The Way We Were (A Jeffrey Dean Morgan Story)

Chapter 38

"I'll have to look when I go get ready," I told him. He hummed in response and still continued to hold on to my hand. With his other hand his fingers drummed lightly on the arm rest.

"What time will the sitter be here?" I asked him wondering who he had lined up. I didn't even bother asking because something told me that he wasn't going to tell me. "About a quarter til five. It's going to take us almost an hour to get there. It's Friday and it's L.A. everyone will be out grabbing dinner tonight," he said.

I released his hand and stood up stretching the stiffness out of my body. I turned and looked at him. "It's two-thirty. I'm gonna get Charlie to lay down and take a nap and then I'll start getting ready," I said. I looked down at Jeffrey. He pushed his sunglasses down his nose and his hazel eyes locked with mine.

"I thought you were going to take a nap first?" he asked me. I shrugged my shoulders. "If I do, it won't be a long one. We have two hours before we have to leave. I won't be forever but I still want to take my time getting ready," I said. Jeffrey nodded as I helped Charlie put up her playdoh.

"Just make sure you leave some hot water for me," he said. I stood up and offered a hand to Charlie as I stuck my tongue out at Jeffrey. "Come on, Charlie, let's go lay down for a little bit," I said as we left Jeffrey on the balcony. Charlie and I made our way to the bedroom we were sleeping and Charlie jumped up in the bed.

"Alright, baby girl. Do we want to read a book?" I asked as I crawled up in the bed beside her. Charlie nodded and I grabbed one off the bed side table and opened it to the first page. Charlie snuggled into my side and held on to the other side of the book as I dove us into the world of fairytales and make believe.

~~

"Hey...Ronnie..hey, wake up," a soft voice woke me gently from my slumber. I opened my eyes and saw Jeffrey crouched down beside the bed. Charlie was curled up beside me. Her eyes were shut tight and she was snoring softly. I blinked a few times to clear my vision and looked over at Jeffrey. He smiled softly.

"Hi darling," he whispered. I sat up slowly in bed and maneuvered my way around Charlie. "Hey yourself, what time is it?" I asked him feeling like I had been asleep forever. "It's about ten til four. You have about an hour to get ready," he said. It's like my senses awoke at that point and I smelled the aftershave coming from Jeffrey.

I looked him up and down my thoroughly and saw that he was completely showered but he was still in some comfortable clothing. "I figured I would wait to get dressed until it was almost time to leave. I don't want to get something on it," he said. I chuckled as I offered him a hand to help him up.

"You sound like such a woman now," I told him. We made our way out of the bedroom and closed the door behind us so that Charlie would remain sleeping. "I'm gonna go and shower now," I told him. He nodded. "I'll be in the living room waiting for you," he said. I made my way into the bathroom and closed the door behind me.

I turned on the water and stripped my clothing while waiting on the water to warm up. I pulled the curtain back and stepped inside the shower. The hot water instantly relaxed my body and woke me up. I scrubbed and shaved all the important places before letting the water run over me and completely rinse me off.

I turned off the shower and blindly reached for a towel wrapping it around me before stepping out of the shower. I cleared the mirror of the fog and looked in it. I at least looked and seemed well rested now. I think I truly needed this vacation. I opened up the bathroom door just a hair and peeked out.

I heard the T.V. playing in the living room and took my opportunity to duck into the bedroom that Charlie and I were staying in. The door opened with a small squeak and I noticed that Charlie was no longer in the bed. I assumed she was with Jeffrey. I grabbed my cosmetic bag and a change of clothing before heading back into the bathroom.