How to Unlove

29: S10 E114

September 13, 2022

When she finds herself singing in the shower, Nataley pauses to allow the emotion that has taken over her body to sink in. Happiness. How long has it been since she's felt pure joy? The water sluices away her worries, swirling them down the drain. They can do this, right? Two weeks together. Heaven. Bliss. Ecstasy.

Followed by inevitable heartbreak.

Pushing the negative thought away, she resumes her shower, rinsing the conditioner from her hair and turning off the water. Grabbing a towel, Nataley dries her torso and legs before wrapping the towel around her damp hair. Examining herself in the mirror, she spies a few stray eyebrow hairs, and she plucks the grey ones most aggressively, wincing as each is yanked out.

Hearing the front door open and sounds from the entourage of males with whom she lives, Nataley quickly releases her hair and spritzes it with a sea salt spray, scrunching her locks with her fingers to create the effect she prefers. Her makeup is the usual, consisting of a swipe of lip balm and a touch of mascara. Scrambling, she gathers her personal items, slings her towel around her body, tucking it under her armpits, and escapes the steam cloud by jauntily stepping to her room.

"Bathroom's free!" she yells before closing her door. Dropping the towel at her feet, Nataley orders her smart speaker, "Alexa, play 'This One's For the Girls' by Martina McBride," and she shakes her bare ass as the song starts playing with its fast-paced beat. Dancing to her dresser, she withdraws a pair of grey boyshorts and a matching bra. Placing them on the bed, she's caught off guard when Harry appears, his eyes drinking her in as he stands framed in the now-open doorway.

"In or out, H," she remarks, "Cause you can't stand there with the door open like that while I'm in the buff and my son is in the house."

"Definitely in," he swallows, stepping forward and closing them off from the rest of the world. "He's showering first cause he lost the race at the end of our loop."

"Ah," Nataley nods, sliding the boyshorts over her hips with a little wiggle to position them properly. Hooking her bra, she grins at the hungry look on Harry's face. "You already had me this morning. Twice."

"And I would give anything to be buried inside you several more times all day long." Shaking his head, he rubs a hand over his face, sighing. "I'm worried about Noah."

It's a punch in her gut, and she has to consciously take a breath. Shit. That came sooner than she expected. Sadly, she agrees, "I know, and we shouldn't have made this move and raised his hopes." Cringing, she shyly glances at him, "Are you moving out today?"

"What?! No!" His eyes are wide. "Don't be barmy, Nat. Noah loves that I'm staying here, and we get to have all kinds of great conversations. Plus, he's learning the guitar and taking up jogging. Those are positives for him."

Relief makes her knees weak, and she steps to the closet to hide the depth of her emotions at his reassurance. "Oh. Then why are you concerned?" Scrolling through her tops on their hangers, she pauses on a clunky grey sweater to match her underwear.

"He doesn't like his father much."

Nataley's shoulders sag. "That's not new. I mean, I know they're not close, and that's because Duane is a jerk to everyone, including our son. I've looked into changing the custody order, but it would be one hell of an expensive fight because I suspect Duane won't just happily sign over full custody to me." Her laugh balloons with frustration. "Noah's father likes the custody agreement simply because it hurts me. It has nothing to do with his feelings about Noah at all. In fact, I'm fairly confident he doesn't even like Noah. My son is a pawn."

Exasperation is evident in Harry's tone, "Then you have to do something about it, Nat. It's tearing him up having to be with his father for three and a half days every week."