Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.
Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed so far. Here is the next chapter posted on Wednesday as promised, even if it is only fifteen minuets until Thursday. Fair warning the chapters not all that long, but remember it was cut in half from the previous chapter.
Chapter Ten
I check on Edward a few times before I headed to my room for the night, the last of which he had woken long enough to use the bathroom and take some more pain medication. He had grumbled about not understanding why a broken nose could hurt so badly, but sometimes it's the injuries that seem small that can hurt the most. In reality it really was a bad break, Emmett had always been great at sports and had one hell of an arm, which when they were younger would often frustrate the heck out of Edward.
I remember one day after a baseball game, he had come home completely miserable because he had missed catching a fly ball, which had ultimately cost his team the game. "Why can't I be good at sports, dad," he sighed swinging his feet off the edge of the tire swing was tied to the big oak tree in our backyard. "Why can't I play like Emmett or ever Jasper."
I had consoled him the best I could, letting him know that we all have out talents and that one day he would discover what his was and then trivial things like little league base ball games wouldn't seem so important anymore. I don't think he believed me at the time, but I'm sure he does now. He wasn't meant to play professional athletics or even become a doctor like myself, but my son is an absolutely amazing musician, a talent he had inherited from his mother. Plus, he was one of kindest most understanding people I have ever met. It was one of the many things he and Bella had in common.
Concerning my son I do bear tremendous guilt for my relationship with Bella. I knew that if Edward ever found out about us that it would be incredibly emotionally damaging to him, just as it was to me when I first lost Esme and I would never wish to see my son go though what I did. It was a fear that played in the back of my mind daily. Perhaps, despite knowing it would leave a piece of my heart forever missing, it would be best if Bella decided against continuing our relationship. She would have Edward, I would have Elizabeth and we would happy…content.
Shaking my heavy burdened mind of such thoughts, I turned to glance at the alarm clock on my nightstand, it was just past one in the morning, my eyes then moved to my cell phone that was laying just beside it. With a long, deep breath I picked up my phone and dialed her number.
XXX
It had been an entire week since my children and Bella had returned from school. Edward was able to once again secure his job at the hospital parking cars, Alice had actually gotten a weekend Job at a clothing store in Port Angeles, the rest of the time she spent hanging out with Bella or Jasper. I have to say I was quite dismayed when they announced they were back together, I was hoping the boy would take my advice and move on. The truth was Japser Whitlock had not said much of anything to me aside from the occasional hello 'Dr. Cullen' or, have a 'pleasant evening, sir', though he often smirked and waggled his eyebrow every time Bella and I were in the same room together.
Bella hadn't found work yet, and found herself passing much of her free time at my home. Apparently she had decided in lieu of having a real job she could at least take up working on our garden again. I offered to pay her but she insisted she was still working off her debt from the car. I continued to call her, every evening in fact, mostly we just talked about work or school but occasionally we would flirt. I had attempted, on several occasions to build up to another round of phone sex, but she would always steer away the topic.
I had a feeling she was stalling, trying to find a way to let me down easy. I wish she would just get it over with, I hated waiting, not knowing if I could keep her. Not that I had any right to her…she was my son's. But I loved her.
It was Charlie's birthday and he was having a small get-together at his place, actually it had been Victoria's idea. I was pretty sure if it had been up to him he would have spent the night eating pizza and watching ESPN. I was told it was nothing spectacular, just a few friends over for a bar-b-que, and that Edward, Alice and myself were invited. In that the party was on a Saturday Alice had to unfortunately work, Edward however would be there if for any other reason then to be able to spend time with his girlfriend. I would be attending of course, Elizabeth would be meeting me there as she had offered to help her cousin set up for the party and needed to be there early..
Edward and I were on our way to Charlie, just a few minuets from his house in fact when my son decided to ask me a question I really didn't want to answer, and not for the obvious reason.
"Dad."
"Yes."
"Do you think it would be foolish of me to ask Bella to marry me while we were still in college?"
Oh boy.
My son was only nineteen and he was already thinking about marriage. I knew it was inevitable where they were concerned, but they were still so young. Esme and I were twenty when we got married, and only twenty-three when Edward was born, the first few years were difficult to say the least, we had even been on food stamps at one point, though that all quickly changed when I finally finished my residence and was offered a full time position at the hospital, but the idea of seeing my son and Bella suffer like Esme and I did was unsettling to say the least.
"Well," I began quickly trying to think of the best way to advise my son to wait without crushing his feelings entirely, "It's a big step, do you really think you and Bella are ready for it."
Edward sighed, but nodded, "I just love her so much, I'm not saying we have to get married right away but…well I'd like to see her wearing my ring. I want everyone to know she's my girl."
His gaze drifted out to the side window as he let out another soft sigh, "Other guys check her out, I mean like all the time, dad. They whistle at her and make flirty comments, and they do it right in front of me."
