When I tell Alice Edward is working on Saturday, she says she will be over bright and early. I don't like the whole weekend thing. I hate getting up early, but I know what I need to do. Once he is out the door, I lay on the couch until Alice shows up. I'm honestly surprised that she is here by eight. I'm grateful that I am able to sleep a little more.
We sit in the living room drinking coffee, when she gets up to put in a mix CD she made for me. She remembered all the songs I said I really like and put them all on one disk. It is easy with Alice and she fills the lonely void I fell. Edward only has to work 'til noon, so at eleven thirty, I turn the music down and Alice calls me a buzz killer. She makes me laugh.
"Come on, Bella, this is your all-time favorite," Alice says turning up 'Raise your glass'. I smile joining in with her silly dancing. The music is louder than I know I should have it, but I just love the song. We dance and sing loudly around the living room and all of a sudden the music is off. My whole body freezes.
"What the..." Alice says trailing off. "Oh, hey," she says, when she sees Edward standing behind her.
"Your friend needs to leave," he says to me as I nod. He walks out of the living room and Alice giggles.
"I'll see you Monday," I tell her trying to rush her out of the house.
"Okay... this is kind of stupid," she says as I shrug my shoulders. "Don't let him be too mean. We weren't doing anything wrong."
"Okay," I say hoping she will just go.
"I mean it," she says as I hold the door open for her.
"I know you do," I say softly hoping to pacify her. As soon as she is out the door, I take a deep breath before I start to avoid my very upset husband. I knew better... I just knew better and there was no excuse. I go to the kitchen, but before I can start to clean, Edward walks in looking so angry.
"Isabella, what have I said about the music?" he asks as I look at my toes. "What did I say?" he asks again when I don't speak.
"Not to have it up loud," I say trying to clear the lump out of my throat.
"But yet I come home to fine the music the loudest it has been, with both of you being loud on top of it? This is uncalled for," he says as I try to sniffle away my tears. "Are you crying?" he asks in disgust.
"I'm trying not to," I croak as tears fall down my face. "I'm sorry." I start to cry and I cover my face with my hands.
"Are you crying because you got caught?" he asks in an annoyed tone.
"I know I messed up," I tell him as I try to clear away the tears. "I'm sorry Edward, I really am."
"I don't like standing here having to scold my wife, because she can't listen!" he says with a little raise to his voice. "Have you done anything else today or have you just played with your friend?" he asks. I say nothing at all for the fact I know he knows the answer. "She is not to come over here anymore, do you understand me?"
"Edward, she's the only..."
"She's not to come over anymore," he says interrupting me. I stand there for a minute biting my lip as tears slip down my face. "Isabella, I don't know how this is going to work if you can't listen. I say no loud music, but I come home and it's louder than before, and you haven't done a thing all day! I have never had to speak to you about the cleaning, because you have done a great job, but coming home to you messing around is uncalled for."
"I'm sorry, but please let her come over."
"No, she is not to be here," he says again more stern than he said it the first time. "Do you understand what I'm saying or is this how it's going to be?"
"I understand," I say knowing I can't argue even though I already did. "I'm sorry for arguing."
"You have to start listening," he says with one of his famous sighs. "I don't like coming home and having to be the bad guy."
"I understand."
"Don't make me treat you like a child any more than I already have."
"Yes, Sir," I tell him as we stand facing each other. "If I start listening, will you change your mind?"
"Start listening and we will see, but for now I think you need some space from her. You are not like her or any other teenager around here. We are different and you need to accept that. You are my wife. You will hopefully be pregnant soon as well. You have a different life," he says to me holding my chin in his hand.
"You're right," I tell him as I sniffle again.
"Go get ready to go so we can go to the store and get back. You have things to do."
I do as I'm told knowing one wrong move and he will probably leave me. I don't know why I was being so bad. I wasn't really meaning to and I didn't really think I was doing anything wrong. I'm so sad that Alice can't come over anymore. I hate it honestly. I wish Edward would let me explain my feelings, but I really don't think that is going to happen.
