I told James we were moving back. All he could say was, "Are you sure we can?" He never has to say much because our hearts beat as one and I know it's breaking.
I put in a three day notice at work, I remember crying and putting up the truck. I pulled to hard on some packing and gummi snakes went everywhere. My boss came up, "Oh Chiquita, I know it's a lot."
"It's not just that, Sil. I LOVE my job, I love this place. I'm burning the only good bridge I ever had and I'm just...takes a little bit to say goodbye, is all."
We had to leave in three days or rent would be due and I couldn't afford another day plus the trip back on one paycheck and to be honest, I was so far behind after the radiator, I wasn't quite sure our finances wouldn't implode shortly after if we stayed. I already talked to Heather at Sonic and we were both starting back at our old jobs Friday. Silvia promised me over and over that it would always have a job if I ever came back to the Rainforest. Laine and Bev couldn't wait for us to come down.
"I had all of our things packed when I picked up my paycheck and my bank wouldn't cash it. That gas station that didn't take cards but had an ATM? Charged fees for every transaction. And all of the stupid hose clamps and stop leak had overdrafted us, the dinner we took my parents to digging us just a little deeper. So I had to waste gas to find a bank to cash it and then they charged us $15.00 since we don't have an account even though the check was on their bank!" Samson just looked at me. He knew I was freaking out and he was just as calm as could be.
"I will give you $50.00. You cannot say no, you will take it. First, you and James go eat a good meal, you be well fed. Use the rest for whatever it is you need."
"Samson, we're moving to Arkansas tonight. I'll never be able to pay you back that much money."
"You pay me back, that's fine. If not, that is okay, too. My belly is full, I do not need it. I know it will come back to me when I need it most. But you must eat first!"
And that was goodbye to Samson. We ate at The Rainforest one last time, I hate goodbyes.
We came back in a blur that day, so overwhelmed with change and fear and excitement and goodbye. I just remember the car being so totally crammed with stuff I couldn't see out any windows. It had taken us two explorers to come up there and even mashing socks into the crevices of the packed car, we were leaving a lot behind.
--
I had a meeting with the Dean - Scott, I think his name was, the day before we left. They had online programs, but web graphic design wasn't one of them. Praise Yah October ended a trimester and it was perfect timing for me to switch around just as we moved.
"Just switch my major to business. It's more practical, anyway." He looked at me.
"Are you sure about this?" He had helped me a lot this semester with questions far below a dean, but he answered them all anyway.
"Look, my boyfriend's mom is dying. And she's like a second mom to me. I don't really have a choice. But really, web graphic design was a pipe dream anyway and business will get me better career options, I'm sure. And someday I'll write a book about my crazy life and none of this will even matter anyway."
"Okay, it's done. You are officially majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship. Make sure you graduate, Rusin, because that's what will make the book worth reading. Getting what you wanted."
I'm not sure what I wanted.
--
It was about 1:00 in the morning when we crossed the Arkansas state line. We came in by the P highway, right by the house I grew up in, so we took a detour. We hadn't told my parents we were coming home, so you can imagine the shock on their faces when we woke them up with the doorbell. They couldn't hide their happiness in seeing us, hugging us over and over again to be sure we were real.
Then we hopped over to his Grandma's, where his mom was. We passed our old high school, which had changed so much in the five short months we had been gone.
His mom had tears in her eyes when she brought us in, so glad to have her babies with her. James's little sister even teared up a little, standing there in shock with her Jack Skellington pajamas and her stop sign red hair. Thirteen is just so young!
Everyone is alive, everyone is real and I'm really freaking tired, so we make our way through the eighth hour of our journey into Black Rock, where we'll be living with Kane and Barbie.
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