Chapter 12: A Magical Night
When the girls left on Sunday morning I wasn't so much relieved but grateful that I didn't have to explain to them that I was going on a date. I really didn't want Alice to dress me, she thinks I can't dress myself and I don't even want to know what Rosalie would do to me. Rose would probably pull an Alice and turn me into Bella Barbie. Since the girls left so early in the morning I thought I might clean the house a bit since my housekeeper Sarah won't be here till Wednesday. I clean the kitchen first then I eat breakfast and then work my way to the guestrooms that the girls used and then go to my room where I find my dogs laying on my bed just chillen' I guess I'll just have to work around them. I start with my closet I like to give clothes away to shelters when they no longer fit me and I haven't done it in months so now is as good a time as any. When I finish cleaning and packing the clothes I am going to give away its noon, so that means I have time for a nap; YES! I push the dogs to one side of the bed so that I could take up the other side and I fell into peaceful sleep dreaming that same dream I've had before.
"Mommy, mommy come play with us." I walk towards the most beautiful kids I have ever seen, I feel the hot sand between my toes, and I hear the wave crashing ahead of me. When I stare at them I can see the similarities to me and I knew they were mine. My kids looked to be about 3 or 4 years, my son had brown almost red hair and my daughter had dark brown hair. Their eyes were different than mine they were green.
"Mommy lok wat we made!" My son yelled
"Is a sad castle" My daughter told me
I sat on the sand in between the two of them, "oh you mean a sand castle?"
"Tat's wat we say mommy," My son said with a 'duh' tone.
"It's beautiful honey," I tell them.
"Tank you mommy," My daughter said with a proud smile,
We were having such a great time building more towers for the sand castle we were giggling about everything around us. I was having such a blast, my kids were so smart and every few minutes they would tell me a fun fact they knew about anything. Even though I didn't know their names I knew that I loved them whole heartedly.
I get up from my spot on the sand and walk over pull my kids into a hug and squeeze them and shower their faces with kisses which cause them to giggle uncontrollably. My son moves his face so he can see over my shoulder better and then yells out, "Daddy!" My son wiggles in my arm till I let him go and runs toward his dad while I am still holding his sister and I slowly turn my head to see who this man is, I'm straddled awake by music.
When I walk on by, girls be looking like damn he fly
I pay to the beat, walking on the street with in my new lafreak, yeah
This is how I roll, animal print, pants out control,
It's real fool with the big F O
They like Bruce Lee rock at the club
I wake up from my nap to my phone ringing and my ring tone was Sexy and I Know It. Which means I have a new text, but from who? I get my phone off the nightstand I am surprised to see that it Edward.
To: Bella
Hi Bella, it's Edward. I can' wait to see you tonight and I was wondering if you would be opposed to Italian?
From: Edward
I smile at his text, God he is so cute. I quickly write my reply and send it to him.
To: Edward
I can't wait to see you either and I love Italian
From: Bella
I really could not wait to go on a date with him, he seems like such a nice guy and I can see myself falling for him. Falling in love was something I thought wouldn't happen for me again and I was afraid to let someone into my heart again. But with Edward I didn't feel like I have to be so guarded.
To: Bella
Great! I'll see you tonight at 7 at 1708 Las Palmas Ave.
Bye
From: Edward
That address seems so familiar but I'm not going to question that right now right now I needed an outfit. I went through my entire closet I could not find anything to wear so for now I gave up I might as well take a shower. As I took my shower I remember that I had the cutest dress that would be perfect for tonight. I rush through the rest of my shower and blow drying my hair so that I can look for my dress. I found my perfect dress in the last place that I look it was folded in one of the drawers in my closet. It's a cute little black dress that was lace and had a bow in the front I paired it with simple black Louboutins. I was so ready for this date, I found a little clutch that would go great with my dress and as I got money, credit cards, ID, lip gloss, and my phone, I checked my phone to see if anyone had called me while I was in the shower and I also happen to see the time. I have like 2 more hours till I have to go meet him, great now what am I supposed to do with my time. Well seeing is how I don't have to be anywhere at the moment I take off my shoes and go lay on my bed where my dogs have now vacated. Usually watching T.V. doesn't appeal to me but since I'm kind of bored I'll watch T.V. Like always I find nothing that I even come close to wanting to watch, I was about to give up on looking for something to watch when I come across a show called The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills I got to say it was kind of interesting and from the looks of it they were having a marathon.
