Sorry this is a bit late everyone. The first half of the story is in BPOV and the second is Edward. Happy reading


Chapter 9

It had been seven days, seven whole days and I hadn't heard anything from Edward Cullen. He said he was going to call and he seemed like he meant it, but he still hasn't called! As heart breaking as that is, I have bigger fish to fry and so much other stuff on my plate.

Right now I'm standing in the middle of my now remodeled bakery. Emmett is showing that everything that needs to be delivered this week has come through and they will be installing it in the morning. The once ugly mural is now painted over in a warm buttery yellow with a light tan underneath. Emmett said it's an accent wall done in a fo-finish, whatever that means? It looks good though. The tan comes through without it looking gaudy. He also did the trim in the same light tan to match the marble around the store. One man is behind where the display case sits and is free hand drawing a loaf of bread, a cupcake, tarts and rolls. The work Emmett and his team have done is an amazing job.

The new tables that Emmett suggested were made of oak and the chairs were padded in the same tan color. A few booths that were once a deep red had new fabric in the same yellow and the table had been removed and added the nice oak in its place. The bathroom doors were re pained with big pictures added one of Scarlett O'Hara and the men's room held a picture of Rhett Butler from gone with the wind and above the pictures said Ladies and Gents. It was perfect. I knew that Emmett still had some work to do and since the F.B.I had given me such a big budget I had decided to ask if Emmett could make a few changes to the apartment upstairs.

I didn't want anything drastic done, just maybe strip the hard wood floors and re buff it. Some new counter tops for the kitchen. A new toilet and sink for the bathroom. It wasn't much, and I wanted to keep the old world kind of feel in the place. I would also like the place to have a fresh coat of paint and have him check the garbage disposal, fridge and stove. I wanted everything up to code. Emmett agreed with me and promised that once he was done down here they could start upstairs as soon as possible.

"Thanks for the extra work Bella. This month has been kinda hard and I don't want to have to lay any more of my guys off. You don't know how much this is going to mean to them knowing we have extra work coming up!"

"I know how hard the economy is right now and I'm not just doing this for your benefit. This is going to help me too, in the long run. The last thing I want to do is replace a toilet or something upstairs six months from now! This place however is amazing. It's just what I had pictured in my head!"

I thanked Emmett again and headed back to my car parked right out front and started the drive home. Alice wasn't due for a few more hours seeing as she was teaching full time now and Rose who had come back a few days ago was busy with a new client. So I would have the house to myself and thought I would try some recipes for yummy ideas to sell in the bakery. I also needed to find some good coffee makers and funky coffee cups to go with the bakery along with some ecofriendly take out cups. I had been putting mostly everything on the back burner you could say. Something's needed to be done before we could even open.

I pulled into the driveway and was greeted by the loud barking of our new dog Basso. A pure bred German Sheppard and trained to be a police dog. We had to learn a new language just for his commands. He was a good dog though, even if he wouldn't play fetch with Alice in the back yard. I laughed lightly as he sat; tail wagging right in front of the door waiting for me to take him outside. As I made my way through the house and to the French doors that led to the back yard he rushed right out walking all the way around the yard sniffing here and peeing there. Once he was finished and after I de activated the alarm I let him back in and gave him the big bone that I had picked up this morning when I was shopping for groceries.

Pulling eggs, milk, butter, flour and everything else out I pulled out the fresh berries in all different variety so I could start on some taste testers. I made up some simple pie crusts and cut them down smaller and using real vanilla beans. I started on a strawberry vanilla tarts then moved on to muffins and cupcakes. I would use my mom's old recipe for the muffins and double the batches when we started to open. I thought about a lot over the last week.

After Momma's and Daddy's things had been delivered, Tia went back to Chicago to finish building her case against Aaron and his crew. So far nothing had happened since the scare at the bakery. None of Aro's hench men have come looking for us or found us. She seemed appeased after checking the flight data through the airlines and such. That didn't mean that they couldn't drive down here or take a bus or even take a train if they felt they could get away with it. But for now we were safe. As I cleaned up the pots and pans I realized that I had made way too much for just a bit of tasting. That also included the yeast dough rising in two big bowls for bread. I heard Basso bark once and came at sat right in front of me alerting me that someone was here. The next moment there was a knock at the door and my phone vibrated in my pocket alerting me to an incoming text.

