Sorry for the delay. Still no power at home and we had the Halloween party here this morning.

Epic crazy.

Hold on tight!

Chapter Fourteen

Pain and Suffering

Edward was lying in their bed, waiting for Bella to come back in from nursing the baby. With their older children, she would have brought the baby to bed with her so Edward could watch as she fed him. But not now. Bella kept saying she wasn't afraid of him, she was afraid for him. She worried what the constant anger and fear was doing to his heath. He wondered if she knew what her leaving was doing to his health.

He lay still, his eyes closed as she came back in the room. Her bags were packed. She was leaving in the morning. The two youngest children were going with her while he kept the older two. Bella hated to split the kids up, but knew that Edward needed a reason to get out of bed every morning.

Bella turned off the lights and settled beneath the covers with her back toward him. Never in all of the years they had been together, had she slept with her back to him.

Edward tried to stop, he truly did, but the sob broke free before he could stifle it. He shoved the blanket off, desperately trying to untangle his feet from the sheets. Once free, he collapsed to the floor. Scrambling to his hands and knees, he took a deep breath and screamed. He couldn't believe this was happening. He couldn't accept it. Bella was his whole life. Without her, he was nothing.

As his voice gave out and he curled up on the hard floor, he could hear Bella crying on the bed. Though he ached to feel her hands on him, she didn't come to comfort him. Closing his eyes, Edward prayed that when he opened them, everything would be different.

When the alarm went off the next morning, Edward realized he hadn't slept at all. The dark circles under Bella's eyes showed she didn't either. They tried to act normal as they got the kids dressed and put breakfast on the table. The kids didn't really understand what was happening. They thought it was fun, going to Nana and Pa's house for a sleepover. Edward tried to smile at their excited chatter, but he couldn't. Though he was dying inside, he would do his best to be a good father to them while Bella was gone.

"Say goodbye to Daddy." Edward's heart was breaking as he snuggled his son. He grieved as he realized he wouldn't be able to change the baby's diaper in the middle of the night, blowing raspberries on his belly to make him giggle. He wouldn't get to watch as Bella put him to her breast and looked up at him, awed that they had created something so perfect.

After loading the kids in the car, Bella stood nervously next to Edward. He was unable to meet her eyes. He wanted to run. He wanted to be anywhere but here, as his heart was shattering.

"Please…" he whispered, his voice cracking on the word.

"I…I'm sorry," she sighed sadly, reaching for him. As much as it killed him, he let her pull him into her arms. His throat was tight as tears ran down his cheeks.

"No one else. You…just you," he rasped, his words as broken as his heart. He needed her to know that there would never be anyone else for him. She was his one and only.

"I'll see you," Bella whispered, before releasing him and all but running toward the car. As he watched her drive away, Edward wanted to just find a hole and disappear until things improved. But his two oldest children were waiting for him inside the house. So he walked slowly through the front door and put on a happy face, even though his heart was bleeding.

I'm such a bitch...but at least there was no cheating!

Probably just one today unless my power is back on. But then my internet would have to be back too, and that's a stretch.

MWAH!

That's about as bad as it gets...

I think.

:'-(