My Marine Man *Editing Time!*

Chapter 19: The Break

Hihi! Hope your summer is going along well...mine sure is! It's almost over though-school starts on August 26th. Boo-hoo.

Well, I think y'all will be a little shocked in this chapter, but that's all I'm gonna say. :) hehe!

Pretty Please COMMENT and VOTE! <3

Chapter 19

My life without Nathan settled into a routine that went uninterrupted for months. A jog in the morning, school on Monday, Wednsday, and Friday, work in the afternoon, videoconference with Nate Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and dinner with the Serthers Sunday. More often than not, I got together with Marcie and Emma during the week for coffee, too.
As the days blended into weeks, and the weeks into months, the time for my decision grew nearer and nearer. So did the end of Nathan's tour. We had a talked a little about my predicament, but I usually steered the conversation away from the subject. I was no closer to an answer than I was months ago. It's February, I keep reminding myself, and you graduate in May. My grandparents are still hoping for me to come back to Maryland, amd Brian and the guys are still pestering me to stay here, plus Nate and his family. What's a girl to do?
It's a Thursday evening, about time to log onto Skype. I'm anxiously awaiting the call from Nathan, just like I did those many months ago with my grandparents. The icon dings, and I quickly pull it up. His face, now rugged with a five o'clock shadow, smiles at me over the many, many miles.
"Hey Zoe," he says with a yawn.
"Hi," I respond, smiling self-contiously. Nathan makes butterflies erupt in my stomach everytime he smiles like that.
"What time is it there, again?"
"Five thirty am. We have to be up by six thirty, though, so it isn't too bad."
"Oh, ok. So, how are you doin'?"
"About as good as can be, here. You?"
"Ok, just the normal stuff, ya know?"
There is a pause, a long and lengthy one. This never happens. We're usually talking nonstop, neither of us able to shut up.
"Uh, Zoe?"
"Yeah?"
"I've been thinking about you alot lately," he says, pausing again. What is this leading to? Is he going to propose to me? Would we get married? Would Amma and Pa be ok with it?
"And I think it would be a good idea if we, uh, take a break from each other for a while. You know, since I'm here, and you're, you know, there," he continues on, with slight exasperation lining his voice.
"What?" I respond dumbly.
"Um, taking a break from each other?"
It finally starts to sink in. And naiive little me was expecting a proposal. He still blabbing about why this is a good idea, "taking a break", but I don't hear him.
"Nathan, seriously? I can't believe you, you go around every day, telling me how much you love me and how you can't wait till you're home so you can kiss me again! Seriously? Out of nowhere you come and say you want to 'take a break'?"
More softly, I add, "I love, or loved, you, Nathan. Oh, Nate."
Then I hang up. I don't wait to hear his side, I don't want to listen to his sorry reasons. I don't want to see that face that I fell in love with. All I want to do is sit and cry.

Nathan's P.O.V.

"I love, or loved, you, Nathan. Oh, Nate."
The blank screen flashes in front of me. Good Lord, I feel horrible. But it's for the better. Remember Nathan, it's for the better.
I power down my laptop, and roll over on my bunk. No matter how hard I try, Zoe's face still infiltrates my mind.
I didn't want this to happen, I really didn't. Marines from other squadrons that are working with us are falling quickly, and it makes me a little nervous. Like, the other day, a couple of us were assigned to a mission, but at the last minute, a few guys from the other squadron took it instead. They never returned. What kept us from that mission? That could of been me.
Zoe shouldn't have to wait for me, either. She should be able to live her life the way she wants, not bogged down by a boyfriend halfway around the globe. I feel so guilty, expecting a woman as beautiful as Zoe waiting for me while she could be moving onto bigger and better things that she's capable of.
I thought I'd feel better after deciding, and then telling her.
Walking out of the tent in my heavy and hot uniform, I can't help but feel that I've made a mistake.

Chris' P.O.V.

