Author: Rebecca
Title: Before it's too late.f
Rating: Rated M
Pairing: Bella and Edward. No vampires. AU
Disclaimer: See first parts.
AN: Here goes your brand new chapter! But first, some answers:
HelenM… yeah, I perfectly understand, he's hard to like after that last chapter, but just keep in mind that he is hurting, too, and he didn't mean to say the things he said… hope you'll like him again soon nonetheless… he's definitely not a bad guy! Thanks for the review!
Jctypes: sorry for the confusion :? In this chapter though there weren't many mentions of the 'others', the he and she referred to Edward and Bella,(or Janelle) most of the time, but don't worry, I'll make sure to mention the 'others' by name when the time comes! As for wanting to hit them lol I feel the same, and I'm the one writing the story so that's saying something lol but don't worry, they'll soon get their act together and finally talk! Thanks for reviewing once more!
..iluvtwilight2: I know, it was hard to write as well, trust me! As for the' friends thing', none of them has really dared confide in anyone else, but you'll learn more about that later on! As for Renee, she's not Edward's biggest fan right now, but she'll never go against what her daughter wants, and she knows that Bella would certainly not appreciate it if she didn't let her take care of her problems like she sees fit, even if we can all agree that so far her way hasn't gotten very good results! You'll see more of Renee and her reactions in further chapters, however! Thanks for the review as well!
Faniac: thank you, your words warmed my heart! I'm glad you found that scene realistic! I was just scared it was a little harsh, but like you, I think I would have reacted more or less the same if such thing happened to me! As for the rest, your questions will be answered very soon, but I'll just say, you're on the right track, at least for one of them! ;) Thanks for the review!
LovelyLovelyLovely: yes, Edward is being an ass here, I can't deny it, but I hope you'll like him again very soon! He's going to suffer a lot as well before things get right again! I personally just want to take him into my arms when I think of all that awaits him yet, and I hope you'll feel the same way… eventually… again, he really is not a bad guy! Just trust me on that! ;) Thanks once more for your comment!
Enjoy the next chapter… no Edward and Bella interaction here, but I hope you'll like it nonetheless! Don't forget to let me know what you think!
Chapter three
Unaware of the drama that was unfolding at his house, Edward drove as well as he could in his own state, which was definitely not the best either, that was for sure. In fact it was a wonder they were able to arrive to the school in one piece, considering that he wasn't even really concentrating on the road, and it was certainly only because he knew it by heart and could have gone there eyes closed that they made it.
A million thoughts surged and ran through his mind at lightning speed, one more confusing and hurtful than the previous one, but they all revolved around the same person. Bella.
He knew he shouldn't think about her right now, not if he wanted to make it through the day, but he couldn't help himself.
Her face, her hurt look haunted him and he honestly didn't know if he would ever be able to forget about the pain he had inflected her.
He had been so unfair to her, he knew that, but hearing her basically telling him that they were over had been just too much to take and he had done the only thing he could do at that point: he had lashed out at her, his own pain carried in each spiteful words he had thrown at her, and though he hadn't set to intentionally hurt her, he knew that he had done so nonetheless. And in the worst possible way. In all honesty he could say that he would have probably hurt her less if he had gone and directly kicked her in the stomach.
Yet, now that he was calmer, he could admit that she didn't deserve to be treated this way, not when all she had done at that moment was to finally voice out loud what they both knew was coming anyway.
Not that she wasn't at fault as far as he was concerned, but what he had insinuated had gone way beyond that. It was totally uncalled. He might have lost her to someone else and for that he resented her but though he could think all he wanted that he had valid reasons to feel that way, she was far from 'spreading them to every asshole who just as much as looked her way', and he couldn't help but cringe inwardly as he remembered he had said so. Bella was nothing like that, he knew that himself and probably better than anyone else, so he couldn't even comprehend himself that he could have told her such a stupid thing.