I peeked through the peep hole in the door to see a man holding a big bunch of flowers, but before opening the door I checked the text just in case it was from Rose or Tia. Imagine my surprise when I had seen it was from Edward!

"I've been thinking about you all week; been stuck at the hospital. Sorry we haven't had our date yet, maybe this weekend? Hope the flowers make up for it?

Edward"

I smiled to myself as Basso stayed close to my side as I unlocked the door and saw a young man holding a big bunch of flowers. I couldn't name many of them, but the fragrance was amazing and they were lovely. I thanked the man and tried to give him a tip, but he waved me away saying that he had more deliveries before he had to go home. Not a moment after I closed the door did Seth come knocking on the door to check the flowers for a bomb or a card. Once I assured him that the flowers were from a man I had met he wanted his details so he could do a background check on him. Being frustrated with not being able to keep this one thing private I snapped.

"Look Seth, I get that we are a high priority case, but not everyone is out to get me! Rose has all of his details, why don't you check with her if you want them so damn bad!"

I wanted to shove him out of the door, but the sad look that crossed his face made me regret snapping at him. He was just doing his job after all so after I gave a small 'sorry' and blamed it on pms. To make up for taking my frustrations out on him I invited him in and made him a plate of everything I wanted to start serving at the bakery. He seemed to love all of it and I was excited when he would take a bite and hum in delight before asking what he was eating. I giggled a bit before answering him.

"Well in your left hand is Danish puff with pecans, what you just finished was an apple turnover and in your right hand is a strawberry and vanilla tartlet with cream. You still have the lemon and cranberry muffin and the double trouble chocolate brownie to go it seems. But what do you think of everything?"

"This small thing here that has this red stuff is amazing! Oh and this muffin is so damn good. It's better than my mom's, but if she ever asks you can't tell her I said that okay?"

"Sure."

Within a matter of minutes Alice came home followed closely by Rose and Emmett. I was kind of surprised that they would show up together seeing as how Rose said it was a secret and everything. I guess now that we knew the truth she deemed it ok? Alice really didn't stop to talk either claiming she had a bad day and stomped up stairs to shower and change. I knew that she had some wild bug up her butt and wouldn't talk about it until she was good and ready, so after cleaning up my baking mess I started on dinner.

Once Emmett and Rose had a plate of the tarts, muffins, pastries and so on I started to fix up a basket full of muffins and some other goodies that I would take over to Edward at the hospital later in containers. After shooting off a text asking if he would be there that is. He texted me back saying that he was covering for someone that had left without notice and hadn't even seen his own bed for more than a couple of hours this week. I may have wanted him to try my cooking as well. Daddy always said the way to a man's heart was through his stomach. This couldn't hurt right?

Just as I was putting the fried chicken into the skillet Alice came down stairs looking morose and was pretty quiet. She also looked deep in thought and would sigh then shake her head like she was confused. It wasn't until Rose had finished up her last tart that she asked what was bugging Alice.

"What's with the frowny face short stuff?"

Alice gave another sigh then shrugged one shoulder.

"I don't know what to do? I think my boss hates me or something?"

"I can't imagine Gloria hating anyone! Are you sure that you're not reading too much into something?"

As tears filled Alice's lower lashes and one tear escaped down her cheek she swatted it away angrily before she shook her head and spoke.

"It's not Gloria, she's great. I guess her husband doesn't like me? He's always so gruff when he talks to me….when he has too that is. I've never been mean to him and I do my job perfectly. I don't know what I did wrong?"

Rose raised an eyebrow in challenge at what Alice was saying before tossing away her paper plate and shaking her head like what Alice said had to be wrong.

"Wait did you say husband?"

Alice nodded her head quickly at Rose. Rose pursed her lips and shook her head as she re-took her seat on the couch.

