My Dusk My Dawn

by Henrietta Georgia

  And so we became one. Mr. Daniel Josiah Brennan and I.

  “I don’t have much disposable cash, but I managed a little something for you,” Johnny stated after the ceremony. “Now, both of you, don’t turn around until I tell you to,” he requested, dashing off momentarily.

  We didn’t have to turn around. The hum of the car’s motor told me his surprise had something to do with a classic car. The hum came to a halt, and Johnny got out.

  “Turn around now,” Johnny requested. We turned around to see a freshly polished Shelby Cobra adorned with ribbons.

  “Yours until you’re back from your honeymoon,” he announced, handing Daniel the keys to his Shelby Cobra.

  Daniel, clearly touched, hugged him deeply. “Thank you man,” he stated.

  “Congratulations to you both,” Johnny stated, giving me a kiss on either cheek. “Wishing you every happiness, and every success. You deserve it.”

  Turning to me, Daniel offered, “Give me your hand beautiful girl.”

  Our first night as a married couple was spent at a small beach cove resort a stone’s throw away from Galveston Island. As we made our way up to our floor via the elevator, Daniel could not keep his hands off me. We weren’t alone for long. The lift stopped and a woman in the lift commented, “Beautiful dress”.

  “Beautiful bride”, Daniel said in response.

  “Beautiful babies,” the woman replied.

  “Touché,” Daniel stated, blushing slightly. “I can’t wait to get my hands on you,” he whispered in my ear.

  The woman stepped out of the lift. Daniel hastily pressed for the doors to close.

  Our room was on the 10th floor, at the far end of the corridor. I followed after him, the train of my dress floating lightly behind me. “Slow down will you?” I requested as he dashed through the hall, my hand in his, anxious to get me alone.

  “Room 1063,” he announced once we got there. Swiping the door open, in a move that took my breath away, he swept me off the floor and into his arms and over the threshold of the door.

  “Daniel!” I exclaimed.

  “Happily ever after,” he stated, grinning from ear to ear. He walked a few steps before putting me down. “I will never stop loving you.”

  “Nor I you,” I said.

  “Things will inevitably change, but my love is here to stay,” he declared. “I promise you this.” After a while, he stated, “A little less conversation?”

  I laughed heartily. “You certainly know the right things to say and when to say them, I’ll give you that.”

  “What else will you give me, huh? Huh?” he said jokingly.

  “Well if you help me get out of this dress I’ll show you.”

  His hands fumbled at the hem of my dress. Loosening the corset’s strings he kissed me fully and deeply. “You were well and truly worth the wait,” he whispered.

  As we lay in bed, Daniel’s phone buzzed on the bedside table. A rude awakening in the midst of quiet. Daniel stirred slightly, eventually yet reluctantly reaching for the phone. Sleepily reading the message, the contents of the message caused him to fully wake up.

  “Here we go,” he stated, placing the phone back on the bedside table.

  “Who is it?” I asked.

  “The Jilted Lover strikes again.”

  “Why, what’s he saying now?” I questioned.

  Daniel handed me his phone. The message read:

  Well, you’ve certainly outdone yourself this time.

  A second message came through moments later:

  I suppose congratulations are in order, though, I loved her first. This won’t last.

  “Did you see this other message?” I asked, handing the phone back to him.

  He read it and sighed heavily. “He really needs to step off.”

  “Well, we are together for life now,” I reminded him.

  “I’m not gonna let this continue, he said adamantly, typing a message back in reply:

  What God has put together, let no man tear asunder.

  He showed me what he typed before sending it off. Moments later, another message came through:

  What makes you think God intended you and her to be together and not her and I? I loved her first.

  I saw anger rise in Daniel as he hurriedly dialed the number he’d received the message from. The phone rang several times before reaching a message bank service, in German. Daniel angrily typed back another text message:

  I’m her husband now, and she’s my wife.

  The message in reply was:

  She’ll always be my first love, and I dare say I’ll always be hers.

  “Come on now!” Daniel exclaimed in frustration, before asking, “Temwani, are you sure you don’t know who this is?”

  I closed my eyes and paused for a moment in quiet thought. You’ll always be my first love, he’d said. I could hear his voice clearly as though it were yesterday. I was reminded of a prospective love lost, and a dream romance that did not eventuate many years ago when I was in Australia. The man in question had adored me, and had worshipped the ground I walked on. I was not ready for him at the time, and it had been a while since I’d thought of him. At the time, I hadn’t any interest of remaining in Australia long term after I’d completed my studies, so any relationship that might have eventuated, might not have lasted. At least this was how I felt at the time. Despite the passage of time, thoughts of David pervaded my mind when I was lonely. At those times, I wondered how my life would have been had I taken a chance on him. I hadn’t felt lonely for a time, and as such, I hadn’t thought of him for a time.

  “Seems to me you do know who he is,” Daniel concluded, interrupting me in thought. “Am I wrong?”

  I didn’t want to acknowledge it, but he was right. “There’s a guy I knew in Australia many years back who did say I was his first love. No one else has ever said that to me. We never dated, we just – hung out. He tried to convince me to be with him, while I largely avoided falling in love with him,” I told Daniel.

