Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer. I make no money from my ramblings. /PSA
**Alice ~ D-Day**
Tonight was the night; I'd been planning and working toward this moment for a little over six weeks. I was waiting on my husband to come home from yet another brutal twenty hour shift at the hospital so I could present him with dissolution papers. From the outside looking in I would seem to be the most selfish, heartless bitch to ever walk this planet, but tonight was me finally being selfless when it came to this man. He'll argue, he'll tell me he doesn't want me to go… but it all comes back to that night two months ago. He has never and will never look at me like he looked at her that night.
I should hate her, but I can't. She has never given him any encouragement or even so much as a sideways glance. She loves our son beyond all measure. If I had to pick a step-mother for my child, I would pick her. She is a good person. I think we could be friends if we tried.
I should hate him, but I can't. He has never and would never be unfaithful to me. He has and would continue to throw away his own happiness for me. I can't let him do it anymore. He was, is, and hopefully always will be my best friend.
I finally had to admit to myself that while I loved him, but I was never in love with him. I liked our life together and I would have continued on like this… if I hadn't seen the unguarded look in his eyes that night. I picked up my wine glass and thought back on the night my world changed.
"Fuck, Ali… I am never going to another hospital benefit again. Quote me on it this time, OK?"
"You say that every year, Ed, and every year, your mom puts on the puppy eyes and you fold like cheap laundry."
"I know. I suck and I'm a huge mama's boy. Go ahead and laugh; —you know you're dying to. I can't believe it's almost four4 . Should we even bother waking Bella?"
"If she's asleep, don't wake her. If she's still awake, I'll tell her to crash on the couch. I don't want her driving this late."
"I'm not pulling into the garage. The damn door is still making that awful racket and I don't want to wake Jeremy, OK?"
We silently entered through the kitchen door. Bella had obviously lost her battle with exhaustion early tonight, because she and Jeremy were passed out on my living room floor in the midst of what appeared to be an epic Lego battle. We never came in to a mess or people sleeping on the floor when Bella was in charge, so I knew they must have been playing really hard tonight. I smiled softly seeing them curled up together like kittens.
I whispered to my husband, "Ed, I'm gonna put Jeremy into bed. Can you grab some blankets for Bella?"
I was coming back down the hallway toward the living room, when some instinct told me to stop and not make my presence known. I peeked around the hallway corner to see my husband lift our sleeping sitter into his arms and take her over to the couch. He covered her with a quilt and smoothed her tangled hair back, brushing his thumb gently across her cheek. She smiled in her sleep and turned her head into his touch for a second before snuggling down into the cushions. For one brief moment when he turned around, I clearly saw the longing on his face before he shook his head and mechanically started cleaning up the legosLego mess.
I leaned back against the wall and felt a painful thump in my chest. I had known this man literally my entire life and for the last six years, I had been his wife. He had never looked at me as if I were the oxygen his lungs craved. I naively believed I could live with that when we decided to get married, but the pain told me I had been dreadfully wrong.
That was when the idea of letting him go took root in my brain. It hurt knowing I would never be enough for him, but I never deluded myself into thinking we'd married for love. I thought it had grown between us over the years, and to a small degree it had, but it wasn't what anybody could term a fairy tale romance.
I spoke to Edward's mother a few days later. She loved me like her own child, and she felt no need to pull her punches with me.
"Ali, darling you know I love you to bits, but it's surprising to me it's taken you six years to realize you two aren't meant to be together like this."
"I'm so confused, Esme! I do love him, and I know he loves me… but there never were any grand declarations or consuming passions between us. I thought what we had was solid because it was built on a good friendship, mutual respect, and a desire to do right by Jeremy."
"If you remember, Carlisle and I tried to talk Edward into holding off on marriage. Your parents tried the same. We understood that you guys felt it was the right thing to do when you got pregnant, but you weren't even dating each other, sweetheart. You were both so young and so sure you could force yourselves to fall in love. I am just incredibly thankful you haven't destroyed your friendship along the way."
"I hear the BUT in that."
"But… if either of you ever did truly fall in love you might come to resent each other. Neither of you have it in you to carry on an illicit affair, thankfully. Neither of you would want to hurt the other by admitting feelings for someone else. Both of you would feel guilty for having those other feelings. It would build up eventually, Ali."