Even if he would certainly cut his own arm first before admitting that aloud or to anyone else, he knew that if Bella had turned to someone else in the first place, it was because he hadn't measured up and hadn't lived up to her expectations, and then ultimately because she had to have fallen in love with that… er… guy, otherwise she would have never considered starting any kind of relationship with him. Then could he really hate her for being true to herself and only following her heart?
Bella wasn't the type to have random sex or an extramarital affair with the first guy that crossed her path, no. She had never been and the fact that he could have dared insinuating so was enough to make him groan out loud. And now looking at that with retrospect, he didn't think that he deserved to have her forgiving him for his crude words.
Yet admitting that to himself and taking responsibility for his own part in the turn of their conversation this morning, didn't lessen in any way the blow that knowing she was finally ready to divorce had caused him. It hurt him more than anything else before. More than he had ever thought it would, no matter how many times he had tried to prepare himself for that.
He felt so damn lost and helpless right now, it was a wonder he was still able to function or remember his own name, where he was, where he was going. It was like being caught in the midst of a thick fog, and he really didn't know if he would ever be able to get out of there. Would he ever feel normal, whole again?
Beside that, another thing that was really bothering him right now was that reflection Bella had made about apparently 'needing to be a bitch to catch your own husband's interest'. It didn't make any sense to him, but he couldn't go past or forget about the fact that she had sounded really angry while saying so. But why? It didn't add up with anything else, unless…
No, that couldn't be it. But he had to admit that she had sounded almost… jealous even if he didn't understand why she would feel that way. But no, she couldn't possibly know about what had happened with Kate. There were only three people who knew, Kate of course, Jasper, and then himself and none of the two others would have said a thing to Bella or to anyone else. So logically there was no way she could have learned about that. But then what did her sentence mean? Something told him that if he was able to catch her meaning he would probably understand a lot of other things too, but for the life of him, right this instant his brain seemed to have turn to mush and he couldn't grab anything.
After having reflected upon that long enough to give himself another headache, Edward was momentarily pulled out of his more than confused thoughts when at a traffic light, someone honked when he wasn't quick enough to pull away.
That was also when he remembered that he wasn't alone in the car and that he hadn't been paying much attention to his daughter. And now that he thought of it, it was really strange he hadn't heard her yet or at all.
"What's happening, munchkin?… you've been very quiet all the way!" Edward questioned gently as he threw a quick glance into his rearview mirror to see what his daughter was doing.
Not that she was doing much actually beside looking out the window and nibbling absentmindedly at her bottom lip, a habit she had inherited from her mother, but that was precisely what had him a little preoccupied now.
Usually Janelle was way more excited when he was the one to take her to school, and moreover when he was just coming back from one of his trips. Generally she couldn't stop asking him all kind of questions, from where he had gone exactly to what that city looked like, or if he would take her there sometime. But today, nothing. In fact ever since they had left the house she hadn't uttered a single word, but he had yet to determine if it was just because she was just not in the mood today, or if she had sensed that there was something wrong between him and Bella and it had her worried.
"N'thing!" Janelle replied so softly herself that Edward would have probably not known she had spoken to him, if he hadn't seen her lips forming the word.
Well, if he had had any doubts before, now he knew for sure that something was wrong with her.
"Are you sure?… you know you can tell me anything, right?" he told her reassuringly as they finally arrived and he parked the car in front of the school.
As he cut the injection he briefly looked around and noticed that a few other parents were still arriving, too, assuring him that at least Janelle wouldn't be the only one to be late and that he still had some time to find out what was bothering her.
"Um-huh!" Janelle just mumbled as she struggled with her seatbelt and tried to unfasten it herself, and as he turned to look at her again Edward saw her grimacing slightly when she failed.
It wouldn't have been the first time she tried, she certainly did so every time he drove her to school but so far all her attempts had been unsuccessful. Not that it could stop her from keeping trying. His daughter was a stubborn one. But right now he would really want her to be a little less and tell him what was wrong because it was clearly written all over her face that there was 'something', whether she was ready to admit it to him or not.
Passing his hand between the two front seats, Edward helped her with it and couldn't help but smile at her when she looked back at him and whispered a soft 'thank you'.
