The wind howled and snow tapped on the outside window of the Madden Estate. Inside the window Dorothy stood next to the fireplace. August watched her from the couch. Her slender unmoving figure looked almost like a statue. The diamond necklace she wore was obscured beneath her folded arms. August never saw her look so fragile.

"How much time left now?"

August glanced at his watch.

"Three minutes, thirty seconds."

Dot growled and paced across the fireplace like a panther in a cage. The blaze of flames usually calmed her nerves. On cold winter nights she would snuggled up next to him on the couch and they would watch the fire for hours. Being so relaxed with fire so close made August feel like he was living dangerously.

"Take your mind off it." August leaned back into the plush cushions. He let his ankle rest over his knee. His used his posture to mask his own impatience.

"That's easy for you to say. You're not the one who has to squeeze a cruise-ship out of a garage meant for a Zimmer Golden Spirit. We can't all turn into a dragon and drop an egg like…"

She stopped suddenly and ran her fingers up her arm. Dorothy looked at him with breath held.

August chuckled. He liked her rambling. He found the strange things she said to be a whiff of fresh air. Probably because they often reminded him of home.

More to the point, August did not envy her the act of childbirth but he wasn't about to make the mistake of admitting it.

"What do you want, a girl or a boy?"

Dot resumed her path in front of the fireplace.

"A boy, darling. Girls are too much trouble."

August forced himself not to move to the edge of his seat. He compensated for Dot's nervous pacing by keeping his own posture relaxed.

"August Jr.?" He smiled to himself at looked at the floor. "I like the sound of that." He looked back up to her. His eyes followed her from side to side.

"But I want a girl too."

Dot scoffed. She put her hand on her hip and tilted her head to the side.

"Why, darling? Girls are unruly. Besides, there is only room for one of me in the world."

August bit his bottom lip. He knew just how to convince her and he couldn't help grinning about it.

"Think about it, Dot. Don't you want a girl to take shopping with you?"

She looked at him from under her thick eyebrows.

"A nuisance. She'd only slow me down."

August put his hands on his ankle. He wanted to move to the edge of the seat but he forced himself not to let his wife's anxiousness get to him.

"Or an apprentice…" He watched Dorothy lift her eyebrows.

"Someone to carry-on and refine your unmatched fashion skills."

Dot pursed her lips together and stopped in front of the fire place. He watched her as her mind processed his words.

"They are unmatched, aren't they?" She ran a hand over her leather pants and blouse then touched her bracelet.

"A little girl you could dress up, like a real life doll. A real girl not made of wood."

Dot removed her hand from her hip and let her other rest on the mantel.

"Since you put it that way…" She drummed her nails against the marble. "How much time now?"

August looked back at his watch.

"One minute, fifteen seconds."

"Ugh!" Dorothy resumed her pace. "I'm not impatient darling, I just hate to wait."

Dot folded her arms and broke free of her regular path to stand by the window. Snow clung to the outside. August felt her frustration but he was more concerned with distracting her than dwelling on the test results.

"I think we need to have one of each."

Dot fingered the chiffon drapes.

"But remember only two at most, darling. The worst curse of your life could be life with three…" She almost said De Vil but she caught herself. "…three Madden women."

"I know, I know. But it's our happily ever after."

She whipped her head around to look at him over her shoulder. She stalked across the room with a force that made August swallow. He tensed as she bore down on him with wildfire in her eyes.

"I warned you never to say that about us again!" She shoved her slender finger into his face. The diamond necklace danced in the air between them.

August gently soothed her pointed finger into his hand.

"You don't want to be happy?" He did not understand her reaction.

She straightened and the necklace fell back into place.

"Of course, I do." There was a sadness in her tone that he did not understand.

August stood up and brushed Dot's dark hair over her ear. He kept his hand over hers.

"Thirty seconds left. Come on."

He led her to the kitchen counter where the single white strip rested in a glass jar. As they approached she stopped and August turned back to look at her.

"What?"

Dot inhaled deeply.

"I don't think I can do this. I am not mother material." Her face turned dark. "You have no idea who I really am."

August reached out and clasped the long diamond necklace. He used the chain to pull her toward him. He touched his forehead to hers.

"I believe in you. I believe in your beautiful heart. I see it, Dot, even if you don't. Don't ever forget that."

