“Ma’am, are you positively sure you’re okay? Do you feel safe? Has he threatened you in any way? Has he put his hands on you in any way?” The officer’s concern started to make me queasy. I hoped to God he wouldn’t notice me getting dizzy again, but before I knew it, I started throwing up on the sidewalk.
I sat down on the ground and started crying. I didn’t know why I was so sick and dizzy all of a sudden. I just knew that my head was pounding and this was all too much to take in.
Chapter 16: Natalia
Friday and Saturday passed, but achingly slow. I convinced the officers that I was just anxious and upset, but when I woke up at 10 AM the next morning with my head throbbing, I knew I’d sustained a concussion from the altercation.
I met Kelli for lunch at her apartment. There, I told her the rundown of what happened.
After they escorted me to the door, they asked Hollis to step outside. Jordan’s arms were locked around his neck. He started screaming hysterically when he Hollis tried to put him down. “Don’t take my daddy to jail!” Both officers promised not to arrest Hollis. They didn’t have a choice; that was the only way Jordan would calm down.
“Jordan, it’s past your bedtime. You have to get ready for tomorrow. Go back to sleep.”
“No, mom,” he sniffled. “I want to wait until dads back in the house.” There was so much anxiousness in his expression. He sat on the couch, curled up in his pajamas, and leaned against the armrest to wait for Hollis to come back.
I was in seething pain from the bang that was growing by the minute. I started to kiss him on his forehead, but then I remembered my breath reeked of puke, and decided to start my shower instead. I grabbed my cell phone and text Kelli. We had another fight – this time the cops came.
I did my best to relax, but no amount of that Relaxing aromatherapy body wash I’d purchased from Bath and Body Works could soothe me. I scrubbed and scrubbed, and thanked God that Hollis didn’t crack my skull open. I wanted to tell the truth about what happened, but I feared worse would happen if I spoke up as opposed to let him be.
After drying off, and getting dressed, I went to check on Jordan. He was asleep on the couch, albeit while defiantly sitting up. I peeked outside and Hollis seemed to be involved in a tense conversation with the officers. It was almost 3 AM, and I needed to sleep. I had to clock in at 11 and I had less than 7 hours to get it together.
After making an executive decision not to deal with Hollis’s shit for the rest of the night, I took a clean issue of his uniform and placed it on his chair, along with his pillows. I locked him out of the bedroom in case he thought he’d smother me in my sleep.
***
Kelli sighed when I told her the whole story the next day. She didn’t understand why I allowed this behavior to continue, but I couldn’t give her a decent reason. Hollis was anything but loveable right now, and his behavior was dangerous and reckless. But I decided after my shift ended, I would leave almost immediately, without waiting until Sunday.
“But what about the clothing and the house?” She asked. “Are you all packed and ready to go?”
“No,” I replied. “But look at me. I can’t take any more of this. Do you know how much aspirin I needed to take this morning?”
“He slammed your head against a wall, Natalia. You’ve probably got a concussion. Let’s go to the hospital first. I don’t want anything happening when you’re on the road.”
I denied my need for medical attention at first, but Kelli persisted, threatening to turn Hollis in if I didn’t. I’m glad I listened because, as it turned out, she was right. Hollis did give me a concussion. The doctor recommended I stay off my feet for several days, and warned against heavy activities.
“I have a trip I’m taking this weekend,” I said. “I’m driving.”
“You’ll have to cancel those plans,” he replied firmly. “The sooner you rest, the more quickly you’ll recover.”
“Don’t worry,” Kelli said. “I’ll stay with you, and talk to Kristophe about Jordan and Hollis.” She gave me a look that let me know I didn’t have a choice in the matter.
I sighed in defeat. Once again, my own life was beyond my control.
Part II
“When you think your life is falling apart, it's usually falling together in disguise.”
― Charlotte Eriksson
Chapter 17: Rose
It’d been over a month since Ellis had left, and I was just now getting a sense of normalcy in our routine. At first, I clung to my need to have him speak with me every day. If I didn’t hear from him, I’d freak out, sending ridiculous messages until he responded. Having Natalia here changed that.