However the smile instantly left his lips when just as quickly, she lowered her gaze again and proceeded to chew at her lip once more, only more insistently this time.
"Sweetie?" he called her, getting really worried now.
This was definitely not the Janelle he was used to or the one he had expected to find after not having seen her for three days. He had thought she would be happy to see him, and she had seemed to be at least until his fight with Bella, but now here she looked almost like she didn't even care he was back.
Maybe she was angry because he had been late, he pondered. Or maybe she had understood more than he had first thought about what had happened between him and Bella after all.
Of course even if most of the time he tried to not even consider that fact, deep down he knew that he was probably only deluding himself when he kept trying to convince himself that Janelle was totally unaware of the reality of their situation, but now something told him that this was going to be the moment when he would have to face the truth and stop running from it.
He was already conjuring up all kind of possible scenarios regarding what could be bothering her now when Janelle seemed to make up her mind and put a stop to all of them the second she spoke again.
"Daddy, why is mommy a'ways sad?" she eventually demanded, lifting troubled eyes up to her father and nearly breaking his heart at the mixed emotions he could see there.
"Uh… she is?" Edward swallowed hard and stuttered lamely, not knowing what else to say since her question had taken him by surprise to say the least.
Of course he had noticed himself that Bella didn't seem to be especially joyful whenever he saw her, but he had only assumed that it was because they weren't on the best terms lately and she wasn't particularly thrilled to see him, yet he couldn't very well say that to his daughter now, could he? So how was he supposed to answer her question?
"Huh-uh… she cries at night!" Janelle informed him with a natural that gave Edward chills all over, even if it was already quite a hot morning and so he couldn't blame it on the weather.
To say that he wasn't anywhere prepared to deal with that information would have been an understatement because that was definitely not something -probably the last thing even in fact- he had expected her to reveal, and yet he clearly and instantly felt himself wincing inwardly just at the thought of Bella crying for any reasons.
"How do you know that, honey?" he asked, needing to know and then, realizing that he had been there just sitting and looking at her, he finally exited the car and immediately opened her door, offering her his hand to get out herself.
"I hear her s'mtimes!… is it because of…" Janelle started, but then seeing her father looking down at her expectantly, she hesitated briefly "Because of you?… because you had to leave!" she finished, her voice just above a whisper.
She was too young to understand everything of course but she knew that her mother had been happier when her father still lived with them. And at least then she didn't hear her cry at night, she was sure of that. Now even knowing that he had no choice, at least from what her parents had told her, she didn't like it anymore, she didn't like what it could imply, and obviously her mother didn't like it either. Sometimes she really wished he could come back and then everything would be like before. Everything would be back to normal.
"I-I don't know, sweetie… m-maybe!" Edward stammered completely at a loss for words.
He was still mulling over the fact that Bella could cry at night and that his daughter could hear it and be affected by that, and honestly he didn't know what to say or just what to think of it. He didn't even know why Bella would cry. At least he couldn't find any reasons that could explain that and that could be in any way related to him.
Why would she cry because of him? Or because he had left?
He thought that was what she wanted, after all she had been the one to ask him to leave, right?
But if he was indeed the reason why she cried at night, what did that mean? Of course there could be a very simple explanation but right now, he was in no emotional state to contemplate it too seriously. Not if he wanted to keep it together.
However if he thought that it couldn't get worse for him, he was deluding himself once more, and even in his wildest imagination he couldn't have fathomed what Janelle was going to ask him next, or just how much it was going to hurt.
"Why you left then?" she wondered out loud, but before Edward could formulate or even just think about a plausible reply, her next sentence nearly brought him to his knees, making him wish he had never left his seat. "Y-You don't love us no more?" Janelle whispered, her sweet voice trembling as she voiced one of her fears.
She didn't like to think about that of course, but one of the boys in her class had told her that usually when the daddies left the house it was because they weren't happy and generally didn't love their family anymore. At least that was what his older brother had told him, and even if she didn't want to believe that it was what was happening with her own daddy, moreover since he told her he loved her almost every time he saw her, when she saw him looking all upset and angry with her mommy she couldn't help wondering nonetheless.
