Chapter 10 Communication
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
A/N Okay, sugarplums. Here is Ch 10. So sorry for the wait. I had to write 10 and 11 together to make sure they were consistent. This one is longer than the others have been and 11 is longer than this one. Lot's of stuff going on. I hope you enjoy, but more than that, I hope you'll take a second to review.
Special thanks to my idea bouncing wall--Zephyersky. She rocks! Without her, you would all still be waiting on this.
Edward's POV
I smacked at my alarm as it blared throughout the room. I groaned and turned over.
Our flight had gotten in at ten and I hadn't gotten in bed until around midnight. I tossed and turned until one am and once I fell asleep, I dreamt of Vegas.
My sleepless night consisted of falling asleep, Bella's laughter, waking up, falling asleep, Bella's lips, waking up, falling asleep, surges of electricity, waking up, falling asleep, Bella crying, waking up, getting pissed off, falling asleep, her touch, her whimpers, her moans. It was a never-ending cycle.
It was a seriously shitty night and I was exhausted.
I finally crawled from the bed and got in the shower. It was eight o'clock and I had a meeting at ten with Emmett, Jasper, and my father.
Carlisle was the financial backer for the bar. He was supposed to be a silent partner. Not so much.
He met with us monthly to go over everything from advertising to decorating. He also kept a close eye on our overhead expenses and gross income. The meetings were treacherous and tedious. Every duck had to be in a row and every dollar accounted for. There hadn't been a single discrepancy in the two years since we had opened, but he still insisted. After the first six months, I had considered buying him out with my trust fund money, but decided against it when he offered us free reign of the family jet. Carlisle was a seriously smart bastard. He knew I was considering the idea. He knew exactly which card to pull.
The jet was just that card.
I was easily swayed with convenience. I preferred my life to be uncomplicated. I rarely bought more than ten items at the supermarket; standing in line pissed me off. I had never been in a serious relationship, too many expectations. I made lists. Frequently. It simplified things. I shopped for clothing and home furnishings online. Crying babies and pushy salesmen pissed me off. I despised airports. The private jet didn't alleviate the busy terminal, but it did provide easy, quick boarding and a peaceful flight. No babies, no animals, no complications. Convenient.
I grabbed the keys to my Volvo and headed out the door. I quickly sent Jazz and Em a text to make sure they were up and on their way. If any one of us were to be late that would only extend the meeting. Carlisle would surely lecture the importance of being punctual. We had heard the speech before. It always led into the respect lecture, which could go on for hours.
Carlisle thought we were immature and reckless. When it came to our personal lives and our extracurricular activities, he was right. The bar was a completely different story. We were nothing but professional. Mostly.
I considered the implications of him finding out about the weekend. I groaned at the thought. He would undoubtedly go on for hours about it. I didn't think he would take the jet or pull the funding on the bar, but he'd be pissed. And I would never live it down.
My mother would be so disappointed. Not because I had married a stranger, but because she was left out of the ceremony. She wanted nothing more than to see her only child married. She wanted to plan the wedding. She wanted grandkids. There was never a visit that I didn't hear about how I was handsome and successful and she just didn't understand why I hadn't found someone to settle down with. She always worked "so Edward, are you seeing anyone special?" into the conversation. She had even mentioned that gay couples could adopt in China. I was insulted. I threatened to run off with the next girl I met and get married in Vegas.
That was on Wednesday.
Bella was the next girl I met.
Esme would be devastated.
I pulled into the parking garage and got out of my car. My father's car was already there. He arrived early to every meeting. Jasper and Em pulled in behind me.
"Hey Cullen," Jasper called as he got out of his car. "You ready for this?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."
"I see Daddy Dollar is already here." He nodded in the direction of Carlisle's Mercedes.
"As if you didn't expect that," I replied.
"How long do you think we'll be here?" Emmett interjected.
"Well, Emmett that all depends on your ability to keep your mouth shut about the weekend," I said in a threatening tone.
Emmett always slipped with Carlisle. Carlisle could read him like a book. He could tell when we were hiding something and Emmett was his go to guy for the truth. Emmett told him when I had wrecked my first car, gotten my first speeding ticket, skipped school, and smoked my first joint. I had considered telling him to stay home today.
"Keep him away from me. Don't let him corner me if you want your secret to be safe. You know he pulls that voodoo shit on me."