Holy shit! These bitches are crazy, well I think only 1 of them is crazy because half of the things she said a fucking crazy. It also sounds like she on drugs are something because there is no way that half of the things that could out of her mouth can could from something from someone who is somber, and so much drama around one of the girl and her husband. When I check to see the time on my phone I have about 15 minutes to get to the restaurant. Shit! I jump from my bed put my shoes on and grab my clutch. Running as quickly as I can down the stairs without breaking anything I make it to the garbage and into my car. It take me about 15 minutes to get to address Edward gave me, when I park in front of the restaurant waiting for valet I see the name of the restaurant and realize that I do know this place I've been here with Alice before.
The restaurant is called Bella Cucina Italiana, he sure is clever.
I tell the hostess when I get inside that I am meeting my party here by the name of Edward Cullen and she leads me to the table where Edward is already seated.
"Either you really wanted to eat Italian food here at this restaurant or you were trying to be funny." I ask him with a little chuckle.
He grins at me, "it was a quintessence really one of my coworkers had recommended this place and since the restaurant is called Bella I thought it would be fitting."
"Yeah I guess you're right it is fitting and this is an amazing restaurant I come here all the time with my friend so good chose. Next time I'll have to find a restaurant named after you." We both laugh at that.
"Good luck finding such a place," Edward tells me with a smile.
"Oh man you are so on," I giggle.
I didn't really have much hope of find a restaurant that was named Edward maybe I could do like a Google search or something. The internet is amazing like that; you can find all kinds of shit that you would never think to look for.
When our waitress came to our table to ask for our order she completely ignored me and was basically was eye fucking Edward, but he didn't pay her any mind. He kept his eyes on the menu and me which made me blush especially when grinned at me. I have to admit the waitress was really pretty and like a lot of people in Hollywood she had fake boobs any guy would love to motor boat them but Edward had no interest. I think I liked him a little more because of that.
"So Edward why did you want to be doctor?" I asked him.
"It's nothing really elaborate, I become a doctor because my dad is one well he's more of a Cardiologist and I work in the E.R. I like to be where the action is. When I was a little kid I wanted to be just like my dad but when I got to college I saw that Cardiology was not where I want to be, so there you have it." Edward explains.
"Wow that's amazing do you really get that much action though, I didn't think that it would happen every day?"
"Well okay not every day some days are slow and others it seems like there are not enough hours to fix the patient. I also get some pretty strange cases." Edward tells me.
"Really how strange?" I'm curious to know.
"This one time I had a patient come in with abdominal pains, we went in for an x-ray and we saw what was the cause of his pains, this patient manage to swallow or I don't know how he did it but we found a little transformers toy. We had to surgical remove it." O.M.G I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life before, that has to be the funniest thing I ever heard.
"Oh God! You can't be serious." I was giggling uncontrollably.
"Oh I'm dead serious; when we got the toy out and my patient had woken up and he asked if he could have the toy back because it was his favorite." No I take it back that was funnier.
Edward continued to tell me some of his other strange cases, I didn't think there would be so many but I was so wrong I could not stop laugh all though dinner. When our waitress had come back with our food she looked at me as if I was crazy because I was laughing so hard. I couldn't even drink my wine for fear that I would spit it out.
"So Bella do you like being a lawyer?" Edward asked me while I was eating my spaghetti
"Umm…"
"Oh I didn't mean so forward," Edward looked nervous.
"No, no you just caught me by surprise umm… yes I do love my job it's a lot of paperwork but I love it." I chuckle at my own joke and so does Edward.