"Oh, god, Janelle… no, no, that's not it… come here, love!" Edward said and immediately picked her up, doing his best to stay calm and not bawl like a baby in front of his child. Yet the mere thought that she could question his love for her was enough to slice his heart in two and make him lose the last of his control.
He hugged her fiercely a few precious seconds and then after having made sure first that the surface was clean and that it wouldn't soil her dress, he lowered her down on the hood of the car. Once that done though, he found himself momentarily tongue-tied and the only thing he could do was look at her, while he struggled inwardly to find the right words.
Truth was, he didn't know how to explain things to her. Sometimes he wasn't even sure of what was happening himself. So what was he supposed to tell her, he wondered as he tenderly smoothed her shiny hair back. It was so evident to him now by the questions that seemed to plague her mind that she knew, or at least felt, more than what he thought she did and that she was apparently… no, make that definitely, not as oblivious to the situation as he had first assumed. He was pretty sure that she didn't understand all the implications but there was no more doubt in his mind that she hadn't believed all the lies they had kept telling her for all that. And god, he was so tired of lying. Moreover when he realized that in the end, all he would manage to do was to hurt her even more in the long run.
Yet if Bella was as serious about the divorce as she seemed to be this morning, sooner or later they would have to tell her the truth, therefore he shouldn't keep lying like he was and should rather start to prepare her for the worst.
"Honey… sometimes things between adults get a little complicated and sometimes, even when we want, we can't make them right but…" he started carefully, praying that he could find the words that would reassure her and at the same time that he would find the easiest way to make her understand what he was trying to tell her.
However before he could go any further, she cut him off and if it weren't because this was clearly not the moment, he would have certainly laughed out loud at her words.
God, was there ever any doubt that she was Bella's daughter?
"But mommy a'ways says you can do whatever you want if you really, really want it!" she interrupted, like she didn't understand why her father was telling her this when her mother had told her basically just the contrary.
If mommy said you could do everything you wanted, why was her father telling her that sometimes you couldn't? Mommy was always right, she knew that, even her father used to say so.
"I know… and usually it's true, but sometimes wanting is not all!" Edward continued sincerely and was once more surprised by his daughter's reply.
"Maybe you don't want hard enough!" she accused softly, though there was no real anger or animosity in her tone since for now she still didn't see where her father was going with his explanation.
"I do, baby, believe me…" Edward said and tenderly tucked a few strands of his child's hair back behind her ears and caressed her cheeks, doing it reflexively and only realizing afterwards just how similar the gesture was to what he used to do with her mother when she was nervous herself and he was trying to calm her down or at least bring her some comfort. "…but that's not the point… now what's really important is that I want you to always remember that no matter what happens, I do love you, honey… so very much, don't ever doubt that, please… and though with your mother it's a little more complic-…" he continued, unaware of the impact those last few words were having on his daughter.
"You don't love mommy?" Janelle immediately stopped him and asked tremulously, and as he saw her bottom lip trembling as she said the words, Edward felt his heart breaking a little more if that were possible.
God, he sucked so much at this. He had barely time to talk to her since she was supposed to be inside already, school having started at least ten minutes ago, and now instead of making things better for her and comforting her, here he was only making them worse. Way to go, huh?
No wonder he wasn't able to have a normal conversation with Bella and make her understand what he thought, what he felt, he wasn't even able to do so with a five-year-old.
"I love you both, sweetie, you and mommy, that's not the problem…" he told her, insisting on the 'both' and hoping it would be enough to ease her fears, but he didn't want to lie to her for all that. Even if it was definitely not the best moment to have this conversation with her, he knew that after what had happened with Bella and moreover since he was almost sure now that she had to have heard more than what Bella and he had realized before, he needed to tell her something more than 'I love you both'. "… it's just… s-sometimes it's… it's not enough… but just know that your mother and I, we… we're working on it… and that whatever happens between she and I, it won't ever change what we feel for you, Janelle… you mean everything to us both, and always will! And… and we love you so, so much, sweetie… Don't ever forget that!" he finished, not surprised to hear his own voice quavering by the end.