"It's not voodoo, Emmett. You're just a dumbass that doesn't recognize when you're being manipulated. I swear to God, if you open your mouth, I will choke you with my bare hands. Get your shit in tact and let's go."
The three of us walked in to the bar to find Carlisle under a table on his knees.
"Hey dad. What's wrong?"
"This table is shaky. I think a screw is loose. I also noticed that a light bulb is out in the women's facilities, and the cooler in the back is a bloody disaster."
I rubbed my forehead. He climbed out from under the table, dusted his pants off, wiped his hands on a towel, and motioned to the office in the back.
The three of us filed into the office as if we were walking into the gas chamber. I made a point to put as much distance between my father and Emmett as possible.
We sat as he began, "How was your trip?" He surveyed our faces carefully.
I answered drawing his attention back to me, "It was fine." I stood and walked to the filing cabinet to retrieve the reports for the month.
"That's good. I presume you celebrated your birthday?"
"Of course. That was the purpose." I laid the appropriate reports on the desk in front of him.
"As it was," he replied dryly. He pulled his glasses from his head and began flipping through the papers. We discussed the bands that were booked, the inventory that needed to be ordered, new drink recipes, the importance of maintenance, advertising opportunities, and potential pay increases for the employees.
We ordered lunch at noon and finished around two. I breathed a sigh of relief. Emmett had kept his mouth shut.
As we locked up and walked to the garage, Carlisle turned and said, "Oh Edward, your mother would like for the three of you to come to dinner this Saturday. She wants to make your birthday dinner."
"Uh, actually, I think Jasper and Emmett are going to Seattle for the weekend to check out a potential band," I spoke without thinking.
He looked confused. "Since when do you recruit entertainment in Seattle? I would think it would be beyond your budget to bring a band here from the west coast."
"Actually, Rose says that Seattle has a ton of struggling bands that are great and would be more than willing to play for a minimal price just to get the exposure," Emmett spoke excitedly.
Fuck. I began planning all the ways I could take that big-mouthed motherfucker down.
Carlisle caught on before my list was beyond dragging him behind my car the entire length of Route 66.
"Who's Rose?"
Jasper and I looked at Emmett as he shuffled his feet and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Uh, well, she was our waitress at, uh, one of the restaurants we ate at in Vegas."
My God he sucked at lying.
"Really? Was she from Seattle and just working in Vegas?"
"Yes," Emmett said with an 'I just hit the jackpot' smile.
"Hmmm. She just offered this information to you while taking your order?" Carlisle pressed.
Jasper jumped in to try to save Emmett, "She overheard us talking about expanding the genre of music at the bar in order to bring in more people."
"Yeah, we were just talking about it at the table when she walked up," Emmett added proudly.
"Well, maybe your new friend, Rose, would like to come to dinner Saturday. I would love to talk to someone with such innovative ideas."
"Dad, I really don't think that's possible. I mean, we would never be able to get in touch with her."
As if God were personally punishing me, at that moment Emmett's phone sang out "Every Rose has its Thorn." He shuffled to pull it out of his pocket and in the process dropped it. The phone bounced and landed at my father's feet. Carlisle bent to retrieve it and glanced at it before handing it to Emmett.
"What luck. It appears 'my baby Rose' is calling you now." He smirked in complete satisfaction.
Goddammit. How much worse can this shit get.
"Uh, I'll just call her back," Emmett said as he pushed the button to silence the ringer.
"No, don't leave a pretty lady waiting on my account. I'll let Esme know that you'll be bringing a guest." He turned to me and Jazz, "Should I have her add any other place settings?"
Emmett walked away and answered his phone.
"NO!" I answered quickly. "I mean, no, that won't be necessary. In fact, Rosalie will probably have to work."
"Ah, Rosalie it is? I see that you know her well enough to know her name preferences." His eyes filled with amusement as he caught my slip.
"Actually, no. Emmett hung out with her one night. When she introduced herself formally she used Rosalie," I covered.
Emmett returned with a shit-eating grin covering his face.
"Good news, Rosie can make it. I'll fly out there Thursday and bring her back." He turned to Jasper. "She said you better invite Alice or she'll be pissed."
"Stupid," I said through gritted teeth. The whole plan was falling apart. At least they hadn't mentioned Bella.
"Ah, now we have two extra guests. What about you, Edward? Anyone you would like to bring? You know how your mother likes to entertain. The more the merrier."
"Absolutely not," I turned to give a "keep your damn mouth shut" look to Emmett and Jasper.