"I need to let him go, Esme. I can't get that look out of my mind, and it's killing me that loyalty to me is preventing him from really being happy."
"He won't let you leave for him, Ali. You know that."
"I'm not going to tell him until everything is arranged. I'll find a place close to the house, get all of the paperwork in order, and just lay it all out. We're both rational adults and we're still good friends. We can make this work."
Concern radiated from Esme's warm green eyes, but she smiled at me.
"You are a good person, Mary Alice Cullen. You will always be my daughter, and I hope you find a special man who looks at you like you're his entire universe. You deserve that just as much as Edward does, dear."
I started getting things in order the very next day. Luck smiled on me, because the couple who lived three houses down suddenly found themselves needing to move as quickly as they could. Alec Moretti's elderly parents were in need of full time care, and his wife Gianna was more than happy to provide it. He was able to arrange for a transfer from Seattle to Atlanta… but he needed to be completely moved into his new position within a month.
I tapped into my trust fund to put down a substantial chunk of the purchase price, which made it easier for me to arrange for a mortgage. Alec was willing to fast track the closing as much as possible and the bank was very cooperative since their risk was minimal due to my large down payment. I was glad that I hadn't become a stay- at- home mother after I graduated, because I wasn't going to take anything from Ed in the dissolution. I knew of the arguments to come that would likely end up being one of the bigger ones since he felt he should be supporting me, but between my trust fund and my position at an architectural design firm I wouldn't be hurting financially.
I closed on the house twenty-five days after Alec accepted my final offer, and began the task of furnishing it. Most of the furnishings we had were things Esme picked when Ed bought the house, and I didn't mind leaving it all. I started taking my personal items in small increments, hoping he wouldn't notice my shrinking wardrobe or dwindling book collection. Jeremy's room at my new home was almost identical to his room in Ed's house, and since I was so close we shouldn't have any issues working out visits and such.
Three days before I was planning to tell Ed I was moving out, I was called into a meeting at work and offered a Junior Partner position. It would require some travel, spending two weeks out of each month at our Portland office, but I couldn't turn it down. I delayed my move another week so that I could settle into my new office and get my first short trip to Portland out of the way before upending everything else in my life.
Since Ed was working these appalling doubles while I was going to be away, we sent Jeremy to spend a few days with Esme and Carlisle. I explained to Esme that I wouldn't be picking him up until the day after I got back into town as I was planning to give Ed the papers that night.
Which brought me back full circle. He would be here any minute and I was going to be strong, no matter what. He deserved to be crazy in love with his wife, and over the course of all of this madness I'd realized Esme was right. I deserved better, too. I wanted a man who couldn't live without me, and Ed would never be that man.
I was refilling my wine when I heard his key in the lock. I reached for another glass, knowing he would need one after such a long shift.
"Hey, Ed… can you come in here?"
I heard his footsteps coming through the kitchen, and my nerves tightened. I knew this was going to hurt both of us initially, and the thought of causing him pain distressed me.
I felt him behind me just before he leaned over to kiss me on top of my head. That was how he always kissed me, and I felt the familiar twinge at the lack of physical affection between us. The only time he ever kissed my lips were the infrequent occasions we were intimate. It steeled my resolve and I tried to smile as I handed him his wine.
"Ed, I have something I need to tell you. You aren't going to like hearing it, but I want to get it all out, OK?"
His face scrunched up with concern, but he nodded. I took a deep breath and reminded myself of every reason why this needed to be done now instead of waiting for one of us to become bitter and resentful.
"I'm leaving." I held up my hand to forestall his outburst and he settled back into the couch after quickly draining his wine.
"I have to, Ed. You're not in love with me, you never have been. I'm not in love with you, either. We love each other a great deal… as friends. That's not how it should be between spouses, and we both deserve better."
"Where exactly do you think you're going to go?"
"Alec and Gianna had to move to Atlanta, I closed on their house about four days before I got the promotion. If that hadn't happened we would have had this conversation over a week ago."
The anger I had been expecting showed up with that disclosure.