While he spoke though, Edward kept his eyes constantly focused on her face to be able to judge her reaction and as he saw her torturing her lip for the umpteenth time already, he wondered what she could be thinking now.
In fact it seemed to him that she was like pondering his words and he couldn't help wondering if it was a good thing or not. But that thought quickly left his mind when Janelle looked up at him hopefully, and when he met her big doe eyes again, he was struck once more with how much she could look like her mother even in that. Their color might be his, but the particular shape was definitely Bella's. Everything about her reminded him of Bella in fact, which right this second wasn't particularly a good thing.
"I know what you can do to make mommy not so sad anymore!" she said, coming back to what had been her main concern and what had started all this talk.
"And what is that?" Edward urged her to continue, clearly curious to know what she could have come up with.
It would be kind of ironic that his own daughter could give him the solution to what was still a headache to him, wouldn't it? But since everything he did or said lately seemed to be the wrong thing anyway, any advice was worth hearing, even if it was coming from a five years old little girl.
At least that was what Edward thought until he actually heard it.
"Maybe you can give her another baby!" Janelle told him sweetly, not realizing how her innocent words made her father suck in a breath.
For a few seconds Edward felt like she had knocked him over, punched him in the gut, and he was sure that his eyes had to have bugged out of their sockets when what she had just said had registered in his brain.
She wasn't serious, right? And even if she were anyway, where had she gotten that idea from to begin with? There could only be one answer, and though he was scared shitless at the prospect that she could confirm his suspicions, he couldn't not ask.
"Janelle?" he called to her when he noticed that his lack of immediate answer had made her lower her eyes like she had done something wrong and she was afraid he would tell her off. "Uh... D-Did your mother tell you she wanted another baby?" he demanded when she looked back at him, though he did his best to keep a neutral tone and the smile on his face to not show her what havoc her suggestion had caused him.
A baby.
He had thought about that a million times since leaving Bella, wondering if that could have been the solution to all of their problems. Or if things would have been different if he hadn't been so stubborn and had at least heard Bella out when she had tried to talk him into trying to have another baby.
Maybe then they wouldn't find themselves in this situation. Probably not in fact, because then Bella would have had what she obviously wanted so much and she would have even less felt the need to turn to someone else. She would have certainly not asked him to leave then either, and they would certainly be still together.
But would that have been right for all that?
He couldn't say so because the fact was that they would have brought that baby into this world for the wrong reasons, and he honestly doubted that it would have been enough to save their marriage anyway. If a baby would have definitely brought them closer for a time, in the end he knew that it wouldn't have helped them because the main thing having a baby would have done was to make them avoid their problems for a while -even if then he hadn't realized just how many they could have- and act like everything was perfect between them again, when eventually he was sure those problems would have come back to bite them in the ass, and things would have been probably even worse afterwards.
Besides, like he had told her, back then he hadn't been ready for another baby. Not when he perfectly knew that he wouldn't have been there often enough to see it grow up like a father should. With the crazy hours he was working at that time, he was pretty much sure that Bella would have only ended resenting him even more for leaving her alone to raise their children and he knew that was what she would have thought. That he was abandoning her, abandoning them. And though now he was conscious of the fact that that was pretty much what he had done anyway, it had been the last thing he had wanted nonetheless. It hadn't been intentional.
No, a baby wouldn't have been the solution then, not any more than it would be now.
In the end Edward was already mentally preparing himself for Janelle's answer and for what he would have to tell her, when without any warning another thought crossed his mind and he suddenly felt like he was going to keel over with the nausea feeling that unexpectedly invaded him.
OH. GOD.
What if Bella had indeed talked with her about the fact that she wanted to have another baby… but recently?
What if she was actually really considering it, maybe even already planning it, working on it, and the main reason she had broached the subject with Janelle was because she wanted to prepare her to the eventuality.
