Thanks, as always, to my girls and to you. XOXO
Pulling Heaven Down – Demanding
Edward
The next morning came too quickly, too bright for my liking. Leah was sprawled out next to me with an arm slung over her head, her hair spilled over her face. I leaned down and pressed my lips to her bare shoulder and she stirred, turning to me and smiling softly.
"Hi," she whispered thickly.
"Hey, beautiful," I returned, and slipped my arm under her head. She scooted toward me and let me wrap her up in my arms.
Leah closed her eyes and reached up to touch my face.
"What are you thinking about?" She ran her hands through my hair and buried her face in my neck.
"Mostly about how I just lived out every one of my high school fantasies," I teased and kissed the top of her head.
"Shut up," she muttered, brushing her lips along my throat and running her hands down my chest. Then she moved quickly, and I was on my back but she was reaching over and grabbing my phone off the nightstand.
"Nooooooo," I groaned, and took the phone from her.
"I just want to check on Harry! I've never left him alone all night!"
"I already sent Bella a text," I sighed, and set the phone back down.
"You're worse than me," Leah teased as we settled back into bed.
"He's fine. Slept all night, just woke up."
"Oh, so it's just us he doesn't sleep for?" She chuckled and rested her head on my shoulder.
"Probably," I responded, letting my fingers travel up and down her bare back. "What time do we need to be in La Push by?"
"Jane will be at my mom's around one," she said quietly before turning her face to mine. "Can't we just skip it?"
"I don't think so, sweetheart."
Leah sighed. "Fine. We've got some time before we have to go…"
"Oh? What do you want to do until then?" I asked innocently.
"I can think of a few things."
A "few things" (plus a shower and some clean clothes) later we were at Bella's front door picking up Harry. She opened the door, greeting us with a wide smile and a happy baby in her arms. Harry reached for Leah immediately and I watched them together, feeling myself smile.
"How was your night?" Bella asked as we stepped inside.
"Oh, uh…it was- it was-" Leah stuttered, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.
Bella grinned while my girlfriend glanced at me helplessly.
"Where's Willow?" I tried to change the subject.
"In her room. Go on and leave us to the girl talk." Bella waved her hand in my direction and it was my turn to blush. I turned quickly down the hall, hearing their quiet giggles as I did.
Willow was in the middle of her floor, surrounded by stuffed animals and dolls. She smiled up at me in greeting.
"Hey, buddy," I said as I sat down with her. "What are you doing in here?"
"Just playing. Well, I was playing with Harry but he doesn't really know how to play so Mommy took him to the living room."
"Yeah, he's still learning how to play like a big kid."
"He chewed on Barbie's head!" She giggled and held up a soggy doll. I took it and tried to dry it off on my shirt which only made her laugh more. Harry shrieked from the doorway, then toddled into the room like a tiny Godzilla into Willow's circle of toys.
We laughed while he knocked them down, falling with them and clapping.
"Are you ready?" Leah asked from Willow's bedroom door. I nodded, kissing Willow's head before lifting Harry up off the floor.
"Bye, Godzilla!" she called as we walked out, making Harry squeal in response. We thanked Bella and I ignored the goofy way she smiled at me until we got to the car.
"What did you tell her?" I asked after I'd strapped Harry in the car seat that was now a permanent stable in my car.
"Nothing." Leah shrugged, though I could see the corner of her mouth quirking up.
"You're not a very good liar, you know."
"I'm not lying!" she giggled, and covered her face with her hand.
I groaned. "Leah!"
Leah laughed again, louder, her head thrown back and her eyes shining. She was so beautiful.
"I like how you say my name like that," she whispered and took my hand, kissing it softly.
"Yeah, yeah." I rolled my eyes but squeezed her hand before resting it on the side of her seat. Harry babbled in the backseat until he finally fell asleep just before we pulled into Sue's driveway.
"Great," Leah muttered as we unloaded the car. "He's going to be cranky."
"Let Sam deal with it," I chuckled. She tossed me a wry smile and led me inside the house, calling quietly for her mother.
I took Harry to Leah's old bedroom, hoping he would finish his nap. However, the thought of him being cranky for Sam kind of made me smile.
