Life - Message From The Past

13- The Truth

Jeremy watched Stanley walk away as Gwen walked through the same doors. Happy to know he will get out of the hospital that day he gave his neighbor a smile and a casual greeting. "Hey."

Gwen looked back at Officer Stanley. "Everything okay?"

"I'm not going to worry about it." Jeremy winced as the pain hit his ribs.

"So, you're ready?"

"All set." Jeremy peeked around Gwen to see her youngest daughter. "Hello, Harmony. Thanks for coming!"

The cutest little princess Jeremy ever seen looked up and asked. "Feeling better, Mr. Fartham?"

"I am." Jeremy smiled for Harmony then looked to Gwen. "And I am ready to get out of here."

Gwen shook her head. "What's your rush?"

"I can think of a few things." He expected Gwen to see things the same way. "The smell?"

"Seems they helped you through your accident." Gwen raised her eyebrow.

"True, I'll give you that." Jeremy nodded to his driver.

"Wow, you admitted that!" Gwen raised her eyebrows. "I wasn't expecting that." She smiled at the unexpected confession.

"Well..." Jeremy chuckled.

"Let's go, mom! I need to talk business with, Mr. Fartham." Harmony had one thing on her mind ~ Jeremy's dog, Charlie.

"Oh really?" Gwen looked at Jeremy and spoke in a muffled voice. "You're about to lose your dog."

Jeremy swallowed hard.

Harmony grabbed Jeremy by a hand and pulled him towards Gwen's SUV. "Let's talk sleepovers."

"Sleepovers?" Jeremy looked at Gwen. "Teaching your kids negotiating skills at a young age, eh?"

Gwen could only smile as she followed Harmony and Jeremy to the SUV. The young girl spoke nonstop and the man looked a little tense but he nodded with each question. "Uh-huh."

Gwen stopped in her tracks, seeing Jeremy opening the back passenger door for her daughter. Without hesitation he whisked Harmony onto her seat. The two laughed as he fastened her seatbelt.

Speaking to herself, Gwen marveled at her neighbor. "He's a natural, I never would have thought. But she's the easy one. Try the teenagers, Caveman!" She let out the smallest of laughs, careful not to let Jeremy hear.

Jeremy looked back at Gwen who had been walking slowly across the parking lot. "Are you coming? Gwen?"

Gwen snapped out of her trance. "What? Oh yeah. Be right there." She turned away from Jeremy. "Damn it Gwen, you swore off men years ago!"

"Gwen?" Jeremy didn't know what to make of her odd behavior. "We're over here. The negotiator and the man who is losing his dog. Hello!"

Gwen laughed, and as she turned back towards Jeremy the sun broke out from behind a bank of clouds. A golden halo engulfed the woman and his jaw dropped.

Jeremy began to question himself. Damn, when did she get so hot? Crazy how you never noticed her before. Too busy working, pruning trees, cutting the grass, and painting your fence. You have definitely been missing out on someone who has been right next door. Well, don't miss out on any more! Try to have an intelligent conversation with her. Married men live longer! Why the hell are you thinking about marriage?

Gwen made her way to the SUV. "Jump in!"

Her voice pried Jeremy from his thoughts. "Yeah, yeah. Maybe I'll just ease in? Jumping will take a while." Jeremy joked.