That would only mean one thing considering the situation they currently were in. If she indeed had, that would mean that she was contemplating making a baby with someone that was definitely not him, no matter what Janelle was thinking or wanting herself. And Edward needed nothing more to feel his heart hammering in his chest and his blood pounding in his ears while blinding rage coursed through his veins.
No, no, she wouldn't do that, she wouldn't fucking dare. She couldn't do that or even think about it, not until they were divorced, he reasoned. But then he was hit square in the face with another dose of reality when he remembered that she had precisely told him she wanted a divorce not an hour ago.
This was why, he thought crazily. She wanted a baby but she wouldn't go so far as making one with someone else while she was still married to him. That was why she seemed to want that divorce so badly. Of course she had said it was better for everyone when in reality she only saw what was better for her. She had almost fooled him, the little lying…
Damn, what was he doing? He so couldn't think like that or he was really going to blow a fuse and go and kill someone.
He had to calm down. He just had to before he did something stupid, like going and finding the fucking bastard she was with now and cut his balls so that he wouldn't be able to use them with anyone and more particularly with his Bella. His wife, even if it was only for a matter of time yet. Though of course he also had to admit he liked the idea of finally making that idiot pay, whatever the way, it would definitely not be the wisest thing to do, he knew that.
But mostly he reminded himself, he had to calm down if he didn't want to scare his daughter, which was bound to happen if he wasn't able to control himself right now.
Oh, dear Lord, why, oh, why hadn't he stayed in bed, huh? He so knew that this was going to be a horrible day and so far everything was confirming it and proving him right.
The few seconds it took Janelle to reply were probably the longest of his whole life and therefore it wasn't surprising if he couldn't help but expel a loud sigh of relief when she finally did.
"No… but Jenna Stevenson daddy gave her mommy another baby and Jenna said her mommy is a'ways very very happy now!" Janelle informed him, unaware of what had been going on in her father's head, and that was almost enough to bring his heart rate back to normal. Almost, because now that the thought of Bella making a baby with anyone else was implanted in his brain, it would be hard to think about anything else for a while.
"Well… uh… babies usually make the parents very happy… but in our case, I'm not sure it would help!" Edward answered honestly when he was calm enough again, even if he wasn't sure that that was what his daughter wanted to hear.
Besides, it was not like it was a possibility right now anyway, not for them together at least. After what he had told her not even half an hour before, he wasn't even sure she would talk to him ever again, so they were very far from thinking about making a baby then, and he really didn't want to dwell any longer on the fact that someone else's baby could make her happy. Not if he didn't want to lose his head.
However the little he told Janelle seemed to be enough to deviate her thoughts from the topic, much to his relief. And at least her next question was an easy one to answer.
"Were you and mommy happy when you gave me to her?" she questioned, having already more or less forgotten about her mommy and her daddy having another baby together.
"Okay… first of all, I didn't give you to mommy!" Edward couldn't help correcting but then had to smile at the puzzled look Janelle gave him. "Oh, boy… I'll explain that to you someday but you're too young right now!" he caressed her chin affectionately and chuckled, thinking of the day they would have to explain to her everything about that topic. Well, he would let Bella take care of that because there was simply no way he could have that talk with her. "Your mommy and I, we made you, together, because we loved each other so very much it was the best proof of love we could give each other… you were a blessing, honey… and yes, we were really very happy to have you… in fact the day you were born was certainly the best day of my life!"
"Mommy says that, too… but can you have many, many 'best day' of your life?… coz mommy has already three!… but I only have one yet!" she said pouting slightly, and Edward smiled once more when he saw the little frown that accompanied her pout and marred her forehead as she obviously waited for an answer or was trying to find one herself.
"And which one is it?" Edward asked instead, yet almost already suspecting what would be her reply.
"The day we went to Disneyland for my birthday!" she revealed, a huge smile adorning her lips as she remembered how much fun that had been.
Now she couldn't wait for her next birthday because her mother had told her that they would go again if she wanted to. Like she needed to think it over, huh?
