Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and all characters. The plot belongs to the author.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed E&B's convo in the last chapter. I was excited to get it out to you all and then just continue their meeting in Chapter 9.
Thank you to those of you that have posted reviews…it's awesome! XO
Beta'd by princess07890
Chapter 9
EPOV
Things were finally looking up; I finally got to speak with Bella last night.
I'm not going to lie; our conversation last night was hard. It flowed easily enough, but I found out about Leah's condition. She has a muscle disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy; she has type 1 and her prognosis wasn't good. Bella said that the prognosis for Leah was to live for only two to four years, and that it was the number one genetic killer of children two and under. My heart stopped when she uttered those words to me.
I cried when she told me exactly what SMA was. I didn't know that one in every six thousand babies was born with it each year. I also didn't know that one in forty people were carriers of the gene. Both parents had to have the gene in order for a child to be born with it. She said she felt guilty for passing it to Leah. She confided that she had never heard of the disease before Leah was born and didn't know you could be tested for being a carrier before getting pregnant. It is a genetic disease. I hated that she felt guilty; how could she have known?
It was very hard to keep my emotions intact as we spoke about Leah. I asked so many questions because I wanted to be educated on SMA. Bella seemed to welcome each and every one of my questions. I couldn't believe that Bella had been dealing with this disease on her own since her divorce. It made me hate her ex-husband.
She was a strong, amazing woman and I was very proud to know her. I wanted to meet her in person, so I asked if I could bring her and Leah breakfast. Bella was thrilled when I asked, but also told me that Leah didn't eat regular food, so I could bring whatever I wanted; Bella explained that she was easy. I laughed when she said that; it was so far from the truth, but I wanted to lighten up the end of our conversation.
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I needed some expert advice and I knew that my dad could answer my questions. He was up and out of the house early, so I called him, hoping to catch him before his office opened.
"Hello, this is Carlisle."
"Hey, dad, you were gone when I got up this morning. Are you busy because I wanted to tell you something? I also have a few questions to ask you."
"No, I'm not busy yet; what can I do for you, son?"
"Well, in a roundabout way, I know one of your patients…" I paused.
"Really? Who is it?" Carlisle was curious, since he was a pediatric pulmonologist.
"Leah Black, and her mom, Bella." I waited for his response.
"How did you become acquainted with those two lovely ladies?" His curiosity was getting the better of him; I could tell.
"Well, I am formally meeting them this morning. It's kind of an embarrassing story of how I met Bella, but it was over the phone. I don't really want to go into much more than that at the moment, but I'm calling…" Carlisle cut me off.
"Edward, I cannot discuss Leah with you because of HIPPA." He's all doctor now; not my dad.
"Oh, I know, dad. I'm going to take breakfast over to Bella this morning and I wanted to do something special for Leah, but I needed some suggestions. That's why I'm calling you. I know with her having SMA that she can't play with things on her own so do you have any ideas of what I could bring her?" I want to make a good impression with Leah.
"Okay…I understand what you're asking; well, son, she has no muscle movement, but you already knew that. I think that if you took her a balloon bouquet, she would love it. It would be something for her to look at, and something she would enjoy."
"Great idea; I knew I called the right guy to answer my questions."
"Edward?" Carlisle voice was filled with concern.
"Yeah?"
"Just be careful with them. I mean…Bella has had it rough since her divorce. She is the sole provider for Leah and it weighs heavily on her shoulders. Just between you and I…I've lent her a shoulder to cry on a time or two.
"That motherfucker!" I couldn't help but think it was because she felt so alone and desperate with her situation.
"Son, keep a clear head; she doesn't need your attitude to contend with as well. I know you are passionate about the people you care for, but just be gentle with them." Carlisle, ever the peacekeeper, gave his advice and I was going to do exactly as he asked.
"I know dad, but I'd like to kick her ex's ass. What kind of man leaves his family in a crisis situation? I just don't get it. How could you not love those two?"
