Chapter Seven

Do you want to stay over? she'd said.

Edward had never heard a more wonderful sentence in his life. He'd texted his mom to say he was sleeping over at Billy's, and at 12:04, on her way home, she'd texted back to tell him she hoped he'd had a good night and liked the Chinese food and to tell Mr. and Mrs. Tanush thanks for having him, the usual over-protective mom spiel. He would have texted her back, but he'd been asleep, holding Bella in his arms, sleeping better than he ever had.

He woke up first. At first he had the disorientation of waking up in a new place, his senses taking everything in. A dog barking. Someone distantly yelling, "Naw, man, you can't park that thing up in there!" The incessant nervous chatter of birds wondering where summer had gone. And then he felt the warm girl against him, her chest rising and falling, mahogany hair spilling over her pillow and his arm, and he felt at home.

"Good morning," he murmured.

She grunted beside him and turned over on her stomach.

He lay there, wide awake, for some time, believing and not believing where he found himself, content just to be there, until nature called. He held it as long as he could, not wanting to disturb Bella, but when the time came, he eased his arm out from under her head and slipped out from under the blanket, though he took an extra second to cover her up and kiss her cheek before he went.

He peed. He stretched. He exulted in the morning and in the memory of last night, having cum three times. And then, feeling better than he had in his life, he went to the fridge to scrounge up some breakfast, and found it empty except for a half-empty jar of mayonnaise, some expired pickles, and one lonely, moldy egg roll.

"Oh, fucking really…?"

He checked the freezer, which was stocked nearly to bursting. Hungryman dinners, Elio's pizzas, a pyramid of Hot Pockets, assorted Stouffers offerings ranging from mac and cheese to lasagna to Salisbury steak, and a neat stack of every frozen appetizer Fridays offered.

"Oh. Fucking really."

All of this equaled a trip to the bodega. He came back brandishing Tropical brand cheddar, a dozen eggs, a pound of butter, and a quart of milk, as well as, after some debate, salt and pepper. He even brought ketchup packets, thinking she might be one of those. He had unpacked the bounty and was ready to start on breakfast when the yowling started. From her seat atop the table, the heavy, slumped form came alive, eyes focusing on him, and Ariel began demanding her breakfast.

"Fucking really?"

Ariel licked her lips, lifted her head, and began yowling louder.

"Listen. Thing. I'll feed you, but be quiet."

Ariel lurched to her feet with great effort, waddled to the edge of the table, and dropped. Edward had heard glasses shatter more quietly.

"Shh!" he said, while she plodded over to him. He found the food bag on top of the fridge and poured a cup into the bowl labeled Princess by the radiator, and silence circulated.

He moved with practiced speed, finding a blasted but serviceable pan forgotten in a cabinet, cracking the eggs, seasoning them, and pouring them in, whisking with a fork to keep the curds fluffy, then adding the cheese. When he was satisfied, he took them off the heat, and was turning to go back and gently wake Bella up when he heard the screen door fly open, and before he could process what was happening, a young black woman was striding into the house, dreadlocks flying behind her.

"Hey, girl, get up, get up, get up!" she chirped, waving two bags in her hands, when she caught sight of Edward.

"Yo, what? You get fucking lost or something? Who the fuck are you?"

"I, I, I'm…"

Something seemed to click in her head. "Oh, you jailbait! Aw, fuck." She called into the silent bedroom, "Aw, you go, girl!"

"Shh, shh, she had a long week, she's sleeping."

From behind the closed door, the voice of the dead: "No, I'm not."

"Girl, get your ass out here, I got breakfast burriiiiitos!"

"No, but…I, I made…"

"S-s-s-speak up, son!"

"I made eggs!" Edward cried. "I made…eggs."

"Well, shit, boy, you don't gotta shout."

The bedroom door creaked in protest, and Bella made her appearance. "Yeah, Edward. I have neighbors."

"You don't say."

"Goddamn, girl, you look like you just got fucked into a coma."

"Angel, Edward. Edward, Angelique."