"I could have bet!" Edward said grinning himself, before hesitating slightly. Could he really ask her about what he wanted to know, now that she had made him think about that point? Well, it wasn't as if he had anything to lose, right? He just hoped that his question wouldn't bring him even more pain.
"And… uh… about mommy… do you know what the three best days of her life are?" he finally continued, unable to stop himself but trying to ask it as casually as possible nonetheless.
"Um-huh… the day you saved her… the day you married… and the day I was born!" she enumerated counting on her little fingers, even if she didn't quite remember if that was the right order.
"She told you so?" he asked instinctively and then berated himself when he felt the slightest joy and hope flaring inside him again.
God, how could he still be stupid enough to hope when she had made it clear they were over, or at least that she wanted them to be over? And besides, she could have said so but so long ago that she probably didn't think it anymore.
Yet as he saw his daughter nodding in answer, he couldn't help pushing for more information.
"When?… I mean, when did she tell you so, Jay?" he demanded tentatively and held his breath as Janelle seemed to think it over.
"I don't 'member!" she just shrugged eventually, not understanding how Edward had been hanging on her every word and how important it could have been for him to know.
Edward felt a pang in his heart and a little disappointed, but almost immediately tried to ignore the feeling. After all it wasn't her fault if she couldn't remember.
"Are you okay now, sweetie?" he asked tenderly after a moment when he realized that her well-being was more important right now anyway than finding out about something that Bella could have told her months ago and that was probably not even true any longer.
"Yah!" she answered and smiled brightly at him at last.
"Great… then, now before I forget… about the movie… which one do you want this time? You didn't tell me yet!" he inquired then, preferring to ask her and have an answer for sure, rather than choosing a movie she wouldn't like. Not that it was that hard to please her of course, but she already had a pretty huge collection, including all the Disney Classics, and she would certainly know better than he would what little choice he still had.
"Can we already have Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Squeakquel?" she demanded hopefully. Now that she had the stuffed animal it would be so great to have the movie, too, even if she had already seen it since her daddy had taken her to the theatre when it had gotten out.
"I don't know, but if we can, that's the one you're going to have!" he told her and smiled, not at all surprised that that was the one she had chosen.
They had had a blast watching the movie together, that was why he had thought she would love her gift the second he had seen it in the shop. Then, he himself had a blast every time he watched a cartoon, even if his favorites would be more the Thundercats ones than Alvin and the Chipmunks, so that wasn't saying much he guessed. But if he had to watch it with her, it better be something that he would enjoy as well.
"You promise?"
"I do!" he told her seriously, but then couldn't help but laugh throatily when Janelle rolled her eyes and looked at him like he had spurted another head.
"Nooo, silly!… you have to say I promise, promise, promise!" she whined exaggeratedly and said as she encircled his neck with her arms and rested her forehead against his.
"Fiiiine! I promise, promise, promise!" Edward laughed and repeated, mimicking her earlier roll of eyes. "Now come on, your mother is going to skin me alive if I don't get you to school already." he finished as he scooped her up in his arms and eventually marched inside the school.
On his way he was surprised to learn that apparently Bella had made pancakes for him and he even laughed, at least a little, when finally Janelle scolded him for having been late -going so far as to smack his head by the way, no less- but not because she hadn't seen much of him due to his tardiness like he had first thought, but more because he had missed the pancakes Bella had so lovingly made and the occasion for them to have breakfast all together, like they used to.
Not surprisingly, almost the instant he heard her, he of course couldn't help cursing Jasper once more, but mostly he was unable to not wonder how it would have gone if he had been able to make it and arrive on time. Maybe they could have had a good time the three together and he wouldn't have to face yet what was so coming to him now.
Then at last, as he kissed her goodbye, Janelle had told him she wished they could be like a normal family again, and the way she had looked at him while saying so had been his undoing. And though the latest events definitely didn't bode well for that, at that instant Edward realized that for his daughter, he was ready to keep hoping nonetheless. Even if it was certainly not the hardest thing he would have to do, since he definitely wished they could go back, too.
TBC…