Chapter Six

Phoenix was being good to Jordan. She discovered she loved the climate. It was warm and the air was dry. No cold Boston mornings. No ice. No snow. Just fantastic sunsets and great Tex-Mex food.

Nigel had taken her home with him and introduced to Veronica. With dark purple hair, several piercings, and a tattoo or two, Ronnie was every inch the individualistic artist that Nigel had described. She also was every inch his soul mate…in a way Jordan could never have been. Sometimes Jordan had to leave the room when the couple was together…not because they did anything to make her feel uncomfortable, but because the love between the two was nearly tangible. It made her ache for what she could have had…what she used to have with Woody.

Ronnie proved to be a great friend to Jordan. She knew all about Jordan's and Nigel's past…but said it was just that…history. She helped Jordan settle in and when the time was right, helped her find a rental house close by. She listened when Jordan needed to talk, and patted her back when the ME had a rough day. Ronnie was the friend that Jordan needed.

And Nigel was right behind her. He had talked to Dr. Daniels….got her an interview. Dr. Daniels hired her on the spot. Jordan had been thrilled, but asked that the morgue keep her hiring quiet. The medical examiner community was small…hiring, resignations, firings…the word tended to travel fast. He promised he could do that as long as her assignment was temporary. If something happened and they kept her on permanently, he couldn't assure her that word wouldn't get out she had moved from Boston to Phoenix. Curious, he had asked Nigel what had gone on at the Massachusetts morgue…had Jordan left on bad terms?

"No," Nigel had replied.

"Is she hiding from her former boss?"

"No…from her ex-husband."

Wrinkling his brow in concern, Dr. Daniels had to ask, "Why…was the guy abusive?"

Nigel shook his head. "No. Woody wasn't abusive….the divorce just took Jordan by surprise. She doesn't want him to know where she's at right now…at least until she can get her internal compass lined up again."

Dr. Daniels had nodded and kept her employment as low-key as possible. To Jordan, it was nearly like old times….Nigel and she working together. The fog was slowly lifting…she was beginning to feel her head clear and was beginning to think rationally again. She no longer cried herself to sleep at night. She was trying to plan for the future.

Noticing the gradual changes in Jordan, Ronnie took her one of her gallery openings and introduced her to some friends of hers…single, male friends. Jordan had a good time…she had never been to an art gallery opening, although she had been in Ronnie's studio numerous times to watch her paint…a process that fascinated Jordan.

Nigel had wanted a full report after she returned home. "So, how'd it go?" he asked.

"It was nice. They served good wine. The paintings were wonderful."

"The men Ronnie introduced you to….how'd that go, love?"

"Okay."

"Just okay?"

"I'm not ready, Nigel. I appreciate the thought….I really do. But I'm not ready yet."

Nigel sighed. Then a stray, troubling thought ran through his mind. "Say, Jordan. Is your divorce final yet?"

The statement struck her cold. Final. Her divorce. She shook herself. She knew it was coming…she shouldn't be so shocked over the statement. "I have no clue, Nigel. I didn't have a lawyer. I just signed the papers, told him I didn't want a damn thing, took my money and got out of Boston."

"So you have no idea if the papers have been filed or not?"

"No…not at all." Now she was beginning to be concerned. But surely Woody had his lawyer file them by now.

"Let's check out the Boston legal data bases and have a look see, love. Just to make sure everything is truly final and you can move on." Nigel turned on his computer and began the search while Jordan watched over his shoulder. He typed in the date she was served the papers…her name…Woody's. No hits. "Jordan," he finally said, after several searches, "Woody hasn't had the divorce filed yet. You're still married to him, love." He glanced over at her, noting the look of shock, surprise, and anger all reflecting on her face. "I'm sorry, Jor."

"That's okay, Nige. Not your fault." She backed away and went outside to the small garden behind Nigel's and Ronnie's house. She often cut through it on the way to her own home. She did so again tonight, reflecting not on the beauty of Ronnie's flowers, but of her circumstances.

He hadn't filed the divorce.

Reaching her front porch, she dropped down on the stoop and put her head in her hands. She figured by now, she had been divorced for weeks. She knew she had received no official notification, but then again she hadn't expected to. No one knew where she was at. Yet. She knew that was coming next.

But she had assumed she was divorced. Why hadn't he filed the papers? He had found them in her office – the ones that she had neatly signed, dated and left her rings on. She knew he had. Her father had told her he did. So why weren't they filed? That was a question that neither she nor her beloved science could answer. Maybe Amy hadn't been as willing to succumb to his charms as he thought…maybe it suddenly didn't matter to him if he was or wasn't divorced. She was gone. He was free. Or maybe, notion briefly flitted through her mind, he wasn't so sure he wanted the divorce. Maybe he was remembering…

God knows she still did…late at night, when sleep would leave her. She no longer cried for him at night, but that was simply because she didn't think she had anymore tears left in her for him. But the memories…those she couldn't get rid of. She recalled his voice, his scent...his touch. Vividly. Those memories regularly woke her out of a sound sleep. She rose from the stoop and let herself in her house, going back to her small bedroom.

Like most married couples, they had had disagreements…fights. But they had always made up…He'd come to her, or she would go to him. Apologies were made and accepted. Either way, she'd wind up on his lap, feeling his lips on her face…her neck…his hands slowly sliding up under her shirt…him kissing her until she was completely senseless to everything but him. Making up with Woody also meant making out…something that was not a difficult thing to do or enjoy.

Until their last fight, when she had confronted him about Amy. He had gotten so angry…so very angry, and stormed out of the house. He had been gone for two days. She had worried herself sick, but he had never called. When he finally did return, he didn't apologize. Neither did she. Soon after, the papers arrived on her desk.

She walked over to her dresser, where a small, framed picture sat. It was a picture of them on their wedding day. They both had looked so happy then. How did it all get so bad? How had it all gone so horribly wrong? Was she that bad? Tears rose in her eyes for the first time in days. She was angry, frustrated, confused…the emotions were churning. Anger finally won. She threw the picture against the wall, shattering the glass, ruining both the frame and picture.

He had her served with divorce papers and then didn't file them.

She was still married to Woody.

Damn him.