Chapter 7

DAWN PRESSED HER LIPS together and shut her eyes, taking a deep breath before shaking her head and strolling over to the quencher counter where she picked up a glass and looked around.

Although it was not customary for invitations to request special attire, people dressed ostentatiously; women in evening gowns and men in dinner jackets. She certainly didn't belong in a place like this and though she would've much rather preferred spending the night laying on her bed and reading a book, David was very persistent and knew just how to get what he wanted.

As she poured herself a glass of freshly squeezed juice, the stage lights flicked on, revealing an elegantly dressed man who walked up to the microphone and flashed a smile with jacket was thrown roguishly over his shoulder, as if he were posing for one of his television ads.

It didn't take up to a few minutes for the crowd to coo amusedly and turn all attention to him.

"Hello everyone" he greeted, his French accent prominent and quite dashing.

Dawn held up her glass and leaned against the wall as she watched her husband take control of the crowd.

He had begun his speech shortly after introducing himself and all the while he talked, his eyes searched the crowd, looking for that one person who had unexpectedly fallen into his life and when his eyes rested on hers, a smile etched back on his face

Dawn couldn't help but blush at his comforting gaze. He was stunning, no doubt with his features that looked as if it was molded from diamonds itself. The women from the radio stations were right; he was a handsome man and now that she thought about it, he did look a lot like an athlete, like David Beckham except he was even taller and sturdier and a hell of a lot more earnest with the brightest grey eyes that made her weak to the knees

"Lovely isn't it" Amanda walked by, teleporting her out of her thoughts and back into reality. "Just look at him. Handsome isn't he?

"Yes," she smiled, staring at him dreamingly.

"I'd like to have a word with you in the study room, Dawn" Without giving her a chance to respond, she motioned for her to follow her and began to walk toward a set of coed doors.

Dawn sighed. Amanda was the last person she wanted to have a private conversation with, nonetheless, she found herself following along like a puppy.

When they arrived inside the study, Amanda closed the doors behind them.

"Have a seat" She gestured to a black leather couch and Dawn sat, sinking comfortably into it.

Amanda walked behind the desk and opened a cabinet. She pulled out a liquor bottle and two glasses, pouring amber liquid into both before offering one to her.

"No, thank you." She declined politely. For all she knew, there could be poison in there or worse.

"It's not polite to refuse a drink from your mother-in-law, now is it?" She shoved her hand forward and Dawn looked at her for a few seconds before sighing and taking the glass in her hand. "Thank you" she muttered, sipping slowly and nearly wincing as it burned a path from her throat to her stomach.

"I thought it was time the two of us had a little woman-to-woman talk."

Dawn squirmed in her seat, feeling rather uncomfortable, and the misty atmosphere of the study wasn't helping her uneasiness.

"I assume it has something to do with David?"

"That's right" she settled into the couch."Say, Dawn. How sure are you that my son loves you?" She asked, sipping her drink.

"I am a hundred percent sure he does" she answered without hesitation.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," she said, feeling the need to defend him. "My husband loves me"

"Then why hasn't he gotten you pregnant yet?"

"Excuse me."

"What part didn't you understand?"

Dawn darted her eyes to her stomach and then brought it back up to stare at Amanda with shock. She'd parted her lips but nothing seemed to air itself out.

"Surely you are planning on having children right? or is it that he doesn't love you enough to start a family with you?"

She swallowed a thick lump. Amanda was trying to get in her head. She wasn't going to allow it. "David isn't in a rush to have children"

"Tell me, does he make you take pills, does he tell you that it's only for a short while but keeps buying them every time it finishes?"

"Yes, but-"

"Don't be stupid. He doesn't love you, Dawn, he just hasn't gotten tired of sleeping with a virgin yet, and trust me, once he finds someone tighter, he'll leave like he was never there"

She dropped her glass.

