I N S T I N C T I V E

(Thirty-One.)

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A few days later

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Ramona shifted yet again in Dwight's arms while he wrapped them around her in the middle of this night. It seemed as if her eyes continued to shoot open and she just couldn't get comfortable.

Eventually, with a sigh, she sat up. Dwight replied drowsily. "Where are you going?" He asked. "I just need some water." She said, then slowly standing up to head into the kitchen.

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She stared down at the clear glass while it filled over halfway with water, and she took large sips of it while she leaned her back onto the edge of the sink. She had a lot on her mind, and some of it was from the work being done between she and Amanda. The time for Ramona to make a decision was approaching, and she was still torn on the matter. To move to another country is a lot in itself, but to also leave everyone behind for work is another complication.

Typically, Ramona wouldn't struggle when it comes to choosing work over her personal life. But she was finally starting to have something going for herself outside of work, and it's made her feel a little more human. A little less robotic and more like she has an actual life. But the opportunity...

Another thought that was clouding her mind was about her father. He's sickly nowadays and she felt nothing but guilt running through her veins from the lack of attention she's been giving him. Even her own mother—whom she doesn't get along with very well— was willing to see him.

Ramona never felt like her mother actually loved her father. Not as much as what he could provide for her. She was the gold-digging type that came from well off parents, and he was a humble man who made a lot of money unexpectedly when he and his father's tailoring company became extremely successful.

Yes, Ramona and David grew up in a large house, got the vast majority of what they wanted, and didn't necessarily struggle to get what they want. Although Ramona still found herself acting like more of a mother than her own.

Her mother—or, Rochelle— Never acting excited about being a mother. In person around other people, sure, but behind closed doors she was often very nitpicky and hard to please. She wanted Ramona to marry a rich man, have kids, and live in a big house. But after Ramona saw how her mother seemed so controlling towards the rich man she married and even the kids she had with him, she didn't want to follow her footsteps. It just sounded like she wanted her to live like her.

She was often very critical of both her and David, but mostly Ramona in particular. Ramona always had to be the most punctual, best graded, put together, well spoken, and respectful. While these weren't necessarily bad habits to teach a child to have, and Ramona even liked having them taught sometimes, the issue came in when David had different expectations.

Yes, she wanted he and Ramona to be equally as well "trained", but with him it was still different. He was scolded out of love, while she was scolded out of shame and embarrassment. He was told to be put together so that he can attract a woman who will be impressed by him. Ramona was told to be put together so that she can attract a wealthy man who can take care of her.

Her and her mother fought very often about that, because Ramona didn't like the idea of living for a man. To be a man's trophy wife and base her quality on his opinions. She didn't want to wiggle her way into a rich man's heart only to mistreat him and manipulate him for his money. And she felt that's exactly what she was doing to her father, and wanted to keep that same tradition going.