  Daniel raised a brow and shook his head. “What’s his name?”

  “David,” I replied quickly.

  “So…he’s Australian?”

  I nodded to the affirmative.

  “How long ago was this?”

  “2004. Twelve years ago.”

  “Sounds like he was smitten by you,” he managed. “I don’t blame him, but you’re mine now, and he needs to back off.”

  “Let me…” I started, asking him to give me his mobile phone. I typed out a text:

  David. I’m with Daniel now. I’m happy. I’ve found my happiness with him.

  An instant reply came back:

  Given half a chance, I know you’d be happier with me.

  “Show me?” Daniel insisted. He didn’t like what he read. In his ire, he vigorously texted David back:

  Stop being such a coward, come out of the shadows and make yourself known.

  David’s reply came through with equal vigor:

  A coward is not anything that I am. Lurking in the shadows is not what I do. I’ll make myself known to you in due course. Be careful what you wish for. She might just end up falling in love with me again and out of love with you.

  No chance of that. Daniel replied.

  David’s response was:

  All’s fair in love and war.

  “I’m switching this here phone off,” Daniel said, in frustration, quickly turning off the phone, as though he were afraid of what would come next. He placed it on the far end of the bedside table.

  “I wish I’d known about your history with him,” he stated, suddenly.

  “I’m sorry Daniel, I didn’t think there was anything to talk about. As I said, we weren’t even together. If circumstance had allowed, we might’ve been an item, but we weren’t. I’m with you now, and I promised to love you forever,” I reminded him, initiating a deep kiss which took the look of worry out of his eyes. My eyes meeting his, I set his hand on my heart. “I’m all yours,” I told him. “No
one can hold a candle to you.”

  He returned my kiss with deep intensity, and we molded into one another, rising and falling like the Texas sun would meet the horizon. I was his, and he was mine, for all time.

  “I feel as though I’m about to lose you,” Daniel stated as we lay in bed together, sated after our lovemaking.

  “I’m not going anywhere, baby.”

  “This man that loves you so deeply he’d pay me fifty thousand dollars just to ensure your safety – I don’t know how comfortable I feel knowing he’s aware of our every move. I also don’t like the fact that he thinks there’s some kind of battle on for your love. The way I see it, he lucked out and that boat sailed a long time ago. You’re with me now, and he needs to leave well enough alone. I didn’t like his last message one last bit,” he admitted.

  “I hear you,” I replied. “As I said before, I’m not going anywhere.”

  He turned to lie on his side and ran a hand along my belly, tracing a circle around my navel.

  “How long do you want us to wait before we have babies?”

  Babies, I thought to myself. “If it wasn’t for Jensen, I’d say we could try straight away, but knowing Jensen…”

  “Quit prosecutions, come work for my firm,” he suggested.

  “That’s tempting, but I’m going to have to think it over.”

  Running a hand through his sun kissed hair which now had streaks of auburn running through it, he stated, “I can’t get over how this David guy is so into you. After so many years. I don’t know how he knew you needed help when you did, but I don’t like his attitude one bit.”

  “Don’t worry about it Daniel. Don’t let him get to you,” I advised.

  “Where’s Goliath when you need him!” he said absently.

  “Daniel!” I exclaimed.

  “I know, I know. We all know that David wins over Goliath anyhow. I just wish I could do something to scare him away or put him off you. It seems the closer we become, the more he wants you.”

  “I’m not worried,” I told him. “The David I knew wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

  “Maybe he’s changed.”

  “If he cares anything for me, he’ll respect that I’m with you now.”

  “Oh, I don’t doubt that he cares for you. I just don’t think he respects me at all,” he stated.

  “Okay. This is our night. We’re married. Let’s focus on us,” I advised.

  “I can dig that,” he replied, tracing my lips with his finger, before he planted a kiss on my cheek then reached over for the phone again.

  “Couldn’t resist, could you?” I noted.

  “This ain’t fair. It’s our wedding night, and he’s come to crash the celebration.”

  “Don’t let him ruin this for us,” I begged.

  He nodded in response, absently, while he scrolled through the phone messages.

  A text message came through as he did:

  Temwani, I should have grabbed a hold of you with both hands while I had a chance.

  Daniel typed back:

  BACK OFF.

  David replied:

  She may be with you now, but I’ll take friendship with her any day.

  “Friendship my ass,” Daniel spoke out loud, clearly annoyed. “I’m sick of this. This has to end.”

  “Give me the phone,” I requested. “I’ll ask him to stop.”

  Daniel reluctantly handed me the phone. I typed:

  David, if you care anything for me, please stop tormenting Daniel.

  David replied, I can’t help how I feel about you, and I can’t help how he’ll respond.

  David, I know you’re bigger than this, I replied.

  Moments passed before David stated:

  As I said, I’ll take friendship any day, if it means me being a firm part of your life.

  “Show me?” Daniel insisted. He read the messages and shook his head in response. “So much for you shutting this down.”

  I rolled my eyes in response. “I’m trying Daniel. I’m trying.”

  Another message came through. Daniel still had the phone in his hand.

  I’ll be seeing you. The message read.

