Chapter 4. Sunday, July 12th.

So Much Sugar, So Little Time

"Angela Weber, for the love of all that is holy and chaka khan! Please, just let him eat the cake with his hands!"

Vibrate.

"Right around the corner…"

I had to smile as I reread that simple text over and over again. After our talk the other night after our Wal-Mart encounter, we had been texting each other constantly the past days, whether it was a little joke or lyrics from a song we'd loved. Nothing overly flirty, just simple laughing, chit chat.

My favorite was when he quoted Ducky from Pretty In Pink-"Blaine? His name is Blaine…that's not even a name!"

I beat him when I came back with the theme song-"I touch you once, I touch you twice, I won't let go at any price."

I had been wondering what was keeping him, the party was almost over. But as I finish up a balloon and fish on a little girls face, I couldn't hide my excited bouncing at seeing him again.

We were at the park for Elijah's big sixth birthday and it seemed everything was going pretty well, and normal so far. If you consider 'pretty well and normal' involving ten screaming kindergarteners, too much ice cream, face paint covering theirs and my clothes more than their faces, and a barking bulldog normal…wait. Where had the barking bulldog come from?

I followed my eyes to the path it had just come from and there was my Knight in Shining Lab coat jogging up to me with his ever-panty dropping smile and a cute gift bag that was covered in sponge bob.

Now, as I took in his dark stone washed jeans, (he must have a collection of those) white undershirt matched with a light blue button up, left open, I wished I would've worn a cute sundress, or jeans without holes in them.

My white tank top, and holey jeans with flip flops was nothing extravagant but as I looked at Edward, I noticed his eyes travel over me more than once.

'Probably trying to find a spot that isn't covered in paint.'

The previously unknown , obese bulldog had wobbled back to Edward as he let out a sharp whistle and a deep call of "Paprika!"

"Hi, 'bout time you got here! We're gonna start packing up soon!"

After sliding Paprika's collar back on his rolly neck, he stood up to face me, and gave me a tight hug while explaining, "I'm sorry…traffic and then after I found a spot to park in, he ran after a pigeon and got loose so I had to chase after him…" he took a deep breath, moved back from me slightly. The wind made a piece of his bronze hair, fall into his eyes. With no hesitation inside of me, I lifted my hand and moved it back.

I didn't blush after I did it, I didn't reprimand myself either, it felt natural to do it. But I did indeed need to step away from the doctor!

"It's fine…believe me, you didn't miss much, just chaos. But ey, just walk down the street, I'm sure you can find some laying around somewhere. Actually Jack the Bum will be glad to give you some for a penny."

He laughed, I smiled, and Paprika barked.

"Wow…"

With a raised eyebrow, I asked him what was it.

"I just didn't know that in two days alone, I could forget a smile like that…"

Okay, maybe this time, I did blush…but just a little I promise.

"Okay, flirt, c'mon!" I slung my arm around his bicep and dragged him over to where Angela was wiping off Elijah's mouth, "I want to introduce you to the REAL mommy."

Elijah spotted us first and after swatting away Angie's hand, he walked over to Edward, waving, and looking up with a blue icing stained smile.

"Hi Dr. Cullen!!! Thank you sooooo much for coming to my party! Whad'ja get me?!?!

"ELIJAH! That's not why we invite people! We invite them because we want to spend our special day with them! I'm sorry, I'm Angela, this little runts mom," she had her hand turned out towards Edward but, he dismissed it and simply grabbed her into a hug. And at that, I declared him adorable.

"Great to meet you! I've heard so many things about you from this woman" he nudged my side, "and Elijah, Happy Birthday! I didn't know what to get you but, my nephew loves this kinda stuff so, I hope you do too. He ruffled Elijah's head while he opened the gift bag, revealing not one, but a set of Nerf Gun's.

The two of them ran around the park shooting each other, playing Cops And Robbers.

"Very handsome…"

"Yeah, he is Ang."

"Bella…"

There was that motherly tone again. Looking at her, she had her left eyebrow arched high above the rim of her glasses. Oh no, you don't fuck around with that look.

"Since you told me about him, anytime he's mentioned you get this goofy smile on your face. In a week the man had you smile more then you have in years."

"That's not true, I'm always smiling when I'm around you and Elijah."

"Exactly Bella…what do you think that says? A six year old is the only thing with a penis to make you smile…"

Well what a way to make a girl feel pathetic.