"Alice, Gloria isn't married anymore. She's been a widow for going on fifteen years. As far as I knew her son Jasper now runs the company. Gloria didn't want to fully retire, so she stays involved, but Jasper runs the company finances and keeps the books."

Shock marred my sister's pretty features and she bit her bottom lip telling me that she was anxious about something and was afraid to say for some reason; before she took a bite of a muffin and washed it down with a glass of water.

"Wait so her son Jasper…Mr. Whitlock! That's her son? I thought she was a cougar and like young men. I guess that's part of why I am so confused. I got a new student a couple of days ago, Lucy Whitlock. Gloria comes in to watch. I just figured that they adopted, until today when she ran to Gloria and called her Mema. She's a year younger than the other kids. I figured that she just had a special name for her mom."

Rose closed her eyes for a moment like she was in pain before she said something that shocked Alice even more.

"Alice Jasper is widowed too. Lucy is his daughter and all he has left from his wife. Maria, Jasper's late wife was his everything along with Lucy. I only know all of this and the Whitlock's because my cousin Peter is married to Maria's older sister Charlotte. I won't say anymore on the subject. It's not my story to tell."

As Alice opened her mouth Rose raised a hand and lifted an eyebrow like the discussion was over and never to be brought up again. Emmett broke the tense moment with the mention of paint samples and what I wanted done upstairs. After cooking up the fried chicken and the rolls and waited for them to cool I finished up the salad and macaroni and cheese. Pulling enough plates down for everyone to eat I set the big table so we could talk about repairs on the building shying away from the somber topics that had just taken place. Emmett, Rose and Seth seemed over joyed at eating a home cooked meal. Emmett said the only way he could cook was on a grill and that Rose worked so much it was hard not to just order take out all the time. Seth being a single man said that hungry man usually made his meals.

We all had a good laugh and Emmett gave me some great ideas for the apartment above the bakery. I didn't want all of the walls bright white. I know some people have color schemes and the color of their furniture would clash if we painted the walls green, or red. So I chose a nice cream color and a very light tan for what Emmett called an accent wall. That was just part of this larger picture that needed to be dealt with.

We still had what they called the banquet hall that the old restaurant had used that needed a bit of work. I never thought this would be all that hard, opening my own bakery was taking its toll on me. I always thought it would be fairly easy. I understand why Rose picked this place; it was so I could expand later if I wanted. As of right now though I needed to start looking at hiring a staff a few bakers as we went along and at least a couple of people who could just make coffee and run the register.

I would keep getting checks from the F.B.I for at least six months after the trial and when that was done I would be on my own. Emmett and Seth offered to do the dishes since I cooked and Alice went upstairs for a moment before taking her place on the couch with her iPod. When Rose brought up some applications for a new tenant for the apartment I felt a slight panic rise in my chest. I really didn't want a police officer to be living above my bakery and would prefer to choose someone that was quiet, clean and could pay the rent I needed without leaving me in a lurch when all was said and done.

While having an officer staying in the apartment would be nice I would also have them in my place of business in shifts, following me and was becoming close friends well friends at least that were Marshals. How many more cops did I really need to be safe? I had a giant dog that was even trained for the force!

"Rose, I know that Tia wants me to have an officer of sorts living in that apartment, but I would feel more comfortable if I could choose my own tenant. I just don't want to be left in a lurch when everything is all said and done. I'm sure you can understand where I'm coming from on this?"

Rose looked deeply into my eyes and toyed with her nails for a minute or two before she said anything back. Emmett who was now in the know just shrugged while looking through the paint samples and pictures of the fixtures that he wanted my input on. Alice seemed lost in her own world, still thinking about how she had everything all wrong. While Seth sat and listened, not saying a word one way or the other.

"I can see where you would feel a bit Closter phobic and would want to pick who will be living in the apartment. Can you promise me that you will look through these applications before you decide though? I won't force you to side with Agent Amun, but I will ask that you consider your safety by moving in an officer."

I shrugged and nodded before saying anything more. Not too long after our talk Rose, Emmett and Seth were ready to leave for the night even though it was only seven. I had told Seth about dropping off some fresh goodies to the hospital for Edward and Rose smirked and winked my way overhearing what I was about to do. I waved goodbye to Rose and Emmett while Seth said he would follow as long as I kept my visit short.