"Ah, I see where this is going," he wanted to get engaged to Bella to stop other men from flirting with her, well I had some unfortunate news for him, it wouldn't change much. I had the same problem with Esme when we were younger, cocky young men trying to steal my woman just so they could prove to themselves they were something special, which of course they weren't.
"Edward, Bella loves you, and she's not going to run off with some arrogant punk just because they call her hot stuff and wolf-whistled at her."
Edward gave a snorted laugh at my words as he turned his gaze back to me, "I trust Bella, dad, I'm not worried about her running off with someone else, I just don't like those guys bothering her like that. She's not some piece of meat in a butchers window they can drool over, she's an amazing, beautiful, perfect woman and she deserves better then to be gawked at all the time. She pretends that it doesn't bother her, but I know it does, I can see it in her eyes."
I hadn't expected that at all. It wasn't his own ego he was attempting to pacify by considering becoming engaged, it was Bella's honor. I truly had an amazing son; he had turned into such a remarkable young man, a true and genuine gentleman. The type of man Bella truly deserved, not a middle aged deviant who seduced a seventeen year old girl into a sexual relationship all because she reminded him in some ways of his ex-wife.
It didn't matter that I had fallen in love with Bella, I had no right to her. I had no right to take her from my son, and so…if Bella didn't end it soon, I would. I couldn't do this anymore, not to Bell and not to Edward.
"That's a very honorable thing to do, Edward," I finally spoke up, "but if you want to become engaged to Bella it needs to be because you think the time is right, not because you feel forced into it by others actions."
He gave me a small smile and nodded, "Thanks dad, you always know just what to say."
"I can't say that I'll always give you the perfect advice," I said just as I pulled up to Charlie's house, "but I can guarantee you I will always do my best."
XXX
Although Charlie had described it as a small get-together there was no denying that there was a party going down at Chief Swans. There was music playing and the T.V was on, decorations were streamed about, there was even a snack table set up in the kitchen with chips and drinks.
"Where the heck is, Bella," Edward asked craning his neck trying to find his girlfriend in the sea of people. And yes there was quite a gathering, some faces I had seen before, others I had not. I recognized Billy Black and his son, I had met them a few times before, and a couple other people that lived on the Reservation. I noticed a couple of Charlie's fellow police officers and one of his neighbors.
"Carlisle, over here," at the sound of Charlie voice I turned my head toward the far end of the kitchen where the birthday boy was standing just outside the back door, specula in had as well as adorning a fashionable apron with a picture of a trout on it that said, 'you can cook me, but can you catch me' on it.
Carefully cutting through the crowd I made my way over to him, "Quite the party you've got going here," I said motioning inside the house.
He rolled his eyes as we step further into the back yard and away from most of the noise. "No kidding. Vicky only invited a few people, but, well you know how this town is, news of the party spread like wildfire and so suddenly half the town decides because they heard of it that much automatically mean their invited."
I couldn't help but laugh, that truly is how many people in this town were, not that it was a bad thing really, I suppose it just goes to show how close knit the town was.
Charlie and I hung out in the back yard for close to an hour, grilling and talking until we were pretty much forced back into the house by our girlfriends. Edward, did at some point find Bella, but at then after a chorus of 'Happy Birthday' they disappeared, I was assuming they headed up to her room. Neither one of them were much for party's.
The food and cake was consumed, the gifts opened, and gradually people started to leave. Charlie was sitting on the couch with Victoria talking quietly about the day, she was learning her head against his shoulder and he twirled the ends of her red hair around his fingers.
"Maybe we should give them some privacy?" Elizabeth suggested motioning with her head we leave the room.
"You're right, come on." Taking her hand I lead her through the kitchen and out the back door, "lets sit her," I suggested making my way over the porch swing."
"Alright." She smiled lovingly up at me, taking my hand in hers as we sat down on the swing, for some reason I suddenly recalled Edward telling me this was the very first spot he had ever kissed Bella. I could see why, it was quite romantic, with the view of the surrounding forest, not to mention the setting sun ,which filled the sky with tints of orange and reds. "Beautiful night, don't you think?"
"Absolutely," we turned to face each other and our eyes met, hers were quite beautiful, a lovely shade of chocolate brown though a little lighter then Bella and Esme's, still they always seemed to sparkle.
I leaned in, our eyes closed and out lips met. We kissed slowly, my lips occasionally moving to her neck and to nibble on her ear. Our moment however was momentarily interrupted by the sound of someone clearing his throat. Pulling from Elizabeth I turned to see my son, a smirk pulled to his lips, "Sorry to interrupt, but Bella and I were going to head out for a drive, so she'll take me home later."
"Alright, have fun."
"Oh don't worry, I will." And with that he hastily made his way back into the house no doubt anxious to take Bella away from her father house and somewhere private.
"Now," I said turning back to Elizabeth, "Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"
Moving her arms and my neck, she leaned in so her lips were mere centimeters from my own, "right about here I believe," she breathed before moving her lips to once again meet my own.
A/N: Okay all, hope you enjoyed it, please let me know if your did or if you didn't. Next chapter up by Saturday.