Angela opened her mouth to further explain but was cut off by the barking of Paprika. Turning our heads we spotted Edward on the grass, Elijah standing over him, foot on his chest, nerf gun in his face, and that smile only my little man can have, as he declared Edward the loser. Paprika at his side, obviously turning on her owner.

"Good thing you're a doctor huh? Ya know since you got your ass handed to you," I joked with Edward as he dusted his perfect ass off.

"BELLA!"

Grimacing I apologized to Angela and gave Elijah the perfected speech that Angela made me memorize on how bad language is a way to make people look down upon you. Seriously, she went a little overboard sometimes. She had written it herself, and even highlighted certain parts. Thank God I only had to rehearse it once.

"…so, um…don't repeat me, you don't want soap in your mouth."

Good enough.

Angela looked satisfied enough knowing that's all she was going to get out of me, and we all went about cleaning up the picnic area where the party was held.

"Thank you again for his present Edward, you really didn't have to do that," Angela said this time grabbing Edward into a hug.

"It's not a problem, really. I've heard so many wonderful things about the both of you that, it's like I practically know you."

"Same here Edward…same here," Angela winked at us, and then excused herself saying that she had to load gifts into her car. Edward had offered to help but before she could protest, he was already grabbing up armloads and asking her which was hers.

After everything was cleaned up, and loaded, and a big kiss from my little king, me and Edward were left alone on a bench, watching the Bird Lady with the ducks again.

"So, why the name Paprika?" I asked, interrupting the comfortable silence.

"Huh…oh! Well, I like to cook, and that's one of my favorite seasonings to use…you know, it's the most unused one there is. It's kind of just left to the side while salt and pepper are what everyone wants. Well, that's how it was when I got him, I was at this same park, and a man was here selling puppies, there was Paprika, some furry white thing, another furry thing…and then some jumpy thing, everyone was fighting over them but not him. He was just sitting there in the corner of the box…by himself, I knew instantly I wanted him. Ya know, he was the Paprika, and they were the salt and pepper…" he finished with a shrug then bent down to scratch behind his little beloveds ears.

"Wow, I thought you were just going to say, 'he came with it,' but, that's a really cool story. Man, I wish I had a story like that for my name!"

Edward laughed with his face scrunched up in this adorable little boy smile, "you want to be surrounded by furry and jumpy things?"

"Shut up!" I slapped his chest, "you know what I meant…I mean look, my names just Isabella…big whoop-dee-doo. I spun my index finger in the air, "There's no story behind it, just something my mom liked. It's not like it was my great-grandmothers name or something, so when people ask, I just say, 'it was either that or Brittney.'"

"I'm actually named after my grandfather," he threw back at me.

"You would be."

"Ouch! Where's the love Bella?"

"With the furry and jumpy things."

"Touché!"

We were both laughing and people watching. When the sun started to set and mosquitos had left connect the dots on my arm, we decided to head back towards our cars.

At my car door I stopped and turned around to Edward as he was putting Paprika in the passenger seat…and buckling his doggy seat belt. Wow, that's a little overboard.

His head popped up over his roof when I yelled his name.

"How would you like to come back to my place? I have some brownies."

There was that smile, "I'd love to. Follow you?"

"Sure, I only live about ten minutes from here."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

That had to be the longest ten minutes of my life.

When we got to my apartment, Edward let Paprika use the bathroom once more, giving me time to run into my little townhouse and check my appearance in the bathroom mirror. Hair was a little knotty but nothing a quick brush threw wouldn't fix. My mascara hadn't crackled all over my cheeks so that was okay. Pants were full of paint but, I kind of liked them. They were a nice way to remember the memory of my baby boys smile when he was throwing it around. Tank top was still fitting snugly, making the boobs look 'freakin' awesome!'

I heard a light knock and my door open.

"Bella?"

I walked out of my bathroom to see Edward sitting on my sofa, looking through my opened Janet Evanovich book. I'd forgotten that I was reading it. I haven't picked it up since the night Edward first texted me.

"Like romance novels huh?" He asked holding the book up, making sure not to let it close from the page I'd ended at.

"Janet Evanovich is not only romance, but the Plum series has action and comedy!" At his confused face, I explained, "Stephanie Plum, the main character is a bounty hunter, she's a tough bitch man." I grabbed my book out of his hands, folded the ear of the page, sat it back down on the table and tucked my feet under me as I sat across from Mr. Gorgeous.

"I'm just jokin' my sister actually loves her books. She has everyone of 'em," he shook his head which made his hair fall into his eyes again, "God, she's just like you, if I dare insult Janet, off with me head." He made a slicing gesture with his hand from one side of his throat to the other.