"Hi," Edward said, and then, hopefully, "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, jailbait, what you think I got here?" To Bella: "I got an extra burrito for Ravon, but I don't know where the fuck he at, and he ain't answering, so I thought…hey, maybe my girl want a chorizo egg and cheese."

"Hot sauce? And extra ketchup?"

She is one of those.

"You know it."

"Uh, Bella, I actually made some…"

"Thank you!" Bella cried, ignoring Edward, and snatched one of the bags from Angelique's offering hand. She went to the table, tearing into the burrito. "Saw Shug in the yard last night."

"Aw. Yeah. Orionids peaking."

"So I heard," Bella said, and started devouring.

"Wondering why you didn't join me at the club last night, but now I guess I know why," Angelique said, casting a sly eye on Edward. "Damn, boy, you must have a twelve-inch cock."

"He doesn't," Bella said, mouth full of burrito, "but at his age, he sure knows how to use it."

"Bella!"

"Jailbait, there's no shame in this house," Angelique said, taking the other chair at the table and opening her own burrito. "Ain't gonna lie, Bella, he cute. Jailbait, what are you? Sixteen? Seventeen?"

"Um…"

"Got my girl freaking out, waking me up at the ass-crack of dawn."

"…Thirteen?"

Angelique flew up, still chewing. "You fucking…" She looked wildly at Bella, then back at Edward. "For real?"

"I can show you my school ID…"

Angelique started cackling, going back to her burrito. "Aw, damn girl, you said you was in some trouble, but if he ain't cool, you fucked."

"I would never do that to Bella," Edward said stiffly.

Angelique ignored him. "So, what up, girl? How them doubles treating you?"

"Ugh. Fucking bitch. I wish Rob knew how to hire."

"Well, he musta done something right, he got you."

"He's gonna work me till I die on my feet."

"You shoulda been made a manager by now."

"You think so? I'm only nineteen."

"Girl, you been there three. Years. And you bust your ass for that place."

"He wouldn't want to lose me as a server."

"Well, that's his problem."

"Will someone please eat my eggs?" Edward asked.

Angelique nodded in his direction without quite looking at him, still eating her burrito. "Yo, jailbait making you breakfast? Where do I get me one of him?"

"What, things with J not working out?"

Angelique crooked her pinky finger downward. "J's thing didn't work out. We've been over, girl, I told you, didn't I?"

Suddenly there were heavy footsteps ascending out front, and Edward was beginning to wonder, even hope, that he was still asleep.

The door was flung open, and in came a man in a snazzy red silk shirt that was, even this early at this time of year, starting to darken with sweat. He was easily six-four, maybe bigger. And he was pissed.

"How the fuck does someone ship a panda wrong, someone wanna tell me that?"

"No," Bella said, looking concerned. "What happened?"

"I just told you what happened," Angelique said. "Or didn't happen. Hey, I see an empty beer can when I come in? You got any extra?"

"Yeah, in the fridge."

"They're in the living room," Edward corrected.

"Yo, did I turn invisible?" the newcomer asked.

"Can you get Angelique one, Edward?"

"…Sure," Edward said, looking mournfully at his pan of sad, cooling, dying eggs, and went off.

"I just had to see a man about a panda. It died!"

"Sorry, Ravon," Angelique said dismissively.

"This done fucked up my day! Oh shit, someone make some eggs?"

Edward burst back into the kitchen, beer in hand.

"Yes! Please! Have some!" he exclaimed, gesturing towards the stove.

"Well, I don't mind if I do."

"No, let me heat them up for you."

"Damn. Aight. Thanks, lil chef."

"He might be little," Angelique said, "but he big where it counts."

"Angelique!" Bella yelled.

Ravon looked around, seeming to take everything in for the first time. "Yo, who the fuck is this kid, anyway?"

"Bella's cougaring," Angelique said.

Ravon looked serious. He walked over to where Bella sat, turning paternal, and pointed a finger at her. "That's dangerous business. Once, I had this girl—"

"No one wanna hear that, Ravon!" Angelique shouted.

"Eggs are ready," Edward said, holding a plate out for Ravon.

"Aight. Well, at least he housebroken."