BEFORE DAWN

chapter five

**Rainbows before thorns... **

Jaden watched Maureen eat in silence , 'dad you can say what's in your mind. ' she sighed.
'I just want to know why you don't want her', he spoke slowly.
'I don't know ' and that was the truth, Maureen still did not have the answer to that. She just knew she was mad at her and her dad.
'it's not fair, I have always supported you in all your decisions, and just this single time you are refusing me. ' he shook his head.
Maureen refused looking at her dad, she knew he was hurting but she was too, so much for Dora, she had managed to suck out all the happiness from this home.
'I'll try ' she whispered.
'you will what? ' Jaden looked up at her.
Dora sighed, facing him. I would try to change. I hate seeing you this way ' she smiled.
'thank you so much dear, but you know this is also for your interest right? ' he touched her hand.
'sure dad' Maureen got up and excused herself.
Jaden called Dora immediately to tell her the news, he couldn't wait any longer.
'she said yes' he screamed the moment she picked up the phone.
'what! She did?' Dora was suprised , she had hoped for this day but never expected it to be soon .
'I'm coming over to your place now ' Jaden was happy, he couldn't wait to be with her.

Dora sat opposite her bed and looked watched the beds chirping outside, the weather was too perfect. She smiled, it's been 3years since she had gotten married to Jaden and her life had taken a new step.
She turned back to see Jaden stir in his sleep, he looked so Peaceful and handsome even in his sleep. Dora tiptoed out of the room not wanting to wake him up.

The lights downstairs were already switched on, someone was definitely awake. It was just 7am in the morning and it was Saturday. Maureen was in the kitchen, her back against Dora.

'good morning ' Maureen greeted without turning back to look at her.
'morning, you are up early ' Dora touched her shoulder.
'I have to get ready for school ' she lied.
'but it's Saturday, you have classes today? ' Dora opened the fridge to get water.
'I really don't appreciate your questions this morning. Where I go is none of your business '. She left the kitchen with her food.

Dora just transfixed, why was Maureen so cruel to her. She slumped into a nearby seat. She had learnt to put up with Maureen but somehow it managed to hurt her.
Every time she tried to make Maureen warm up to her, the more the girl ran from her, once she had caught her burning her clothes. She had felt so small and out of place and there was nothing she could do about it, telling Jaden was out of the question, she did not want him having problems with his daughter, but this time she could not take it anymore. She followed Maureen up to her room and knocked on the open door
'what now? '
'what did I ever do to you? ' Dora asked
Maureen just stared at her, she knew Dora was on the verge of breaking down and she would really love to see that. A wicked smile crawled on her face,
'you really want to know?, you came here. You married my dad and stole my place in his heart?!' .she yelled.

Dora was not surprised, she was used to this, she sighed and turned to walk away but stopped dead in her track. The next words she heard shattered her.
'I wish it was you who had died, not my mom ' Maureen spat out.

All the walls she had been trying to build came falling down on her, her fit couldn't move from their place, they felt like jelly to her. This was the worst thing anyone has ever said to her in her life. She felt destroyed. She exhaled and turned to look at Maureen, a little smile on her face.
'I love you so much dear and I always will '. She walked away.
Maureen was frustrated, she really wanted to see her cry, but the lady was hard to break. She needed to try harder.

Dora stopped in front of her room door and fell to the floor, all the emotions she had been hiding fought their way out. She cried until there was no more tears to shed ,this would be the last time she would be in such a horrible position, making up her mind to leave the house, she got up and started packing her things.

Chimamanda stood by her drawer and watched her mom pack all her clothes, she couldn't understand why her mom was packing up but from the occasional sniffing and tears, she knew something was wrong.
Dora kept on packing, she made sure nothing of hers remained in the house, luckily for her Jaden had gone to work and she was not ready to face him. She had written him a farewell letter earlier and hoped he didn't come looking for her.

'let's go baby' ,she dragged chimamanda along. The little girl just followed.
Maureen stood outside the door watching Dora load the car with their bags.
'tell your father I would return the key to the car tomorrow '. She drove off without saying anything else.
Maureen felt weak, she wanted Dora to go, but the way she felt now watching her leave was confusing, she felt.... Ashamed.

Jaden got home after work to a very quiet house, normally chimamanda would run out to meet him. He was indeed more happier with them around.
Maureen sat watching TV when he entered the house, there was still no sign of Dora anywhere.
'where is your mom? '
Maureen rolled her eyes, 'I don't know dad'
Jaden wanted to say something but decided against it, he walked up to his room only to find it empty, all Dora's things were missing, he ran to chimamanda's room, empty too he began panicking, running back to his room and searched everywhere, there was nothing left. He made to leave the room and found a note by the bedside table, flipping it open he found the most heartbreaking news in his life.

Dear Jaden,
Please don't try looking for me after reading this, this has been an amazing marriage. I could never ask for a better father for my daughter, but it seems we cannot be together anymore. I'm sorry I didn't want it to end this way.
Love, Dora.

'no.. No, this is a joke 'Jaden laughed, he was imagining things. Dora was gone, here. This is all a very big joke. He read the letter again and ran downstairs screaming her name.
Maureen got up 'she left dad, she's not here. '
Jaden turned to face her, 'you knew? You saw her leave. Why didn't you stop her? ' he was furious.
'dad! Calm down '
'why.. Why did she leave ,what did you do? ' Jaden sniffed.
'she found out she wasn't good for you, dad we are happy without her. ' Maureen held his hand, but Jaden moved away.
'can you even hear yourself, I'm not happy without her. I thought you understood that, I thought you loved her ' he glared at her.

'I love you dad, I know you feel bad now but you.....'
Jaden stormed out of the house. He was going to look for Dora ,even if she was against it.

Dora sat down with her head in her palms, the house felt alien to her it's been three years since she was here, almost everything was at Jaden's house.
She sighed and started unpacking her clothes.

'momma did we have to leave daddy and Maureen. I like it there' .chimamanda sulked.
'we are not going back baby, we are staying here'
'but momma, I miss them ', Dora turned to face her, she hated seeing chimamanda like this it broke her heart.
'can't you forgive daddy, please I really want to stay there. '
'stop talking and help me unpack your clothes '.

Dora walked into her old room and sat on her bed, running her hand through the blanket, it was going to be difficult staying away from Jaden. She hard to try, after all this is the right thing to do,
Was it?

Maureen returned home from music class and found her dad drinking, she was stunned, he had never held an alcohol in his life before. She moved to drag the bottle away from him, but was stopped.

'what's happening dad? ' she was scared.
'this is what you want to turn me into, Maureen I gave you everything you wanted, even more. I loved you with every single breath, and just once.. Once you couldn't even appreciate that love and support me. You have taken away the only thing that gave me joy'. He gulped down the remaining liquor.

Maureen could not hold it in anymore, she fell to the floor and hugged him,
'tell me why, why do you hate her so much. She was the best mother for you ' Jaden refused looking at her.
Maureen just sobbed, sincerely she had no solid reason for hating Dora, thinking about it the lady has been so nice to her. She could not bring herself to accept her, maybe Kelsey was right, maybe she was just selfish.

'I'm so sorry daddy, please forgive me ',she begged.

'isn't that what she said to you too, but did you? I don't think I can do that' he staggered to get up.
'I'll do it, I would love her, I will try to accept her. Please don't hate me ' Maureen begged, the words tumbling out of her mouth.
Jaden stopped and turned to her, 'it's already too late for that. She's gone '.
He walked away.