Dawn of Eve

by MJ Howson

  “Daniel?”

  Dr. Cole jumped at the voice from behind him. At the same time, he found the tenor to be smooth and calming. His breathing stopped momentarily as he slowly turned around.

  “Hi. I’m Taylor.” Jacob Jilani stepped over the bench and sat beside the doctor. He held his hand out. “You’re Daniel, right?”

  “Hi.” Dr. Cole nervously shook Jacob’s hand. The scar slicing through the man’s face was shocking and unexpected. “Yes. Um, Daniel. Yes. Daniel. That’s me.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Jacob said.

  Dr. Cole suddenly felt overwhelmed with guilt and what he could only describe as a sense of unworthiness. He looked Jacob up and down, studying his face and body. The tight-fitting jacket Jacob wore showed off the impressive physique displayed in his SAM pictures.

  “Are you okay?” Jacob asked.

  Dr. Cole nodded and forced a smile to appear on his face. He said, “You’re, um, rather intimidating.”

  Jacob laughed and placed his hand on Dr. Cole’s knee, causing the doctor to flinch. He said, “It’s the scar.”

  “How’d you get it?”

  “Long story. But it’s also why I don’t do face pics on the SAM app. I’m a bit too recognizable, you know?”

  “Sure.” Dr. Cole pried his gaze from Jacob’s handsome, chiseled face and looked down at his hand still resting on the doctor’s knee. Dr. Cole wiggled sideways, tugging his leg away. “I’m sorry, Taylor, this is all just very new to me.”

  “It’s okay. I understand. I see this all the time.”

  “Really?” Dr. Cole chuckled and shook his head. “I doubt you see guys like me all the time.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Look at me. Look at you.” Dr. Cole leaned back a bit, folded his arms, and turned his gaze to the windows overlooking 10th Avenue. “You’re young. Fit. Handsome. I’m just an old, overweight, gray-haired man.”

  “Then why’d you reach out to me?”

  “Excuse me?” Dr. Cole looked up into Jacob’s deep brown eyes, trying not to notice the perfect white teeth filling his crooked smile. “All I did was send you a wave.”

  “Because you found me attractive, right? Either my picture or my profile. Something caught your eye.”

  Dr. Cole reminded himself of his intent to approach this meeting like a therapy session. Jacob not only looked good but smelled good. He needed to focus and not let the attraction he felt distract him. Dr. Cole scratched at his beard and asked, “Why did you respond? There’s very little on my profile. What made you interested in–”

  “I respond to everyone. I’m a nice guy.”

  “Oh.” Dr. Cole lowered his head and looked down at his feet. The wind cut across his nose, causing him to sniff repeatedly. “Well, now that you’ve seen me, I’m sure you’re not interested.”

  “Nonsense.” Jacob slid closer to Dr. Cole until their knees were touching. “This isn’t about age or fitness, Daniel. You came looking for something. An experience. Right?”

  “I . . . I suppose.”

  “Besides, attraction is all in the mind.” Jacob leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He stared at the traffic on the street below. “I like what I do. And I’m very good at what I do.”

  “It’s . . . it’s just that I’ve never done anything like this,” Dr. Cole said. The guilt that had washed over him earlier came flooding back with a vengeance. “I’m . . . I’m married. I’ve never cheated on my wife. Not once. I . . . I love her.”

  “This isn’t about love, either. This is about exploration.” Jacob put his arm around the doctor’s shoulder and pulled him closer. He whispered in his ear, “Relax. You can trust me.”

  Dr. Cole smiled. Jacob’s firm grip felt calming and reassuring. He surprisingly felt very safe. He asked, “So, I, uh, don’t know where we go from here.”

  “You like what you see?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you liked what you read in my profile?”

  Dr. Cole nodded.

  “Good. We can work out the details later, including my fee. Like I said, today was just to meet. Unless you have more time to spend with me. We can find a hotel, or–”

  “No. I, uh, I’m supposed to be getting groceries. Butter.”

  “Butter can be fun.” Jacob winked and smiled.

  Dr. Cole looked away, feeling both embarrassed and excited.

  “You know how to reach me,” Jacob said.

  “Sure. But, Taylor, I . . . I may cancel. I’m still not sure–”

  Jacob pulled the doctor even closer. He said, “It’s okay if you do. It’s common to have second thoughts. To have doubt. I understand completely. This is all about you, Daniel. I’m here for you. I won’t be offended if you cancel.”

  “Thanks.” Dr. Cole closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy the warm embrace of this young, beautiful man. He looked up into Jacob’s eyes and said, “I’m glad we met, Taylor.”

  The wind whipped through the sunken bleachers, blowing leaves and random bits of trash up into the air. 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. Just the usual.” Jacob took a sip of the wine. “Clients and such.”

  “And such.”

  “Lisa’s working the bar tonight.”

  “Don’t you usually work Saturday nights?”

  “It depends.” Jacob placed his glass on the counter and took Dawn by the hand. “Are you okay? You seem . . . pensive.”

  “I’m fine.” Dawn squeezed Jacob’s fingers and withdrew her hand. She cupped her wine glass with both hands and took a long sip. “So, tell me more.”

  “More?”

  “How are you doing? With your clients. Still building out your business?”

  “Always.” Jacob smiled and asked, “Is that a new shade of lipstick?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ve been trying new things lately.”

  Dawn stepped into the kitchen, placing the counter between her and Jacob. She tried to suppress her escalating tension. Jacob obviously had no idea she’d seen him with Dr. Cole. Or did he? She couldn’t be sure.

  “Oh, before I forget, I told the doctor we can’t move forward unless you come in for a joint session. He agreed. He . . . he has to see you.”

