And as cute as the last chapter was I can flip in a second…ANYWAYs we learn a bit more about Bella in this one *oh happy day…or is it? *
My thoughts are still going out to the East Coasters harmed by Sandy
On another note Between Us will be posted over at my NEW live journal account *am I allowed to post the link on this site…there are so many rules eeka*
I will post the link once I have a new chapter written WHICH means I need to write down everything that has happened so I can be accurate with events…ugh so annoying to be behind! AND once I know I am allowed to post the link J
Chapter 11
Tuesday 30th October 2012
The most important thing that happened this morning was that she found her outfit for tomorrow tonight. She went less conventional in the 'costume' department and more into the 'glam' but still a costume. Bella headed back after extracting herself from the clutches of Alice and Rose.
They are really lovely women, so welcoming to her. She imagines they wouldn't be if they knew that she is really just a whore in disguise. She walks through the hospital; she has never been here so she doesn't know what she is looking for.
"Isabella"
The familiar voice makes her stop and turn. She is face o face with Edward's 'boss'. "Dr. Volturi" Bella smiles. This is actually a good thing, lost in the hospital looking for Edward or not.
"Please Isabella call me Aro"
"Aro" She smiles. "I was looking for Edward"
"Oh, he has a surgery this afternoon" Aro frowns. "May I help?"
"No" Bella smiles shaking her head. "Can I wait for him?"
"Sure he could be a few hours, he is one of the best, if not the best surgeons we have here"
Bella smiles. "He is very hard working and so dedicated to this hospital, it is his life"
"And you this hospital and you"
Bella nods. "Yes, me as well" She plasters a smile on her face that isn't as fake as she would like it to be.
"I don't know if Edward told you I am retiring soon and planning on passing the torch of Chief of Staff"
"He did" Bella nods.
"Edward is looking like the perfect Chief to me"
"Me too" Bella smiles, this time a bit of fakeness is in there, she doesn't know if she wants him to have the job this fast. The faster he gets the job the faster she is gone from his life, from this life that has been more wonderful than her own. She touches her face with one hand.
"I will let you go" He smiles. "If I see Edward before you, I will tell him you are here waiting"
"Thank you" Bella smiles. "Wonderful seeing you again Aro"
"And you Isabella, oh Jessica" Aro calls a passing nurse.
"Dr. Volturi" Jessica smiles.
"Jessica can you take Isabella to the waiting area for Dr. Cullen, please"
Jessica eyes Bella up and down. She remembers her sitting at the Cullen table the other weekend and she doesn't like it. She didn't like it. "Of course Dr. Volturi"
Bella smiles. "Thank you Aro, we will see you tomorrow night?"
"You will Isabella, see you then"
Jessica looks and walks off, she hears this Bella behind her. "So you and Edward huh?" Jessica looks over her shoulder, she watches the mousy woman nod her head. "How old are you?"
"Why is everyone fascinated with my age?" Bella mumbles.
"You look young, Edward does like all women, of all ages" Jessica smirks.
Bella guesses this nurse Jessica is one of Edward's bed mates, was one of Edwards's bedmates. "I guess so" Bella mutters.
Jessica smiles. "You wait here for Edward"
"Bella?"
Turning before she sits with her small basket she looks into the kind eyes. Bella smiles at the boy-ish blonde haired man. "Hello…"
"Riley" He points to himself.
Bella frowns before smiling. "Dr. Biers" She reads his tag on his white coat. Of course he is a doctor as well. "Riley" She mutters his name. "Edwards's friend?" This is Edward's Riley, she smiles and shakes her head.
"Yes, you must be the lady killer" Riley smiles, happy to put a face to the woman Edward has been seeing. He is shocked it is this woman. He runs his eyes over her face, she is stunning. But Edward has always been one for the lookers. He is a great looking man himself so it is natural he gets a good looking woman. She is stunning.
"Bella" She points to herself with a smile.
"I remember" He smiles.
Bella runs her eyes over him again; he is very handsome, boyishly so, she lets out a little laugh.
"Edward is in surgery" He explains.
"So I hear" Bella sighs. "I packed" She looks at the small basket on the floor. She doesn't know why she packed it, it is a bit silly.
Riley smiles. "Nice"
"Are you hungry?" She questions him.
"Yeah"
Jessica watches this interaction and smiles to herself, her arms crossed her chest.
"Do you want to?" Bella arches her eyebrows questioning him. Almost hopeful, she doesn't know him but he seems like such a great guy.
"Sure" Riley laughs a bit. "Sure you don't want to wait for your Dr. Cullen?"
"It will be a while I hear?" She frowns.
"Yeah" Riley looks at his watch.
"Okay, are you free now?"