"He's still out," I told Leah once I'd found her in the kitchen. She looked up from the little slip of paper in her hands with a frown. "What's up?"
"Mom's not here. She's out to lunch with a friend. And she signed her name with a little heart next to it," Leah explained.
"So?"
"Have you met my mother? She doesn't do things with…hearts."
With a laugh, I took the note from her hands and pulled her against me.
"Maybe she has a secret boyfriend?" I pressed a kiss under her ear and felt her shiver.
"Are you trying to distract me?"
"Yes."
"Okay." She nodded and leaned up to kiss me, but we were interrupted by a knock at the front door.
"It's an epidemic. Coitus interruptus," I whispered against her lips. Leah laughed and pushed me away.
"It's probably just Jane," Leah called as I watched her walk away.
It wasn't Jane- it was Sam and his girlfriend. The week had been so busy that Leah and I hadn't had time to talk about what went on the previous weekend. I knew that Emily was Leah's cousin, but I don't think even she knew how long they'd been seeing each other.
Leah led them into the kitchen, her face impassive. I could tell by the quirk of her eyebrow that she was annoyed.
"Jane should be here soon," she told me stiffly. I rested my hand on her shoulder and squeezed softly, feeling her relax a little at my touch.
"I'll get Harry." I left the three of them alone in the kitchen, knowing that made me a coward, unable to look either one of them in the face. Harry was sitting up in the middle of the bed, smiling at me with bleary eyes. "Hey, buddy." I lifted him up and he immediately rested his head on my shoulder, chubby fists clutching my shirt. The three people in the kitchen were standing around awkwardly, so Leah quickly ushered us to the front door. Jane pulled up just as we opened the door and stepped onto the front porch. As soon as she was out of the car Sam turned to me, hands reaching for Harry. I resisted the urge to hold tighter, though I didn't really need to try- Harry's grip on me was tight enough. He whined and turned his face into my shoulder while he clung to me.
"Come on, come with Daddy," Sam said. I pried Harry's hand off my shirt, my heart breaking at the look in his eyes. I felt like I was betraying him.
I could hear him crying and watched Sam try to soothe him while Leah followed them to the car. Harry eventually calmed down long enough to be buckled in, though Leah stayed in the driveway until both cars had left. When she returned to me her eyes were filled with tears.
"I'm sorry," I murmured, holding her closer. She sniffled loudly and rested her chin on my shoulder.
"It's not your fault," she whispered.
"That doesn't mean that I don't wish I could make it all go away."
"I just hate to see him upset. And I hate to see you upset. And I hate to be upset." She flung her arms around me and held me tightly.
"I'm not upset, sweetheart," I lied.
"You are." Leah touched my face softly and leaned up to kiss me. I pressed my forehead against hers.
"I love you. I love Harry. I just want…"
"I know. Trust me, I know." She sighed and pressed her lips to my cheek. As she did, a little bit of my fear melted away. Often I wondered if maybe I were in too deep, if maybe she didn't want the same things. But when she held me like that and said the things she did…I knew we wanted the same thing: a life together.
"I know that Sam's his father. I know he's going to be in his life-"
"This is all my fault," Leah said softly. "I shouldn't have run. I should have done it the right way."
"Nothing is your fault, Leah. You did what you thought was right." I took her face in my hands and forced her to look at me. Leah searched my face for a long moment before she closed her eyes and fell forward against me.
"You're too good to me."
"Well, that's probably not true," I laughed. "My parents would like to see you, if you're up for a drive."
"That sounds nice." She smiled up at me and held out her hand. We locked up the house and I let her lead me back to the car.
We spent the afternoon with my parents, having lunch and talking about work and Harry. By the time we left I could tell that Leah felt better about everything, though I knew that we still had a long road ahead of us…especially if Sam were going to be in the picture.
"Do you want me to ask Emmett the name of the daycare or not?" I asked as we stepped back into her mother's house.
"Yeah, I think it's time- oh my God! Mom?!" she cried after we'd stepped into the living room.
"Charlie?" I questioned, trying to take in the sight before us. Sue and Charlie straightened themselves up off the couch, both of their faces bright red as they attempted to straighten their clothes.
