decision.