EPOV

I scrubbed my face as I discharged yet another patient that had the flu. I figured that I could catch a few winks of shut eye in one of the common rooms until the next wave of patients came flooding in. As of right now I've been working nonstop after Mitchel just upped and quit. It's driving me crazy, I was going to plan a nice night out to introduce Bella to my city and her new home and I've been so busy I haven't had time to even shower properly or eat a home cooked meal. About now I would settle for anything that didn't come from the cafeteria or a vending machine!

I trudged through the halls and bypassed the room known for hook ups and headed farther down the hall to what was known as the quiet room. I slumped down onto the mattress giving out a sigh and closed my eyes. What seemed like minutes later I was being shaken awake by a nurse? Blinking rapidly I noticed it was Cheyenne. I didn't mind working with her because she was one of the only nurses that didn't try to get in my pants. Her girlfriend Vera worked on the same floor tonight and I figured she was busy in the other room.

"What's going on Chey? Is it another trauma?"

"No, you have a visitor. I figured that you would want to see this one. She was really pretty and she brought you food. But if you would like to go back to sleep I could send her on her away?"

She let the sentence hang there for a moment before saying anything else. I rubbed my eyes as I tried to clear away the fog in my head. I couldn't for the life of me figure out who would bring me food other than my mother. She said she was young….didn't she?

"No that's ok. I'll see who it is and go from there. How long have I been out?"

"About three hours Doctor Cullen."

I sat up and forward pressing the heels of my hands into my eyes and rubbing hard. I yawned and figured some mouth wash couldn't hurt. Then remembering that all of that stuff was in my locker I shrugged. As I walked out of the room I pulled out a Listerine strip from my pocket and popped it on my tongue. As we made our way down the hall I noticed a woman with long brown hair standing with her back to me. She was slim even in the big coat she was wearing I could tell. She seemed to be holding a big basket full of so many mouthwatering aromas my stomach snarled out a hello before I could even talk. As she turned I noticed it was Bella and my night just became a bit brighter than it was before.

"Sounds like somebody is hungry?"

She teased as I nodded my head sheepishly and fiddled with the hair on the back of my neck. She blushed and looked up at me from under her lashes and I was a goner!

"Yeah sorry about that. Hospital food isn't the greatest and the kitchen shut down long before I could get anything that wouldn't make me sick. What are you doing here? Not that I don't appreciate it or anything, but…..wow such an unexpected surprise!"

She looked down towards the floor and toed her shoe at the tile. I always can't seem to get my thoughts straight when I'm around her. Before I could make a bigger fool of myself she started talking.

"Well I wanted to say thank you for the flowers and before, you asked what I did for a living and well…. I'm starting up my own bakery. I was making some testers and I packed you up some dinner. You did say you were stuck here all week. I figured that maybe I could bring you some supper and good coffee. On every show I've ever watched about hospitals the coffee always sucked."

A beautiful blush covered her cheeks and I used a finger to tip her face up so I could see into the brown eyes I've been dreaming of for the last month and a half. I gave her the biggest smile any one ever gave and tried to see what was in the large basket that was covered by what looked like a towel of some sorts.

"Well thank you for being so sweet and thinking of me. And don't tell anyone I said this, but the coffee does suck here."

Just as I said the words dad came around the corner, no doubt because he smelled something other than hospital food. Mom went to visit her sister this week and dad has been here just as much as I have.

"What is that amazing smell?"

Bella's blush deepens as my dad's eyes grow huge at the rather large basket and who is holding it. Before I can say anything Bella is talking to dad like they are old friends.

"Edward told me that you guys were left shorthanded and had basically been living here so I figured that some good food and great coffee would make him feel a bit better? I brought plenty if you're interested?"

He eyed me for a moment, but I was fine with him joining us. This wasn't going to be our first date or anything. I would be taking care of dinner then. At a nice restaurant and I would be paying. Plus my poor dad had been eating the same crap I have for a week. I had to take pity on him seeing as mom does it for me when I work so many hours. Besides, Bella did say she brought plenty.