  “Really?”

  “Would you be okay with that?”

  “I don’t know.” Jacob frowned and added, “I guess.”

  “You don’t seem that excited about it.”

  “I’ve told you before I think you’re the one that needs him, not me. But if he wants to meet me, then okay.”

  “Have you?”

  “Have I what?”

  “Have you met him?”

  “No.” Jacob crossed his arms defensively. “Why the hell would you ask me that?”

  Dawn studied Jacob’s face. There wasn’t a hint of subterfuge. She couldn’t get a read on him. She took a sip of wine, smiled, and asked, “I just . . . wasn’t sure.”

  “I’ve told you many times, Dawn, you’re the one that needs the help. Not me. Can we drop this? Or do you have other questions?”

  Dawn bit her lip and glanced over at Eve, sitting on the edge of the kitchen counter. She said, “I . . . I think I’ve got my answer.”

  “Good.” Jacob smiled and relaxed his stance. “So, are we eating in tonight? Or should we venture out? The wind’s a bit brutal this evening, but maybe we could–”

  “Actually, Jacob, I think I need you to leave.”

  “Leave?” Jacob shook his head, clearly confused. “Why?”

  “I’m . . . I’m not feeling well.”

  “What?” Jacob walked around the counter into the kitchen and gently took Dawn by her shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

  “I’m suddenly tired.”

  Jacob placed the back of his hand against Dawn’s cheek and then her forehead. He said, “You do feel a bit warm.” He took the glass of wine from her hand and placed it on the counter. “Why don’t we go sit by the fire. Maybe you’ll feel better after you’ve–”

  “No.” Dawn pulled herself away from Jacob and grabbed her glass of wine. “Really. I . . . I think you should go.”

  Jacob folded his arms and looked down at Dawn.

  She knew that look in his eyes. Given a chance, Jacob would continue to make suggestions until she finally caved. Dawn had her answer and needed him to leave. She smiled and slid her arm around Jacob’s elbow.

  “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” Dawn said, placing her glass on the counter. She tried to guide Jacob out of the kitchen, but he remained stationary. “What?”

  “I came all the way from Jersey to see you.”

  “I felt fine when we talked earlier. Now, I . . . I don’t.” Dawn picked up Jacob’s coat and handed it to him. “I think a nice quiet night home with Eve will make me feel better.”

  “Eve?” Jacob reluctantly slid his coat on, glared at the doll, and said, “Of course.”

  Dawn smiled and walked to the front door. Jacob remained still, but she didn’t care. Dawn reached the door and opened it wide.

  “You keep picking that stupid doll over me.” Jacob sighed and shook his head as he made his way over to Dawn. “What does your doctor say about it? When does playing mommy end?”

  Dawn bit her lower lip as she tried to suppress her anger. As if Jacob didn’t know what her doctor was thinking. Part of her wanted to explode in anger and tell him what she saw at the bleachers. But she knew it was better to listen to Eve and keep Jacob in the dark.

  “Eve’s good for me,” Dawn said. “She’s helped me. Given me strength.”

  Jacob looked back at the kitchen, his eyes settling on Eve, still keeping watch over the entrance. He looked at Dawn and said, “I’ve tried to be supportive, Dawn, but eventually, you have to pick one of us.”

  “Good night, Jacob.”

  Jacob leaned down to kiss Dawn, but she once again turned her head, letting his lips brush against her cheek.

  “Bye,” Jacob said.

  Dawn closed the door once Jacob entered the foyer. She let out a long exhale and went back into the kitchen. Dawn refilled her glass of wine and took a sip. “He lied, Eve. Did you hear him? Never met the doctor. Liar!”

  “Stop believi
ng him,” Eve said.

  “I had to give him a chance, Eve. I had to.”

  “Stop trusting him.”

  “I know. You were right. I just can’t believe he and the doctor have been conspiring behind my back.”

  “Stop trusting the doctor.”

  Dawn nodded and took a sip of wine. She frowned as she inspected the stains on Eve’s face. She licked her thumb and tried to clean the stain, only enlarging the smear. Dawn sighed and asked, “What should we do with them?”

  Thirty One

  Worried

  The walk from the Grove Street PATH station to his apartment gave Jacob time to review his next set of appointments. The calendar on his phone showed a busy Sunday ahead of him the following morning. As he tried to figure out his travel schedule to jump between the widespread locations, his mind drifted back to Dawn. Her cancellation earlier this evening was highly unlike her. Also, the fact she said she preferred to be with the doll instead of him had angered him. He pocketed his phone, turned up his collar, and quickened his pace home.

  Jacob entered his apartment to find the living room and kitchen dim and quiet. A small table lamp beside the couch was the only source of light. He glanced down the hallway to see flashing lights coming from beneath Sean’s door. Jacob sighed and kicked off his shoes and removed his coat, tossing it on the couch.

  A bottle of Patron Silver tequila sat wedged in a dark corner of the kitchen counter. Jacob unbuttoned his shirt, yanking the bottom free from his waist. He opened the bottle and poured a shot into his mouth. The warm sting of the alcohol took the chill off the sweat covering his chest.

  Jacob, the Patron in his hand, walked over to the thermostat. The heat was set to sixty-eight degrees. The drafty apartment windows meant there always seemed to be a chill in the air, no matter the temperature. He frowned and raised it to seventy-four.

  Without knocking, Jacob opened the door to Sean’s bedroom. Sean was flat on his stomach, facing the television on the bureau opposite his bed. He wore headphones and didn’t notice Jacob enter the room. Jacob flopped on the bed, causing it to rock and startle his roommate.