Well here it is! The longest chapter known to man kind! This chapter is gonna be huge in more ways than one! Not only was it just a long chapter to write but there is a huge turning point in this story! I'm keeping this short because this chapter is so long!

Happy reading! Xxxxx

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Then

"I miss you so much!" I said into the camera. Jeffrey smiled into the camer while puffing on a cigarette. "I miss you too, babe. Only three more weeks and you're all mine," he said while blowing out cigarette smoke. I blew him akiss and sat up in the bed.

"Are you wearing my shirt?" he asked me. I nodded. "It smells like you," I said. His smile brightened. "It looks good on you," he said while stamping out his cigarette. "You need to get some sleep," I said while laying back in the bed taking the laptop with me.

"I know, but I like talking to you more," he said. I could see the sleep heavy in his face. "There's always tomorrow," I said. Jeffrey took his glasses off and rubbed his face. "I know," he said softly. "Alright, since you're not going to hang up, I will. Sleep sweet, darling," I said while blowing him a kiss.

Jeffrey acted like he caught it. "I love you," he said. I smiled. It never got old hearing that. "I love you too," I said before hitting the sign off button. I closed the laptop and then snuggled into the bed hoping to fall asleep quickly and dream about J.D.

~~

Now

"Ronnie? Are you okay?" Jeffrey asked. I finally snapped out of it and locked eyes with him. "Right, sorry, fine. Yeah, I'm fine. Come on in!" I said opening the door a little wider for him. He walked in and kicked off his wet shoes before turning to face me.

He popped his eyebrow before looking down at his full hands. "Right, um, board games and movies can go here. Pizza in the kitchen," I said while grabbing the movies from him. I sat them on the coffee table and gestured towards the kitchen doorway.

"You can just sit it on the kitchen table," I said. He nodded and headed off towards the kitchen. I took my opportunity and grabbed a wet wipe to get the makeup off my face. I looked at my living room with wide eyes. It was a mess from our blanket fort.

Jeffrey came back into the living room. He had gotten rid of his coat. "Sorry about the mess. Charlie and I build forts on rainy days," I said while starting to take it down. "Leave it, Ronnie," he said. I kept my focus on the fort but nodded. "Where is she?" he asked.

I noddede towards the hallway. "She was going to get a mirror for her makeup, but I think she got lost," I said. Jeffrey smiled as I called out for her. "Charlie! Can you come here!" I called through the house. Her little feet started padding on the floor softly.

"I got the mirror, momma!" she exclaimed as she rounded the corner. She haulted as soon as she saw I wasn't alone. She looked between me and Jeffrey. Her head dropped and she instantly became shy. "It's okay, Charlie," I said as I bent down to her level.

"Do you know the farm we stop at on the way to Aunt Brittany's?" I asked her. She nodded, but didn't say anything. "Well this is Mr. Jeffrey. He owns the farm. Momy and him used to be friends," I said. Charlie looked up and right past me to Jeffrey.

"You own the farm?" she asked him directly. I looked behind me to see that Jeffrey had squatted down to make his lanky self seem smaller. "I do," he said softly. "You gave me your hat," she said. He nodded with a small smile. "That I did," he said.

She handed the mirror to me. "It's in my room. Wanna see?" she asked. I looked back at Jeffrey who looked at me. I nodded and stood up. Jeffrey stood up as well and took afew hesitant steps toward Charlie. I stepped out of the way to give him some room.

"Come on," Charlie said holding out her hand to him. I stepped past Jeffrey towards the kitchen. "I'm gonna go get the pizza. I'll give you two a minute," I said. Jeffrey nodded and took Charlie's hand. She instantly drug him towards her room.

I walked into the kitchen and grabbed some plates from the cabinet. I put a couple slices on each plate and toke them all to the living room. I grabbed some water for Jeffrey and me and a juice box for Charlie. I took down part of the fort so we could sit around the coffee table.

I walked down the hallway to Charlie's bedroom. "And these are my ponies. Do you have ponies on your farm?" I heard her ask Jeffrey. "Well, I don't have any ponies, but I do have donkeys. They're like ponies except they stay little forever. And they make really funny sounds," Jeffrey said.

"They do?!" I could hear the excitement in her voice. "Yep! They sound like this......hee-haw!" I covered my mouth trying to hide my laugh. Charlie's giggles filled the air followed by Jeffrey's hearty laughter. I came around the corner and popped my head through Charlie's doorway.

Jeffrey was sitting on the floor with Charlie. She was wearing his cowboy hat and she put on a dress up outfit over her regular clothes. Jeffrey grabbed one of Charlie's play horses and acted like it was trotting across the floor. "Hey," I said deciding it was the best time to interrupt them.