"Yeah dad, why don't you join us for some real food? Let's take this to the break room before we have a gathering of staff members."

I took the basket Bella was holding. Damn this thing is heavy! It seemed to be completely full of whatever she brought. I wonder how she managed to carry the thing from the parking lot. Once seated in the break room around a small table I lifted the towel that she used to keep it warm and was greeted with tons of Tupperware containers full of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese that looked homemade, muffins, tarts, cupcakes, some type of salad, cookies and the list went on. She had even brought some paper plates and plastic forks and knives. Most importantly she brought two large thermoses full of fresh brewed coffee that smelled divine. We had sugar packets here and cream if dad wanted any, but his eyes were set on everything lay out on the table. Not knowing where to start because it all looked and smelled so great Bella took the lead giggling a bit before biting her bottom lip as she watched our eyes bug out over the amount of food.

"Are you just going to admire it or are you going to eat it? By all means dig in and don't worry about me. I've already eaten."

Dad grabbed a plate not one to be told twice and a thermos and began filling his plate. The rolls were amazing and so was the chicken. Hell everything tasted amazing and again I wondered how I got so lucky as to meet Bella Swan. The woman could cook, she was sweet and shy and yet, she still worried about me and she brought me real food and coffee. I felt awful when I realized today that I hadn't even sent her a text telling her why I hadn't called. I thought the flowers were a nice touch seeing as I was seeking forgiveness and all, but this was just so sweet and so much better than the flowers I sent her.

I turned to thank her after piling up my plate again when I heard a couple of clicks. When I looked up dad had a cheesy smile on his face as he snapped a couple of pictures of the food and Bella and I with his phone. I knew later that I would be asking him to send that picture to me. Before I could ask what he was doing he took a bite of one of the pastries and smirked taking a big gulp of the coffee.

"I need to send out some pictures to your mother so she doesn't think were just eating a bunch of junk."

I rolled my eyes at dad's subtlety of telling mom that I was dating someone and he had the pictures to prove it. She was due back in the morning and I would have some explaining to do. She would want to know everything! If I didn't tell her she would just ask dad, Kate or Tanya for the details. After finishing off most of the food Bella said she had to get back home. I walked her out to the nurse's desk and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek reminding her that Saturday I would be taking care of dinner and that I would return any of the containers then.

When she left and I turned around and it seemed that everyone was waiting for an explanation that I was not about to give. I saw Chey again and told her to come and get me if they needed me. With a full stomach and not getting enough sleep I went back to the room and ended up sleeping there until my replacement showed up at six in the morning.

~DLB~

Around noon was when my mother could no longer restrain herself and my phone rang. I had a big basket of scrubs that I had just finished washing and I for once in the past week was squeaky clean. The bags under my eyes were still visible, but had nearly disappeared. I let the phone ring a couple more times before setting down the folded scrub top and picked up the house phone before the voicemail could start.

"Hey mom."

"Hi honey, how have you been this past week?"

She was trying to be nonchalant in the way she spoke. She knew I was seeing someone. I would bet money on it! But I wasn't stupid and I knew just how distract her. So I asked about her trip.

"Good, real good. Anyway how was your trip to see Aunt Irina?"

I could hear my mom gearing up to tell me all about Alaska where my Aunt and Uncle moved about six years ago. Keeping from getting wrinkles on my scrubs I wedged the phone between my shoulder and chin and started on some scrub bottoms and socks.

"You know how your Aunt can be…..All she did the whole time was talk about what Kate was doing and how your cousin Sasha was accepted into Yale. Yale can you believe it? Those things don't matter. Sure I'm proud of Sasha, I was proud the first time she told me and the hundredth. I mean you went to Dartmouth and then back home to Seattle for medical school. Your younger brother Masen is going to Harvard law. What does she think …that you attended Clown College?"

I hummed in all the right places until there was a lull in the conversation.

"Yeah she can be that way."

I could hear my mom huff into the phone before she said anything more.

"Has Kate told you that she and Garrett are giving Irina a grandbaby?"