"Yeah I know how you feel I think that is one of the things I could go without at the hospital" I chuckle at him. "I'm really glad that you were able to come out to dinner with me tonight I didn't think you would." Edward blushes.
"Are you kidding I'm glad you asked me I didn't think that you would have asked me."
"It was a pleasure to have you here with me." Edward says.
I blush, "Thank you Edward for this really lovely date."
"The dates not over yet we still need desert." Edward waves at the waitress to come back to our table. When she comes to take our plates she turns to Edward and asks, "Is there anything else I can get you sir?"
Bitch!
"No thank you but can you bring out the desert?" Edward asks the waitress.
"Desert?" I ask and he nods
The waitress sets down in the middle of both of us a chocolate sundae with 2 spoons. It even had sprinkles on top, it looked so good
"I had to buy this at Baskin Robbins across the street from my house since this restaurant doesn't have desert. I hope you don't mind sharing with me." Edward explains.
"I guess if I must," I shrug and laugh.
"Well that's really kind of you" he laughs.
Edward gave me the other spoon and we share the sundae as we continued talk about anything that came to mind he want to know everything about me but I reframed from talking about my family just yet I wanted to get to know Edward better before I get really personal. When we finish with the sundae I excused myself to go to the bathroom after I got back Edward was standing beside the table with my jacket. I realized that he had already paid the bill.
"You didn't have to pay for both of us I would have paid for mine." I said
"Well I did ask you out on a date so I get to pay" he flashes me that fabulous grin of his.
"Is that so, what do you say about having lunch with me during the week…and I'll be the one paying" I flash him my own grin.
"I don't know it's not gentlemanly of me to let you pay for my food, I think my mom would kick my ass for letting a girl pay."
"Oh well you'll just have to get over it, I'll let you pay for my coffee if it makes you feel better."
"Not really but I guess that would work" he smiles.
As we walk outside of the restaurant Edward held onto my hand, I looked to our joined hands and smiled. When I looked up to see Edward he was smiling down to me which causes me to turn 10 shades red. I give the valet my ticket and so does Edward, as we wait for our cars I turn to face him. I've never met any man like him who was a complete gentleman and made me feel like this. Like I could love again, like I was the only girl in the world, and like I was beautiful. Others try to use me for sex or as arm candy, but with Edward I knew that I could trust him but I knew I couldn't rush this. I needed to take my time.
"I had an amazing time this evening Edward, thank you."
"It was no problem I enjoyed myself and I had amazing company" he smiles at me.
I blush, "You were amazing company as well."
I see my car pull up to the curb but I don't want to let go of Edward's hand.
"Call me when you want to go on that lunch date. I'll be waiting." Edward says.
"I will and hopefully you're not too busy at the hospital to go" I say hopeful that he'll be able to go out with me again.
"I think I'll be able to make time for you and I usually get out of work at 12 so I wouldn't be a problem."
"Okay that's perfect."
By this time I see Edward's car being pulled up to the curb and I know it's time to say goodnight to him.
I get on my tippy toes and kiss him on the cheek, "Goodnight Edward."
"Goodnight Bella."
I reluctantly let go of his hand and get into my car and drive home. That night in bed I have a hard going to sleep I replay every single minute of my date with Edward and how much fun I had. But I also think about my college boyfriend James and how our relationship transpired. I was left with a broken heart and trust issues towards men now that I started to think about James I started to wonder if I was moving a little too quickly I mean I really don't know all that much about him and I agreed to go on a date with him. Was I doing the right thing? I don't think I would survive another heartbreak. I learned my lesson the first time but the more I think about the more I know that Edward is nothing like James. But just to make something like doesn't happen again I'm going to be extra careful with Edward.
The next morning I knew would not be a good day, I was super tired from having had no sleep and I had a lot of work to do today. I'm going to need like 2 cups of coffee to make it through the day. When I stepped out of the elevator to the law firms floor I see Alice bouncing toward me with a cup of coffee.
"God Alice you're amazing that is just what I need right now, thank you so much," I say as I take the cup out of her hands.