"It's hard to believe that someone could do that, but also you have to remember that living with someone that is medically fragile and with a prognosis like the one Leah has can be very difficult. I'm not sticking up for the guy, not in the slightest, but it's a proven fact that families that have a medically sensitive child have a hard time staying together."
"I still don't get it. They are so beautiful…inside and out." My gaze was off in the distance, remembering how beautiful they both looked yesterday.
"Son, you better get a move on, or it'll be lunch instead of breakfast that you'll be taking to Bella." He chuckled, then we said goodbye.
I dialed the diner next, ordering blueberry waffles, bacon, scrambled eggs, and sausage. I still needed to go to the grocery store and pick up a gallon of milk and a carton of orange juice. I remembered Bella telling me that she didn't go to the grocery store very often, so I wanted to run by and pick up some staples for our lunch and dinner. I hoped she didn't take it the wrong way.
I jumped in my Mercedes and went to the local party store to purchase a HUGE balloon bouquet for Leah. I had it tied to a singing bear that was dressed in a princess costume. The bear sang the song, "You Are My Sunshine". It was going to be delivered this morning because it wouldn't fit into my convertible. I strategically had it all planned.
The bouquet was massive, though I hoped it wasn't too overwhelming for Leah. If so, I would pop a few balloons to make it smaller. I chuckled at the thought of me taking a pin and poking the balloons.
I hurried at the grocery store, and quickly put milk and OJ in my cart. I went about searching for the rest of my grocery list and thought about how nice it was to shop with a purpose. Bella was constantly on my mind and it made me happy, that I was able to do this for her...us.
Mesquite deli turkey, Swiss cheese slices, shredded cheddar cheese, potato salad, bread, mayo (not Miracle Whip), mustard, potato chips, steak, potatoes, asparagus, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, French bread, strawberries, and sourcream; I don't think I have ever bought this much for myself, let alone anyone else. I think I shopped in record time because one, I needed to get to the diner, and two, I couldn't wait to finally meet Bella.
The bags of food were in the trunk of my car and then I was on my way to the diner to pick up our breakfast. I added two large coffees to my order since I was in such a hurry this morning that I didn't get my morning fix, and I could tell I needed it to calm my nerves right about now. The second cup was for Bella.
The drive felt like it went on for hours, even though it was less than ten minutes from the diner. My heart was beating out of my chest with the anticipation of meeting my girl.
I pulled into the driveway of her small quaint house. I grabbed the bags which held our breakfast, and walked to the door before knocking quietly. It was nine o'clock, but I had no idea if Leah would still be sleeping. When the door opened, the most beautiful woman with the bluest of eyes answered. I knew it was Bella. I was momentarily frozen by her beauty.
"Edward." She held her hand out to me, not to shake it, but to pull me to her.
"Bella, sweetheart." I sat our breakfast down as I entered the door, wrapping one arm around her waist, and the other went to the back of her head, pulling her to my chest. I had this overwhelming feeling to hug her tightly, so I did.
We stood at the door embracing one another for the best few minutes of my life. Her scent was mesmerizing and her arms were tightly around my waist, holding on for dear life.
"Bella, you are beautiful. I feel like I've know you all my life." I broke the hold I had on her so that I could look into her eyes.
"I feel the same way, Edward. It's nice." She smiled and I melted into a puddle at her feet.
"Are you hungry, baby? I have a ton of food…enough for your nurse to eat, too." I offered.
"Yes, I'm famished actually". She took my hand, entwining her fingers with mine.
I picked up the bags with my other hand as she led me to the tiny immaculate kitchen at the back of the house. Her kitchen was painted yellow. She had a pot rack hanging over a tiny butcher block island and the countertops were a faux-granite laminate. It was really nice. Her appliances weren't new, but I could work with these. I smiled to myself. My plan was to cook Bella a delicious dinner this evening. In fact, my plan was not to leave her house until the wee hours of the morning...if at all. I couldn't imagine leaving the beautiful girl standing at my side.