"YOU BOUGHT A FUCKING HOUSE? What the fuck, Ali? You've seriously been planning on leaving me for that long? What about Jeremy? This is going to destroy him! What about us? We've been through too much together to just let it all go like this!"
"Ed, Jeremy will be fine. There doesn't have to be a nasty fight between us over this. I already have the paperwork all drawn up. All we have to do is sign it and submit a custody arrangement that is acceptable to both of us to the lawyer. We don't even have to go in front of a judge. My house is literally three doors down, so custody won't be an issue. I want us to remain friends, Ed. This is the best way to make sure that happens."
"Yes, we will have to go in front of a judge! Child support, alimony, distribution of marital property… were you even thinking about all of that when you cooked up this cockamamie idea of yours, Mary Alice!"
I felt my own ire starting to creep up on me, "Don't you 'Mary Alice' me, Edward Anthony! I don't want anything from you! I don't need your money, so don't you ever say the word alimony in my presence again! And distribution of WHAT marital property? YOU bought this house and your parents bought the furniture. I already bought new furniture and stuff for MY house. The only things I'm taking out of here are clothes, personal effects, and the few knick knacks I have that were my grandma's."
I handed him the small velvet box that contained my wedding rings, and his face crumbled.
"Please… don't do this, Ali. I can do better, I swear I can. And I do love you!"
"I love you, too. But I'm not in love with you. I'm not willing to live the rest of my life wondering how it feels to be madly in love. I'm not willing to be the woman you only turn to when the physical itch gets to you. I'm not willing to feel like I have to beg my husband for sex if I'm in the mood. We never should have married in the first place, Ed; you know it as well as I do. If you love me at all… let me go."
"I can't change your mind?"
I slowly shook my head, "No. I'll be completely moved out by the time I need to get Jeremy from your mom's tomorrow. I'll keep him until you finish up the doubles, and then he can stay here while I do my week in Portland."
His jaw tightened and he glared at me. "So I'm already reduced to only seeing my son 2 weeks a month?"
"No, Ed." I rolled my eyes, trying not to lose my cool in the face of his dramatics. "You can come over and see him every day if you want. I told you, I want us to still be friends. It'll take a little time to get back to how we were before we got married, but I know we can do it."
**Rebuilding ~ 6 months later**
I noticed Ed's car wasn't in his driveway on my way past, which meant Bella was still at my house with Jeremy. I decided to invite her to stay for dinner if she didn't have plans. She and I became pretty close after my split from Ed, and I was in desperate need of some girl talk.
I realized she might be in need of girl talk too, because even though she was laughing with Jeremy her eyes were tight and glassy looking. I really hoped her former sisters-in-law weren't giving her grief again.
"Hey, girl! I have a bottle of wine that has our names on it. Hang out tonight and I'll make pasta?"
She and Jeremy both looked up at the sound of my voice and identical grins covered their faces. Bella agreed to stay and offered to get Jeremy bathed and into his jammies while I threw some quick chicken alfredo together. Bless Sandra Lee for her awesome recipes! I had become a total devotee of Semi-Homemade Cooking since my hours picked up after my promotion.
Bella and a freshly scrubbed Jeremy came back into the kitchen and started on the salad while I was finishing the pasta and taking the bread out of the oven. The doorbell rang just as I was starting to fix Jeremy's plate and Bella went for the door. She came back followed by Ed.
"Hey, Ali. I got out early and figured I'd come see you guys. I can come back after dinner though."
"Nope, grab yourself a plate. Are you still off tomorrow? I have errands to run and you can take Jeremy back with you after dinner if you don't have to work."
Fortunately for all of us, Ed's wounded manly pride rebounded about 3 months after we split up. We had an easy back and forth with Jeremy's sleeping arrangements and while there was still an occasional awkward moment between us, we were picking our friendship back up slowly.
Jeremy chattered to Ed about everything he'd done over the past two days while Bella and I made small talk about some of my projects. It didn't escape my notice that Ed kept shooting sideways glances at Bella whenever he thought she wasn't looking and I wondered for the sixty-eleven-billionth time why he didn't just man up and ask her out. Not like I was one to talk in that department, but still!