"I know I am I had a feeling you would need it."
"Yes I really do, okay so who am I meeting with today" I ask Alice.
Alice is always ready for me; she pulls from under her arm her calendar that has all of my appointments.
"Today you have a meeting with Ronny Stewart right now in the morning and before lunch you have a meeting with a Jennifer White and after lunch Rose is coming down to see you" Wow only 3 clients today maybe will be an okay day.
"Okay perfect, thank you again Alice and call me when Mr. Stewart gets here okay."
"I will" and with that she walks off to her desk and I walk into my office to prepare for my first client Mr. Stewart.
Ronny Stewart; I've had this client for over 2 years, him and his wife can't seem to agree on anything and when I think we finally reached a settlement someone thinks the other is getting too much money and argue about it. I pray that we can finally finalize this divorce because this has gone on long enough.
When Mr. Stewart arrives Alice calls to tell me and lets him into my office. Even though most of the men that come to our law firm are complete asshole, Ronny is the opposite of that he's actually a really nice guy his wife was the asshole. Ronny and his wife had been happily married for over 12 years then his wife brought someone else into their happy marriage without telling her husband. Ronny worked a lot of hour and traveled a lot to provide for his wife and 2 sons, but I guess his wife got tired of having to wait up for her husband and decided to occupy her time with a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. Although his wife now has a very rich boy toy she still wants millions him, and every time we settle on a number she changes her mind and wants more and it's not like she is using it for her kid because Ronny has full custody since wife can't be bothered with them now. Ronny's wife would prefer to travel and get plastic surgery then to take care of her kids. Thank God his kids have him; he really is a great dad, he has cut back a great deal of hours at work to be with his kids. I guess it helps to be the owner of the company and not have to take a cut back on his paycheck.
"Hello Mr. Stewart how are you today" I ask him as I stand up from my desk and go to shake his hand.
"Hello Ms. Swan I'm as good as can be expected, I really just want this to be over with" he says sadly.
"Well I'm hoping this time we can reach an agreement" I really hope this time both parties can agree on something because if not I'm going to have to take this to court and it could get ugly. But I was sick of playing this games with Ronny's wife I mean enough is enough be grateful that your husband is even giving you money.
I already have Mr. Stewart's case file on my desk and it does take me very long to look though it and see where we can increase the settlement and where we can't. I ask Ronny by how much he would like to increase alimony and spousal support by and if there any visitation or visit he want to grant his wife. He tells me the amount he wants to increase it and since his wife hasn't seen their children in over 2 years he see no point in having any visitation right.
I write everything wants and everything he is willing to give to his wife in the settlement and I give his wife's lawyer a call to tell him the new agreement to which he tells me he will pass on to his client and we will meet sometime this week to discuss it. I tell this to Mr. Stewart and we agree to meet sometime later this week,
As I was working on the paperwork on my next client I hear the familiar 'Sexy and I know it' ringtone and I knew it was Edward texting.
To: Bella
Good morning! How you are? I was hoping I could convince you to go out to lunch with me today?
From: Edward
Oh how cute, did he think by asking me out to lunch that he would so how talk me out of paying. I don't think so. But even if I could I doubt that I would be able to get away I just had so much work today, and I really did want to see him
To: Edward
Good morning to you 2. I'm doing great and how about you. I'm really sorry but I don't think I can get away from work today I have to prepare for a few clients that I have to meet with today.
From: Bella
To: Bella
Oh no that sucks would you like me to bring you something to eat I really don't mind I have time I just got out of work.
From: Edward
As much as I would have loved to have Edward bring me something to eat I don't know if I was really comfortable having him come to my office especially with Alice here and every other woman who works here. Too many questions I was not yet ready to answer, and I felt really bad Edward must be so tired and dead on his feet I didn't want to take time away from him that could be spent sleeping. So I text him back saying no but thank you on the lunch I would just ask my assistant to get me something which isn't a complete lie Alice would probably get me something to eat, and I promised that I would make it up to him.