As I sat the bags on the counter, I turned and wrapped my arms around Bella once more. I couldn't help myself; it was like a magnetic pull. I kissed the top of her head. She smelled of strawberries and cream, which reminded me of the strawberries I had in the car with the other groceries.
"Bella, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I stopped off at the grocery store to get us some milk and OJ. I wasn't sure what you liked to drink with breakfast. Anyway, I took the liberty of buying some groceries." I looked at her cautiously.
She scrunched her forehead in what looked like confusion.
"I mean…I wanted to spend the day with you." I looked at her to gage her reaction. "I like to eat." I chuckled. "So… I brought groceries so I could fix us lunch and… dinner?"
She smiled. "Okay, that sounds fun." Bella rubbed her hand down my arm. "Breakfast smells delicious." She was inhaling the appetizing aroma of the diner food.
There was a knock at the door. I looked at my watch; Leah's balloon delivery was on time. I was impressed.
Bella and I walked to the front door. When Bella opened it, she giggled at the sight of the balloons shrouding the man.
"Oh my goodness!" Bella laughed.
"A delivery for a Miss Leah Black." The man said.
Bella looked at me over her shoulder; her smile was infectious. I smiled back at her.
"Yes, I will give them to her; thank you." Bella took the balloon bouquet with singing attached bear. The bouquet was bigger than she was, so she asked if I could help take them from her.
"Is Leah awake?" I asked.
"Yes, Jessica is getting her ready for the day. We can go in and you may meet her." She was almost bouncing; I could tell she was excited to give Leah the balloons.
"Okay, I'd love that." I took her hand and we walked to Leah's room together.
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"Leah…" Bella started talking to her.
I noticed that her room was a very pretty pink. A pink that all little girls would love. Her room wasn't huge, but it was big enough for a cart with her ventilator and other machines sitting upon it to fit. I'm not sure what all of it was, but I knew that I wantedto learn about them. There was a cart next to Leah's bed. There was also an overstuffed chair sitting adjacent to the cart.
Leah's nurse was looking at me strangely, so I introduced myself.
"Oh my gosh…I'm so sorry. I'm being rude." Bella apologized. "Now that you have met Jessica, Edward, this is Leah. Leah…" Bella took her hand in hers and held it up so Leah could wave, I assumed. "This is Edward; he sent you this balloon bouquet." Bella was smiling and Leah started vocalizing, saying, "Ah…ah…ah…" She started to drool, but Bella was ready, taking the cloth and wiping her mouth. I could tell she was a pro at taking care of Leah. Leah was moving her thumb very slightly back and forth.
"Hi beautiful… I've been anxious to meet you. I saw you yesterday in your pretty pink bows." I smiled.
Leah was still making her adorable little noises; she wouldn't take her pretty blue eyes off of me, then her eyes closed almost completely.
"Edward, I think you have a new admirer. Leah is smiling so big that her eyes are closing." Bella laughed.
Leah's mouth wasn't smiling, but I could tell that her eyes were; Bella had informed me that this was the way Leah 'smiled'.
I asked Bella if I could touch Leah's hand. She told me I could, but only if I washed my hands first. She giggled, but I knew that Bella had to be super careful about germs so I darted to the bathroom across the hall and washed them quickly.
"Now…where were we?" I said to Leah. I took a hold of her soft delicate little hand. There was no movement. "I wanted to send you something special because I think you are very special…and very brave." I put the balloon bouquet in front of her; her eyes opened wide. She said her ah's to the rainbow of colors. She looks so happy. Tears started pricking the back of my own eyes.
Bella was standing off to the side; she saw my emotions and rubbed her hand over my back. I took the bear and squeezed its hand so the music played. This must have made Leah very excited because Leah's happy noises got louder.
I noticed that Bella had tears in her eyes. I asked if she was okay andshe nodded. "It's just that, I call Leah 'my sunshine'. It's perfect, Edward, thank you." She hugged me.