Ed offered to clean up after we finished dinner so that I could pack Jeremy an overnight bag. My son tagged after me down the hallway, still chattering a mile a minute. He was telling me all of the plans he was making for his "guys day" with his dad, which included the park and watching baseball on TV. He definitely had my energy level, even though almost everything else about him was a miniature copy of his father.
There wasn't a whole lot to pack since he had pretty much everything he needed at both houses, but his favorite Mickey shirt was here and he insisted he NEEDED it for tomorrow, and his Boo Kitty was on his bed. Once we had those items secured in his backpack we headed back out to the living room. He gave me a big hug and a smacking kiss on the cheek before pouncing on Bella to give her hugs and kisses.
He ran over and grabbed Ed by the hand, tugging him insistently toward the door. Ed laughed and threw our son over his shoulder so he wouldn't get his hand yanked off.
"I'll talk to you later, Ali. Let me know if you're gonna be later than five-5ish so I can call my mom to come stay with him 'til you get home, OK?"
I nodded and he turned to smile at Bella. It was the smile that turned most women into stuttering idiots in his presence. "You're still available next weekend while Ali's out of town, right Bella? I'll call you when my schedule firms up, OK?"
Normally when he smiled at her like that she blushed and smiled back at him. This time she simply nodded, and I noticed she was trying not to look directly into his eyes. This was a new occurrence, and it didn't escape Ed's notice either. He seemed deflated as he bid us both good night and turned to leave.
I rounded on Bella after the door closed, "What the Hell was that?"
"I don't like it that he flirts with me whenever you're around, Ali. It seems pretty disrespectful to hit on a woman with his ex-wife standing right there…"
"OK, you know that long and complicated story I promised to tell you eventually? Tonight is the night. Wine and gossip… in that order! Red, white, or blush?"
"Oh! Do you have any of that Principato Rosato? I've been craving a glass."
I grabbed the wine and corkscrew while Bella grabbed us glasses. We got situated on my couch and slowly drank in silence. It was a small ritual for us on our Girl's Nights. The first glass of wine was time to let go of the stress of the day.
After a few minutes we were both ready to chat and I decided to start at the beginning with my story.
"Ed and I have known each other our entire lives. Our parents are neighbors and best friends. We were always close, but there was never anything romantic between us. Honestly, I never looked at him as more than a brother. We both went to U-Dub and while we branched out and made other friends, we stayed really close to each other, too. We went to a party at the beginning of junior year, he'd just turned 21 over the summer and I was 20. We both got really, really hammered. We woke up in bed together, which wouldn't have been a first after a party because he always looked out for me… but we were naked, which was absolutely a first."
Bella refilled our glasses, "So you weren't together together, you just got trashed and ended up sleeping together."
"Exactly. Neither of us reacted well when we woke up, and we were going to pretend it never happened. We were both virgins, and we decided at least our first time was with somebody we knew we could trust. A month later, I found out I was pregnant with Jeremy. We decided to get married, and while we weren't in love with each other, we were fond of each other and we did our best. About 2 months before we separated, I decided I wasn't willing to stay in a passionless marriage and we split up. We both deserved more than we could give each other."
"Passionless? I don't get that vibe from either of you."
"Not from us as individuals, but you try screwing the guy you grew up thinking of as a brother. We rarely had sex, and even on the infrequent occasions we did it wasn't earth shattering. There was almost no physical affection between us, beyond the occasional kiss on the top of my head. You were actually the catalyst for me deciding to leave, Bells."
I saw the shocked, horrified look on her face and rushed to reassure her.
"NO! Not like that! I know you never had so much as a stray thought about him… let alone doing anything inappropriate! But… I know he thought about you. A lot. That night we were at the hospital benefit, I saw the look on his face when he picked you up to put you on the couch. He never looked at me with that much longing. I saw it on his face almost daily after that, especially if he knew you were staying with Jeremy. I realized I couldn't be happy with what we had between us. I want a guy who looks at me like I'm his everything. Ed deserves that too. He's a good man, Bella. I wouldn't be upset if he ever asked you out… just so you know that."
She drained her wine and walked over to rest her forehead against the window. I saw the reflection of her face and she looked like she was about to shatter.