After meeting with Mr. Stewart I worked non-stop not playing much attention to anything that was going on around me, I didn't even realize that Alice had bought me lunch until I saw it on my desk, or that Rosalie was sitting in the chair in front of my desk until I looked up.
"Shit!" I jumped seeing Rosalie in front of me. "You know you could have said something to warn me that you were here."
"Yeah well this was funnier I wanted to see how long it would take you to notice me, and it was actually awhile." She giggles.
"Well you almost gave me a heart attack, so now that you're here we can go over everything that we are going to need for court." I tell Rose.
"Okay so what do you need to know?" Rosalie and I spent about an hour and a half just going everything in her life while she was married to Royce and so things while they were dating, but because they were both kind of famous there is a lot that needs to be looked at not only financials but ascent they have and even their personal lives.
Digging into someone personal lives is something I hated about this job but it has to be done especially if it will win me the case. You don't know how many times I've found out about my client's spouse affairs and won the settlement because of it. Too many people in LA can't keep their hands to themselves and get caught.
"Rose is there anything I need to know about Royce that I could use against him?" I ask Rose.
"Umm not that I know of but I always suspected that he was cheating on my throughout our whole marriage by I never found proof… oh he was a druggie if that helps he always keep his stash in our bedroom." Wow okay that will totally work.
"Yes that helps a lot, the infidelity we will have to get a private investigator to check that out and the drug we are going to have to report it to the police but we have to be really carful we don't them point the finger at you too." This could be some serious shit I'm getting involve or it could be some punk just trying to get high whichever one it is I should thread lightly and think up a plan.
"First thing first what kind of drugs is your ex into?" I ask.
"That I know of he smokes weed and does cocaine but I always thought he was doing more but I never found any." I make a note of that.
"Okay, now do you remember where in your bedroom he hid his stash?" she told me everything I needed to know and more, I had to come up with a strategy that would get the police looking at Royce King for illegal drugs but I had to make it so Rosalie didn't know anything about it. I thanked Rose for the information as she was leaving and promised that we would get together again really soon.
When Rosalie left I immediately called the private investigator that we use at the firm and gave him all the information that he need to follow Royce. I continued to work nonstop till it was time to go home but even then I wasn't ready to pack it up if it wasn't for Alice threatening me I probably would have stayed until the next morning.
Getting home that night took me awhile I was driving kind of slow and I kept pulling over to wake myself up because I was so tried. So I did finally get all I wanted to do was get into bed and sleep but alas that was not going to happening, my phone started ring. God I wanted to kill whoever was calling me or scream at them telling them to fuck off. But much to my surprise it was the one person that I could really yell at for fear of not going on a date with him again.
"Edward! Hey what going on" I was very excited that he called.
"Bella! Nothing much I just want to call and see how the rest of your day went?" he sounded giddy which almost made me laugh but I held it in.
"Oh it went great I'm sorry I wasn't able to call you again I was so busy with cases today I didn't even go out to lunch I was swamped with work."
"What! Oh my God I knew I should have bought you lunch…" he continue to talk about the importance of eating and other thing I was tuning in and out of what he was saying. I thought it was really cute that he worried about me.
"Edward! Listen you don't have to worry I did eat I swear Alice my assistant bought me something to eat" I smile thinking that Edward really was worried.
"Whew that's great next time I'm not going to ask I just going to go to your office barge in with lunch okay."
"Okay that sounds great" I giggle.
We continued to talk for hours, he asked about my work I didn't tell him much or else I could go to jail but I did tell him about Alice who is not only my assistant but my best friend and she's kind of crazy but I love her. I also told him about Rosalie and how she was quickly becoming my best friend too. I didn't go into get detail about how we meet or how we such quick friends I figure that was a story for another time. He told me about some of the things he loved about his job which was mainly helping people and in the E.R. there is a lot of action and he never gets bored.
We ended our call at about 1 in the morning and even though I wasn't going to be getting a lot of sleep I could care less. I was happy to talk to him and I went to bed that night with a smile on my face. Something good came out of today.