"Oh, Edward, you should just bring her along. You're mother would be thrilled," my father said as the wheels in his head turned harder. I had to get us out of here. He was going to go after Emmett. I could see it in his eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking about. There is no one to bring."
"Well, maybe Rosalie or Alice has a friend they could bring with them. Your mother has always said that a dinner party is much more successful when the numbers are even."
"I think the dinner party will be just fine with an odd number."
"Okay. Well, I'll just let your mother know there will be two additional guests."
We said our goodbyes and watched Carlisle drive away.
I turned to Emmett.
He backed away slowly.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled.
Jasper stepped between us.
"Fuck, Edward. You're the one who opened the Seattle box. And you know it always goes down like that. It's fuckin voodoo," Emmett said as he searched for his keys.
"It's not voodoo! You're just a fucking idiot! You were warned and you still couldn't keep your goddamn mouth shut!"
"Calm down, Edward. It's not that bad, and you were the one to bring up Seattle," Jasper said attempting to diffuse the situation.
I laughed.
"Oh you have no idea. I'll forward all the calls from my mother to you."
"Well, there is that, but they don't know anything about Bella."
"You're right, Jasper. But do you realize that on Saturday, the two of you are bringing her two best friends in to my parent's house for my birthday dinner? How do you think that will work out? Especially when Esme starts pouring the wine. This is going to be bad." My hand went in to my hair involuntarily.
My phone started ringing. Great. That didn't take long.
I pulled it out and checked the ID.
"Thank God. It's Newton. I'll catch you guys later."
I opened the phone and walked to my car.
"Hey man. What's up?"
"Hey Edward. I just left the courthouse in Las Vegas. I have the paperwork. Did you get any information on the girl?"
"Not yet, but like I said before, that's not an issue. I can get it."
"Alright, well, you both will have to appear in front of the judge. It won't be a courtroom type thing, just in his office to say that you both would like to have the marriage dissolved. The only problem is the date. Apparently, it has been a busy month for the spur of the moment wedding in Vegas. Particularly the ones that were mistakes. It's going to be four weeks before you can be seen. I took the liberty of getting all the forms. You can sign them in New York and have them notarized. Then, when your court date arrives, you both just appear, state your wishes and it's over."
"Four weeks? That's insane. Don't you have any connections to make this happen sooner?"
"I tried man. The judge assigned to your case will be on vacation next week. Everyone else is covered up. It's the best I could do."
"I see. Well, I suppose that'll have to do. What do you need from her? Just a signature?"
"Yes. Meet me at my office tomorrow morning and we'll go ahead and take care of your part. If you can get her address, I can mail the paper work to her and she can do the same."
"Okay, I'll take care of it. I'll see you tomorrow."
I took the long route home. I needed to clear my head. Everywhere I turned I was smacked with Vegas and Bella. My dreams had been invaded; my friends were sucked in to relationships that were linked to her, my family would be sure to find out on Saturday.
I was fucked.
I turned the radio up and tried to drown it all out. I drove until I finally decided I was too tired to try anymore.
I pulled into my garage and walked inside. I had to return to the bar at six to get ready for the night. I didn't anticipate it would be too busy. Monday nights were generally tame in comparison to the weekends.
I decided to try to take a nap before I had to get ready to go back to work. I removed my shoes and shirt and went to my room. I laid on my bed and tried to think about anything but Bella.
Pointless.
I knew I was wasting my time. I got up, grabbed my phone and went to the living room. I needed to text her and let her know what Newton had said. I was depending on her being a bitch, so I could get back to hating her and move on with my life. I needed to at the very least be able to sleep.
I pulled the last message from Bella up on my phone as I sat on the sofa. I read it again and hit the appropriate buttons to reply. I thought briefly about what I should say and settled on being polite. I felt it best to proceed cordially.
Isabella-
I heard from my lawyer today.
He acquired the appropriate paper
work. I am meeting with him in
the morning to sign, then he will
mail the papers to you so that you
can do the same. We will have to
appear in front of a judge. Four weeks
is the soonest he can see us. I hope
that doesn't inconvenience you. I will
need your address.
Edward
I sent the message and leaned back into the couch. I reached for the remote as my phone chimed, alerting me of a message. I laid the remote down and opened the message.
Edward-
Thank you for letting me know.
My address is 843 Brentley Lane,
Seattle, WA. Four weeks is a long
time. What's the problem? My half?
