Sunshine (Norman Reedus)

39. Face of Sadness

**NORMAN'S POV**

           As I ran out of Piper's apartment building, I waved my hands for a cab. Thankfully, a cab stopped and I jumped in and told the cab driver my address.

          It wasn't long till I was out of the cab and back in my apartment. I slammed the door behind me and crumbled to the floor. I put my hands against my face and started to sob. How can I fix this? How can I tell her without this embarrassment? I love Piper with every inch of my soul. There isn't a single piece of me that doesn't love her. That doesn't want her in my life.

          I feel something rubbing against my legs. I lift my head up and see Eye in front of me. I chuckle at him. "Hey, little dude." I say as I pet Eye, who immediately drops to the floor and starts to purr. I stroke his fur a few more times before getting off the floor and going into the bathroom and taking a shower.

          After my shower, I hear a knock on my door. I let out a sigh and walk to the door, gently pushing Eye aside. I look in the peephole and see Mingus and Helena. I open  the door and Mingus engulfs me in a hug. I let out a breath as he knocks the air out of me. "Why do I get the honor of having this hug?" I ask Mingus. Mingus pulls away and shakes his head with a smile. I open the door more and allow Helena into the apartment.

          "What's going on?" I ask her. Helena shrugs her shoulders. "Mingus is gonna be gone for a few months starting next week, so he decided that we should have a family day." Helena says to me. I look over at Mingus and smile. "You excited?" I ask him as I walk over to where he was and sit down on the couch.

          Mingus nodded his head at me. "Hell, yeah. I'm gonna take so many photos and make some amazing memories." Mingus says as he sits down on the floor and starts to play with Eye. I look over at Helena and let out a chuckle. When he sat on the floor, he looked so much like he did when he was a kid.

          A couple of weeks ago, Mingus revealed to Helena and I that he had a girlfriend. Helena and I were both happy for him. Helena was a little upset because he already had speculated it and knew that Mingus had more than likely already told Piper. Which is when Helena revealed to me she was pissed at herself for being the way she was in Costa Rica with Piper. Giving her looks and barely talking to her.

           I was dragged out of my thoughts when Mingus cleared his throat. I look at Mingus and give him a confused look. "I said... do you think that maybe Piper will wanna come over? I'm gonna be gone for a while. I'd like to see her. More importantly I'd like to see her with all of us. As a family." Mingus asks me. I just stared at him for a few seconds before looking away. "Bud... I don't know. She and I... we haven't exactly fixed it, yet." I say to Mingus.

           I see Mingus' face show sadness, which killed me inside. He loved Piper. Hell we all loved Piper.

          I told Helena and Mingus that I had cheated. Which isn't what happened, but it was better than saying I was taken advantage of. They were disappointed in me. They still are.

           "Do you think she'd mind if I called her? Just to ask?" Mingus asks me. I look into his eyes and I want to tell him that it isn't worth it because she wouldn't do it. Especially now since I just bolted out of her apartment. But, I shrug my shoulders at him. Maybe she will for him.

          I watch Mingus pull out his phone and start to call Piper. Then he hangs up. Helena and I both give him a confused look. Mingus looks up at me and smiles. "Maybe if she sees my face she won't be able to say no." Mingus says to us. I let out a chuckle, as does Helena.