"Well, of course, it usually starts with the late nights, fewer calls then he's cheating, smelling of floral perfume whenever he returns home and then...one day he's gone and you're alone" she chuckled amusedly. "But it's still early, fill a divorce form and leave because David is the only son of his father, he needs children and if he isn't willing to make some with you then you're as useless as a broken vase"

Dawn flinched, her words stinging deeper than she'd anticipated. "Mrs. Amanda, don't you think your words are a little insulting. I have done nothing wrong in loving your stepson. Why don't you just let us be"

"Oh my dear, you did everything wrong" She let out an exaggerated sigh. "But you wouldn't understand anyway because you aren't a mother"

Dawn felt it at that moment. A gurgling of emotions beginning to bubble their way up from within. She tightened her clutch on her dress "No. I'm not a mother, but David loves me regardless"

Amanda laughed. "You can't really be that naive, can you? Believing some ideologic notion that love will conquer all?"

Dawn parted her lips, wanting to say something clever and cutting but she could do was gape like a fish.

"You aren't compatible with my son" Amanda continued, feeling quite superior. "If you were to disappear, after a few weeks, he'll get over you be and he would forget you even existed" she finished the remnants of her glass and got up, walking over like a wolf that'd just found a lame sheep to break and kill.

She leaned into her ears. "Never forget that my son married you out of kindness. You are nothing Dawn. By all means, know your place"

***

BACK IN THE CAR, Dawn stared blankly out the window for the first five minutes of the ride. Presumably still in shock as it felt as if the bottom dropped out of his world.

She sagged her shoulders, gazing at the bleak landscape and thinking back to the words that had spewed out of Amanda's mouth.

Although she had mentally prepared herself for her potential bullshitting, it still hurt, even more so because she wasn't wrong. David was the only son and she was expected to continue his legacy but what if he didn't want to have children?

She didn't want to look theatrical about it but they had conversed about having children a couple of times and like always, he dismissed the idea and pushed it off the table for reasons he refused to disclose.

Sighing once more, she rested her head against the window and closed her eyes.

David turned. He didn't fail to notice the beaten look on her face. She had been like that since the moment they left the party and although he didn't air it out, it worried him.

"Everything alright?" He asked, placing a hand on her thighs while the other focused on stirring the wheel.

She didn't open her eyes as she said."I'm fine just... Tired"

"Sorry baby, we'll be home soon" he assured, stroking her thighs lightly as he continued to drive.

When they arrived home, Dawn walked out of the car, entered the house, and went straight for the bathroom where she stripped her clothes off and stepped into the shower.

Her toes curled, cringing as they touched the chilled ceramic floor. Six months and she still wasn't used to it.

Her hand fell to the lever and the water poured, darkening her hair and trickling down her back whilst allowing the sensation of the steams to calm her nerves.

Her mind was in shreds and somehow, she couldn't do anything because whenever she closed her eyes all she could picture was the triumphant look on Amanda's face which was not as thrilling as it seemed.

After soaping and rinsing, she concluded her shower and walked out of the bathroom, meeting the sight of David launched on the bed with his fingers moving swiftly on his laptop as he chewed on a piece of Cheetos.

He turned and their eyes locked.

"Dawn, you sure you're okay. Since we got back, you've been looking totally out of it" His brows creased, he was worried and she knew it.

"It's nothing," She turned away and got dressed.

"Did mother perhaps... say anything to you?" David asked, thinking of the only reason plausible enough for her cold demeanor.

Dawn turned, and after a moment of near silence between them, she finally nodded her head and sighed. There was no use hiding it.

"What did she say?" He asked again, this time, giving her his undivided attention.

"She wants... a grandchild" she muttered underneath her breath, unsure if he had heard it or not.

"She said that?"He questioned, a glint of irritation in his voice.

Dawn nodded.

"You don't have to worry too much about it. I'll make sure to talk to her"

Dawn looked up. "She isn't technically wrong David. I too want a baby of my own"

"And you'll have yours" he assured, turning his attention away, but something told him that Dawn wasn't going to let it go, and in fact, she didn't.

"When David, please give me a time so I know and I-"

"Not now Dawn, please" he interrupted, trying very hard to hide his irritation.