Bella
I searched for any sign of the Bella from Saturday morning. I had hoped she would be a bitch and was surprised to feel relief when she wasn't. It appeared she had come to the same conclusion I had. Polite and cordial. I knew that I could have been a dick and drawn the appropriate response, but I couldn't make myself do that.
Isabella-
Apparently the judge who was assigned
to our case will be going on vacation. It
also seems that a lot of people married
in Vegas and decided to annul. I guess
we're not the only ones. As far as your
half, don't worry about it. It has been taken
care of.
Edward
She replied again.
Edward-
Vacation, huh? He certainly has good
timing. I would think he would be required
to take his vacation during the slower
months, like October. It's good to know
we're not alone. I really must insist I pay
my half. I'm as much to blame for this
as you are. Do you think the alcohol
could pick up a third?
Bella
I laughed. Out loud. That was a rare occasion and I rather enjoyed it. I read the message several times before replying.
Isabella-
One would think a judge would have
better judgment. June is the most
popular wedding month, or so my
mother says. Repeatedly. Really,
though, do you think it would be wise
to involve alcohol in anymore of our
affairs?
Edward
I was enjoying the exchange. This would be bad. I was certain it would lead to more memories.
Edward-
Ah, your mother, too? Another thing
I'm not alone in. Speaking of, did you
happen to find my bracelet? I seem to have lost it.
Agreed on leaving the alcohol out. It
seems to know how to get us in a lot of
trouble. Again, my half?
Bella
I thought back to the bracelet. Should I tell her I have it or be honest about giving it to Emmett to return?
Isabella-
Yes, my mother is incessant about me getting
married. Little does she know... I did find your
bracelet. I think Emmett and Jasper are seeing
Rosalie and Alice soon, so I gave it to Emmett
To return to you. Again, I have already taken care
of it.
Edward
I found myself waiting. I stared at the phone and listening intently for the alert. I pulled my inbox up to see if I had missed it.
Nothing.
I checked to make sure my last message had been delivered.
It had and nothing.
She stopped.
I read over the entire exchange. I hadn't been rude. I hadn't been cocky.
I laid back on the couch and closed my eyes. I couldn't sleep for checking my damn phone. Guys don't do this shit. I was starting to feel like a fucking pussy. I decided to run. That was always the best way to clear my head.
I went to my room and changed.
I checked my phone before I went up.
I checked my phone when I came back down.
I grabbed my I pod.
Checked my phone.
Put on my sneakers.
Checked my phone.
I finally threw the piece of shit, silent motherfucker on the couch and left.
I pushed the ear buds into my ears and willed the electronic device to clear my head. Or to at least fill it with enough sound to drown out the thoughts of Bella.
It wasn't working.
She was charming. She was funny. Was she flirting? Was I?
I contemplated that for a moment.
I hadn't laughed like that in a very long time. I had never been interested in a conversation with anyone like I had been with her.
I ran two of my usual four miles and returned home knowing I needed to shower and get back to the bar.
I checked my fucking phone.
Nothing.
I questioned my disappointment, then my sanity.
I jumped as the phone began ringing and turned it to see who was calling.
"Hello," I answered with obvious dread in my voice.
"Edward sweetie. Your father just told me about the extra guests we'll be having for your birthday dinner," my mother spoke, unable to contain her excitement.
"Yes, so it seems."
"I just wanted to let you know that we will be eating at six."
"Yes, Mother. We always eat at six. What's really going on?"
"Edward, honey, you should bring a date. Even numbers are important,"
I cut her off, "for a successful dinner party. Yes, I know. Like I told Dad, there is no one. Please drop it. I'm sure one dinner party with an odd number will be fine."
"I just want to see you happy. I'm going to call Emmett and find out what Rose likes to eat." She was calling Emmett to try to break him. Not on my watch, Mom.
"You really don't have to do that. I'm sure Rosalie will be happy with anything you prepare."
"Edward, I wouldn't dare assume. She might have food allergies."
"Fine, Mother. I will call Emmett and ask. I'll call you back if there are any special requests. Otherwise, just prepare whatever you'd like."
She relented.
We said our goodbyes and hung up.
What the hell was I going to do? I knew without a doubt, that after this dinner party everything would be revealed. There was no way in hell I could have that.
I made a mental list of ways to remedy this situation.
a major sickness. They couldn't have my birthday dinner without me, right?
a date. No one would dare mention Bella in front of another girl. Of course, I didn't know Rosalie and Alice that well and they are the pit bull posse. That would probably be cause for a scene.