Kate never told me that she was pregnant and I was a bit pissed that she didn't say anything. She knew that mom would ambush me and want to start talking about when I was going to settle down with a nice girl and give her hundreds of grandchildren. She needed to realize that she would maybe get three kids tops, if ever! Kate made sure that I was blindsided and for that I was going to give her shit the next time I saw her. I briefly wondered if she bugged Masen about these things.

"Did you hear me Edward? I said Irina is going to be a grandma. While were on this topic when are you going to do the same for me? Have you met anyone?"

I knew she was fishing for information and figured that I might as well tell her everything I know about Bella now, well almost everything.

"Yes, I have met someone, but it's very new. I have known her since I treated her as my patient almost two months ago. She moved here with her little sister from Mississippi after their father passed. Making a new start you could say. She is starting up her own bakery and that's about it. Why are you bugging me about giving you grandkids? Why haven't you asked Masen? He's been with Kayla for over a year now."

Mom hummed in the 'Where's the rest of the information' kind of way. While I tried to deflect the topic of kids onto my brother. Was it messed up, yes but what else could I do? Mom was like an angry dog with a bone when it came to information. As of now it could go two ways. One she pushes further for more and brings up my past girlfriend or two she could start bugging Masen. I was hoping for the latter.

"Do I at least get a name for this pretty girl? How old is she? She would have to be a sweet girl to bring you and your father all of that food last night. She must already care about you and your health if she is doing such sweet things for you already! You know that you're not getting any younger Edward. When I think of all that time you wasted with that….Girl Senna…my baby boy deserves a nice girl."

Option one it is. Trying to bring the conversation away from the disaster that was Senna I gave her the information she wanted.

"Mom, her name is Isabella, but she goes by Bella. She's twenty five so she's six years younger than me. She is a nice girl, and shy and sweet. But mom I don't want you to start planning a wedding and quit picturing what our children would look like! I haven't even taken her out on a proper date yet. Wait mom…how did you know she's pretty?"

She gave a relieved sigh as I gave her the information she was going to drag out of me anyway. Sometimes it was just better to give in to her demands than to let her go off on a tangent about what I like to call 'Tornado Senna'. I knew that mom didn't like her much even by first impressions and the way she answered mom's questions. I should have seen it right away, but I was blinded by lust.

"Your father may have had something to do with that. She is very pretty. All of that long dark hair and her eyes are so expressive."

Just thinking about her eyes made me smile. Yes her hair was thick and a lush chestnut brown, but her eyes were just amazing with little flecks of green and gold in them! I figured that dad would rat me out, but at least I got copies of those pictures. I may have saved them on my phone too. Shaking my head I looked at the time. It was almost one in the afternoon and I still needed to make reservations for my date with Bella on Saturday. So as quickly as I could I hung up with mom and finished folding my laundry.

Doing some research on nice restaurants in the area I could take her to makes me feel really shitty. I wanted to show her around, but had been so focused on work lately I didn't know where the cool places to go were anymore. Sure I still remember all of the places I used to go to when I was a teenager, but were not seventeen anymore. When I was dating Senna last year she demanded that we only eat at the best and trendiest places. It had been ages since I went to any of those places that I don't even know if there still around? Besides Bella didn't strike me as the kind of girl who went to those sorts of things.

I decided on the Sky City Restaurant at the space needle and was on my way to a good start. So after making a call I had our reservations for dinner booked. I couldn't think of anything else to do after that though. It was fall and the amusement park had been torn down this past summer to build some glass blowing museum. I could take her out to a night club, but that seemed too 'one night stand' to me. I wanted something more with Bella than a wham bam thank you mam. I could do something like a walk in the park as clichéd as that sounds, but at night is when all of the wanna be gangsters come out and is prime time for a mugging.

We may not live in any big crime cities like New York, Los Angles or Chicago, but we had our fair share of crime. After figuring that more research needed to be done first I grabbed a clean pair of briefs, some scrubs and headed off for a long hot shower before I was due back at work. These four hour breaks were killing me. Today I had gotten lucky and was given an eight hour time period seeing as today was Doctor Crowley's first shift so I was able to come home and do some laundry. Thankfully the laundry room in my building was empty so I was able to do all of my laundry without having to wait.

