𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙶𝙴𝚃 𝙷𝙴𝚁࿐ ྂ ᴊᴇꜰꜰ ʙᴜᴄᴋʟᴇʏ

ꜰᴏʀᴛʏ-ᴏɴᴇ

JEFF FEVERISHLY PACKED BELONGINGS IN HIS DUFFEL,

he had left packing for the tour until the last minute. It was nearly one AM and Dave, one of Jeff's managers who was also acting as his tour manager was going to be picking him up at eight for their flight to Vancouver.

Polly pulled the comforter over her face, just wanting to go back to sleep again. Eventually, after Jeff had finished packing, and running up and down the stairs repeatedly after realizing he'd forgotten something, he flicked off the lamp and crawled into bed next to Polly.

He kissed her shoulder softly as he muttered a quiet goodnight and an I love you, falling asleep quickly. It took Polly longer to sleep, wondering what it'd be like while he was gone. She'd keep herself busy enough to hopefully not even miss his absence, but she knew that was near impossible the more she thought of it.

He was always there, there when she got home from work, when she went to sleep and when she awoke. He was even there while she worked. For some reason she had a gnawing feeling that Jeff wouldn't miss her nearly as much as Polly would miss him. She couldn't put her finger on why.

Jeff had the same gnaw, thinking Polly wouldn't miss him as much as he would miss her. They were both clueless.

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Rain slid down the windowpanes, and Polly stuck her hand out the window, feeling the heavy droplets fall on her warm palm.

She wiped it away on her baggy jeans and closed the window. Jeff sat in the living room, stuffing his last few items away and placing his Tele carefully in its peeling hard case.

Polly had been checking the clock for what seemed like every minute since they'd awoken, it read 7:30.

Half an hour and he'd be gone. Only until March, she reminded herself. Not truly 'gone.' She sipped on her coffee Jeff had gotten her.

He'd woken up early and walked to Cornelia's, the scones and coffee he picked up he'd given to her along with a note he'd explained he'd written while he waited for the coffee. But he'd instructed her to not open it right away, only when she 'really missed him.'

She could already feel herself really missing him, but left the note unopened on the coffee table, respecting his wishes.

As the clock crept closer to eight, they finished their breakfast and the morning felt like any other morning they shared in their apartment, Jeff making it easy for Polly to forget what she was counting down to.

The previous day she'd written him a letter, nothing serious, just something she knew he'd appreciate. He was constantly writing her things, be it poems or joking songs, longer letters and rhymes jotted down on napkins, torn out pages of a notebook- anything he could get his hands on. So even though throughout their relationship, Polly had consistently told Jeff she couldn't write, that she 'wished' she had the same talent as he did, she wrote one stupid love letter.

She slipped the note into his coats pocket while he hugged her, one of the many embraces of the morning.

East 12th street was coated in rain and dirty slush from old snow as a Columbia company car pulled up, and Dave stepped out.

Polly knew him slightly, partly through Jeff and partly seeing him at work. She was glad he was Jeff's manager, and even though he'd managed much wilder, drug-infused acts before, Polly could certainly see how Jeff could be difficult to manage.

Dave was dressed in slacks and a nice jacket, his long hair pulled back. He looked funny next to Jeff, hair still messy from his sleep and both his pants and jacket wrinkled.

He greeted them both then stepped back into the car, letting the couple say their goodbyes.

"I'll call you when we get there."

"It's okay if you're too busy you don't-" Polly of course wanted him to call, she wanted him to call whenever he could. But she didn't want to seem overbearing, or needy. Which he wouldn't ever think her to be that way. But she still had her worries.

"No, I'm gonna." He cut her off as he hugged her. She hugged back, before pulling away to kiss him. "I'm not gonna be gone too long." He said, his voice soft as he pulled away from the kiss.

"I know, I tried to get time off to come to a few shows-"

"I know." He cut her off again, this time with another kiss. "I know." He repeated.

Though they wouldn't be apart for very long, the last time he'd gone away, they'd broken up. This time it wasn't as long as the five months he spent in California, but still.

"I love you, okay?" He told her, saying it like it would solve all of her doubts and worries. And when it came from him, it almost did.

"I know, I love you too."

With that Jeff stepped into the car, his wave just barely visible through the heavily tinted windows.

The weather mirrored Polly's mood as she walked back into her apartment building. It felt weird being in their place without Jeff's constant playing and his voice accompanying it.

So she shrugged on a coat and made her way to Cornelia street cafe, the atmosphere of her old job was nostalgic.

The food tasted the same, as did the espresso. It was comforting that some things don't change, no matter if her whole world was wildly different then it was nearly four years ago.

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