Emmett on Wednesday, funeral would have to be on Friday or Saturday. My mother would deem it necessary to put the dinner off for that.
I tried to come up with another excuse. Something plausible. Anything. I was certain my mother would just reschedule the dinner if I used No. 1. No. 2 would only lead to something horrible happening to me. I briefly imagined my dick being removed via butter knives and fingernails. No. 3 was absurd. Even with his big mouth, I loved the stupid bastard. He was one of my best friends.
I was coming up with nothing. This dinner was inevitable.
I decided I should call Emmett and make sure he knew to avoid calls from my mother. I listened to his ring back and questioned why people had those. I felt it was a direct assault on my ears to have to listen to it. I saw nothing wrong with a normal, monotone ring.
He finally picked up, "Hey, Edward. What's up?" His hopeful tone amused me. I was certain he was expecting to hear more about his earlier slip.
"I was just calling to tell you to avoid all calls from my mother and father. They are meddling. My mother already mentioned calling you to find out what Rosalie likes to eat. Something about food allergies."
"Fuck man, your shit stresses me out. Have you talked to Bella? Y'all need to get this shit straightened out before Saturday."
"That's not exactly possible. Newton called and said it would be four weeks before the judge would be able to see us. He has the paper work, though. I sent her a text earlier to let her know that I would sign and then send the shit to her."
"Damn, four weeks? That's crazy."
"Yeah, I know."
"If you're interested, the shit that happened with her is better. There was some drama with her ex's sister, but I guess that all got fixed when the ex woke up."
I wasn't sure how to reply to that. I was interested, but I didn't want him to know that. I was curious what happened when her ex woke up, but I couldn't ask.
"Hello? You there, Cullen?" Emmett broke my train of thought.
"Uh, yeah. That's good news. No complications on that end," I spoke sharply.
"Yeah, so I'm gonna get a shower and get ready for work. I'll see you there. Oh, and I'll check about the food allergies." I could hear the smirk in his tone.
"Alright, see ya later."
I tossed the phone aside and went to shower. I was running late returning to the bar. I was running on minimal sleep and my head was completely overloaded. I was exhausted, yet I knew I needed to stay busy.
The night went along as a typical Monday night goes. Business was steady, Jasper played a few songs, Emmett worked behind the bar, and I spent most of my time in the office catching up on paperwork or walking the floor and speaking to patrons. I made a point to repair all of the things my father had complained about. Jasper and Emmett avoided me most of the night. I figured they saw on my face that I was in no mood to be fucked with.
Jasper saw me check my phone once and sent a smirk in my direction. I flipped him off and went back to work.
I sat in the office at the computer, working on payroll, as I heard the music stop and the bar quieten.
Jasper stepped in to the room and sat in the chair on the other side of the desk. He huffed and threw his head back onto the chair.
"I feel ya, man," I said as I tossed the pencil on the desk and leaned back in the chair.
"Fuck, I'm tired as hell." He sat up and looked at me pointedly, "So, Bella? Did you talk to her?"
I intertwined my fingers behind my head and lifted it to peer at him. "I thought you weren't getting involved, Whitlock?"
"Oh, I had no intention of getting involved. I was fully prepared to let you deal with your own shit. Alice, on the other hand, is hell bent on getting involved. I am powerless to stop it."
I sat stunned as he continued to talk about how Alice's memories of the night were coming back to her and she thought there was a connection between Bella and I that needed further examination.
"She is convinced that if y'all just see each other again, under different circumstances, that you will see it too. She wants Bella to come to the dinner," he said quietly as he leaned forward in the chair, rested his elbows on his knees, and looked to his feet.
"No way, Jasper. That can't happen. My mother will know. Something will be said. I won't allow that to happen. Hell, I'm considering murder in order to prevent what is going to happen at that dinner. There is no way I am inviting the other half of the equation. We are getting an annulment and that is all there is to it. Has she mentioned this to Isabella?" I couldn't resist asking.
"Yeah, Bella said no too. Alice was hoping if you asked her she might change her mind."
Of course she would say no. Thank God she said no.
"Tell Alice to leave it alone," I said seriously.
"I'll do my best, but it's highly unlikely that will work. Just so you know."
"Maybe she needs to talk to Emmett. He's been making comments, too."
"She already has."
Fuck.