Dot put her hand on the back of his neck with an iron grip.

"Please don't ever leave me," she whispered with desperation.

August chuckled at her silly fears. He kissed her and then moved toward the table.

"Come on, it's time."

She nodded at looked up at him like a small child with complete faith in a parent.

"You look, darling."

He let go of her hand and went to the glass jar. He looked down at the white plastic strip. He frowned.

"Well? Tell me. I'm aging as we speak."

He turned to face her.

"This was only the first try. It's only a matter of time. You know that." He tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

"Are you serious? I'm not pregnant then?"

August saw her features tighten.

"Not according to this."

"Damn."

Dot marched out of the room. Before she turned August saw some of her natural glow fade away. He hurried and caught up to her in the hallway.

"Hey, are you alright?"

She avoided his eyes.

"You just got me rather used to the idea." She inhaled to continue but stopped herself. August saw the tears plainly in her eyes. Her emotional display surprised him but he appreciated the opportunity to really be a husband. He wrapped his arms around her and she latched onto him. He felt her tears wet the fabric of his shirt.

"How could you not be a good mother, Dot? You already love our kids and they aren't even here yet." He smoothed his hand over her shoulder and back. She choked out a half laugh half sob into his shoulder. She let him hold her for a few more minutes before she abruptly pushed out of his arms.

"I need to make some business calls."

He let her go. August watched her as she walked down the hallway and to her home office. There was a finality in her step that he did not understand. She acted as if this moment were the only chance at happiness and that now it has slipped away forever. He was eager for the day when their first child was born so he could tell her "I told you so."

Cruella hurled her cell phone at the wall and it shattered into pieces. She snarled. The business rules of this land without magic caused her to break many technological devices. Rather than dive into her computer and fight the onslaught of emails about her latest investment controversy she walked to the window. For the first time in her life she wanted something other than the material. She wanted the company of her husband.

She pulled on a fur, picked up her purse and keys and climbed into her car. August had been working on a project in the home of a rich neighbor. Cruella calmed her thoughts of revenge on her idiot business partners and focused on August's face. If she hurried she might catch him before he ate his lunch. She decided to treat him and herself to a nice day out. He had been working long hours and even staying overnight on occasion, though Cruella had such trust in him she didn't not consider the action strange.

She pulled into the driveway of the mansion just down the road. Had her cell phone not been shattered she would have called to let August know she was on the way. She felt a little awkward when she knocked on the door of a semi-stranger, but her vanity managed to push away any discomfort that threatened.

The woman who answered held a cat in her arms. Her eyes raked over Cruella and a hint of distain touched her lips.

"Can I help you?"

Cruella wondered why a maid or housekeeper hadn't answered, but she wanted to see August enough that she didn't mind admitting to a peer that she was married to the carpenter.

"I'm looking for August Booth."

The woman's aged brow wrinkled.

"Who?"

Cruella put her fingers to her diamond necklace.

"The handyman working on your house. He's my husband. With all the late nights and weekends, I should think you would know him."

The older woman's eyes lit up with understanding. The distain on her lips seemed to fade a little.

"Oh, August. Sweet boy. You're a lucky lady. No, he finished a few weeks ago."

Cruella blinked.

"Excuse me?" Her hand flew up to her chest.

The old woman let the cat drop out of her arms. The flush of embarrassment that Cruella should have felt appeared on the face staring back at her.

"You didn't know?"

Even Cruella's vanity could not overcome the awkward turn of the conversation.

"He must have moved on to something else and it just slipped his mind." Cruella hated explaining herself. She did not wait for a reply from the older woman. She strutted down the front steps and cursed under her breath.

She climbed into the car and put her hand on the wheel. For several minutes she sat and thought. Why would August not tell her? Where had he been going the last four weeks? Her heart sank. She swallowed down a dry throat. She feared the beginning of the end. She turned on the car and peeled the wheels as she pulled out of the driveway.

When she got home she started frantically cleaning. Every room in the house had already been cleaned by her maids, but Cruella didn't care. She pulled on yellow rubber gloves and got down on her hands and knees with a bucket of soap and water. After the lobby and kitchen were polished to a glossy sheen she stood and stretched her back.

She went to the refrigerator and pulled out the contents. She turned on the stove and began to cook. Vegetables, meat, cookies, fine cuisine dishes, and frozen pizza. If it was in the fridge she cooked it. Anything was better than thinking about what her husband might be up to.

