Dawning (Dysmorphia Series #3)

New Dawn

"Florence Elizabeth Clarke" 

She felt like she was back in school again as she watched Ethan Trap looking over her manuscript, his eyes seemed to be burning a hole right through her.

"Well, I have to say you have all the qualifications, and obviously I know who you are everyone here knows who you are, but the real question is why? Natalie obviously brought us up to date with everything, but why write a third book?"

Now that was a hard question to answer, she didn't actually have a reason for writing a third book it was more of a need to write that had brought her to her table, her pen to the paper and a story to her mind, she couldn't even say it had been other people who had made her write, it was strange thinking now that she'd expected Dysmorphia to be her first and only book, but now it felt only right to turn it into a trilogy, three stories summing up her life up till now.

Andrew had messaged her that same morning, nothing too long just a smiley face and a good luck message, but it had been enough, the two of them had stayed in touch and to her relief he hadn't seemed to hold any sort of grudge towards her, when she'd asked him for permission to include part of their story in her book, under different names he'd seemed eager to help her in anyway he could, giving his full permission.

One day that boy was going to make someone very happy, if he wasn't already.

She knew what she had been doing was wrong, keeping secrets in relationships never worked out well, but she hadn't wanted to say anything before this meeting, once her publication was hopefully approved she would tell him, she vowed she would tell him everything, Cole deserved to know... she just had to get through this wretched meeting.

"Mr Trap, no offence to you personally but many people believe that they know me simply from reading my books, at a few interviews I've mentioned how my personal life greatly influences my writing, however my books aren't the only thing to me, Dysmorphia was my way of dealing with what was probably the greatest loss of my life, Descent was my journey to recovery and the attempt to fall in love once more and Dawning, I feel like the story truly ends the way I want it to end. These three books are my story but they absolutely in no way define me, I needed them to be written because I'm so in love with the idea of penning my words on paper and letting people on all corners of the globe know that they are never alone, because I've felt more alone than anything at times in my life... so yeah that's why I needed to write Dawning"

To her surprise after that speech Ethan Trap pulled out a picture showing a girl with two brown pigtails and a gappy tooth smile.

"That's my Sarah, I mean that's my Sarah from five years ago she'd quite the stroppy teenager today, probably my fault for spoiling her rotten but when she read your book it was the first time in a long time that we had a real conversation, she told me how much she wept when she read it, and I bought her the sequel the day it came out, you should have seen the happiness in her eyes when she took it. You probably walked in here and saw a snobby man in a suit who didn't have a clue about the passion behind your words but I'll have you know that I cancelled a business meeting in Shanghai to be here, to meet the extraordinary woman behind these books"

Now she felt stumped, she had felt judged when she entered this room, like this meeting was boring him, but she had been the one doing the judging.

"Wow... I don't know what to say, thank you for one and please tell me your address before I leave, I'm going to send Sarah a little something once Dawning is published, I'm taking it that it is going to be published... right?"

He cracked a smile, his eyes danced with happiness when he smiled.

"Why on Earth would we turn down a new book from you, we'd literally have to be out of our minds, Florence those books will be flying off the shelves"

Half an hour later Florence left the building giddy with excitement and clutching a piece of paper containing Sarah's address, she'd been assured by Natalie that this interview had been purely for show, but she felt like she'd passed a test, Ethan had asked her a question she was sure she would be asked by many journalists and publicists in the coming weeks, now she had a prepared answer.

As she had promised herself Florence took out her phone and dialed Cole's number.

He picked up on the third ring.

"As much as I love you Flo, there are rules in this building, you were the one who practically shoved me out of the door to go to work this morning and now your calling me?"

"Sit down" she ordered.

"Sorry?" 

"Cole Roberts, sit down will you! I need to tell you something"

She heard him sigh and then a rustle as he obviously moved somewhere out of earshot.

"Yes, oh persistent and nagging girlfriend? Don't tell me the store's ran out of Cheetos?"

She had to smile even though she felt dizzy with nerves.

"Um... not exactly oh so sweet boyfriend, in fact I think I have a double whammy of what could be the best news ever, number one I just had my meeting with a certain publisher, and the books going through!"

Florence didn't even give him time to react, she needed to speak fast or she would lose what little courage she had.

"And the second piece of news is... be sure to grip that seat real tight, you know how I've been getting ill more frequently than usual, having cravings for a certain potato snack and having mad mood swings? Well I talked to Coops and she told me to take a pregnancy test..."

She heard his sharp intake of breath and her heart sped up.

"And the results were positive... I'm pregnant"

And then Florence heard the phone drop to the floor and static reception filled her ears.