"What?" I asked with surprise in my voice. In reality, I wasn't the least bit surprised. I considered Alice nothing more than an acquaintance, not a very nice one at that, but I could tell she was a meddler. She and my mother will get along wonderfully. I scowled at the thought.
"Yeah, I guess she and Rose talked about the night and as Rose filled her in on her sober memories, Alice started remembering shit. Emmett called Rose, Alice took the phone and started questioning him about shit. I'm totally playing the 'I don't remember anything but Alice' card," Jasper spoke in total exasperation.
"I was under the impression that Rosalie and Alice hated me. I was banking on them hating me." I said.
"They aren't as bad as you think. They just have this protective thing going on about her. Apparently she's been through a fuckload of shit with her ex."
"The ex that she ran to the hospital to see? That's pretty fucking masochistic, don't you think? I mean, if it was that bad, why would she do that?"
"I told you before, man. She's really a sweet girl. She's not a cold hearted bitch."
"Maybe so, Jazz, but you can't argue the fucked up aspect of that. I think there is more to Miss Isabella than you think. She could be a lot more brain and a lot less heart than you think." I thought that through for a moment. I considered that Bella could be one of those girls who played on everyone else's feelings with her overly compassionate persona. She had great potential to be the girl who made you yearn to take care of her and heal her just by pretending to put you first. I hated shit like that. I despised people who pretended to be weak in order to get the strong to do their dirty work.
"I don't know, Cullen. I just don't think she's the user you're describing." Jasper stood to leave the office. "I'm gonna help Emmett finish up out here." He walked through the door and closed it behind him.
I sat momentarily and thought about my recent epiphany. Could Bella be that girl? I didn't want to think so. I wanted to believe she was honestly compassionate, charming, and smart. I wanted to believe she was the girl in the texts. Not the girl whom I had just described.
As I sat quietly thinking and placing the papers back into the appropriate file my phone chimed.
I pulled it and read the message with a smile.
Edward-
Sorry. Distractions in the form of a pixie.
I hope I'm not waking you. Just remembering
you're on east coast time.
Bella
I went through the usual routine of reading and rereading her message. I found the pixie comment funny. My spirits were involuntarily lifted.
I returned the files on my desk to the cabinet, shut down the computer, and shoved my phone in my pocket. I said a silent prayer that Emmett and Jasper were finished cleaning up as I exited the office.
Luck was on my side as I saw Jasper putting the last of the barstools down from the bar and Emmett turning off the lights.
"Hey, lazy motherfucker. Where the hell have you been?" Emmett boomed.
"Fuck you McCarty. I finished the fucking payroll." He bounced up beside me and wrapped his monstrous arm around my neck.
I shoved him off playfully and punched him in the arm. "Get off me you damn ape."
"You better be glad the other employees stayed late to help," he yelled as we walked out and locked up.
"You better be glad I finished that mound of paperwork. McCarty was the Z on the payroll tonight. If anyone wasn't getting a check it was gonna be your ass. Especially after that shit you pulled today."
"I know you're trying to be an ass, but what the hell suddenly put you in a good mood? Did you hear from wifey?" He laughed as he ducked to avoid another swing from me.
"Jesus Christ Emmett. Let it go," I said in a more serious tone.
We made our way to our cars, bantered back and forth for a few more minutes, said our goodbyes and fuck you's and left.
I caught myself driving home faster than I normally would. I wanted to reply to Bella's text. I once again considered the amount of fucked up that entailed.
I pulled in to my garage and retreated to my room. I pulled the t-shirt I was wearing over my head and retrieved my phone. I read the message again before replying.
Isabella-
You didn't wake me. We were just
closing up the bar. Pixie, huh?
Fitting description, if you're referring
to Alice. Are you having to endure
the same torture as I am?
Edward
I read my message again and silently decided that if she didn't reply I would not get all fucking girly about it like before. She replied.
Edward-
I have to say I was shocked
when I heard you owned a bar
I would've imagined something
entirely different. Torture, yes.
She actually tried to convince me to come
to your birthday dinner. Uh, can you say
awkward?
Bella
I couldn't believe she brought it up. I knew I had to reply but wasn't sure how to proceed. I debated for a minute before replying.
Isabella-
Yes, a bar. What did you imagine?
Emmett and Jasper are relentless
when it comes to our situation. Have
you been told that Rosalie and Emmett
were sober?! Absurd. Awkward, yes.
I'm sure it will be quite a fiasco, you
will be missing a horrendous experience.