"What's going on, chicky? I saw you were looking upset when I came in this evening…"
"Rachael called me this afternoon. I don't think I'll ever be free of her, but Rebecca seems to have given up. So, Rachael wanted to remind me that it's been two years since my father "murdered" her father and brother. She also said that since she is pregnant with the only surviving male in the Black family, I should give her the rest of her brother's life insurance policy."
From previous conversations, I knew that Bella and her late husband Jake had been named executors of her father in law's estate simply because they lived close enough to handle his affairs quickly if need be. Bella was also executor and sole beneficiary of her husband's and father's estates.
Unfortunately, her sisters-in-law felt entitled to the amount Bella had used to care for Billy in his final days and for his funeral on top of the money they received from the sale of his house. Billy was the only one to not die on impact in the wreck that tore Bella's life apart. He'd lingered in a coma for almost three weeks before succumbing to his injuries. The money from his life insurance was barely enough to cover his hospitalization and his final expenses.
"She actually said the word murdered to you? That BITCH! How does she not acknowledge that you lost your father as well as your husband and father-in-law in that ACCIDENT? Wait… how was it your dad's fault? I thought you said Jake was driving…"
"Jake was driving, but the twins blame my father because it was his idea for the three of them to go to Canada instead of staying near home for their fishing trip."
I hugged her as tight as I could. "They are stupid, vindictive cows. You know you did nothing wrong. There was nothing left from Billy's estate after his hospital bills were settled, and they are not entitled to anything your dad or Jake left to you. Change your number and forget they even exist!"
I felt the sob shudder through her and decided to change the subject after giving her a few moments to calm herself.
"OK, enough about the Bitch Twins! I have news, which is actually the initial reason I asked you to stay tonight!"
"Do tell."
I paused for dramatic effect, "I met somebody!"
It took a moment, but her smile finally overcame the pained expression on her face and we both squealed while I bounced up and down a few times.
"I need dish, Ali! Is he hot?"
"Beyond hot! Let me paint you a word picture; a little taller than Ed, collar-length wavy blond hair, ocean blue eyes, and a dreamy Southern accent."
"You have my approval so far! Is he nice?"
"He is an absolute gentleman. He holds doors, chairs, and jackets with aplomb. Every female is Miss or Ma'am, and he checks in with his mother every few days."
"So he's respectful, too. Has he asked you out yet?"
"We've had lunch together a few times, but that was business related. I think he'll ask me soon though! He's started kissing my hand when he walks me out to my car, and when we walk anywhere together he puts his hand on the small of my back to guide me. I've never seen him touch any other female, and from some of the comments I'm hearing from the jealous kitty-cats in the office, nobody else has seen him pay attention to a woman either."
I saw the mischief on Bella's face, "Wait a minute… he's insanely cute, respectful of women but doesn't flirt, and he's an interior designer? Are you sure he's straight?"
I smacked her arm playfully as I got up to grab another bottle of wine.
"He's an architect, and I did catch him staring at my ass the other day. Although, I do have to admit I'm not entirely sure what desire looks like on a man's face anymore… it's been that long since a man really wanted me."
"Were his eyes darker and more intense looking?"
"God yes! I felt like I needed new panties just because of the way he looked at me."
"If he doesn't ask you soon, you should ask him. He might be shy, or afraid it's too soon after your divorce, Ali."
"I would have said yes to him the day after everything was finalized!"
**Choices ~ 2 months later**
I came out of the conference room with an annoyed huff and headed back to my office determined to finish up my drawings. I was working on a project I had to have well in hand before my next trip to Portland, and Heidi somehow instinctively knew when a meeting would really put me behind.
When I rounded the corner, I saw Jasper leaning against the wall opposite my office door. His head was tipped back and his eyes were closed, but the peaceful smile he normally wore was absent.
"Jasper? Are you OK?"
His eyes were intense, which was a look I was becoming familiar with since we'd gone on a few dates recently, but his jaw was tight and his shoulders were hunched slightly. He took my arm at the elbow and propelled me farther down the hallway to his own office. I wasn't used to Jasper being this forceful, and I was a little concerned.
