CHAPTER 7 – ALONE TIME

Bella was absolutely giddy as she drove toward the baseball field. She'd been smiling since she woke up and found the sweet note that Edward had left on her coffee table. It had been written in his beautiful handwriting, and filled the back of a receipt. He had placed it where she couldn't miss it when she opened her eyes. That small gesture was endearing.

She'd only been up a few minutes, when her cell phone chirped.

Good morning. I hope you weren't too uncomfortable on the couch. See you tonight. E.

She quickly replied.

Slept like a baby. Thanks for the blanket.

The note and his texts from the morning were all she could think about as she drove to the ball field.

The first thing she noticed when she pulled into the lot was his car. Then, she saw him leaning against the front of the car, sunglasses on, obviously watching her as she arrived. A thrill ran through her and her smile widened.

As soon as she was parked, he walked over to the car, opening her door then Seth's.

"Hi," she said, wishing she could think of something more interesting.

"Hi." He looked into her eyes as he said it, making her blush.

"Hi, Coach Edward!"

"Hi, Seth."

Seth reached over and bumped fists with Edward before turning to his mom. "Can I go play with Bryce for a minute?"

She nodded and he ran toward the field. When she glanced in the direction of the field, she could see Rosalie, standing in front of the bleachers, watching her with Edward. She didn't look happy.

Edward noticed.

"I'm not her favorite person right now."

She looked surprised when she turned back to him. "Why?"

"Because I upset you yesterday. I'm going to have to do penance with her." He laughed.

"But, you apologized."

He raised his eyebrows. "And?"

"And I'm not mad at you. So she shouldn't be."

"You don't know Rose very well," he said, laughing. "She's like a mother bear. She protects her cubs."

"And I'm her cub?"

"Apparently." He reached over and touched her cheek, caressing it with his thumb. "She's protective of you, Bella."

She was speechless, unable to think clearly when she looked into his eyes. They stood there for a minute, silently watching each other.

Finally, Edward said, "I guess I'd better go help coach the team."

"Um, yeah. I guess so."

He dropped his hand from her cheek, but reached out and took hers as they walked toward the field. She loved the feeling of her small hand wrapped in his large one.

"Do you have plans for Memorial weekend?" he asked as they walked.

She shook her head.

"There won't be a game on Saturday. I was hoping that we could take another ride," he said.

She looked over at him and he was looking at her, waiting for a response.

"I'd love that."

He smiled. "Me, too. I have some ideas about where to go. Can we talk about it after the game?"

"Sure." Her head was spinning. They were going out again!

They had reached the field, and she reluctantly let go of his hand. She waved at him and approached the bleachers, stopping to say hello to Charlie, Sue and Billy in their lawn chairs. Then she timidly approached Rose.

Rose had arranged Lia's blanket on the bleachers, leaving a spot for Bella. She patted it.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes."

"Things look better today. Did he apologize?" She was scowling.

"He did." Bella looked at Rose. "Did Emmett tell you what happened?"

"Only that he got an invitation to Tanya's wedding. Is there more?"

Bella nodded and sighed. "He won't tell me the rest, though. It must be bad."

Rose reached over and patted her hand. "He'll talk when he's ready. Edward is a very private person in a lot of ways. His family shares almost everything. They don't hold back. But, sometimes he's a little reluctant about being that open. I knew there was more to the Tanya story, but all he would ever say was that they decided to separate."

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Lia yelled.

Bella and Rose looked at the parking lot. Carlisle's sleek black Mercedes was pulled into a spot near Emmett's Jeep.

Carlisle had just opened Esme's door and was helping her out of the car. He had a blanket draped over his arm. Bella watched as Esme stood, taking his elbow and smiling sweetly at her husband. She could see where Edward got his impeccable manners and grace.

"I'm surprised to see Esme here," she told Rose.

"She's tired of being sick. Try not to mention it." Bella nodded.

Lia started dancing around in front of the bleachers. "Sit with me Grandma Esme!"

Esme practically glowed, her smile spreading wider as she watched her granddaughter.

"I will, just give me a minute."

Rose stood up and embraced her. "I'm so glad you came. Bryce will be thrilled."