Edward
I read what I had sent and wondered how she would take it.
Edward-
I don't know, I guess I thought maybe a model
or a trust fund brat. Yes, I heard they were
sober. I was PISSED. Who allows that?
Horrendous fiascos are my families' thing.
You can't have that.
Bella
Model, I expected. Trust fund brat? Yeah, I expected that, too. It was true, after all.
Isabella-
Modeling didn't work out and the trust
fund is still going strong. I was pissed, too.
Once again, we have something in common.
So far we have: a) drunken Vegas marriage,
b) Marriage obsessed mothers, c) meddling
friends who step in at all the wrong times, and
d) Horrendous family fiasco's. Maybe we are
compatible??
Edward
I sunk further into my bed and checked the time. I had to get some sleep. I had to meet Newton in the morning, but I wasn't ready to stop talking to her. The traitorous smile on my face widened when her response came.
Edward-
I was actually joking about the modeling
and trust fund. You should take a moment
to thank God that I'm not a gold digger.
Did you seriously just text a list??
According to our friends, compatibility
isn't the issue. Timing is.
Bella
Hmm... I took a moment and thanked God before replying.
Isabella-
I was actually joking about the modeling.
Lists are my thing. And, I have gotten
the timing speech from Jasper who I'm
pretty sure got it from Alice, who I think
decided on that after talking to Rosalie
and Emmett. I never took you for a gold
digger, but thanked God anyway.
Edward
It was nearing 2 am.
Edward-
Wow, do they talk about anything else?
I'm heading to bed now. Hope I didn't
keep you up too late. Let me know about
the annulment papers, so I can be checking
the mail. I do live with Rose and Alice. I wouldn't
put it past them to destroy them. Night.
Bella
I sent one last message before passing out.
Isabella-
Not too late, at all. I actually enjoyed it.
I'll let you know about the papers. Good
night.
Edward
I checked to make sure my alarm was set before placing my phone on the nightstand to charge. I kicked out of my shoes and tossed my jeans on the back of the leather sofa in my room. Exhaustion overtook my body and I fell asleep quickly.
_________________________
The next morning I woke feeling refreshed and rested. It was a welcomed change. While I showered I had received a message from Newton's office. I listened to the voicemail in shock.
Mr. Cullen,
This is Angela Weber calling from Newton Law Associates to let you know that your appointment with Mr. Newton will have to be rescheduled. Mr. Newton was in a minor car accident on his way from the airport this morning and was retained overnight at the hospital. We will call to reschedule when he returns to the office.
I erased the voicemail and sat stunned. I quietly asked myself if it were possible for this to actually be happening, finally resigning myself to stop worrying about it. Things always worked out for me. This would be no different.
I checked in with the law firm daily and was reassured on each occasion that Mike would contact me when he returned to work.
The rest of the week was filled with work, meetings, and a considerate amount of time avoiding my mother and father. Emmett had held up his end of the deal and hadn't spoken to them. Esme had moved on to harassing Jasper, and after giving up on him, she was calling me nonstop. I finally spoke to her, assured her that neither Rosalie nor Alice were allergic to seafood, steak, peanuts, or potatoes, and convinced her that I was very busy this week and didn't have time to oversee the dinner menu any further. She stopped calling on Thursday.
I had communicated the problem with Newton to Bella, we had a short exchange about it, and I hadn't spoken to her since. I gathered it was probably for the best and stopped obsessing over it by Wednesday.
I finally got around to unpacking my things from Vegas on Wednesday night. As I separated the clean clothes from the dirty ones, I found the DVD of our wedding. I flipped the case in my hand several times and debated on watching it. I knew I would give in and watch it at some point, and when I did, I would dream of her. I shoved it into the back of a drawer and tried to forget about it.
The worse part of the week was listening to Jasper and Emmett go on and on about Rosalie and Alice coming. I attempted to be happy for them at first, but eventually gave up faking it and told them to shut the fuck up about it. I felt like a complete dick afterward, but they were wearing me out with it. I was relieved to see them leave on Thursday to fly to Seattle.
I spent an insurmountable length of time trying to come up with an action plan for the party, finally settling on commandeering the conversation as much as possible and keeping my parents occupied.
I worked late on Friday and fell into bed with the dread of the following day looming over me.
I hoped and prayed the dinner would play out in my favor.
___________
End Note: So, there it is. What did you think? Reviews equal quicker updates..... Just sayin!