Instead of laughing me off or rolling his eyes, both of which would probably make sense, Ellis looked at me thoughtfully through the camera. “Baby, I will never fall out of love with you. I promise. You have nothing to worry about because you’re the one for me. I’ll never leave you out in the cold. Believe that.”
I simply pressed two fingers to my lips, kissed them, and touched his through the screen.
Gosh, how I loved that man.
***
I checked in with Natalia regularly throughout her trip home. It was a long two-day drive back to Twenty-nine Palms, and she seemed up for it, but you just never know when you’re pushing yourself too hard. That, along with her newfound decision to announce her desire to leave California, I wanted to make sure everything went okay when she finally got back.
When she got settled I had some exciting news for her: several positions were opening up at my job. I would be able to put in a good work for her, so long as she updated her resume. It hadn’t been updated in years and needed a fresh new look, plus cover letter.
“One step at a time, Ro. I just got back and you want me to apply for a new job already?”
“Hun, yes. Because time waits for no one and I want your name in the running when they hold interviews. I can seal a spot for you, but I need you to take action now, mama.”
Chapter 20: Natalia
It felt good to come back to Twenty-nine Palms, but not for the reasons one may have guessed. Hollis and I still weren’t lovebirds, but the normalcy of keeping my regular routine comforted me for now. Before I knew it, I’d be leaving again. Except next time, I had no plans of returning.
Kelli and I spent time talking about my decision to leave. She admitted she’d miss me, but she supported it wholeheartedly. “I want whatever’s best for you – and safest,” she said. “Besides, you didn’t complain about the sunburn potential out there like you usually do when you’re here.”
My boss was initially shocked to hear I was leaving. She thought we were changing bases. I didn’t go into detail; I simply said Hollis and Jordan would stay, but I wouldn’t. I’m sure she had a lot of questions about this decision, however they’d remain unanswered. My personal life had become scandalous enough, and I wasn’t auditioning for America’s next base telenovela.
***
Putting in my two weeks’ notice was scary, yet liberating. Giving myself the minimum time necessary to wrap up my affairs meant no turning back from my decision. Ro, Kelli, and I discussed the importance of momentum for keeping to my plan.
What truly terrified me the most, however, was telling Jordan and Hollis. I wanted to tell them separately, but Hollis was such a wild element. I didn’t know what he was capable of if things got ugly between us. I asked him to come home on time for a family meeting. I told him it was very important. He simply text, “ok,” and said nothing more until he came home.
I prepared steak and shrimp for dinner, pairing it with herb mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. I changed the seasoning up a little, remembering my cooking experiments with Rose. Jordan nearly licked his plate clean, and even Hollis had to admit the food was delicious. We laughed at the table and had what felt like a true family moment over dessert.
I sent Jordan immediately to shower once the table was clear and trash was taken out. It was close to his bedtime, and I had to prepare Hollis for what was to come.
“I think it’s time to take the next step,” I told him. “I’m moving out for good. And we need to talk to Jordan about this together.” Hollis simply nodded in response, and then excused himself to change his clothes. I would have questioned him changing without a shower, but then I realized he probably planned to shower at Presley’s house. He probably had an entire closet of his own there.
Breaking the news to Jordan would have been the hardest thing I’d ever done in my life – if Hollis hadn’t taken over. Instead of letting me speak to my son directly, and tell him about what was happening, he took the reins and made a harsher announcement.
“Son, your mother and I are getting a divorce.”
Jordan was old enough to know what a divorce meant, so of course he burst into tears, and became hysterical. He promised to be good. He promised to get all A’s in class and take the trash out every night.
My heart was broken two-fold: when he blamed himself for our very adult issues, and when my husband declared he wanted a divorce by stating we were getting one.
After putting Jordan to bed, I turned to Hollis.
“Are you serious? That’s it. You’re just done, and have no interest in saving this marriage?”
He looked me, stone faced and expressionless. “No. I don’t. You left and came back, just to tell us you were leaving again. Quit the dramatics and just leave. You’re hurting my son.”