"Then tell me when David, it's been almost a year now, and every time we talk about it all you do is shut me off"

"I don't want to talk about this okay, let's just forget about it" he prodded, turning his attention back to his laptop.

"What's the point of this marriage if all we do is have sex like horny teenagers? How am I any different from the whores you've slept with?" she hissed, annoyance kicking in.

She was getting overly upset about unreasonable things and soon enough, she was going to start pushing his limits, he could tell.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "You're overreacting, this is exactly what mother wants: to see us fight"

"Don't you think your a little selfish? You make me take all these pills for reasons I don't even understand and I'm a hundred percent sure you made them take it too so how am I any different?"

"Look Dawn, I have sex with you because you are my woman and I love you, isn't that a good enough reason?"

"No, it's not. I want to have kids, I want to carry your child, our child. Why is it so hard to accept or am I not good enough?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you and that's final"

He had given her a look that said the topic wasn't up for discussion anymore but Dawn didn't relent, rather she got up and stomped towards the bed, aggressively seized his laptop, and tossed it to the side.

Big mistake.

David got up, It must've been the male instinct to be the dominant partner in a relationship that made him straighten his back and take a step forward. "First of," he growled, his composure beginning to slip, "don't you ever touch my laptop again. Second" he moved closer, towering over her "we are not having this conversation. Not anymore"

"You're seeing someone else aren't you?" Dawn spat right at his face.

"Where the hell is this coming from!" he shouted, something within him finally snapping.

"It's the only explanation. You are seeing someone else!" Dawn blurted, her voice so pitchy that it sounded like a train wreck waiting to happen.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Dawn! Why in hell would I do that?!"

"I don't know. You were a whore once, what stops you from being one again!"

"You know what" he rolled his fists. "fuck this, I'm done" he turned to walk away, unable to bear her for one moment longer but Dawn stood in front of him.

"Don't you dare shut this off David, I deserve to know why you don't want it, I'm your wife for Christ's sake. I'd-"

"For the love of God! Just shut up Dawn! I don't fucking wanna have kids okay so stop being a piss off about it and suck it up! You know what? You're right"

He chuckled humorlessly, speaking his next words with sarcasm and anger.

"Nothing stops me from whoring around and I'd much rather be out there in some club, fucking some cheap bitch than in here, listening a pissy wife who I wish would try shutting her mouth and using it for other purposes other than breathing down my fucking neck like a goddamn parasite!"

Dawn flinched, his words stinging deep into her chest. It felt like someone had stabbed her heart a hundred times - breaking, shattering, and destroying every piece until nothing was left.

Tears burned her eyes, a rough and weak gasp escaping her lips as breathing became hard. "Amanda was right all along" she choked. "Maybe you really don't love me"

David paused all of a sudden. It was as though a haze had automatically lifted from his eyes, and, he could see he'd hurt her with his words.

"Shit!" he cursed, knowing that no matter what he did now, it wasn't going to make the situation any better.

"Dawn" he reached for her shoulders but she moved out of the way.

"You didn't have to marry me, David, I was perfectly fine on my own. You didn't have to marry me if you didn't love me" she whispered, shattering sobs following behind it.

"Dawn baby, I didn't mean a word I said. Fuck! I really do love you" he tried to hold her again but she pushed his hands away.

"I want to be alone" she picked up a cushion and slowly made her way to the door.

"Where are you going, Dawn?" He followed behind her.

"Far away from you"

She walked out of the room and he raced along, trying to get her to look at him but she brushed him off and continued to walk.

"Dawn, honey I fucked up okay. I'm sorry. If you could just-"

"Save it, David. What you said, you said" She walked into the vacant room and slammed the door in his face.

"Fuck! open the door, Dawn! Don't fucking do this to me!" David banged on the door but she toned him out, ignoring his relentless knocks and series of unwarranted apologies.

"Dawn please open up!" He begged, almost out of breath. "I love you, Dawn!"

"Dawn!"

He fucked up.