"What's your sisters name? She sounds like someone I'd get along with. Anyone who's a lover of Janet and fan of head offing, is a girl dear to my heart!"

He chuckled while he shook his head again, making his personal scent hit me in the face as my AC turned on.

"Oh no, two of you! Her names Alice though. Married, with two amazing kids, twins-Anthony and Claire, and married to her high school sweetheart. She barely reaches my chest but, she's got a helluva punch."

"And your brother? You said that day at Wal-Mart that you had a brother and a sister."

"Emmett. Emmet's my older brother. Married too, to Rosalie, we don't always get along that well but, she's good for him and a good mother to his son."

"His son?"

"Emmett was a single father for the first two years of his son-Jaiden's life, his mother just walked out , never heard anything from her after. Then he met Rosalie at McDonalds one day when him and Jade were there, and the rest is history."

"Wow, that's…poor Emmett and Jaiden but, thank God that NOW he has that motherly figure that every child needs."

Edward nodded, "yeah, Jaiden is so smart too! Eight years old, and just intelligent man…he's a cutie though because Emmett's big, I mean football player big, and Jaiden completely took after his mom in size."

As he spoke about his family, mainly his niece and nephews, he had this look of unconditional love on his entire face. So I guess the look in his eyes he has now is what he was referring to that I had in mine when I spoke of Elijah.

"So, how old are all of you? Are you the baby, or…?"

"Emmett's twenty-nine, Alice is the baby at twenty-four, and I'm the middle child at twenty-five. My mom got pregnant with Alice when I was only a few months old."

"Wow, mommy and daddy were gettin' busy all the time!"

He put his hands over his face and let out a whine, "OH MY GOD! Please, I didn't need that…I really didn't. I was wanting brownies, now I;m going to be sick, and I think need bleach to clean my eyes, or maybe scissors to cut open my head and take my brain out so I don't have to ever think of that ever, AGAIN"

I couldn't help it, he looked too cute, and traumatized, I grabbed his hands off his face, and kissed each eyelid.

"There…all better?" I asked while still holding his hands.

He smiled at me, a toothy, cat ate the canary smile, "Nah, it's not actually…maybe another one?"

I giggled, and kissed each eyelid again.

"Now?"

"Perfect"

"Good…I'll remember to never bring that 'subject' up again, don't want you to cause bodily harm to yourself."

"If I get that kind of treatment after, you can say anything you want Bella!"

"Oh hush you!" I whacked him with one of my sofa's pillows, and sat down in my previous position but, he didn't let go of my hand. Instead he pulled it up to his face and examined the scar that ran from the nuckle on my middle finger that wrapped around to the edge of my hand.

"What's this from?"

"I got that when I was like ten. It was Easter and since that's about the only time my parents ever went to church my mom was ironing my 'best dress,'" I used air quotes and rolled my eyes, "well as I was walking into her room to get it, she was walking out and I ran right into the edge of the iron with my hand. Ungh, it hurt so bad! My mom still laughs telling the story because she says that I just kept running around in a circle saying 'ow ' and cursing her out…hmm, even then I cursed like a truck driver."

Edward didn't respond, just smiled at me while he kissed my hand, right atop the scar.

We just sat there looking at each other for what felt like hours but in reality was only about twenty seconds. I almost forgot what we were supposed to be doing until Edwards stomach growled.

"Brownies…lemme go get them for you!"

I went to the kitchen, made him a plate with some brownies, and then cut up a hot dog that I kept stocked in my fridge for Elijah and gave it to Paprika.

We ended up turning on the T.V. and watched a rerun of Grey's Anatomy, at about ten, Edward said he had to go because tomorrow was his morning to work at the hospital.

I rubbed Pappy, getting a few sloppy licks on my arms, and then turned to say bye to Edward but was pulled into another hug.

His arms wrapped around my waist, one hand staying high around it while the other on my lower back, with three fingers curled into my back belt loop. He had his face in my hair and I could feel his breaths fanning it. I instantly wrapped my arms around his shoulders, entertwining my fingers at the back of his neck in his hair. He laid a quick kiss to my temple and with a smile, said goodnight.

"I'll text you between shifts…thanks again for the brownies and hot dog, we appreciate it."

"No problem Doc…have a goodnight." I leaned against the door.

"Same to you, beautiful Bella."

After I shut the door, I literally skipped over to the sofa and fell over the edge, face first into the pillow that Edward had been leaning against.

I found myself missing him already...