"I couldn't miss every game of the season. What kind of grandmother would I be if I didn't watch my grandson play ball?" She laughed and turned toward the bleachers. "Bella, it's so nice to see you." Esme reached out, as if she expected a hug from Bella, too.

Bella stood up, feeling a little awkward. "Hello, Esme. It's good to see you. It's been too long."

Esme stepped forward, taking Bella into her arms. "It has been too long. Edward has been talking about how wonderful you are. It's about time I get a chance to talk to you."

Bella could feel the heat flowing into her cheeks.

"I'm so glad to see him happy again," Esme whispered to Bella as they embraced.

"Thank you."

"Thank you for being there for him." Bella was taken by surprise when Esme kissed her cheek.

She looked at the field and noticed that Edward was watching the entire exchange, a huge smile on his face.

Esme sat next to Lia on the thick quilt that Carlisle had spread for her. Bella scooted closer to Rose, moving Lia's blanket.

"So, Bella, I hope you're available on Sunday. We have our annual Memorial Day outing at our cabin that day, and I'd love for you and Seth to join us. We'll leave Sunday morning, and stay overnight at the cabin. Will you come?"

Bella was stunned. She stuttered a little as she tried to respond. "But…I don't want to inconvenience anyone."

"There's plenty of room at the cabin. And, I'm sure that Bryce would love to have a friend there."

"Are you sure? Will Edward mind that you asked me?"

"I talked to him about it this morning. He thought it was a great idea."

She took a deep breath, a little afraid of spending so much time with his family. She eventually agreed. "I'd love to."

"Great. Don't worry about anything but clothes for you and Seth. The food is already ordered. And Carlisle bought several new decks of cards. He's ready to play Progressive Rummy with the family." She laughed.

Bella was stunned. She turned to look at Rose, who was rolling her eyes.

"He has to buy new decks each time we go to the cabin. Otherwise, extra jokers turn up in the packs that have already been used," Rosalie said, shrugging.

"Buying new cards is not implying that my children cheat," Carlisle said, pausing for effect. "I'm telling you outright that they do!"

Bella laughed with them. She was amazed at the open, friendly manner of the Cullen family. They talked and laughed through the entire game. She was sad when the game ended and Carlisle and Esme stood to leave.

"We'll see you on Sunday, Bella," Carlisle said.

Esme reached for her hand and squeezed it. "I really can't wait to get to know you better."

After they left Bella asked Rose, "Are they always like that?"

"Yes, especially with people they think of as family."

"They think of me as family? They don't even know me."

Rose nodded. "They do. So does Emmett. He was ready to wring Edward's neck yesterday. That's why he called me."

Bella didn't know what to say. She really liked Edward, but this was a bit overwhelming.

"Don't worry," Rose said. "We don't bite. You'll have a great time at the cabin. It's beautiful there. Alice and Jasper will be there. Jasmine will be thrilled to have another child to play with, and Alice hasn't seen you in years. It'll be great. I would recommend that you learn the rules to Progressive Rummy, if you don't know how to play."

Edward was walking toward her. Rose noticed and said a quick goodbye, hurrying to catch up with Emmett as he carried his equipment to the Jeep.

A tap on Bella's shoulder caught her off guard.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Charlie said. "I just wondered if you would let me borrow Seth on Friday. I'm working on the holiday, so I'm taking Friday off to fish. Billy would like to go with me, and we thought it might be fun to take Seth."

"He'd love that," Bella said.

"Do you mind if he stays at our house on Thursday and Friday nights? Then we can leave early and come home late."

"Dad, don't tell me when you are going to disrupt his sleep schedule. It's better if I don't know about it."

Charlie laughed, and Sue tapped his arm. "We will get him to bed, Bella. You know I won't allow them to spoil him too much."

"Thanks, Sue."

Seth heard the end of the conversation. "Do I get to stay at Grandpa and Grandma's house?"

"Yes, you do. Thursday night and Friday night."

"Yes!" Seth yelled, doing a fist pump. He danced around them, jumping up and down. He loved to spend time with his grandfathers. And he loved to fish.

This was his chance. As much as Edward loved to spend time with Bella and Seth together, he really wanted more time alone with Bella. He wanted to get to know her better; to spend time with her when nobody else was around and there were no problems that they were dealing with. He was anxious to understand what he was feeling for her.