"Yup"
"Cool" She smiles at him a bit shyly, he is like a perfect man, she doesn't even know why he is perfect, but he seems it. Bella can tell he sees her as a normal woman, not a job and she doesn't feel like a job next to him. It is a feeling she hasn't felt in a long time.
"I'll be sure to tell Edward that Riley has taken care of you" Jessica smiles.
Bella looks over her shoulder at the woman confused.
Riley shakes his head at the woman. "Ignore her"
"So what kind of doctor are you?" Bella questions, her legs are crossed as she sits on a bench in a huge hallway the food between them.
"I'm a Nephrologists, kidney doctor" He finishes.
"Oh" Bella smiles and nods. "How long have you known Edward?"
"We met in med school, became good friends" Riley nods taking a bite of the sandwich that was meant to be Edwards. "This is great" He comments chewing.
"Yeah?" Bella grins.
"Pretty great, I only live on the food downstairs or takeout"
"Edward also"
"Until recently?"
"Until recently" Bella nods. "I love to cook, I love food" She laughs a bit thinking about Edward and his love for her Buddha belly.
"Edward is one lucky man" He says to her. Her eyes are wide. "I'm sorry" He says suddenly.
"Why?" She feels something with him; a smile tugs at her lips.
"That was out of line"
"I disagree" She tells him confidently. "Are you married?"
"No, no" He laughs shaking his head and eating a cookie. "Homemade?"
"Yeah" She smiles. She watches him take another bite and laugh. "What?"
"You are kind of like superwoman"
"Because I can bake?"
"No, because you are beautiful and can bake, and hold a conversation"
"So that is what you are looking for?"
"Hard to come by, hence why Dr. Cullen is one lucky man"
Bella smiles looking at him. "Thank you"
"You're welcome Bella"
Edward washes his hands after pulling off his scrub cap.
"Great work Dr. Cullen" Mallory a nurse says as she walks past.
"Thanks" He answers drying his hands off. He rests against a wall with a sigh. Sometimes…most times, this job is stressful but he has been so lucky to have a low causality rate on the table. He hates losing a patient. It crushes him; it is the worst feeling in the world to have to tell a family that their loved one has gone. Didn't make it. As much as this job is so rewarding, this career is rewarding that part is just heartbreaking, yet there is no way to avoid it.
Pushing off the wall he heads out towards the nurses' station to give them a report before going back to his office to sort out paper work for his patient.
Bella laughs hearing about the med school antics of Riley and Edward. "I can't believe it, Edward?"
"He was a wild man, but don't worry he is a one woman man now"
"Right" She nods.
Riley smiles at her. "We had good fun, it was an amazing time, seems like years ago"
"You both are so young though"
"Whiz kids"
"Must be" Bella smiles as she starts shutting the containers.
Edward rubs a hand through his hair as he heads down the hall of the hospital towards his office. He hears laughter. Lifting his eyes from the floor, he spots Bella.
Riley looks over and smiles at Edward. "Your man is here" He says to Bella before nodding in Edwards's paused direction.
He stands looking at the two sitting together facing each other, their knees lightly touching. Edward frowns. He wonders if she is alright. His cell is in his office so he doesn't know if she called needing something.
Bella turns and looks at Edward dressed in scrubs, they are a light blue colour. His hospital ID is hooked to the small pocket. His hair looks wild, and he looks gorgeous. She stares at his face and she feels a warming in her belly. Bella lifts her hand and waves at him. Her mind is confused he does something to her, but it is not real. But Riley could be real, she is anyone to him, but to Edward they are set in what they are to each other. Her chest tightens.
Edward nods at her as he heads towards the two.
"Oh Dr. Cullen" Jessica appears from the side.
Edward stop and looks down at Jessica, she is all over him all the time. "Jessica, what can I do for you?"
"Edward" She coos. "Your little girlfriend is off with Dr. Biers having lunch"
Edward looks over Jessica's shoulder. "I am aware, thank you" He is not going to let this little twit he should never have fucked wind him up even more. And it's not working. He looks at his best friend and his girlfriend back into a conversation. Bella's eyes drift from Riley's for a second and meet his. He watches her quickly divert them. 'What the hell?' He thinks getting more irrationally angry by the second.
Bella smiles at Riley while Edward has a catch up with one of his conquest, it is clear they have fucked. She touches her forehead.
"Oh well" Jessica bounces on her toes.
"I am busy, thank you" He says quickly to her before closing the space between himself, Bella and Riley.
"Hey" Riley stands when Edward makes his way over. "Ran into Jessica did you" Riley laughs because he loves to tease Edward about his ladies, especially Jessica because she is over the top.
