Dawn of Eve, MJ Howson [lightweight ebook reader TXT] 📗

entrance to the nursery was closed. He opened it, surprised to find the nightlight projector beaming red comets and stars across the ceiling and walls. Jacob walked over to the crib and stared at the doll inside.

Eve, her eyes closed, appeared peaceful tucked beneath a stained white cotton blanket. Jacob reached in, grabbed the doll with one hand, and picked it up. As he raised the doll upright, the eyes clicked open. Jacob was shocked to see the dirty, tattered dress and stains covering the doll’s face. Eve’s clothes smelled of coffee and wine.

“You’ve been nothing but a pain in my side,” Jacob said. He pressed his face against Eve’s nose and glared into the doll’s jewel-like eyes. “What makes you so special?”

Jacob lowered the doll and turned it upside down. He poked and prodded, running his hands beneath and around the ruby-red velvet dress, twisting the porcelain limbs. When he turned Eve back upright, the locket beneath her dress became exposed. Jacob slid his fingers around it, studying the W and 12/22 inscriptions. He tried to open the pendant, but the clasp remained resilient. He sighed and dropped the doll back into the cradle. Eve landed face down, her eyes snapping closed.

Jacob returned to the hallway and ascended to the top floor. He walked through Dawn’s bedroom and into her bathroom. Jacob quickly began going through the drawers and cabinets, searching for other prescription pills. After looking everywhere, he reached into his pocket and retrieved the pill bottles he’d found on the terrace.

“You can’t tell me these are the only ones,” Jacob said. He walked into the bedroom, staring at the bottles in his hand. He read the fill date on the labels and frowned. The scripts were less than a month old. He could only assume Dawn had stopped taking them and then thrown them away.

As he tried to put the bottles back into his pocket, one of them caught a belt loop, tumbled to the floor, and rolled beneath her bed. Jacob dropped to his knees and began to search for the bottle. His hand brushed against the jewelry box.

Jacob slowly retrieved the container. He sat down on the floor, resting his back against the nightstand. Jacob opened the box and studied the pill bottle and diary. He ignored the book and grabbed the bottle, briefly shaking it, causing the drugs inside to rattle. The label read Clomiphene, prescribed by someone named. Dr. Jose Builes.

Jacob slid his hand into his pocket, searching for his phone. He sighed when he remembered he left it in his coat. Jacob glanced up at the ceiling and asked, “Evelyn, can you search the internet?”

“Yes,” the voice assistant replied.

“Evelyn, what’s the drug Clomiphene?”

Jacob stared at the bottle, wondering if Dawn had a second therapist she was seeing. Dr. Builes was a name he didn’t recognize. His thoughts were soon interrupted by the smart home system.

“Clomiphene citrate is taken orally to stimulate ovulation by causing the pituitary gland to release hormones that will force the egg to detach from the ovary.”

“Ovulation?” Jacob’s grip on the pill bottle stiffened. He glanced at the date the script was filled–12/07/2019–less than two weeks ago. Waves of anger pulsed through his veins. “You bitch.”

Jacob stood up, leaving the box and diary on the floor. He jammed the pill bottle into his pocket and left the bedroom. Jacob’s mind raced with questions as he made his way down the spiral staircase. How long has she been taking fertility drugs? Was she on these earlier this year when she got pregnant? Was getting knocked up her plan all along? Was she playing me all this time? Me?

By the time Jacob reached the first floor, he was furious. He marched over to the living room and grabbed his wine glass. Jacob chugged back half of it and then sighed. He went back to the kitchen to refill his glass.

“Evelyn, turn on the fireplace.”

“Turning on the fireplace.”

Across the room, the glass rocks in the fireplace began to shimmer. Soon, they were radiating a bright glow.

Jacob tried to calm himself as he returned to the living room. He took a seat in one of the Barcelona chairs near the fireplace and turned it to face the front door. Jacob took a small sip of wine, keeping his eye on the entrance. He had no idea when Dawn would return, but he was determined to get answers, even if he had to wait until morning.

∞∞∞

Dawn struggled to open the door to her apartment. One hand held a paper bag with her takeout dinner. The other carried her purse and a half-torn plastic bag containing items from the local drug store. She finally managed to get the door open. The smart home system automatically triggered the indoor lighting whenever she got home at night, so she wasn’t surprised to see the lights already illuminated.

She kicked her shoes off and walked barefoot to the kitchen, dropping all three bags on the counter. Dawn removed her coat and tossed it over one of the stools.

“Welcome home,” Jacob said, his tone calm with just the slightest hint of disdain.

Dawn screamed in shock. She spun around, stunned to see Jacob sitting beside the fireplace. It took her a moment to compose herself.

“You scared the shit out of me,” Dawn said. “How did you get in here?”

“Guest access.” Jacob remained seated, methodically running his finger across the rim of his wine glass. “Remember?”

“Oh. Right. I . . . I forgot.” Dawn looked at the open bottle of almost empty wine and the takeout bag beside it. She glanced at Jacob and asked, “You brought dinner?”

“I thought I’d surprise you.”

“But I told you I wasn’t hungry.”

“Then what’s in the paper bag?”

Dawn looked at the pad thai she’d brought home for dinner and frowned. She sighed and said, “I changed my mind.”

Jacob stood up, downed the rest of his wine, and walked to the kitchen. Dawn took a few steps back, trying to keep on the opposite side of the