He waited until she was finished talking to her dad, and then walked with her to the parking lot. He held her hand again, relishing the feeling of her tiny hand in his. He worked up his nerve as they walked.

"You know, you don't have to come into the office on Friday to have your stitches removed."

"Really? Why not?" She was puzzled.

He stopped and turned to look at her. "Because I could make a house call. I could take out your stitches and then I could take you to dinner to make sure you're okay."

"Are you asking me out on a date, Edward?"

He smiled. "In a round-about way."

"Why don't you just go straight at it?" she teased.

"Fine," he said with a smirk on his face. "Isabella Black, would you like to have dinner with me on Friday? I hear you already have a babysitter…"

"And just where do you plan on taking me?"

"There's a place I know. I think you'll like it." He smiled at her and pulled her hand as he started walking again.

They walked together to her car, their hands swinging between them. "So, will you go with me?" he asked again.

"I suppose I could go to dinner with you since you're willing to make a house call to take out my stitches."

He grabbed his chest, acting wounded. She laughed.

"So tell me, Dr. Cullen, how many doctors are willing to make house calls? Are you unique? And how many doctors have beautiful handwriting?"

She leaned back against the door of her car, pulling him closer with his hand.

"I'm a one-of-a-kind doctor. But I'll only make house calls for a few select individuals." He leaned in closer.

"Then I feel very lucky, indeed," she said.

He could see that she was breathing faster. His heart was racing.

"Mom, can I get a ride home from Coach Edward," Seth called out.

Edward dropped his forehead to hers and smiled. He'd almost forgotten that Seth was there. Almost.

Bella took a deep breath. "Not tonight. But, he promised to take us both for a ride on Saturday. And, we've been invited to spend Sunday night at the Cullen's cabin. You'll get to stay with Bryce."

Seth did a happy dance.

"Did you agree to come with us?" Edward asked.

"Yes."

"Good. I was worried that it would be too much. I'm glad you agreed."

She smiled. "Who could say no to your mother?"

"She really likes you. I could tell."

"Well, I really like her, too."

She tore herself away from him when Seth walked over to his door, waiting to get into his booster.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said as Edward walked to his car.

"Tomorrow," he said, smiling.

Wednesday was a blur. The text messages kept rolling in throughout the day. Edward was looking forward to seeing her at practice. She couldn't wait to see him. Disappointment hit her when he sent his last text.

Problem with a patient. Can't leave the hospital. Won't be at practice.

Sad that I won't see you until Friday.

Her answer was simple.

Me, too.

Thursday was long. He texted a few times, and she jumped each time her phone chirped at her. She knew she would see him tomorrow, but for some reason that didn't seem soon enough.

"I've got it bad," she said to herself as she packed Seth's overnight bag. She giggled a little.

The doorbell rang and Seth ran to get it.

"Grandpa!"

When Bella walked into the room, Charlie had Seth on his back. She rolled her eyes as she handed him the backpack full of Seth's clothing.

"You'd better be good and listen to you grandfathers." She raised her eyebrows at Seth.

He just laughed. "I'm always good for them, Mom."

"I know," she said, smiling as she reached over to kiss him goodbye.

"Are you going to be okay alone, Bella?" Charlie asked.

"Don't worry about me, Dad. I've got some housework to do. We're going to go with Edward on Saturday and with the Cullens to their cabin on Sunday, so I'll do it tonight."

"So, you and Edward are dating, huh?"

"I guess you could say that."

"Did he do something to upset you on Monday?"

She knew he would hear about that. There weren't many secrets in Forks.

"It was just a misunderstanding. Don't worry about it."

"I just want you to be happy, Bells."

"I'm happier right now than I have been in a while. Really."

"Then, I won't protest about you dating him." He smiled. She knew how protective he was of her.

"Thanks, Dad." She kissed his cheek and waved goodbye.

Friday morning her phone rang.

"Bella, what time can you quit working today?"

Edward sounded excited about something.

"Anytime, really. I've been working since five. The house was too quiet without Seth."

"Great. I'll be there to pick you up at three."

"Three? I thought we were going out to dinner."

"We are. Gotta run, my next patient is here and I'm trying to stay on schedule today. See you soon."

"Bye."