DLB~

I drove into work and could already tell that I would need to stop by the coffee shop on the corner for a large coffee. It was going to be one of those nights. Everyone has those days where you know that somebody is going to do something stupid or people would come in with the flu knowing we were going to tell them plenty of fluids and rest before sending them back home. The parking lot for the emergency room was already starting to fill up and it was only six.

After getting a large or 'vinti' as the pimply faced kid like to call it I got back into my car and drove down to my spot. I really needed some time off soon. I didn't even want to be here tonight, but since I was taking tomorrow night and Saturday back to back off I didn't have much of a choice. I was covering for dad tonight and DR. Banks would cover for me for tomorrow and the next. As I walked in the door I could see Shayla and Misty and I could hear Lauren chatting away at the nurses' station. Lauren's cackle could be heard from the entrance doors and I knew that I wasn't going to like tonight one bit.

As I quickly finished my coffee and headed to my locker I pulled on my lab coat and checked my pockets for what I would need tonight. After making sure everything was in place I rolled my neck and made my way to the bull pin. Checking the board I could see we were already pretty much full up. I could hear Shayla whispering furiously behind my back with the wicked witch of the east and west.

"I saw it with my own eyes. He's seeing some girl. I doubt you could change his mind Lauren. He seemed really into her."

Lauren trying to be subtle and quiet wanting the new office gossip…. that was me off the market. I could tell that she wanted more of what they were saying just by how her shrill voice went up an octave.

"How do you know it wasn't one of his cousins or something?"

"I'm telling you Lauren she brought him dinner and they sat in the break room laughing and cuddling when he could have been sleeping. When she left I saw him kiss her. I saw his face when he saw it was her. At first he looked pissed being woken up, but then she turned around and his eyes just lit up and you know that sexy smile he has? Well he gave her that smile, you know that crooked smile."

I could hear Lauren huff and I am sure she has her arms crossed and she more than likely would have stomped her foot if I hadn't been standing here. I rolled my eyes at how this grown ass woman was acting.

"Well I don't believe it. We have all been after him since he was with the last girlfriend he had. Who does this girl think she is to just….just…."

By now I had heard enough. I turned around after seeing that I was due in room 203 and went to pick up a chart. Before I headed off in the direction of the room I turned to the bitches of east wick.

"I didn't realize my personal life was such an interesting topic? Well I will make sure to keep my girlfriend away from the harpies from now on. God knows what you three are capable of when you think someone belongs to you; even when they can't stand to be in the same room as you. News flash I someday want to settle down and every man knows you can't turn a hoe into a housewife!"

I walked away and called out to Vera who was my acting nurse until Tanya came back tonight. I could hear Vera snickering and Lauren fuming along with her two lackeys. Most of the time I stay polite and distant, but this time I had to say something. Bella wasn't exactly my girlfriend, but they didn't need to know that. In fact they didn't need to know what I did when I'm not here; my life if just that, personal and not open for topic and office gossip.

My first patient was a four year little boy who had the flu. This was how the rest of my night went. Bella texted me around seven to ask if I would like some homemade chili and I jumped at the chance to not only see her again, but to have some more of her cooking. It wasn't until she showed up the same time as my mother that I started to worry. She met my dad already because he was her doctor once when I was caught up. But to meet the parents so soon and to see the fan club watching her every move made me nauseous. She wasn't some freak show and what made the butterflies beat wildly in my stomach was that she was walking along with my mother and they seemed to be talking and laughing. When a hand clamped down on my shoulder I jumped from shock only to realize that it was my dad.

"Your mother already likes her. Look how they're laughing and chatting like old friends already. Isn't it a beautiful site son?"

I was dumbfounded. This was all happening so fast. I hadn't even gotten to know her or take her out yet. Like a punch to the gut I wondered if this was all just good timing or if she knew who I really was and was sucking up looking for a pay out? As they neared I hoped I was wrong and that she was what I think she is. That my own insecurities were getting the best of me, because I was already starting to fall for this girl and it would crush me if she was just like Senna.