  Of course, Daniel couldn’t resist responding:

  Not if I have anything to say about this.

  David replied:

  Right. This is getting old. She can be friends with whoever she wishes to be friends with. I’ll be seeing you, David replied again, then there was silence. No more messages.

  “I’m pouring me a drink,” Daniel announced. “This whole ordeal’s got me reeling.”

  “Don’t take it personal Daniel.”

  “It’s hard not to,” he stated. “He’s still completely enamoured by you, and yet you’re saying nothing happened between you two.”

  “Nothing did, apart from sparks flying from his end,” I said.

  “I understand how he feels. It’s just…” he started. “You’re mine now.” He grabbed two tumblers off the bench and filled them with ice from the dispenser. “You’re mine, and I’m yours, and I’m not planning on letting you go.” A bottle of passionfruit flavored Alizé caught his eye. “A bit of Alizé?” he asked.

  “I don’t see why not?” I said, a little concerned about David’s insistence but wanting to get back to enjoying our first night of married bliss.

  Daniel joined me back on the bed, and handed me the glass of Alizé. “To us,” he toasted, raising his glass to meet mine.

  “To us,” I echoed. We locked arms, and he drank from my glass and I his. I nearly spilt my drink all over him. He laughed heartily.

  “Seems like a little sexy time is in order,” he said, taking my glass from me and placing it on the bedside table. “How about we try something different this time? Like, I don’t know…something unconventional?”

  “You’re going to have to show me,” I said, laughing lightly. I was happy. For the first time in a long time, I had found happiness and love in the most unexpected of places. Just as he wasn’t planning on letting me go, I wasn’t planning on letting him go.

  7

  HEAT ON

  Our week away on honeymoon seemed too short. While Daniel busied himself with investigative work, I threw myself back into work at the prosecutor’s office. Problem was, I no longer enjoyed working as a prosecutor, and as such, I was feeling the heat on my return to the office. Though Daniel was a formidable lawyer, by virtue of my marriage to him, I became the enemy. With the exception of the occasional company and camaraderie of Jude, Ernesto, Sylvia, Malik and Sarah, I found myself isolated and essentially a persona non grata.

  The final case I worked with Ernesto solidified the feeling of disquiet and unease that I felt in my role as prosecutor. Ernesto delivered his usual sharp, concise closing argument and the jury convicted the defendant, a senior lawyer, as predicted. Despite his plea of guilty, and no prior history of offending, we secured a conviction of years as opposed to months, in addition to disbarment.

  “Well played Counsellor,” Ernesto said to me, as the defendant was being led away from the court room’s dock.

  I nodded in response. “You were brilliant,” I told him. “As per usual. No surprises there.”

  I didn’t feel triumphant. He sensed my sadness and stated, “You know, when you get to the top, you’ll find you have fewer friends.”

  “You would know,” I stated, somewhat sarcastically. “You might have few friends, yet you’re admired by almost everyone around here and beyond. Meanwhile, I’ve lucked out in the popularity contest.”

  He ran a hand through his jet black hair and stated, “Well, you becoming Mrs. Daniel Brennan didn’t help the situation,” he advised. “Still, you deserve happiness, and if he can give it to you, everyone else can be damned.”

  I smiled at his remark. “Thank you, Ernesto.”

  “No need to thank me,” he stated. “I know how you feel, but leaving now, is it the right thing to do?”

  “I can’t see any way I can stay,” I said.

  �
��Well, you’ll always have a home here,” he reminded me. “Might be a chance for you to work in a new area of law, maybe have some babies, and come back refreshed…”

  I rolled my eyes at the mention of babies.

  “Enjoy your marriage,” he said. “I wish I’d enjoyed mine,” he mentioned, referring to his previous marriage to Jamila. Jamila had since moved on and married Kevin, an attorney at the Public Defender’s office.

  “Thank you Ernesto,” I said. That afternoon would be my last afternoon at the District Attorney’s office.

  I browsed through one last file that afternoon. The one Jude had been trying to get me to have a look at for time.

  A series of vigilante style crimes were occurring regularly enough that it wouldn’t be hard to conceive that they were linked. The file Jude asked me to look at linked the more recent crimes to offences committed against children and the offenders who committed them. A community centre frequented by newly released offenders had been burnt down to the ground.

  I wrote a note advising for a thorough investigation to be carried out, one which would involve revisiting the scene and rechecking the fingerprint samples that were found at the scene, lifted from a silver lighter. The lighter itself was of interest. The letter B was engraved into it, along with a symbol I didn’t recognize.

  A knock at the door startled me. It was Jude.

  “Congrats on the win,” he said. “Though you don’t seem too happy darl’. What’s going on?”

  “The usual,” I told him. “You know.”

  “No, I don’t know. You haven’t confided in me in a long time.” Motioning towards the armchairs by the bay window, he directed, “Come, let’s sit.”

  I reluctantly tore away from the file I’d been reading. He is going to find out sooner or later, you may as well tell him now.

  “Jude…”

  “Temwani…”

  We spoke at the same time.

  “You first,” he said.

  “Things haven’t been the same since I took that leave of absence a few months ago.”