"Is this your lunch date?" Leah stuck her hands on her hips and glared at her mother who cowered like a caught teenager.
"Um, well…"
"Oh, my eyes! I'll never be able to get this out of my head," she groaned from beside me.
I laughed loudly, and Charlie joined me.
"This isn't funny," Leah hissed and elbowed me roughly.
"You just caught your mom making out with the chief of police, it's kind of funny."
"It's not what it looks like," Charlie grumbled as he stood up. He greeted me with a handshake and Leah eyed him suspiciously.
"Oh, really?" Leah asked sarcastically.
"We've been seeing each other for quite a while, actually," Sue said, joining Charlie in front of us.
"And you didn't tell me?" Leah cried, sticking her hands on her hips indignantly.
"You've been a little distracted lately, honey."
"Mom."
"Why don't we go, uh…somewhere else, Edward?" Charlie nodded toward the kitchen and we quickly slipped away from the women. He handed me a beer and leaned against the counter.
"So…" I started.
"Yep." He nodded.
"Uh-"
"How are your parents?" Charlie asked, though I knew he had just had dinner with them earlier in the week. That made me wonder if my parents had known Charlie and Sue were seeing each other all along and didn't mention it to us.
"They're great. We just spent the day with them."
"Good."
"Has this been going on very long?" I gestured toward the living room and he shrugged.
"Oh, about a year or so."
"A year?!" Leah interrupted whatever I was thinking, and I could see Sue sigh from behind her.
Sorry, Charlie mouthed to her but she just smiled and shook her head. She placed her hands on Leah's shoulders and kissed her head.
Leah stepped away from her mother and to me, stealing the beer in my hand and taking a long slug. I laughed and slipped my arm around her waist. "Leah, sweetie, I think your mother is growing up."
"I'm not angry or anything. I just like to be told things. I mean, would it be so- a freaking year-" Her muttered tirade was cut off by the slamming of a car door, so the four of us made our way outside. Sam and Jane were there, but there was no sign of Emily.
Leah
Edward and I made our way to where Sam and Jane were just as Sam was pulling Harry out of the backseat. He was smiling, which did strange things to my heart. I wanted him to be happy- I wanted this to work. Of course, selfishly, I didn't want him to be happy to spend time with his father.
"Hey, big guy," I greeted my little boy with a loud kiss when Sam handed him off to me. Sam smiled down at him and I could feel Edward's hand at the small of my back.
"He did great," Jane said, adjusting her glasses and looking between the two of us. "See you next week!" She walked away and Sam turned serious.
"Can we talk?" He looked from me to Edward, who nodded and took Harry from me. I watched them walk away, noticing the way Harry wrapped his arms around Edward's neck and rested his chin on Edward's shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"What's up?" I asked, turning back to him and not even trying to hide the smile on my face.
"Harry seems to really like your boyfriend."
"Edward," I interrupted.
Sam rolled his eyes. "Right. I don't like that this guy is spending so much time with my kid."
"Well, you're nothing if not subtle," I said dryly. "Besides, I don't like the fact that my son has to spend weekends with my cousin, who obviously has no problem seducing married men."
Sam rolled his eyes, but continued, "I'm just saying, I don't want him to get confused. What if it doesn't work out with this guy?"
"Aw, it's so nice that you're worried about my relationship, Sam," I said, my voice practically holding up a neon sign that said SARCASM.
"I'm worried about my son, Leah. If he's going to be surrounded by strange men-"
"Strange men? Strange men?! Stop. Stop right there." I held up my hand, suddenly feeling murderous. "Edward is around more than you ever were which is why Harry responds to him the way he does. You're the one with the shitty track record here. So, if this idiotic idea you have has anything to do with Emily then you should do the smart thing and walk away, Sam. Right now."
"This isn't the end, you know."
"Oh, it is. Goodbye, Sam."
I heard him get in his car as I walked away; the tires squealed once he hit the road, and I flinched at the sound. With a sigh, I headed inside, knowing in my heart that Sam was wrong. Edward was in it for the long run, he'd said it himself. And, even more than that- I was in it for the long run, too.