Dorothea would often look back and remember certain times in her marriage to Philip. They had been together for thirteen years and were married eight years out of that. Dorothea would often think back at the first year or so before Swann met Valentine and got the idea to become an illusionist as her favorite. That was back when she was still a child and things were simple. As time went on and fear and fame build up, she slowly watched the man Philip used to be slowly fade away. Soon he was nearly completely gone. Always working and never spending any time with her. He was always on edge, scared that something would happen. He never seemed the same. But Dorothea stayed with him, locked up in their beautiful mansion away from the rest of the world. They understood each other and she knew she was all he had left in this world. How badly she wanted those early years back, before all the fear and money. She wished she could just tell Philip the truth and try to just love each other. But they drifted apart more and more each day.
She tried lying to herself that she didn't love him, but it wasn't true. She just wished so badly he wouldn't be scared anymore and come back to her.
But in the end of it all, she knew he was just a simple man who took everything and risked it all for her. He had been an amazing person, and the only man she would really ever love.
He wasn't just her husband.
He was something else, something that loved and protected her all these years.
But one memory would stick out the most.
It was one month before the show with the swords happened, before news of Quaid came, and before her entire world fell apart. Her life had been simple, staying mostly in the mansion, shopping, and being driven around the city. It all seemed so dull as she often tried to reach out and be with Philip. But he worked all the time, and whenever he was home…he just didn't seem all there.
Dorothea remembered this certain saw was a Sunday, Philip didn't have any practices or meetings. He was home and smoking in his study. Dorothea meanwhile had just taken a jog around the property and was cooling off by swimming.
Valentine was in the city for the evening, making up papers over Philip's latest tour. Clemenzia was inside making lunch and talking with the other two staff that came around and did lawn work for them. Dorothea remembered swimming to the surface as the sun sparkled down on her and saw Philip standing by the edge. Smoking a cigar and his eyes serious. Dorothea blinked the water out of her eyes before smiling.
"Care to join me?"
Swann squatted for a second and took a long drag of his cigar. He splashed the pool water for a moment before Dorothea swan over to him.
He then flashed a brief smile.
A few minutes later they were upstairs in the master bedroom. Dorothea's bathing suit was peeled off and thrown on the floor. Her hair still wet, stayed slicked behind her laying on the pillow. Swann was on top of her, underneath the sheets and dully thrusting into her. Somehow over the years their love making because less and less passionate. Dorothea stared up at the ceiling as he moved, not saying a word and feeling her mind drift off.
This was the first time they made love in nearly eight months.
Dorothea then turned her head and used her hand and gently hold the sides of Philip's face, Feeling his stubble, she looked up at him and smiled. His beautiful blue eyes looked confused.
"You okay?"
Dorothea slowly nodded.
"I just wanted to look at your eyes…"
Swann stared down at her before lightly kissing her and going back to what he was doing. Once he finished, he dressed and returned to his study. Dorothea meanwhile laid out on their bed naked and watched the breeze slowly blow in and out from outside. Turning over she sighed.
What had happened to them?
She didn't really know if she could stay like this. Her once beautiful husband had slipped away.
But nearly two months later as she walked through the desert with D'Amour, she knew that time was special between the two of them.
That was the day they made their unborn baby.