Chapter 32
Dawn
Getting backinto a calm and stress-free routine was easier said than done. That first week after thinking Elijah was dead, killed by the person who’d given birth to me, and finding him alive—a little banged up, but well and alive—I didn’t want him out of my sight. I had to be touching him almost all thetime.
Emily had talked me down from being so clingy with him. She understood why, but she was right. I was afraid he’d disappear at any moment. I finally ended up taking a long, calming bath, knowing Elijah would still be there when I gotout.
Our bruises slowly faded, and after a month, we were back to our original selves. Lizzy was growing, and Kelly and I got together at least once a week so our daughters could playtogether.
Joslyn and Vence took care of Lizzy once a month to allow us to have some time alone. Elijah hadn’t gone back to work. He had chosen to stay at home after everything that had happened tous.
I was finally figuring out who I was, and what I wanted, for the most part, not afraid to state my ideas or ask my questions. Elijah didn’t often challenge me, mostly because we had the same ideas andlikes.
I got back into the habit of cleaning and keeping the house. I knew Joslyn did her own home, and Kelly did hers most of the time, so I decided to do ours. This, of course, led to Elijah questioningme.
“You don’t have to keep the house anymore. I can hire someone to do that,” Elijah said, watching me dust the entertainment center while Lizzy took anap.
“I don’t mind, Elijah,” I said truthfully. “I actually like to clean. It’s soothing. Plus, you like to watch me,” I said with asmile.
“Yes, I do, but I can watch you just sit, too,” he said with a smirk. “I can find something better for you to do—something moreentertaining.”
“Elijah,” I sighed with a light laugh and shook my head. “Just let me clean. We live together, have a daughter, and hopefully, will have more within the next fewyears.”
“Really?” he asked, shocked. I guess I hadn’t really confirmed if I wanted more kids one way or another since the whole Morgan situation. I had finally started on birth control pills to start up my periods again. It was a step in the right direction. I also had to go back into the doctor in five months to make sure I hadn’t come down with HIV or hepatitis, just to be on the safe side. Who knew where Morgan or Joan had been? I didn’t truly think I’d end up with anything, but I wanted to be safe rather thansorry.
“Yes, if you still want to. It could take up to a year to make sure I’m regular, but yeah,” I said with a happysmile.
“Of course I do!” Elijah exclaimed. “First, we need to make a change for thebetter.”
I hadn’t moved from my spot by the TV, where I was attempting to dust, when Elijah got up with a look of hope and nervousness in his eyes. With a calm face and a deep breath in, he bent to one knee, looking up atme.
“I want us to be a family, not just by living together, but by becoming one—becoming whole. I love you, Dawn Ellis. Will you marry me?” heasked.
“Yes,” I answered, not having to think about it. Tears gathered in my eyes as I swung my arms around his neck, kissing him with everything I had inme.
“I’m sorry I don’t have a ring yet, but I will get you one soon,” he promised betweenkisses.
“I’m not picky,” I said happily, as we leaned back from one another, and looked into each other’seyes.
“I know you aren’t.” He hugged me tightly again, right as a cry from Lizzy sounded through themonitor.
The following day, before we went to the family dinner at his parents’ house, we went ring shopping. I found and fell in love with a very simple white gold ring. It had small diamonds around the top half, bright and shiny, while the bottom half was smooth. The entire ring was thin and fit my finger perfectly, so we didn’t even have to wait forresizing.
To say that Joslyn was surprised was an understatement. She was already talking about wedding plans andideas.
“We want to be married in the summer so we can have the reception outside,” Elijah said, bringing me closer as we sat on the couch. “And nothing fancy. Just simple, and short. It will give Emily time to get back in shape, too, after having her littleone.”
“Mandy won’t be happy about that,” Vence laughed. “She’s been planning since she met you,Dawn.”
“I don’t want to go all out,” I said. “I do have a dress in mind already, so Joslyn, if you and Emily could be in charge of the decorations, maybe?” I asked, not knowing what to do about thatpart.
“Oh, I would love too!” Emily said. She was due in two months, so an August wedding would give us plenty of time to figure out the details I didn’t want to dealwith.
“Me too,” Joslyn said, giving me a sidehug.
Most of the talk between us girls was about the wedding and what I thought I may want. I really didn’t care about the colors or the decorations, as long as I got to pick out the wedding dress I wanted. I had seen this wonderful lace dress that was long, and perfect, that would show off my curves. I just hoped to find something in white, instead of the dark blue showcased in theadvert.
After getting back home that night, I brought up a subject we hadn’t talked about since before the accident. I knew Morgan’s trial wouldn’t start until later next month, and I got out of having to face him by giving a detective copies of the journals I had written. In them was all the abuse I had been forced to endure, and enough evidence was written and signed by me to allow me not to have to show up in the courts, as long as Morgan’s lawyer didn’t demand my presence. Even the D.A. was confident that the judge would take my journals and affidavit as my testimony, to save me from having to face himagain.
