Chapter 7: Change
E POV:
When I woke I almost had a heart attack. Alice was directly above my face, her tiny hands lifting an eyelid.
"He's not dead."
Alice walked away, and I rubbed my face with my hands before trying to sit up straight. The room was spinning. It must have been some bender, I never get dizzy.
Jasper was there with an outstretched hand, and I took it without saying a word. I stumbled a tad, but was able to regain my footing before the jet's door opened.
Jasper had a pensive look on his face, and I knew he wanted to say something.
"Spit it out, Jazz."
"There's press."
"There's always press. What's the big deal?"
Jasper sighed. He looked anxious, nervous? I'm not sure what was going on, but when Jasper looks nervous, it can never be good.
"Edward, there's more press than normal. We've asked the driver to meet us below and drive us out but they may yell, and I just don't want you to react in any sort of way."
I placed my hand on Jasper's shoulder, "man, is that all? You should know I have learned to never trust anyone and never let them see any emotion."
Jasper looked like he wanted to say more but stopped. "Yeah, okay. Just head down."
I wasn't expecting what we heard on the way to the car. Flashes, lights, security holding the press back. News cameras, shouts about Bella and Draco, Hermione, and then I heard laughter. I looked up to see what was happening and then the cameras really started clicking. Alice grabbed my hand and for once I had to try and keep up with her pace.
As we sat in the back of the SUV, I didn't know what to think. I looked for something to drink, only I didn't see anything anywhere. Hmmm. I guess someone was falling down on the job. I noticed the car was unusually quiet. I turned to see Jasper holding Alice's hand, and while I was worried for my sister not speaking, I was more envious of their love now more than ever. Everyone seemed to have their "someone" in my family; everyone that is, except me. With that as my final thought, I drifted off to sleep.
I knew something was very different the moment I awoke. The car door was open, and I didn't smell city air, but clean, crisp, signs of Fall. I also didn't hear the sounds of the city I had become accustomed to. I looked to the left and saw the large lawn with trees and stone fence that led to my parents home. As I looked to the right I found the front two doors open, with my father coming out to greet us. Alice and Jasper were already out of the car, and Jacob was unloading the luggage from the back.
"Edward, it's so nice for you to join us!"
I wasn't sure if my father meant it to be condescending or genuinely welcome, but I decided to go with the latter.
I stepped out of the car and walked over to him and gave him a hug. "I didn't know we were coming out to the house today. It's great to be home."
My father looked to Alice, and I tried to read their silent conversation but she looked away and I couldn't observe any longer. My father put his arm around me and led me into the house.
Our family home had been featured in many magazines, and my parents took just as much pride in their home as they did their children. The home was always clean, smelled of cinnamon and boasted marble and granite in many rooms. There was even a ballroom and a library that fostered many of our adolescent dreams of grandeur.
Anyone who actually knew us, or had met my mother knew there was more to the house than ostentatious design. My mother had envisioned something entirely different for her home, but my father wanted something that could entertain his friends he had grown up with. My father came from old money that liked to entertain. My grandfather was the master of money. He owned an investment firm that became world renowned. Of course, he followed in my great-grandfather's footsteps, so when my father wanted to become a neurosurgeon, there was a fight and an ongoing argument that to this day, I don't think anyone will win. My great-grandmother was a Dutchess. As kids we would tease that she was the original Emily Post. Which meant my grandparents expected more out of all us than we could deliver.
My mother is an interior designer. Her father owned a potato farm in Ireland, where he still resides today. She was visiting an Aunt when my father saw her at a luncheon at the Country Club, and the rest was history. Once you get past the foyer and the grand rooms in the front of the house, you will find that the kitchen as well as the rest of the bedrooms have character and a rustic feel to them. Velvets from the front turn into leather in the back. Cold and pretentious collide with warm and welcoming. A typical pool leads to the path of stone walls with gardens and stables in the back. My mother loves horses and flowers almost as much as she loves to decorate. The luxury my father's family provided her was having a bit of her home here, and in turn she became the president of every club and charitable organization they would ask of her. She was successful, but not because of her last name, but because of her genuine love of people, no matter where they came from.
Walking in the kitchen, I found my mother rolling dough on the island. She looked up and saw me and the brightest smile overcame her face.
"Edward! It's been too long."
As I hugged my mother I couldn't help but feel ashamed that I had shut her out of my life lately. That I hadn't been the man I knew she raised me to be. She must have known how ashamed I felt, because she hugged me a little tighter and whispered that I would be okay.
Alice was beaming as she placed the rolls on the table. "It's a shame Emmet couldn't be here this weekend! I can't wait to see Rose tomorrow."
"Tomorrow. What's tomorrow?"
"Oh Edward, it's Emmett's first game back with the Giants! Didn't you remember?"
Alice's information had me spinning. How could I have forgotten? After a dislocated shoulder had Emmett out of commission, he had worked tirelessly to return to his beloved Giants.
"Rose said all of our favorites have been given to catering and the suite will be ready for us! I can't wait!" Alice reminded me of the Christmas she got a pony when she spoke, and it made me wonder if I could ever be that happy again.