I finish my run around the neighborhood of base housing. I find my own small place in the maze of streets, and fumble around for the key. As I step inside my house, I hear the phone ringing. Smiling to myself, I figure it's Mary Ann, a nurse on base I've been seeing. I jog over to the phone, and start to pick up just as it buzzes "Missed Call". Of course.
I hit redial, hoping to get through to my caller. Instead of hearing Mary Ann's voice answer, though, I hear my little sister's.
"Zoe? Is that you?"
"Chris!"
"Is something wrong, Zo-toe?"
"Uh-huh!" she says, and I can hear her start to cry.
"Zo, don't cry! Please monkey face. What's the matter?"
She tries to answer, but I can only make out a few words in between her sobs.
"Nathan...Iraq...Break..."
"Zoe, hold on a minute. Catch your breath first."
Girls. So emotional. I wait for about a minute, and her breath starts to even out. When she does speak, her words come out in a rush.
"Nathan'sinIraqandIthoughthelovedmebuthebrokeupwithme."
Woah.
"How, Zoe?"
She sighs. "Skype. He said we needed to take a break."
"This was just outta the blue?"
"Yeah, we talked Tuesday and everything seemed fine. Today he wouldn't meet my eyes. What was he thinking, Chris? You're a guy," she exclaims, and then pause. I can almost see her narrowing her eyes. "And you better not give me a sugar-coated version."
"That piece of shit," I mutter under my breath.
"Chris!" Zoe exclaims.
"Well, he is." I reply. "So, in answer to your question, um, he coulda realized that he, uh, didn't miss you very much, or that uh, good Lord Zoe I don't know! Maybe because you haven't slept with him..."
"Hey! How did you know?" she interrupts.
"Oh please, Miss Goody-Two-Shoes."
She giggles a bit, then gets serious again. "But how come now, after being over there for, like, four months already? Why not right after he left, or even before he left? And don't those guys want something to 'fight for'?"
"I really don't know, Zoe. Maybe the situation over there changed, we don't know. Maybe he feels depressed, maybe there's just too much on his mind right now. It's tougher over there then we could ever imagine, Zoe. I'm not making excuses for him, I'm just trying to lay out the possibilities."
She sniffs. "It's just so hard to believe."
"I know, Zo-Toe. Don't let it get you down, though."
She lets out a shaky laugh. "You know, any normal girl would be having this conversation with her mother, sister, or best friend."
"You wanna compare nail polish colors or something, now?"
"No, thank you. You're color blind."
"Thank God for that."
"I'll let you go now, old man. Old men like to go to bed early, I hear. Thanks for helping me through my little crisis. Love ya, bro."
"Love ya too, Zo-Toe. And anytime girlfr-and!"
We hang up. Zoe has always been a happy-go-lucky person, at least in my eyes. Tonight, she just sounds depressed and defeated. Not like my little sister at all. With a quick look at my calander, I dial up another number.
"Hello, this is Candice. How may I help you today?"
"Hello, Candice. Tell me...What's the earliest open flight to San Fransisco tomorrow?"

I hope that wasn't too confusing with all the P.O.V.'s...sorry bout that. So, are you SHOCKED?!? My thinking was-they had too perfect of a relationship, so I needed to shake things up a bit. Sorry :) Now I will leave you hanging again, for another four or five days. Sorry bout that too :(

Thanks to @SheyannaStillwell for following me! I really appreciate it, dah-ling :)

I have more exciting news, though! My new story! I've written three, yes, THREE chapters so far, and I'm so excited so I'm gonna give you a sneak peak! :) Here it is:

"The Way He Planned It"

"As I rest my head on my husband's defined chest, I can't help but feel amazingly blessed to live the life I lead. A loving, hunky husband with a great job, a supportive family and friend circle, a beautiful mansion to live in, money for vacations, clothes, and other fun stuff. One thing is missing from my otherwise perfect life, though. The missing item is so important to my husband and I. It would be small, and come in the form of a baby. We want, we need, children."

Hope you like it, more to come! Love you all, Michelle