She glanced at the clock. It was almost noon. Edward would be here in three hours. She couldn't sit still anymore. She signed off of her computer after sending an e-mail to her boss explaining that she would be out for the rest of the day. Then, she started to prepare for her date. She really wished that Edward had told her where they were going.

When the doorbell finally rang, Bella nearly jumped out of her skin. She was trying to avoid staring out the window, watching for Edward's car, so she was in the kitchen, staring into the back yard instead.

She rushed to the door.

When she opened it, the first thing she noticed was Edward's eyes. They were bright and she could see the excitement shining in them. Then she noticed his dark jeans and t-shirt. He was dressed very casually.

"Hi," he said.

"Hello, Dr. Cullen. I see you made it here for my house call," she teased.

"Yes, Ms. Black, I'm here to remove your stitches." He held up a bag of medical supplies and winked.

He removed the stitches quickly, each one tugging a little as he pulled it out. Bella winced a couple of times, but kept her eyes diverted.

"Sorry," he said.

"You're not hurting me, it just feels strange."

He finished with the final stitch, cleaned her palm, and then pulled her hand up to his lips, watching her as he did. He blew lightly on the scar and then touched it with a light kiss.

"Better?"

She sucked in a sharp breath. "Yes."

He laughed lightly at her reaction.

"So, Dr. Cullen, do you kiss all of your patient's boo-boos?" She smiled.

"Only yours."

"That is good to know." She winked at him. "I might just have to hurt myself again."

He laughed and pulled her up as he stood.

"You'll want to wear sturdy shoes today. I don't want to be kissing your sore toes." He pointed at her sandals.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To a secret place I know. Change your shoes and we'll go." He seemed really excited.

She changed them quickly and hurried into the living room, anxious to get back to him. He opened the door to lead her out, but she stopped in the doorway, stunned.

"What…"

"I borrowed Emmett's Jeep for today."

She looked at him. "Why?"

His eyes twinkled. "You'll see."

She did see. They were driving down a dirt road, bumping up and down over huge rocks and holes. Before long, he left the road and drove on open ground for a while. Finally, he parked when the trees were too close together.

"I borrowed the Jeep so that we could get as close as possible to my special place. We still have to hike a little."

He hopped out of the Jeep and came around to her side, opening the door and helping her out. He reached into the back and pulled out the picnic basket and quilt from their first date.

"Another picnic?"

"Better than the first." He reached for her hand and started pulling her toward a pathway in the trees.

"No restaurant?"

He shook his head. "I wanted you all to myself." His smile and raised eyebrows made her stomach tingle.

Edward watched her face as she realized that they were going to hike in the forest. Her eyes were wide and a little frightened.

"I won't let you fall," he told her.

"I know. I'm just not the most graceful creature in the forest." She laughed when he looked shocked.

"It's an easy trail. And, the payoff is worth it," he said as he helped her over a rock in the path.

They hiked for an hour. Talking and laughing. She was telling him about Seth's fishing trips with Charlie and Billy. He laughed as she described the many tiny fish he caught and wanted to keep.

"I'm sure my freezer will be full of fish come Saturday morning. Sue can't keep up with all of it. She makes him send some my way."

"Look over there, Bella. Can you see the brighter light? That's our destination."

"Finally," she said, sighing heavily. He just laughed. He felt so light, so happy.

They walked forward for a few more minutes before he moved a branch, revealing a beautiful meadow. It was almost perfectly round, lines with giant trees. It was filled with wildflowers of every color. The thick scent of flowers filled the air. He heard her gasp.

"It's beautiful, Edward. How did you ever find this place?"

"In high school, I'd hike when I needed quiet time. My house was usually bursting with people, Emmett's friends or Alice's friends, sometimes even my friends. But, it was always a little loud and busy. When I couldn't sit down at the piano and relieve my stress, I'd take to nature. I found this place one day, and I've been coming here since then. It's very peaceful and I've never seen anyone else here."

"You still come here for peace and quiet?"

He nodded. "During the worst of Esme's illness, when everyone was at the house trying to help care for her, I'd leave for a couple hours and come here."

Bella turned around, facing him and looking straight into his eyes. "Thank you for bringing me here, for sharing this with me."

"I thought you might like a quiet place, too."

She smiled. "I doubt I could find it by myself."

"I'd be happy to bring you when you need some quiet time."

