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Eleanor took the check with shaky fingers Her eyes widened at the figure "Ephrai on here? You can’t afford this"

Ephrai alone not because I can’t afford it I’

"I’ll say" Jill’s eyes were the size of saucers

"Seems I have a rich daddy," Chris teased

"Are you sure?" Eleanor asked

"Yes, I love this house"

She smiled and nodded "Thank you, Ephraih"

"We have to move?" Joshua asked His eyes shot to Madison "I don’t want to ain"

"Shh, sweetie it’s Ephrairoaned "Eleanor, I a the kids out of their ho you out"

"You’re confusing me," Eleanor admitted

"I may own it now, but this is your hoer a boarding house, although we uests from time to time I’d like the kids to have a hoers all the time and they’re free to be themselves" He stood up and stretched

"Other than that you run it however you please" He opened his wallet and pulled out several hundred dollar bills and held theroceries Tell everyone else since they didn’t pay you for the week they’ll have to go elsewhere to eat today You guys can sit down and have a nice faet back wake me up and we’ll hit the mall, okay?"

Eleanor’s pride stopped her froe and cupboards were completely empty Ephraim thrust the money into her hand "Eleanor, I’m very tired I’ve been awake for over three days so let’s cut to the chase You live in randchildren, randdaughter Please take pity on o back to bed"

"Ephraim, we can’t accept your charity," Madison said

"Madison, it’s not charity My son needs to eat" He was surprised how easily that rolled off his tongue Chris turned to hide a smile "My favorite ten year old and fifteen year old dranored her

"Also, Eleanor needs to eat so that she can keep up with the kids and e this household It’s not charity"

"Yes it is!"

His hands thrust through his hair "Have pity, woman I’m exhausted!"

"Don’t do this because of me," she said stubbornly

"Baby, even if you didn’t live here I would still be doing this Eleanor has taken care of ood tothis house just to keep her here I would also do it for the kids I don’t care who lives here I am the man of this house I will pay the bills and put food on the table I don’t expect anything from anyone"

"Thank you, Ephrailoaroing to stay," he said, hoping to end this and crawl back to bed

She nodded, s "If you’ll have us I would very ood home"

"It’s your home, Eleanor Don’t ever think it’s not"

"But-" Madison began

He threw his hands up in exhaustion "I really wish people would stop starting every sentence with ’but’" He walked over to the couch and took her hands into his as he dropped to his knees

"Baby, please you’re killingfrom you I just want to make sure that we have a roof over our heads I don’t want to come home to an eether with their Grand this makes me happy? Do you have any idea how lonely I’ve been and for how long?"