"You are so very welcome, sweet girl. Leah deserves much more than balloons and a singing bear. And so do you." I kissed the top of her head.
"Maybe we should eat our breakfast before it gets stone cold." Bella offered.
"Okay, but can we eat in here with Leah? We can fix Jessica a plate, too; I think I over ordered."
"Sure, that sounds perfect, Edward." She smiled again and we walked out to fix our plates. I noticed that Jessica gave Bella a wink of approval.
After we ate our breakfast in Leah's room, during which I chatted with Bella and Jessica, I found out firsthand all the things that Leah required on a daily basis. She had to be suctioned quite frequently. It didn't seem to bother her so that made me happy. I was sure the look on my face was almost sheer terror when I heard the loud suction machine turn on for the first time and then to see Jessica proceed to suction. Bella reassured me that Leah couldn't feel it and that she depended on it to clear out secretions from her nose, mouth, and trach. Bella asked if we could go in the family room and visit; I was all for getting some one on one time with my girl,so we made our way to the tan loveseat in front of the TV.
We sat side by side, but our bodies were angled toward one another. I took her hands in mine; our eyes were locked. I couldn't help the feeling of wanting to kiss her pouty pink lips. She had her bottom lip tucked under her teeth, she was smiling at me. That was almost my undoing…she must have felt it, too, because we both leaned forward; it was like a force bringing us together on its own accord. Our lips lightly touched, my stomach was doing flips…she was my kryptonite; I was under her spell. Our lips parted, my tongue flicked out grazing her bottom lip, asking for an invitation to enter. Her tongue responded to my request. She opened and I entered. She tasted so delicious, blueberry waffles, cinnamon, and her own unique flavor. I could die today and be a very satisfied man.
"You are beautiful, Bella." I whispered. "So good…you taste so good."
"Umm…" was her only response.
Her hands found my hair, so I pulled her closer to my body. My hands were on her hips; my thumbs rubbed small circles through her lavender t-shirt. We were exploring and getting to know one another on a whole new level. I liked this level very much.
It was innocent kissing, but the electricity between us was undeniable. It was a feeling that I had never felt with another women…ever. I could swear it was fate that Bella and Leah entered into my life. They were put there for a reason and I would never take advantage of that. They were special. I could tell my heart was different now. Better. Better for meeting two of the most amazing girls ever put on this earth.
My Bella and little Leah.
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Bella and I were in a daze as we broke away for some air. My hand ran over her pink cheek, my thumb found her bottom lip and took it from under her lip. I gave her a chaste kiss on the mouth and then on the forehead. Her hands dropped from my hair, so I took them and kissed the palms of her hands very gently.
"Bella…thank you for inviting me into your home today." I kissed her hands once more.
"I'm happy you came to visit. I'm afraid I'm enjoying your company so much that I won't want you to leave." She ducked her head in embarrassment, biting her lip once again.
"I won't want to leave either, baby." My thumb gently pulled her lip from between her teeth, and I leaned over to kiss her again.
Our kiss resumed its previous fervor. We existed on the breaths between us, our tongues circled in a loving dance. I ran my hands through her hair and down her back. I could tell that this beautiful woman has had no affection for much too long. She was craving love and affection; attention that she so deserved. I was happy that I was here to give it to her.
A low growl escaped my mouth. Things were getting pretty heated, so I pulled her away gently. She whimpered at the loss of contact, but I wanted to remain a gentleman and my willpower was being tested at the moment.
"Baby, there is nothing I'd love more than to pick up your beautiful body, take you to your bed, and explore every inch of you." She whimpered again, closing her eyes. "But it's almost lunch time and I'd like to fix it for you. You're getting pampered today." I touched her nose with my finger.
"You don't have to do that Edward; I can take care of myself." She smiled.
"I want to pamper you; I take care of you today, Bella. I want to spoil you; you deserve it."
