Dawn of Eve by MJ Howson (best ereader for students .txt) 📕

A stray napkin rushed past Dr. Cole’s feet and twirled as it rose up the wall, coming to rest on a white Silver Cross Kensington Pram baby stroller. Dawn’s face, shrouded beneath a brown leather hooded jacket, remained mostly obscured by her oversized gold-framed Prada sunglasses. She looked down into the bleachers in disbelief as Jacob laughed and then whispered into her doctor’s ear.

∞∞∞

Dawn couldn’t get the carriage into her penthouse fast enough. Her blood had been raging through her veins since fleeing the walkway overlooking the 10th Avenue bleachers. Once inside, she shoved and released the stroller, sending it crashing into the side of the spiral staircase.

“They were laughing, Eve!” Dawn ripped her coat off, letting it fall to the floor. “Did you see them?”

Dawn rushed to the kitchen and grabbed last night’s half-finished bottle of merlot. She quickly grabbed a wine goblet from the cabinet and filled the glass. Dawn took two huge gulps and sighed.

“To think I trusted them,” she said. “Both of them.”

Dawn took another sip of wine, took a deep breath, and calmly walked back to the stroller. Eve was resting on her side, eyes closed, the impact with the staircase having rattled the doll around. Dawn scooped Eve up with one arm and carried her back into the kitchen, placing her face-down beside the wine bottle. The doll’s eyes snapped closed.

“What were they doing? Why were they there?”

“Never trust a caretaker,” Eve said.

“What?” Dawn felt her pulse soften as the wine began to work its way into her system. She turned Eve and sat her upright. Eve’s eyes instantly clicked open. Dawn took another sip of wine and said, “You warned me before, didn’t you?”

Eve, her face still stained from the wine Dawn had spilled the other evening, remained silent. Dawn ran her fingers through the doll’s matted hair as she continued to drink her wine. Her fingernails caught the edge of the bow atop Eve’s head, causing it to loosen.

“I should’ve listened to you,” Dawn said. “I’m sorry, Eve. I won’t make that mistake again. The doctor’s always told me trust is a two-way street. That stupid plaque of his.”

Dawn emptied the rest of the bottle into her wine glass and strolled across the living room to the wall of windows overlooking the Hudson River. Her mind raced as she played back her conversations with Jacob these past months trying to convince him to join her at therapy. Now she knew why he always resisted.

“This explains the doctor.” Dawn lowered her head and laughed. “No wonder he’s never made Jacob come.” She walked back to the kitchen, enjoying her wine, her confusion melting into clarity. “They’ve probably been planning this from the start.” She leaned down and looked into Eve’s sapphire blue eyes. “Is that why he changed my meds?”

“Stop taking your pills.”

“You’re right.” Dawn downed another gulp of wine and wiped her lips dry. She looked at Eve and said, “Wait right here.”

Dawn marched to the private elevator and ascended to the owner’s suite. Her prescription pills from Dr. Cole were sitting beside the sink in the bathroom. Dawn twisted the cap from each bottle and dumped the contents into the toilet. She smiled as she pressed the handle and watched the pills disappear down the drain.

Dawn looked at the empty pill bottles in her hand and frowned. She walked over to the trash and stopped. She turned and went back into her bedroom and opened the door to the terrace. The wind outside was quite wicked at this height. She paid it no mind as she bravely walked to the edge and grabbed hold of the railing. As she flung the bottles into the air, she said, “No more vitamins from you, doctor.”

∞∞∞

The sunset over the New Jersey skyline looked particularly beautiful this evening. As Dawn gazed across the river, she found herself feeling rather empowered. Over Eve’s objections, Dawn had invited Jacob over this evening. She thought she owed him a chance to come clean. A small part of Dawn still clung to the belief that maybe there was a valid explanation for what she’d witnessed earlier at the bleachers.

Dawn’s phone buzzed in her hand. She looked down to see a text from Jacob.

I’m in the lobby.

Dawn walked over to the kitchen. Eve was sitting on the counter, her eyes watching the front door. Dawn stood beside Eve, kissed her on the head, and said, “Let’s see what he has to say.”

“Don’t tell him what you saw,” Eve said.

Dawn nodded and went to the back of the kitchen. Her head still buzzed from the half-bottle she’d had earlier this afternoon. She got two goblets from the cabinet and knelt down to go through the collection of bottles in the wine cooler. Dawn selected a red blend from The Prisoner Wine Company.

As she poured the wine, the front door opened. Jacob’s guest access to the apartment meant Evelyn did not need to announce his arrival. Jacob grinned, his scar twisting his upper lip.

“I was surprised to hear from you,” Jacob said.

“And I was surprised you were free,” Dawn said. “I’ve barely heard from you since Thanksgiving.”

Jacob removed his coat as he made his way to the kitchen. When he arrived, he tossed it on a barstool and leaned forward to kiss Dawn. She smiled and presented him with her cheek. Jacob gave her a gentle peck. He frowned when he noticed Eve sitting on the counter close by. The doll’s porcelain face still a bit filthy with stains and its dress tattered. The bow atop Eve’s head flopped lazily to one side.

“That was only a week ago.”

“Nine days.” Dawn scowled as she recalled the holiday dinner. Her attempt at a traditional meal had turned out poorly with a dry bird and soggy vegetables. Worse, the conversation all night had felt forced and awkward, like two strangers on their first date. She passed Jacob a glass of wine and asked, “So, how was your day? Did you do anything special?”

“No.