BROOKS I knew seeing her dad with that woman was bothering her but I didn't want to push her into talking about it if she wasn't ready to. After we ate, I took her and Jonah bowling. I knew it would take her mind off of her dad. At first, she still seemed bothered but after her second time up to bowl, she got more into it. Jonah won the first game and Crystal won the second. I haven't bowled in years so I just let them have fun competing. When we left the bowling alley, I asked Crystal if she was ready to head home and she said," Honestly, No. I really don't feel like going home right now."I said Ok. Why don't you come back to the house with us and you and I can hang out in my room? She said that was fine with her and we headed to the house. After we went inside Jonah said he was going to his room so Crystal and I went to my room and she laid back on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I laid down next to her and asked her what was on her mind. She said,"Nothing is

BROOKSAfter I dropped Crystal and Jonah off at school, I headed to my meeting. I pulled up in front of a small building and waited on the other person to show up. While I waited in my car, I went over my papers again to make sure I had everything in order. When the person I was waiting on pulled in, I got out and shook his hand. He walked me through the building and I was happy with what I was looking at. I handed him the paperwork and he looked through it. He said everything seemed to be in order and he handed me a set of keys. After he left, I stood there looking around and smiled. I finally took the step and am about to open a card game shop. If it weren't for Crystal, I probably wouldn't have actually done this. I want to make her proud to call me hers and I think me doing this will show her I am serious about being a better person not just for myself but for her as well. I called one of my friends who shared the same dream as me and I told him what I just done. He said he wanted

BROOKSSeeing her face light up when she saw the inside of the house made this day so much more special. I knew the moment I saw the inside pictures that this was the house for me and for us. It is simple yet it has arched doorways and barn wood bookshelves in the living room, It has a garden tub in the master bath with a glass stand-up shower with bench, Hardwood floors except in the bedrooms and a double closet in the master bedroom. The guest room has a bathroom in it and has a spacious closet. In the foyer by the door there is a half bath or powder room as I've heard it called before. The backyard has a privacy fence all the way around it and there is a hot tub on the porch. There is a stone firepit in the yard and a stone grill built off the side of the porch. It's private and that's what I wanted. I can play in the garage and even make a little man cave in there or I can make Crystal an area for writing. I have so many ideas and I can not wait until we can bring them to life tog

BROOKSAfter walking Crystal home, I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about how she didn't say she loved me before I walked away. I went and sat on the back porch until the sun came up. I have been up all night trying to figure out what caused her to slip back into this state of mind. I can't think of anything I did, unless it was the house and what happened there. I don't think anything is going to happen. I'm pretty sure nothing came out until I pulled out. Damnit. I am always careful. Why didn't I think to put one on this time? F*CK! I said out loud. Yesterday was supposed to be a happy day for me and for her but I f*cked that up. I always do. I went inside and got dressed. I told Jonah I was going out for the day and I wouldn't be back until later tonight. He asked where I was going and I told him I had some things to do for the shop. I left the house and headed to my house. I didn't know what I was going to do when I got there but it was my place and I needed my own space to think

BROOKS When I left Crystal's, I went to my mom's and told them about the house. Jonah was a little upset at first but when I told him He could move into my old room he got over it. My mom told me she was proud of me for taking this step in life and said she would be happy to help decorate it. I laughed and told her I already had a female to do that. She raised her brow at me and I said fine mom I'll spill it. Remember when I asked you about thinking about someone constantly? She nodded. I said well it wasn't some chick. It was me. I met a young woman who makes my heart race, makes me weak when I am around her and makes me want to be better. I met a young woman who unintentionally captured my floating heart in the palm of her hands. This young woman sees something in me that I want everyone around me to see. I'm sick of being labled as damaged. She is healing me, mom and I love her. My mom asked about her and I said before you freak on me, she is younger than me. I could see the worry