Bella smiled and cupped my face. "Thank you, Edward, you have made my day…my week…my year. You are so amazing." She gave me a chaste kiss on my lips. "I'll help though." She jumped off the loveseat and bounced into the kitchen. I was likea lost little puppy following my girl.
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"Bella, do you have a grill?"
"No, Jacob took it when he moved out. Why?"
"I bought steaks so we need a grill. Not a problem though." I took my cell phone out of my pocket and Googled the local hardware store, then dialed the number.
"Yes, this is Edward Cullen; I need an assembled gas grill delivered to 103 Forest Drive by four o'clock this afternoon. Yes, that grill will be great. I'll need a propane bottle and some grilling utensils as well." I gave the hardware store my credit card information and thanked them.
I looked at Bella, whose eyes were wide and she was speechless…well almost speechless. "Edward! What in the world did you just do?" She wasn't mad; she was shocked.
"I bought a gas grill to be delivered here so that I can grill you a steak." I acted nonchalant.
"I could have broiled them for us silly. You didn't need to spend hundreds of dollars on a ten dollar steak." She playfully scolded.
It wasn't a ten dollar steak. I bought two thirty dollar porterhouse steaks, but I wasn't going to tell her that. I inwardly smiled.
"I know I didn't have to do it, that's why I did. You didn't expect or need it, but ….you deserve it, so how about that?" I took her by the waist and sat her on the counter top. "And I will fix lunch as well. I can totally handle turkey and Swiss sandwiches all by myself." I winked, leaning in to kiss her neck. She whimpered again. Her head dipped down so that her chin touched her chest.
I took her chin in my hand and lifted it so that she was looking into my eyes. "You are beautiful, sweet girl; let me take care of you today, please?"
She licked her lips then tucked her bottom lip under her teeth; I began to think it was a habit. A fucking cute habit. She looked at me with puppy dog eyes. "Okay…but I'm not used to having someone take care of me. It's been so long." I kissed her lips, thankful that I was the one getting to spoil this beautiful person.
"Today is your lucky day, baby. Your wish is my command."
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We sat on the loveseat to eat our sandwiches. Once we were finished, I gave Bella a backrub. She had so many knots that she really needed a professional one, but for now my hands had to do the trick and I enjoyed it immensely. I thought about hiring a traveling masseuse to come rub her down. A woman, though, because, from here on out, I'd be the only man touching her sweet soft skin.
Jessica's shift would be over in an hour, so I picked Bella up and took her to her bedroom. I wanted to give Bella something that she hadn't had in awhile, some rest and relaxation. A nap was in order for her; I could tell that she was still exhausted from Leah's hospital stay. Besides, I wanted to spend some time with Leah and play with her again.
"Edward! Put me down." She giggled.
"No way sweetheart; you're going to relax and take a nap before Jessica has to leave." I laid her on the bed and smacked her behind playfully; she giggled again. I loved hearing her giggle.
"Edward…aren't you going to relax with me?" She asked innocently.
"No, sweetheart, I want you to sleep; I'll wake you up when Jessica has to go. Besides, I need to wait for the delivery from the hardware store." I winked at her, giving her my best crooked smile.
"Fine…" She rolled over. I tucked the covers around her, and then gave her a sweet kiss on her cheek.
"I'll be back; sleep tight." I closed the door behind me, and then made my way to Leah's room.
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"Knock, knock." I said as I stood at the door of Leah's room.
"Come in, Edward." Jessica smiled; she was doing something to Leah that looked like it really hurt. She was pounding on her back and chest with something in her hand.
"Hi, what are you doing?" I questioned her because it really looked awful.
"Oh, I'm doing her CPT." She explained to me. "She really loves this. It's like a great massage to her."
I made a mental note that both of my girls loved massages. I smiled.
"Would it be okay if I read Leah a book or something? Does she like books?" I asked. I wanted to know what Leah enjoyed; I wanted to make her happy.