He stepped to the side and motioned for me to enter his office. I decided to take the chair in front of his desk rather than sitting on his sofa. I wasn't sure exactly what he wanted, but I was slightly afraid of what he might say. He didn't take a seat, preferring to pace around behind his desk.
"Is it true?"
"Is what true?"
"Did Heidi offer you the Senior Partner position in the San Francisco office?"
"Yes. I just met with her but…"
He held up a hand, and I was frightened to see a faint mist of tears building in his eyes. It made the blue of his irises almost luminescent.
"Jasper…"
He came around his desk to take my hand and fell to his knees next to the chair I was sitting in.
"Ali, please don't take it! This is probably the most selfish thing I will ever ask of you, but please stay here! I can't lose you, and I can't go to San Francisco right now. If mama's health was better I would pack her up and follow you, but I can't!"
"Jazz, I already told Heidi…"
"Tell her you can't go! God, Ali, please don't leave me… I love you! I've been tryin' to let you lead things between us because I didn't know how badly your divorce affected you, but I can't let you leave without knowin' how much I love you."
I placed my fingers on his lips to stop his tirade. I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks, which were threatening to split open because of the size of my smile.
"Jane is taking the San Francisco office. I told Heidi I needed to stay here. I couldn't take my son away from his father, and I couldn't leave you! I love you, too."
His eyes widened and fixed on my own. Whatever he was looking for must have been there, because he laughed and scooped me out of the chair to sit in his lap on his office floor. We probably looked ridiculous, the both of us crying, laughing like loons and sprawled on each other… but I couldn't have cared less.
We started to calm after a moment and he lifted me by the waist to readjust me so that I straddled his thighs. One of his hands splayed low on my back, while one came up to cup my cheek gently. His lips caught mine in a desperate kiss, and I knew I had finally found the kind of love I'd always wanted.
**Jasper ~ 15 months later**
"Jeebus, Ed! Seriously, can you please just let my family think you guys are cousins? It's freakin' 'em out that her ex-husband is my best man."
I thought it should have gone without saying, but that jackass was getting some kind of vicarious thrill out of shocking my very proper, very Southern family by correcting their assumptions about Ali having the same last name as him. I thought my poor old Auntie Kate was about to have the vapors for sure when Ed cheerfully introduced himself as Alice's ex-husband.
"Dude, nobody has keeled over yet, and by now the "scandalous" news has made the rounds. Wait until they find out that Ali's Maid of Honor is the reason she left me in the first place!"
I smacked him across the back of his head, "Fucker, if I didn't love Ali, Jeremy, and Bella so much I would kick your ass right about now!"
"Chill, Jazz. I'm not intentionally trying to shock your relatives, I figured they already knew. After I almost killed your aunt, Bella told me to let people think whatever made them happy."
He walked onto the dance floor and I thought he was heading for Bella until he stopped and whispered into Ali's ear. She smiled at him and took the hand he offered her while Bella smiled at them and headed toward me with Jeremy in tow.
"Hey Jazz."
"Hey Bells. What are those two up to now?"
She smirked at me and sat Jeremy down at the table while she grabbed him a small plate from the buffet to munch on. "No good, as usual. Come dance with me while the munchkin eats."
I led her slightly away from the table, but we were able to keep Jeremy in sight. Taking one of her small hands in mine, I bowed deeply and played up my accent for her. "May I have this dance, Ma'am?"
She laughed freely as she curtsied and put on her overblown Scarlett O'Hara voice for me, "Why thank you, kind sir!"
When we quit laughing I asked her the million dollar question. Well, it was the million dollar question as far as Ed was concerned.
"When're you gettin' married, woman?"
She rolled her eyes, "Did Edward put you up to that?"
Yes. Yes, he did, actually… but I wasn't allowed to tell her that.
"Nope, but inquirin' minds want to know! You finally agreed to marry him, but you still haven't set a date yet. I think he's afraid you'll change your mind."
"I keep hoping he'll give up on the whole big ceremony thing and agree to just take me to Vegas one weekend."
I laughed at her, and she pouted. "Do you really think my wife will let you get away with a quickie Vegas weddin'? She already has the whole thing planned; I wouldn't be surprised if that's what she and Ed are talkin' about right now."
