Chapter 15 – New Direction
Willow wasted no time setting up her plan for a new direction.
She was dedicated – almost addicted one would say. She even had an unprecedented pep in her step at work. It is truly amazing how the mind is such a powerful muscle. Our minds are powerful and Willow’s was no different. While her mind needed a long vacation, that ounce of hope kept her going, kept her motivated and kept her hungry to take her life back.
The next few months were spent with trips back to the country town up North, touring more homes and narrowing their options to call home.
Meanwhile, the threats continued under the direction of Mitch with the bully around the corner beckoning his every request. There were many 911 calls made and even a break-in through the patio door.
The last few months in her hometown turned out to be the most chaotic and her health was spiraling downward again. Some days she would come home from work, feeling as if her soul was sucked out from her. She would sit on the couch, watching her favorite green and gold baseball team, looking more like a zombie than a human living being.
Britney and Kane arrived for a visit over the New Year. The refreshing harmony brought Willow out from her cave of darkness as Kane made Mickey Mouse waffles in the mornings and they all enjoyed new years’ celebrations of sparklers on the front porch. It truly was the simple things in life that brought Willow happiness.
The family enjoyed Kane’s favorite movie, Nacho Libre, while munching on Willow’s all-time favorite guilty pleasure, nachos. She ate them so much that Britney even commented, asking her mother why all she seemed to eat was nachos and Cornuts.
It was a short visit and Kane ended up catching a nasty bug, which reared its ugly head the day they were headed back to the airport. As the kids stood in line to check in their luggage, Kane made a few visits to the nearby garbage can, losing his lunch and whatever was left inside the poor guy.
Apparently he almost wasn’t allowed to board the plane but divine intervention and a few white lies were in their favor.
It was almost springtime. Willow typed her resignation letter and kept her words kind, expressing gratitude for the job opportunity. She had learned early in life that it was best to pick her battles and even though it was worth fighting for, the battle of egos and need for power was not a battle worthy of her passionate energy.
Her goal was to eliminate resentment and remove herself from a toxic atmosphere. The combination of bad energy was not just within the office but a wicked cocktail of the devil and a day-to-day job leading to resentful toxicity.
She was determined to become independently successful. On the weekends she created resumes for people in need of a new direction - something she could relate to. Lately, her life was all about sweet change. She felt incredibly thankful for being able to help others, while also earning a living. Well, she was hardly making a living at it yet but she felt she was well on her way.
The following month she gave her 30 days’ notice at work, cashing in her meager retirement, which would also be taxed but fortunate to have a cushion to get her through the next few months as she strategically built up her clientele.
She created a work profile with a professional freelancing platform, where other freelancers competed for specific short-term projects. The gigs varied as some people were in need of ghostwriting while others needed books to be edited.
The beginning was tough as with almost anything these days, reviews can make or break you. It wasn’t that she had negative work reviews – her challenge was the lack of work reviews. When you’re the greenhorn within a new work force, you better prove yourself and work twice as hard, so that’s exactly what she did.
She under quoted much of her gig work in order to just get some reviews. Her strategy paid off as her 5 star ratings started streaming in with her first big break on the horizon. Even though she wasn’t paid much, the goal was to land a ghostwriting project for a client, writing a book and hopefully making a name for herself.
Slowly but surely, her writing business was starting to pick up.
The sun began to set when Louie arrived home from work.
“I gave my notice today.”
“How’d it go?”
“It went good. Maya said she’s going to miss me and she’d like me to stay in touch.”
“That’s what I like to hear. You’re an easy one to get along with Lou.”
“Thanks Mom. You’re not so bad yourself.”
He grabbed his mother, lifting her feet off the ground as her back cracked like an uncooked pasta shell being stomped on. Cracking each other’s back was a normal oddity between the two.
“Can I come with you guys to look at houses this weekend?”
“Of course! We have it narrowed down to two houses. Only a few months left before the big move. Are you excited?”
His eyes were wide and filled with excitement like a child on Christmas morning.
“Oh man. Can’t wait!”
“Tomorrow is my last day at the DA’s office.”
“Sweet!”
The next day would be her final day at work. The butterflies in her stomach were not of worry but of utter joy. She could hardly sleep that night.
She got up early that morning with an adrenalin rush she hoped would last all day. As she kissed Steve goodbye, he had a grin on his face almost as big as hers.
“Your last day!”
“It doesn’t even seem real.”
Her last day was spent boxing up her personal belongings, updating cases and forwarding important tasks to her supervisor.
By this time the office moved back to its original location and Penny was back in her old spot, peeking over the cubicle for one last time. For a moment Willow felt a sense of sadness. She would miss her friend, miss their frozen yogurt breaks, lunch breaks and pep talks like no other.
Even though Penny had a moment of sadness, Willow knew she was genuinely happy for her. She understood the rollercoaster she was on and knew a fresh start was the best remedy.
The office surprised her with a warm sendoff - a potluck, congratulations cards and gifts to boot. Willow was touched.
Farewell. One puppet string cut and one more to go.