By the time she heard August's motorcycle rumble into the driveway she had a table set with enough courses for a large dinner party. She wiped a small bead of sweat from her forehead and then went to the front door.

In spring and summer, August never pulled his motorcycle into the garage. She knew he would come in through the front door and she wanted to greet him there.

She opened the door and watched him climb off the motorcycle. If he had just returned from a romantic tryst with some other woman, Cruella could not tell. He approached her with lifted eyebrows. He did not seem displeased to see her.

Before he even reached the threshold of the door Cruella snaked her fingers around his shoulders and kissed him. She did not let him go until the need for air force them to part.

August cleared his throat and held her by the waist.

"I'm not complaining, but what was that for?"

"I made you dinner, darling."

She led him by the hand into the dining room. The spread of different plates of food filled the mansion with a pleasant aroma. He let go of her hand and ran his own through his hair.

"Dot? You did this? I thought you couldn't cook?"

"Just because I don't doesn't mean I can't."

Cruella strolled over the table and picked up a piece of sautéed shrimp.

"Try this, darling. It's delicious."

She forced him to eat the piece of food from her fingertips. His eyes lit up with surprise. The smile of delight was too tempting so gave him a peck on the lips.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked with his mouth full.

"Can't a wife fix dinner for her husband?"

August shook his head and walked around the table with his fisted hand under his chin. He examined each entrée and then put his hands on his hips.

"Seriously, what is up? Is this you trying to tell me you are pregnant?"

His genuine hope cut through her like a sharp knife. She frowned.

"Are you happy with our marriage?"

August dropped his hands from his hips and narrowed his eyes.

"What kind of question is that?"

Cruella felt anger and fear constrict her throat. He didn't answer the question.

"Wait a minute…"

August scanned the room. Apparently not finding what he searched for he walked out. Cruella followed him and watched him repeat his scan in each room until he reached her office. His eyes focused in on the pieces of the cell phone on the floor.

"Ah-ha. You had a bad day at work." He knelt down and picked up the pieces.

Cruella folded her arms.

"I went to find you. I wanted to go to lunch to take my mind off it."

August looked up at her from under guilty eyes.

"Oh."

Cruella glared at him.

"Oh, is right."

He started to stand up but she stormed out of the room.

"Wait, Dot," he called after her. She did not stop until she reached the living room. He was hot on her heels. She liked the new location because there were larger objects to throw at his head.

"I finished that job a while ago."

She pressed her lips together and jutted her hip forward.

"I know." A strand of white hair fell into her face. "What exactly have you been doing all day and night for a month?"

August avoided her eyes.

"I… I've just been pounding pavement. Looking for a job…" He reluctantly met her gaze. "But I wasn't worried about it. You said to leave the monetary to you, so I have been."

She wanted to be angry about his answer but he practically quoted her own words. She inhaled and fought the desire to throw the lamp.

"Where have you been looking? Maybe I can help." She wished she spoke out of a genuine desire to help him and not the need to know exactly where he had been. More importantly, who he had been with.

He avoided her eyes again.

"Just around. I've got it handled."

Cruella clenched her teeth. August approached her cautiously. He cupped her cheek with his hand and tried to turn her head toward him but she resisted.

"I'm not going to leave you, Dot. I love you."

Despite her irritation with him she believed his words. She wondered if he was deceiving both of them.

"You love me or you love my money?"

He dropped his hand from her face and exhaled. He shook his head.

"Unbelievable."

She felt him slipping away from her.

"You've been spending a lot lately, darling. Not that I mind, but I'd appreciate you telling me where my money is going."

August ran a hand through his hair.

"Okay, okay, I'll cut down on the expenses."

Again, not the answer Cruella wanted.

"You should eat before it gets cold."

She went to the table and pulled out the chair.

August stared her down for a few seconds, then obeyed her order. She left him alone at the large table and went to her office. She closed the door and picked up the office phone. The voice that answered was the craggy rasp of her hired gun.

"It's Cruella. I need your help, darling."

She listened to the remark on the other end.

"No, nothing like that this time. I need you to follow someone and report back."

The inevitable question was asked by her contact.

"No, darling. This time I want you to follow…" Cruella gritted her teeth with the admission she did not want to make, "my husband."