Jeffrey stopped midmovement and looked up at me. "Hey yourself," he said putting the horse down. He stood up and stretched. "Mommy, Mr. Jeffrey has donkeys on his farm! They sound like this.....hee-haw!" Charlie exclaimed before bursting into a fit of giggles.

I laughed too. "Are you ready for some pizza?" I asked and she nodded before taking off down the hall. I walked out behind her. "She's a great kid," Jeffrey said from behind me. "She is, but just wait. She's just excited because there is someone new around," I said.

By the time we got to the living room Charlie was already halfway throug hher first piece of pizza. "Woah, slow down, baby girl. We don't want you to get choked," I stood behind her and pulled her hair up to make sure it stayed out of her food.

Charlie put her pizza down and grabbed her juice box, handing it to Jeffrey. "Can you open this?" she asked. "Can you open this what?" I asked her in return. "Can you open this please?" she asked again. Jeffrey smiled as he sat on the floor across from her.

"Sure, kid," he said. "You don't have to sit on the floor," I told him. He handed Charlie her juice box back before looking up at me. "It's fine. Why don't you join us?" he asked pastting the seat beside him. I looked between him and Charlie. "I won't bite, I promise," he said.

I slowly sunk down beside him as he dug into his pizza. I looked over at Charlie who wasn't paying any attenton to what was going on. "Not hungry?" Jeffrey asked me quietly. I looked over to see he had almost polished off both of his pieces.

"Do you want some more?" I asked about to get up. Jeffrey's hand enclosed around my wrist. "Sit, eat, I can get my own," he said before standing up and heading towards the kitchen. I quickly took a bite of my pizza and sighed as I chewed.

Jeffrey came back to the living room and sat down silently. "Do you like board games, Charlie?" he asked her as he took another bite of his pizza. I sat silently taking in the conversation around me. "I like Candy Land!" Charlie piped up. He smiled.

"Well, lucky for you, I brought it!" Jeffrey said reaching over and grabbing a board game off the pile of stuff he brought. Charlie squealed. "Can we play?" she asked excitedly. "How about after we eat and clean up?" Jeffrey asked her. She nodded. "Okay, well then finish your pizza and we'll play," he said.

Charlie took a couple more bites of her pizza before wiping her face with her sleeve. "Done!" Charlie said. I stood up and grabbed her plate along with mine. "Go wash your hands and face first," I said. She ran off and I turned to Jeffrey going to grab his plate.

"Done?" I asked him. "I can get it," he said but I shook my head and grabbed his plate. "It's okay, I got it. Set up the board game. She'll be out here before you know it," I said before heading towards the kitchen. I scraped the leftovers into the trash and put the plates in the sink.

I leaned against the counter and sighed. I felt like I needed to catch my breath since Jeffrey had showed up. I grabbed my phone and opened a new text message to Jensen.

Thanks for telling J.D. where I lived!

I quickly hit send and opened another new text message to Brittany.

Jeffrey showed up yesterday. Jensen told him where I lived. He aske to meet Charlie. I tole him we could meet at the park today. But it's raining. I asked if we could reschedule. He never texted me back. Instead he showed up with pizza, movies, and games. He is currently sitting in the living room floor setting up Candy Land.

I quickly his send and put my phone down when Charlie called out. "Are you coming to play, mommy?" she asked. I ran some water over the dishes as my phone dinged. "Just a second! I want to be yellow!" I called out as I grabbed my phone.

Thank me later!

Jensen. I rolled my eyes.

It's about damn time! Good for him taking charge and barging his way in! Now, get off your phone!

Brittany. I rolled my eyes again and sat my phone back on the counter. "Momma!" Charlied whined impatiently. "I'm coming!" I called walking into the living room to find both of them waiting on me.

~~

"I can't believe she fell asleep," Jeffrey said as we picked up the mess in the living room. I looked over at Charlie snoozing soundly on the couch. We had played Candy Land twice before watching a movie where Charlie promptly fell asleep on the couch between us.

"I can. It's about that time of the day," I said folding the sheets and putting them back behind the chair. "I figured she was too old for naps," he said picking up the pieces to Candy Land and putting them back in the box. I shook my head. "She doesn't usually nap during the week because of school. But on the weekends she usually naps for about an hour or so," I said putting the living room back in order.

I headed towards the kitchen. "I'm gonna do the dishes real quick," I said. I heard Jeffrey's steps right behind me. "Let me help," he said. I shook my head. "It's okay. You can stay in here though," I said. Jeffrey grabbed a dish towel in protest. "No, I insist. You wash, I'll dry," he said.