"Oh my gosh…she would love that." Jessica pointed to a bright pink bookshelf with white daisies painted on the sides. "You can pick whatever book you'd like…she loves all of them."
"Okay, awesome." I walked to the bookshelf tucked into a corner of her room and scanned all the crazy titles. "Leah, would you like Fancy Nancy today? Or Skippyjon Jones?" I held them both in front of her and waited for her to look at which one she would like for me to read. She looked at both of them and it was hard for me to tell which one she really wanted; so we'd read both.
Jessica moved Leah to her seat that sat in front of the overstuffed chair. When she was settled and propped with several stuffed animals, I sat in the chair next to her and started to read. Leah was so vocal; she giggled and blew her spitty bubbles. I laughed along with her because those books were hilarious. She was an absolute joy.
When I had finished the books, I still had a few more minutes until I needed to wake Bella, so I chose another book for Leah. "Okay sweet little Leah-bug, this one looks really good; what do you think? I held up a Disney princess book. Should we read it?" I asked her. She is smiled really big because her eyes were almost shut. "Disney princesses it is." I sat back down and read the book until I heard the doorbell. It was the grill delivery, so I stopped and told Leah that I'd be right back.
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The delivery guy set the grill up on the tiny back patio. There was just enough room for it to fit with Bella's little table sitting next to it.
It was time for me to wake up Bella, so that Jessica could leave.
I slowly opened Bella's bedroom door. The tiny form sleeping on the bed took my breath away. Her long dark hair was splayed across the pillow; she was lying on her side curled in a little ball. Her eyes fluttered and I knew she was dreaming. A big part of me hoped that it was me she was dreaming of. I walked to the side of the bed and knelt down beside her. I brushed her cheek with the back of my hand.
"Baby…it's time to wake up." I leaned forward to kiss her succulent pink lips.
"Hmm." She moaned in her sleep. Licking her bottom lip, her eyes fluttered again.
"Sweetheart, you need to wake up so Jessica can leave." Her eyes opened wide and she sat straight up.
"Oh my gosh; did I oversleep?" She tried dartingout of bed.
"Relax, Bella; you still have five minutes before Jessica is officially off-duty." I crawled onto the bed and took her in my arms. She curled into me; she was a perfect fit.
"I'll start dinner at five o'clock and we can eat by six thirty. Does that sound good?" I rubbed her back while my lips brushed over her forehead, peppering her with tiny kisses.
"Umm, sounds wonderful…but you're going to make me fat, Mr. Cullen." She jokingly tapped my chest with her finger.
"You could stand to gain a few pounds…I like a woman with a little meat on her bones." I tickled her sides until she cried uncle.
We reluctantly climbed out of bed. Bella relieved the nurse and I went to the kitchen to start the oven for our twice baked potatoes.
After our dinner of grilled steaks, twice baked potatoes, and grilled veggies, I ran to the liquor store to grab the one thing I had forgotten today. Champagne.
My plan was, when the night nurse arrivedtonight,to feed Bella strawberries and champagne in bed.
I wasn't going to invite myself to stay, but I wanted to end our wonderful day with a romantic gesture.
Plus…I needed to talk to her about quitting her phone sex job. I had the perfect job offer for her. I just hoped she'd accept.
A/N: What in the world is his job offer? Is she going to be a kept woman? Would she agree to that? You will have to stick around to see.
So are you totally and completely in love with Edward? I know I am! He can grill me a $30 steak and feed me strawberries in bed anytime he'd like. I will even let him tickle me and I won't say uncle. Lol
I'm so happy he wants to be around Leah and that she seems to like him. Who wouldn't love to look at a cute boy reading princess books; he actually enjoyed it too.
The balloon bouquet was a very thoughtful gift. Edward is too sweet for his own good. I might just have to steal him away from Bella. Just kidding….
Thank you for reading Midnight Confessions and for taking the time to send me your sweet reviews.