My mother interrupted and began asking Jasper how his scouting trips had been for music, and Alice how her travels for Fashion Week globally had gone. I tried to listen to Alice and what she was saying, but I couldn't shake the feeling that sitting here didn't feel like it used to, and I hated that.
I saw Merlin, our Great Dane sitting on the patio and decided I would go join him. No one said anything as I got up and walked out.
The air was changing and I felt a little calmer petting Merlin. He was huge, no doubt, but he was a terrific listener and my family loved animals. His loyalty was priceless. I wish humans could be like our animals.
My mind drifted back to brown eyes. Except rather than thinking about those that I had known for years, I was thinking of those that I had only known for a night. When she smiled her eyes sparkled, and not in the glossed over, glassy way that I was used to. She really smiled. It was genuine and it thawed my heart. For a moment I forgot how to breathe, or how to act, or think. It was the high that no other drug could give. And just like that, the moment was gone. She was gone.
Even if there was an explanation for the article and It was all false, she left me and obviously has no care for knowing me. "Smart woman."
"Why, yes, yes I am."
I looked up to find a doting and smiling mother sitting beside us.
"Merlin misses you. He still naps under the piano bench."
I couldn't help but laugh at that image. Merlin used to nap while I played until he got too big to fit under the bench. So we had to have one custom made that would be wide enough and tall enough to accommodate.
"Played anything lately?"
I continued to pet Merlin behind the ears. "Not really. It isn't as rewarding as it used to be."
"Maybe you can play some while you are home. It's awfully late, and you could stay here tonight and ride with us tomorrow to the game. "
I was going to say no. But one look into my mother's eyes and I didn't think I could disappoint her again.
"I think I might take you up on that."
She beamed the same way Alice had earlier.
"Oh, that's delightful. Now who is this other female you're telling Merlin about?"
I knew I could open up now, or Mom wouldn't stop until she got the truth from Alice. Knowing the two of them, my mother knew everything Alice did. She just wanted to know how I was feeling.
"You know Edward, holding it all in will not change a situation. It will make you frustrated, and you may ignore it as long as you can, but there are healthy ways to deal with things. I want all of my children to be healthy."
I wondered if she knew about my little vices and how close they had come to addictions lately. I had a feeling this was the politest way possible she knew how to meddle.
"I felt dead inside and then I didn't. Now I want to be dead again."
My mother's eyes glossed over and I could tell she was trying to choose her words carefully.
"I know the breakup was hard. Seeing her with someone new is difficult and I could chide Alice's hide for making you go."
I interrupted my mother before her temper came out.
"I'm not talking about her."
"Edward, it's been months, you need to talk about it."
"No, Mom, yes, she was there. But I'm talking about Hermione." Wow. It felt right saying her name. I would never mention that other person's name again. Not unless I was forced to. It was out rule, so I guess she thought all of this was over my ex.
"Who is Hermione?"
"A lady."
My mother's eyebrows shot up and her mouth was standing open. It felt right telling her about her and it almost made me smile inside. So I continued.
"Hermione Granger is British. I don't know where she is from, or how old she is, or what she does for a living. But she's refreshing. She's beautiful in a way people aren't anymore. It's classic, it's not plastic and she isn't fake. Or at least I don't think she is. She's intelligent, and you can tell she has lived more than anyone else her age and she had to learn to control herself. She knew she was too good to waste her time on me."
My mother's eyes filled with tears. "She must not be so smart if the last part is true. Is she the one that is in the scandal with you? The scandal from the club?"
I looked at her and I felt sad. "She isn't anything with me. I made a wrong move and she left me in the car. I'm sure you saw. And heard."
"Edward, son, did you try to find out if the story in the paper was true? Don't get angry at me, but I have to ask, did you sleep with that actress Tanya and get her pregnant, because if not, I have it on good authority that the media will do anything to make money. Even lie."
My mother's words hit me like a ton of bricks. I ran my hands through my hair and thought about it.
"Mom, even if it was a pack of lies, she left me in the SUV. I wasn't worthy of her time."
"Or maybe you were and she got scared. Maybe she was having a bad night and was a little confused."
Hope. That was something I hadn't felt in ages, and in conversing with my mother I found myself feeling it.
"I don't know anything about her. Or how to get in touch with her. And I'm a mess. A total let down."
"Edward!" My mother's face was red. "You could never be a let down. Have you lost your way? Yes. I think you have. But the great thing about paths is that you can easily try to climb to get back on them. I happen to know my son is intelligent enough to know when he needs to do so.
"Mom, I don't even know where to start."
Laughter perked Merlin's ears. "Oh, I do. It starts with a razor and a bath. It ends with no alcohol for a while, and more home dinners and less parties." I couldn't help but grin. "Now young man, go upstairs and shave."
I couldn't help but smile, and laugh a little to myself as I helped my mom out of her seat Merlin followed her for scraps, and I saw Alice smugly watching through the window. I stopped when I was just inside the doorway. "Thanks."
"Anytime brother, please let me know when you need me."
I didn't want another soap opera moment, so I just nodded and walked towards the stairs.
