Sunshine (Norman Reedus)

17. A Truthful and Reality Conversation

          I have been back in Georgia for over a week now and it's been nice. Norman has been working a lot, which has been giving me some free time to just chill at his house or go shopping.

           I was sitting on the couch, petting Eye and going through Instagram when I heard the lock on the door turn. I looked over at the door and saw Norman walk through. I smile spreads across my face and he returns a smile. "Hey there cutie. Have a good day?" I ask him. He shuts the door behind him and walks over to me and flops onto the couch, scaring Eye off in the process.

           "I had a long night, but it was all right. Missed my girl though." He said to me. He leans over and lays his head on me and I immediately push him off and cover my nose. "Oh... Norman... I love you... I really do... but please for the love of God... go take a shower for me." I say to him. He sits back up and looks at me with a devious smile on his face. "What's wrong? Can't handle a little dirty Norman?" He asks me with that damn devious smile of his. I look into his eyes and chuckle. "I can and love dirty Norman... if you get my drift. But I can't handle this type of dirty Norman." I say to him.

           He shakes his head and gets off the couch. "You wanna join me?" He asks me. I shake my head at him and get off the couch. "As much as I would love to, I need to eat something for lunch and I'll make you something." I say to him. He looks at me for a few seconds before going upstairs to shower.

           I decided to make Norman and I these little cups of mac and cheese. You just pour some shells into a cup and microwave it and then you just pour a little milk into it and stir it and then add some shredded cheese and stir it again and then you got some mac and cheese in a cup. Sounds weird, but it's good.

           After Norman was out of the shower and we ate, we just sort of chilled the rest of the night. By the time night rolled around, Norman and I were outside on his back porch. "It's beautiful tonight." I say to Norman. I hear him agreeing with me. "You know... being born in Tennessee and growing up in Tennessee. You learn to love nature and it's beauty. Being in the city of New York... you love the beauty that man-kind made. The lights, the tall buildings... but in the south... you really do learn to appreciate nature and it's beauty." I say.

           I look over at him and smile at him. He looks over at me and returns a smile. He stretches his arm out and motions with his hand to hand him, my hand and I do just that. He grabs my hand and kisses it. "You know Piper, you are one-of-a-kind." Norman says to me. I give him a confused look and he just nervously chuckles at the face I was making.

           "This past year... a lot happened. A lot of stuff I wish I could take back and change, but I can't. Jeff and I had a conversation the night before we left for Georgia. A lot of stuff he said has really stuck with me." Norman said to me. He sits up from his chair and turns it to where it's facing me. Once he has the chair facing me, he sits back down into it. I turn my chair to face him.

           He takes a deep breath and I start to get nervous. "You are an amazing woman. Someone... I truly think I could have a life with... but... I'm not sure that I can." Norman says to me. I look at him and get even more nervous. "What are you saying, Norman? I'm a little confused." I ask him. He takes another deep breath before sighing. "I want to give us a chance. A shot at a relationship... just not right now. I work a lot, I go to fan conventions a lot, I travel for work, I have to do events and a lot of past girlfriends couldn't handle that. So a lot of them left because of it." Norman says to me.

           I look at him and I snort. He looks at me and I can see that he confused. "Norman... I know this shit. Did you forget that I've been your friend for a long time? I know why some of your girlfriends left. I know that some of them cheated on you, I know that you and a few of them are still close friends. Which I've always admired about you." I say to Norman. I get out of my chair and get on my knees in front of Norman. I look up at him and smile. "I know you work a lot. I know you do a lot of fan conventions and event for your work and you have to travel for work. I know these things. I've known them for a while." I say to Norman.