I'm quiet all the way through the store and for the rest of the day. I know he likes the quiet so I'm giving him what he wants. I'm going to listen and do everything he asks of me without having to be told twice. When we arrived home, I do my cleaning as slow as I can so I don't have to spend too much time with him. I don't even try to make conversation with him throughout dinner. The only time I talk to him is to see if he needs anything. I even hide out in our room and put away the clothes I had washed. I know if I'm to talk to him, I'll probably argue, and I know I'm better off being quiet.
I lay in bed and I read waiting for him to come in. If he still isn't mad, I figure he'll want to have sex. It has been a couple days. He comes in without saying a word to me as he gets ready for bed. When he goes into the bathroom, I let out a long breath as I put my book up. I feel nervous as I wait for him. I get under the covers and pull back his side before I lay down and stare up at the ceiling. I hear him come out of the bathroom and I keep my eyes trained up. I feel the bed dip and Edward moves closer to my side. He put his hand under my neck turning me to him. I stay where he puts me.
"I know you're mad at me, but you need to learn," he says as he plays with my hair.
"I understand," I say.
"So, is this how it's going to be when you're mad at me?" he asks as I shrug.
"I thought it would be a treat for you," I say snarkier than I meant.
"Do you think I like being the bad guy?" he asks kind of harshly.
"I don't know," I tell him as he pushes me back a little to look at me.
"I hate it, Isabella. Part of me doesn't want to tell you what to do, but when we get home your behavior will not be tolerated. I'm doing what is best for both of us. I told you that we were living by our home rules," he says as if he is pleading with me.
"I'm not questioning that, Edward."
"Then why are you so mad?"
"I'm not mad."
"Well, you're feeling something," he says as I take a deep breath.
"I'm sad that the only person I have here to talk to can't come over anymore."
"And whose fault is that?" he asks as I awkwardly cross my arms over my chest. "All I have asked of you is to keep the music down."
"I freaking know!" I half yell.
"I hate that word and the tone you are using. Am I yelling at you?" he asks as I look down. "Do you want me to yell?"
"No, I'm sorry," I say in defeat. I know he is going to always win and I know there is nothing I can do or say to make things better. "I should be lucky that's the only thing you ask of me." And that is the truth, he could have many things I can and can't do.
"I'm sure there are other things that would be bugging me, but I'm not going to be a jerk to you. The only thing that made me mad today was the volume of the music. I didn't care that Alice was here or that you were being loud yourselves. I was mad for the simple fact that you did the one thing I said not to do. Do you understand where I'm coming from?"
"Yes Sir, I do understand, like I said, I'm just sad. You don't talk to me. I can't talk at school... Alice is my talking person and it just sucks that I can't have it anymore," I tell him as he sighs.
"Fine, I get where you are coming from. How about I give you the best compromise I can," he says as I look up to him. "We will try it this way and if it doesn't work we go back to me being a jerk." I nod eagerly even though I don't know what his compromise could be. "She can't come over until next Monday..."
"Agreed, I can deal with that," I tell him with a smile.
"May I finish?"
"Sorry," I say covering my face with my hand.
"She can't come over until next Monday, but if I catch the music loud one more time, that's it. No more Alice at all and I will put a code on the TV to where it can't be used unless I put the code in," he says as I sigh. "Are you still agreeable?"
"Yes, Sir," I say knowing I can't really argue. He was giving me another chance and I wasn't going to waste it. "Thank you for giving me another chance."
"It's the last one, Isabella and I mean it. I can be a very laid back guy, but I do have a temper when I'm pushed and you're pushing," he says as he looks down to me.
"I understand and I am sorry. I hate disappointing you," I tell him as he kisses my forehead. "It will not happen again."
"Fine, as long as we agree and we are both happy, we can move on," he says as I reach up to kiss him.
"I'm not a bad guy."
"I know you're not. I just think we are more different than people thought we were," I tell him as he smiles.
"I really like you, though, so I think they were doing something right," he says making me smile.
"I really, really, like you too," I tell him as we laugh. He kisses me again and then holds me close to his chest and that is where I fall asleep.