We glanced over to see Ali laughing up at Ed while he grinned down at her. I saw the looks some of my family members were giving them and knew I'd better go over there before somebody made an untoward remark to them.
I kissed Bella's cheek and headed over to collect my wife. I still smiled like a loon whenever I thought or said the word, never thinking I would be able to apply it to the gorgeous woman who was still laughing with my unlikely best friend.
When I first moved to the Seattle office she was in the end stages of her marriage to Ed, and I doubt she even knew I was there. I remembered the day I had to step into her office to ask an opinion on a project we were both assigned to. She had a family picture on her desk, but it was rather cold and formal looking. I also noticed she had tons of pictures of herself and her son and a few of her husband and her son, but none of the two of them together.
Not even a month later, the gossip made the rounds at the office that her husband left as soon as she'd been promoted to Junior Partner because he wanted her to quit working and stay home. Thinking back on that picture, I was pretty sure her promotion hadn't had anything to do with the divorce.
After my melodramatic confession in my office when I thought she was leaving, Ali finally introduced me to her son and her ex. It was awkward for me at first that they were still such good friends. I had no clue how their relationship worked and I spent quite a few weeks literally quivering with jealousy at the casual way Ali would hug Ed and invite him to have supper with us when he'd stop in to pick up Jeremy.
After finally having the chance to meet Bella and seeing the way Ed reacted around her, I realized there wasn't anything romantic between him and Ali. He was absolutely despondent for the first few months I knew him because Bella was still incredibly skittish around him, but he finally won her over.
The four of us became incredibly close. We spent a few nights a week together over either Ed's supper table or Ali's, and at least one night every weekend we spent playing cards and drinking wine until the wee hours.
Bella and I were both initially worried about how Jeremy would take our relationships with Ed and Ali, but we shouldn't have been. He already loved Bella and was quick to hop on the bandwagon of telling her she should give Ed a chance. You haven't seen anything that truly qualifies as hilarious until you've seen a small kid trying to hook his daddy up with a pretty girl. Jeremy eyed me warily the first few times I came for supper but he quickly warmed up to me and told me he liked how his mama always smiled and sang around the house after I visited.
I tapped Ed on the shoulder, "May I cut in?"
He stepped back and gave me Ali's hand.
"Did Bella happen to say anything to you about maybe picking a date, Jazz? This is killing me."
"She doesn't want a big weddin', Bro. She wants Vegas."
Alice scowled over towards Bella, "Stubborn woman! She didn't have a big wedding when she married Jake either. You'd think she would want the whole spectacle this time."
I thought back on the simple wedding pictures Bella had shown me once, and made a mental connection. I slapped myself in the forehead for not putting this together sooner.
"Ali, you know I didn't want a big weddin' either, right? You know the only reason I gave in was because I've never been married before and my family wanted it. My mama begged me to have a church ceremony when I told her we were thinkin' of just going somewhere for a long weekend."
"So?"
Edward cut in with horrified realization dawning on his face, "So… Bella doesn't have any family left, Ali. Her dad, Billy, Jake… they were her only family. She's definitely not going to invite the twins to her wedding. She hasn't made many friends since she moved to Seattle, she doesn't have any clue where her mother is, and Charlie is gone."
Ed walked over to the table where Jeremy and Bella were sitting and pulled her up into his arms, whispering in her ear. We turned to face each other and I smiled down at Ali as I placed a hand at her waist.
"Dance with me, Mrs. Whitlock?"
"I feel like such a terrible friend, Jazz! I've been pressuring her for months because Ed wanted a big wedding, and never even thought there might be a good reason why she didn't…"
"Don't you fret, Sugar. Ed'll do whatever it takes to make her happy, you know that."
She snuggled into my shoulder with a giggle and I marveled once again at her ability to chance topics at lightning speed. "Mmmm, you're right. Let's not worry about Ed and Bella anymore, Jazz. There's only one person I'm worried about making happy tonight."
I pulled her tighter against my body and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I'm hopin' that one person is me."
She gave me a seductive smile and led me off the floor. "Let's say goodbye to Jeremy and get out of here, Jazz."
"Lead the way, Darlin'. I'll follow you anywhere."
Chapter End Notes:
Edward's side of the story is up next...