I turned silently to the sink and Jeffrey stepped in beside me. We worked quietly. I washed, he dried and put away. "Thanks," I mumbled as we finished the dishes and he handed me the dish towel to dry my hands. Jeffrey leaned against the counter beside me while I hung the towel up.

"You don't have to stay. She'll be asleep for a bit," I told him. "I was, uh, actually hoping we could talk," he said. I ran a hand through my hair. "Okay, let's sit on the front porch. I don'tr want to wake her," I said and he nodded. "Want something to drink?" I asked.

"Water would be great, thanks," he said. I grabbed him a bottle of water and myself a beer from the fridge. "Woah," he said as I handed him his water and he noticed what I grabbed. "What?" I asked him as I popped the cap off on the counter. "I didn't think this talk required alcohol," he said. I shrugged. "It might. Let's go," I said walking through the house and heading to the front porch with multiple thoughts in my head.

~~

Twenty minutes. That's how long we sat on the porch not saying a word. Neighbors passed walking their dogs. They smiled and waved. Some looked confused. They probably wondered what little old me was doing with a celebrity on my doorstep.

Looking at him, scruffy, with his beanie cap, glasses, and ripped jeans, he didn't look like someone famous, but I'm sure he's still recognizable. "Say something," I whispered finally breaking the silence between us. Jeffrey shifted beside me. "What do you want me to say?" he asked me.

I drank the rest of my beer and stood up. "Honestly?" I don't even know," I said facing away from him. "She's a good kid," he said. I nodded. "She is," I said in return. I heard the chair grown under his weight as he stood up. "I'd like to get to know her more," he said.

I nodded again. "I know," I said. I felt Jeffrey's pressence behind me. "I don't feel like I should have to ask, but respectfully I will. I think today went well. Can I see Charlie again?" he asked me. I bit my lip and stayed silent. "I need you to talk to me," he said.

I felt his chest against my back. I fought the urge to lay back against him. "I'm scared," I said. "Why?" he asked me quietly. I shrugged my shoulders. I knew why. I just didn't trust my voice to tell him. Jeffrey's hand rested on my shoulder. He nudged me lightly to turn me around.

"Look at me," he said when I wouldn't look him in the eyes. I slowly glanced up at him. His hazel eyes locked with my brown ones. "If this is going to work there has to be communication," he said. I nodded. "Okay, so tell me, why are you scared?" he asked me while taking a step back to give me some space.

I cleared my throat. "She's just a kid," I said. Jeffrey nodded. "Yes, I know. What's your point?" he asked me. I hopped up on the banister. "She doesn't understand. She'll get attached and then you'll be gone until God knows when," I said.

Jeffrey crossed his arms over his chest. "So we cross that bridge when we come to it. She's a child, but she's not dumb. We will make her understand," he said. I laughed. "You make it sound so easy," I said. Jeffrey shrugged. "Or you're just making it difficult," he said bluntly.

"I just don't want her to get attachd and then you'll be gone and I have to deal with her. You'll be gone and won't see how she'll be acting. But she'll be upset. She'll be hurt," I said. Jeffrey took the beanie off his head and ran his hand through his hair.

"I understand all of that. But just because I'm gone doesn't mean we can't see each other. I can skype with Charlie and call her when I'm gone," he said. "You sound like you have this all figured out," I said. He shrugged. "I've been thinking a lot since I figured out about Charlie," he said.

"It sounds like you've done some serious thinking," I said. Jeffrey nodded. "I have. I've done a lot. I'm hoping we can make this work," he said. "Charlie would like that," I said. Jeffrey took a step towards me. "And what about you?" he asked me. A small smile formed.

"Yeah, I would like that too," I said. Jeffrey smiled. "Good, do you think she's awake?" he asked. I shrugged. "Not sure, but she needs to get up anyway," I said getting off the banister. "I need to be heading out anyway," he said as we walked into the houes.

Charlie was stretching and yawning. "Good morning, Sunshine," I said. Charlie giggled. "It's not morning, momma," she said kicking the blankets off. Jeffrey sat beside Charlie. "I gotta get going, kiddo," he said. Charlie frowned. "Don't be sad. I have to go feed the donkeys," he said.

Charlie smiled. "Can I come?" she asked. I shook my head. "Maybe another time," I said. "You can come help me feed them one day. Would you like that?" he asked Charlie. She nodded. "Good, can I get a hug goodbye?" he asked and Charlie jumped in his arms.

I watched them embrace and something inside of me stirred. Jeffrey stood up. "Be good for your momma," he siad as he grabbed his coat. "See you later, Ronnie," he said before walking out the door. I looked over at Charlie who had a smile on her face without a clue in the world.

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MY HANDS! MY FINGERS! Dear God that was a long one! I don't even have any authors note!

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