Edward looks at Bella and ignores Riley. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I" She wants to say sorry but Riley is standing right there. She looks a Riley.
Riley gets the hint. "Thanks for lunch Bella" Riley touches Bella on the upper arm.
Edward's eyes go right to his hand on her arm and he shoots Riley a look. He watches his friends hand move away from her body.
"I'll talk to you later Edward" Riley walks away shaking his head, not sure what just happened.
Bella watches Riley go and feels instantly bad. "Had a bad morning?" She wonders.
"No, not until now" He growls.
"What?" Bella frowns.
He takes her upper arm and pulls her close.
"Edward" She whispers not wanting to cause a scene in the middle of the hospital.
"I told you" He leans down to her face. "I don't share"
"You are crazy" She whispers, about to push him away when he lets her go.
"Get your stuff and let's go" He demands.
"No"
"Now" He growls staring at her. How dare she come in here and do whatever she was doing with Riley. He feels crazy and it is all her damn fault.
Bella grabs her bag and the little basket of finished lunch; she follows him down the hall to the elevator.
Once inside he hits a button three times wanting the door to close faster than it is.
Bella watches him.
"Hold the door" A voice calls. Dr. Victoria Sutherland enters.
Edward looks at her.
"Edward" She breathes softly.
Bella looks at the two and stands over to the side with the 'Edward' breathy voice between them. She is happy for the distance right now because she doesn't know what the hell is his problem is.
"Dr. Sutherland" Edward greets.
Victoria grins. "Edward" She says.
Edward looks at sees Bella leaning against the side of the elevator wall as it slowly moves. "Victoria this is Bella"
Victoria turns and smiles. She towers over Bella. "Pleasure"
Bella forces a smile. "Hi"
Victoria looks back at Edward when the door opens; she winks at him before flipping her hair and heading off.
Bella shakes her head lightly she chuckles. "It is like your personal brothel around here"
Edward says nothing. He hates the truth she speaks and hates that she has made him feel out of control at his place of work.
He takes her hand and pulls her from the elevator and into his office. Shutting and locking the door they stand face to face. "What were you and Riley doing?"
"Eating"
"I would appreciate it if you would restrain yourself from flirting with my co-workers, they are not paying you" He glares at her, his arms folded over his chest. "I am"
Bella laughs and drops the basket. She shakes her head in disbelief. "Whatever you say boss"
He looks at her back, she is shaking her head. When she turns around he can see her chin trembling trying to keep control over her emotions.
"I wouldn't do that to you, with, with your friend" She finally gets out. Bending she picks up the basket. "I'll see you back at your home" She itches her hair before sighing.
Edward watches her unlock the door pulling it open he sees Aro.
"Isabella, Edward" Aro smiles. "I was coming to see how the surgery went this morning"
Edward clears his throat. "Wonderful sir"
"I knew it would" He smiles clapping his hands together. "I told you Isabella"
Edward frowns and looks between the two.
"I ran into Isabella when she arrived to see you, we had a nice little talk" He smiles at Bella.
Edward looks at Bella. She came to surprise him and ended up giving him one up by running into Aro. He looks at her a bit sadly now, she looks away from him.
"I was just leaving" Bella says with a smile. "Edward has lots of work to do"
"Oh shame" Aro frowns. "Too bad you didn't get to spend some time together"
"I'll see him tonight and you tomorrow" Bella smiles.
"Well yes indeed, I look forward to it" Aro leaves the office.
"I'll see you" She mutters.
"Bella wait" Edward calls softly.
She stops and sighs turning around.
"Shut the door, please" He pleads to her. When she does it she stands against it and looks at him. "I'm sorry" He sighs running both hands through his hair. "I am such a prick"
"A little bit" She shuts her eyes and rubs between them. "I wouldn't" She looks at him taking her hand away. "I would never sleep with one of your friends"
"I know, I was just being…I know"
"I wouldn't because" She stops and stares at him. "I should go, I'll see you tonight"
Edward wants to stop her and get her to finish but he has pushed her enough and lets her go. He stands in his empty office and feels like an utter shit.
Once Bella gets into the condo she hurries to the bathroom and turns on the bath. She strips bare and sinks into the hot water. Bella submerges herself under the filling tub and shuts her eyes willing the memories to lie dormant.
November 2003
Bella 16
James 18
Bella rubs her hands together; the heat has been turned off in their tiny apartment. She left her father's, left school and her friends 2 months ago. At the time Charlie was throwing a temper tantrum because he didn't approve of James.
Suddenly he notices something about her and doesn't approve. She didn't approve of his demand to stop seeing 'that boy' as Charlie called him. She ran off.
She is in love with James, he was her first, he took care of her when Charlie was too busy working and mourning her…Renee to notice her. James noticed her. James loves her.
