Nadine Cross - Life Unknown

Chapter Four - Rude Awakening

Chapter Four

Rude Awakening

They say “time flies when you’re having fun.” “They” (a group of people up in Washington) were right.  Time moved at stealth speed for Malcolm and Nadine.  During the months that they spent together she had the time of her life.  Malcolm had a very witty sense of humor and quite surprisingly, he and Nadine had a lot in common.  They spent a lot of time together at home, at the beach and just hanging out.  Then things started to get a bit strange and shaky.  Malcolm would call, ask Nadine to get ready to go out and never show up.  What added insult to injury was that he never called to say he was not coming!!  After each event, he would act as if nothing happened.  This went on for weeks, until Nadine got sick of it.  She was tired of getting dressed, sitting around waiting for someone who she did not know would show.  “What’s wrong with this idiot?!!” Marie would ask.  “I don’t know Ma” she would respond.  Unfortunately Nadine had a lot vested in Malcolm as she had fallen in love with him. 

What she didn’t know was that Malcolm was in the process of having a child with his current girlfriend.  Nadine knew that he was still seeing her and accepted the fact that it was she who was intruding on their relationship and not the other way around.  Nadine did not have a problem with being the other woman nor that she was second fiddle, but what she did have a problem with was that he lied to her about it… not so much lied, but hid the truth.  Malcolm failed to tell Nadine that Ramona was pregnant.  He also failed to tell her that he was moving in with her (he was presently living with his mom and grandmother; another signal Nadine dismissed).  All this Nadine found out one quiet Saturday afternoon in November, just before Thanksgiving.  Nadine was at home packing for her trip to Boone, North Carolina for the holiday when Ramona paid her an impromptu visit. 

As it turns out Ramona was quite the little private dick.  She followed Malcolm to Nadine’s the night before without him noticing her and returned the following day.  When she knocked at Nadine’s door Nadine knew instantly who she was (women’s intuition). As it turned out, Ramona was quite civilized as well.  She could have caused a scene, maybe break out a few of Nadine’s windows, but instead she quietly knocked on the front door.  “He’s not here” Nadine told her as she opened the front door.  “I know” she replied.  “Can we talk?”  “Come in and have a seat.”  The poor girl looked as if she would either explode or fall down with the heavy load she was carrying in her belly.  Nadine suddenly felt sorry for Ramona and herself as well.  Ramona and Nadine talked for two hours.  Ramona told her so many things that she never new about Malcolm.  His gambling problems, his drug problems, his other child and the fact that he and she recently moved in together was a complete shock to Nadine.  What she could not understand however, was how such intelligent women like herself and Ramona could put up with his shit.  There was absolutely no reason for it except for the fact that they had both been bitten by the love bug.  Go figure!!!! 

Each day we live our lives we experience some form of growth.  For some of us, not enough attention is paid to that growth, but for others the growth process resounds deeply within us.  Nadine found herself at a turning point.  Yes she was in love with Malcolm.  Yes he was her first since Ty.  Yes she could put all that she now knew aside, but her heart did not feel as if he was “the one”.  What she realized is that the only reason why she had put up with Malcolm’s crap was because she was on the rebound and did not admit it to herself until now. 

She bid Ramona a healthy baby and a nice life and eased the poor girl’s worry about her relationship with Malcolm.  “It’s over” Nadine told her.  “Maybe you should think about ending it with him as well, if not for your sake, for the baby” Nadine added.  “I’ve got too much at stake and I’ve put way too much time and energy in him” Ramona replied.  “Well, good luck with that” Nadine said as she closed the door and watched Ramona waddle down the path through the side window.  Nadine felt hurt and very foolish after Ramona drove away.  But she refused to go back to the dark desolate place that held her captive not so long ago.  She would not lose the momentum she had gained since waking from her slumber, she would continue forward.  The first thing she thought she should do was “have it out” with Malcolm and then dump his trifling ass.  Ramona may have put in a lot of time and energy, but Nadine wasn’t going to let the time, energy, and emotions she herself had put into Malcolm let that stop her.  There was something rotten in the state of Denmark and she was going to clean house.  And this time no amount of sweet talk in the world was going to make her change her mind.