The air felt thicker as he stood looking at her. He was leaning closer, pulled toward her like a magnet, until she shuddered a little and pulled back.

"Are we going to have our picnic here?" she asked, breaking the tension.

"That was my plan." He smiled, but he was a little disappointed that she had stepped away from him.

He walked into the meadow, looking for the perfect spot for to spread the blanket. She helped him get the blanket ready and sat down.

"It's a little early for dinner, isn't it?"

"I knew it would take a little time to hike in, and I didn't want to try to hike out in the dark – not while I was with the most graceful creature in the forest." He winked at her and she laughed.

He reached into the basket and pulled out his iPod and a dock. After he pressed a few buttons, classical piano music filled the air.

"I hope you don't mind," he said. "I thought classical would fit the mood of the meadow."

"No, I don't mind. I love classical music. My mother played it in our house when I was young."

"Do you see her often?"

He handed her a glass and pulled out a bottle of wine, pouring some for each of them.

"No. She lives in Florida now. I haven't spent much time with her since I moved here when I was a junior in high school."

"Do you wish you could see her more?"

"Sometimes. But, usually our weekly telephone conversations are enough. Seth misses her, of course. She spoils him when she's here."

They ate while they talked, telling each other stories about their lives after high school. She told him about some of their friends. He wondered about Angela, Ben, Mike and Eric. She told him all about their college antics and where they had all ended up. They had all gone to UW with her.

"That was really good, where did you get it?" She pointed at the remaining pieces of fried chicken.

"Esme made it." He watched her get ready to protest. "She insisted. I think it feels good for her to be able to do something for us."

"Fine," Bella said, lying back on the blanket to look up at the fluffy white clouds in the sky. "I won't complain. I'll make sure to thank her on Sunday."

"I'm so glad you decided to come with us to the cabin." He laid back on the blanket next to her. They were quiet for a minute.

"Edward, I need your help with something."

He pushed up, propping himself on his elbow so that he could look at her. Concern was evident on his face. "What's wrong?"

She laughed at the look on his face. "I don't know how to play Progressive Rummy."

He laughed with her for a moment, taking in her beauty when she smiled. He felt the pull again. His body automatically moved toward her, his face was inches from hers. Part of him wanted to kiss her so badly it hurt. But part of him was concerned that she wouldn't want him to do it.

"Bella," he whispered, inches from her face.

She just looked at him. Her breathing was shallow and fast. He watched her hand as it moved from her side and reached for him. He felt it on the back of his neck, and he felt the pressure as she pulled him closer. He could feel her breath touching his face.

His lips touched hers softly. He pulled back a little to look at her. She smiled and he kissed her again. They kissed for a while, until their breathing was labored. He didn't want to push her, so he settled next to her again and took her hand. His lips tingled from the feel of hers.

"I'll teach you to play," he said as he watched her. "I'll also teach you how to cheat."

She laughed. "Your parents told me that you all cheat."

"Did they also tell you that we are very competitive?"

"No." She slapped her hand against her forehead. "What have I gotten myself into?"

He laughed at that. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

After a while, Edward started to collect their picnic items.

"We'd better get going. We need enough light to hike out."

He offered his hand and Bella took it, getting up reluctantly. "I hate to leave. It's so beautiful here."

"Oh, but real life is calling. Can you hear it?"

She smiled at him. "Not out here."

He reached for her chin, tilting her face up, and moved forward touching her lips with his. She threw her hands around his neck, and kissed him back.

"I like it here," she whispered.

"I could stay here like this forever."

They were nearly out of the forest when it happened. It was starting to get dark and Bella was trying to maneuver around a large rock in the path. She placed her foot on the edge of a smaller rock and it rolled painfully to the side.

"Ow!" she yelled.

Edward quickly grabbed her arm to stabilize her.

"What happened?"

"I rolled my ankle."

"Can you walk?"

"Sure." But as she placed weight on her foot, she stumbled.

"Here," he said, handing her the blanket. "Climb on my back."

"You can't carry me out of the forest." She crossed her arms, unwilling to accept the offered piggy back ride.

He grabbed her arm and knelt by her, pulling her around behind him and grabbing her legs. "Hold on," he said. He reached for the picnic basket and started to walk. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

They were out of the trees and back at the Jeep within ten minutes. Edward placed her carefully in the Jeep.