He is out now trying to get some cash so that she will be warm, so that he can take care of her. She is deeply in love with him; a smile comes to her lips as she thinks about him.
Bella looks at the door to their studio apartment downtown. She smiles when James enters. She looks at the man that comes in behind him. "Hi?" She whispers not sure.
James smiles and goes to her quickly, taking her face and kissing her soundly. Deeply longingly. He pulls back and looks at her blushing face. "She blushes" He looks over his shoulder at the man with dread locks.
'I see' His accent is thick.
Bella looks at James. 'Hey' She takes his hands from her face. 'Is everything alright?'
'Sure, yes' James nods kissing her again. Kissing her is the key to getting her 'ready' she is such a mouth person, it turns her on like crazy. He loves how she is ready in a moment when his mouth fucks hers.
Bella shakes her head and pulls back, not enjoying this 'show'. 'Not now' She whispers.
James looks at her.
'Did you get some money?'
'Laurent is going to give me the money' Laurent is an old friend of James who has a lot of money. Maybe it is not legal money but he has a lot and is willing to 'share' for a small price.
'Oh…' She looks at the man whose name is Laurent. 'Thank you'
'No thank you pretty Bella' Laurent stares at her.
Bella shifts her body so that James is shielding her.
'Don't be shy' He smiles. 'I don't bite' Laurent leers.
'James?' Bella tugs on his arm wanting him to put a stop to this man watching her like he is.
'Baby' James says turning. 'We aren't going to get the money for free'
'Oh'
'She is so young' James looks at Laurent and comments.
'I like it' Laurent nods and smiles.
'Baby' James makes Bella look at him again.
'What is going on?' She doesn't like how she is feeling right now. 'James, what is going on?'
'Calm down, we need money…Laurent can give us money, if we, if you…' James stares at her.
'I want to make love to the beautiful Bella James has bragged about'
'What?' Bella pulls away from James and shakes her head. 'No, what, no'
'Baby, Bella' James grabs her and brings her close. 'I love you, please we need this to survive, just this one time' He whispers. 'It will be alright, I'll be here the whole time'
'No, James' Bella says trying to push away.
'Baby do you love me?' He whispers kissing her mouth.
Bella stares at him. 'Y-yes you know I do, but I can't'
'Please Bella for me, for us?'
James washes her back and neck as she sits in the bath. 'You did such a good job baby' He coos.
Bella stares at nothing as she sits.
'I got us six hundred, that's amazing' James brags to her about 'his' accomplishment. 'Just think if you did that again…'
Bella pulls herself above water and pushes her hair back the water running down her back. She gets the cloth and latter's up, scrubbing her body with vigor until she is bright red.
Edward holds the flowers as he enters his place. He looks around, it is late, he doesn't expect her to be awake. But he is hopeful that she is. Locking the door he takes his things off and picks the flowers up.
'Dinner is in here if you want' Bella scribbled on a sticky note and left it on the microwave with the time set to 4mins. Edward smiles and walks through.
Her bedroom door is shut and he rests his head against it before getting the courage to knock twice.
Bella looks at the door. "Come in" She calls softly. She wasn't asleep. She was just lying down, semi waiting for him to come home but not wanting it to be known she as waiting up.
Edward enters her room; the only light on is the bedside lamp. "Hi"
"Hi" She responds.
"Bella" He sighs looking at his feet.
She notices the flowers. "You got me flowers?"
"Um, yeah" He shrugs.
"Why?"
"I was a living ass today, just an ass"
"But you got me flowers?" She frowns.
Edward nods.
"Why?"
"Because I was an ass"
"Right" She whispers staring at the flowers. He doesn't have to buy her flowers when he is a jerk, which is exactly what he is avoiding by having her here and paying her.
"Don't say I didn't have to, I know I didn't, I wanted too"
"Okay" She says nothing more.
"Do you want them?" He makes a goofy face making her smile finally.
"Yeah" She swings her legs from the bed and stands walking slowly over to him. She takes the arrangement from his hands.
Edward watches her smell them.
"I'm going to put them in water"
Following her through his place he watches her get a vase and start arranging them slowly. "Do you like them?"
Bella doesn't look up. "Love them" She whispers. No one has ever given her flowers. "Edward" She finally says after fixing the flowers how she wants. She looks over to him sitting at the counter
He waits for her to speak.
"I would never sleep with one of your friends" She says again, she wouldn't.
"Bella, shit" He rubs his forehead. "I know, I was being irrational and a prick"
"I just, I want you to know, and I wouldn't do that" She shakes her head. "Ever"
"I know, I'm sorry for today"
"It's alright" She gives him a smile.
SO what do we think?