"Lunch will be ready in a few minutes."
Felipa returned with the children as she was putting lunch on the table. Once again mealtime was silent. Felipa kept watching Alex, as if she expected him to make an announcement. Fortunately, he didn't. In fact, it was Felipa who made the announcement - that she was taking an early flight back home. She would be missed, both for her help and her personality, but it was time for the household to get back to some semblance of normal. What had started off with an adventure had turned into a nightmare.
The next morning after Alex left for work, Carmen took Felipa to the airport. The children all hugged her and begged her to come back soon. Felipa turned to Carmen, hugging her.
"I am glad he came back to you. I knew he would."
It was tempting to tell her that he wasn't really back - to talk to her about the fear that lay in her heart. In the end she let Felipa leave thinking all was well.
Katie called before Carmen left the airport and said she wanted to take the children to Silver Dollar City with her. Maybe it was a good idea. She agreed and dropped them off at Katie's on the way home. She told Katie that Alex was back, but said nothing about their current situation. They didn't need anything to worry about.
On the way home she decided to stop at the clinic and see if Alex wanted to go out to lunch. He'd be getting off at noon anyway. Maybe it would help if they spent a little time alone. Alex was talking to a man in his office. He glanced up and for a moment they gazed at each other. Then his attention was back on the man. The office was busy. Saundra beeped him and said his flight to Texas was booked for 3 pm. Carmen walked out of the office without talking to anyone. So he was going back to Texas. Well, she couldn't blame him. She hadn't exactly welcomed him home. Still, he could have told her what he planned to do.
She hadn't been home more than fifteen minutes when he drove into the garage. He came in and glanced around.
"Where are the kids?"
"They're with Katie and Bill. They're going to take them to Branson for a few days."
He nodded, motioning for her to follow him. "Come here, I need to talk to you."
Carmen's stomach twisted into a knot as she followed him upstairs to his office. This was it. He was going to ask for a divorce.