"I'll take a good look at that ankle when we get to your house."

"It's fine. I do this all the time."

Bella was mortified. She knew she shouldn't have gone hiking with Edward, but the trip to the meadow had been wonderful. She just wished she could have stayed on her feet on the way back.

He was babying her. She rolled her eyes when he said he would carry her into her house. He wasn't kidding. As soon as he parked in the driveway, he ran to her door and lifted her out of the Jeep, refusing to allow her to walk.

He placed her on the couch and went into the kitchen to get some frozen peas. She plopped her foot on the coffee table, but he moved it onto a pillow and put the peas on it after examining it.

"It's just sprained. There will be a little bruising and it will be tender, but it should be fine. I'm so sorry," he said as he handed her some ibuprofen and a bottle of water.

"Why are you sorry? I'm the clumsy one."

"But, I should have helped you more."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, really? What are you going to do – follow me around and catch me every time I trip?"

"I would if I could." He laughed for a moment, and then seemed to sober. "Would you like me to stay for a while?"

"Yes. I'd like that. Would you like to watch a movie? I can't get around much, so it seems like a good option."

He walked over to her video cabinet and looked at her DVD collection. "There are a lot of classics here. Any favorites?"

"Do you like Audrey Hepburn movies?"

"My mother loves Audrey Hepburn. I was raised watching her movies."

"Then you won't mind if we watch Sabrina."

He shook his head and loaded the movie into the DVD player, grabbing the remote. He was about to sit in the chair, but Bella wanted to be close to him.

"Why don't you sit over here, with me?"

"What about your foot?"

"I'll put it on the coffee table."

He helped her arrange her foot on a pillow on the coffee table. She felt her shirt slip up as she shifted her body to get comfortable. She noticed his eyes as he caught sight of the scar on her stomach.

"It's from my accident," she said quietly.

"Spleen?"

"Yes. And a small liver laceration. I was bleeding internally. I guess it was pretty bad."

He sat down next to her. "Will you tell me about the accident? You don't have to, but I'd like to know what happened."

Bella took a deep breath and started to recount the night of the accident. "I'll tell you what I remember." She paused. "We were driving home from a Halloween party. Seth was in the back buckled into his car seat. Jake and I were talking as we drove. I looked away from the road ahead to look at Seth, and then at Jake. He saw the other car coming, I didn't. He yelled at me to brace myself, and he swerved to take the impact on his side of the car. We were hit by a large pick-up truck. The driver was a twenty-five year old grad student. She had borrowed her boyfriend's truck to make a trip to the store. He was texting her to tell her some things he needed, and she was replying to his texts. She wasn't paying attention to the road and she crossed into our lane."

Bella shuddered at the memory of the accident.

"Jake took the impact?" Edward asked.

"Most of it. The front of the truck smashed into his side of the car, it pushed the door into Jake. He had a serious head injury. My injuries were caused by the seatbelt."

"Was Seth hurt?"

"No. Thankfully, he only had a few bruises and scrapes. They kept him in the hospital overnight, and then released him to my dad."

"And you had to have surgery for your spleen and your liver."

Bella's eyes filled with tears. She nodded, biting her lip to try to stop herself from crying.

"Did you have more injuries?"

She took a deep breath and let it out. "Not life threatening injuries."

"What else?"

She looked at him, and a tear rolled down her cheek. He reached over to wipe it with his fingers.

"Jake and I had decided that we were ready to have another baby. We'd been trying to get pregnant. I thought I might be, but I was going to wait a few more days to take a test. When I woke up in the hospital, I knew I wasn't. I never asked the hospital staff if they did a pregnancy test when I came in. I had lost so much. I didn't think I could bear to hear that I'd lost a baby, too." Tears were streaming down her cheeks now.

Edward moved over and pulled Bella into his chest. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"Nobody knows but my dad and Sue. I didn't have the heart to tell Billy that he may have lost another part of Jake."

He ran his hand down her hair, kissing the top of her head. His other hand rubbed her back.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. It's devastating to lose a baby," he said, his voice cracking. His eyes were filling with unshed tears. She looked up at his face, curious about his obvious distress.

Edward changed the subject as quickly as he could. She thought he was trying to comfort her.