I start off by saying I'm super excited for the next phase in this story. I've been itching to finish this this phase because I have so much material for the year 2004 through 2008 I'm literally squealing XD! (That doesn't mean I don't love this chapter- because I do. It's one of my favorites because of *hint hint* the simplicity ;])
A special thank you to those who reviewed last chapter, it inspired me to belt this out faster than I expected. And an even bigger thank you to those who added me to their communities it's a thrill to know I'm included in your respective lists :)
By the way, please read the closing A/N, thank you :)
Enya- Flora's Secret
BPOV
2003.
I skipped down the stairs thinking about getting out of the house in time, I knew I had extra time to kill before having to leave for my first appointment with Dr. Carter after her vacation but I didn't want to risk traffic.
"Charlie," I called out, thinking about the aftermath of our discussion the night before.
"In the kitchen." He called out gruffly. I walked through the main part of the house and entered our little butter yellow kitchen with white cabinets to find Charlie in his ratty old overalls he only wore when he was doing chores aroud the house.
"Aren't you going to work today?" I asked a little surprised.
"Nope," he barked looking around the cupboards, "takin' the day off."
"But yesterday was your day off." I went for an apple and a water bottle, my usual breakfast on Saturdays.
"Are you upset I'm home from work?" He asked me uncharacteristically rough. I stared at him in shock, Charlie almost never spoke harshly to me except when he had to reprimand me for doing something he didn't approve of.
"Dad, I-I…" I stuttered not knowing how to explain myself and trying to wrap my mind around his mood. He stared at me and then blinked a few times, melting.
"I'm sorry honey it's just that I- I don't know; I meant what I said about spending more time with you, especially considering that you were accepted into a collage that's three thousand miles away." He added a bit sadly.
"Dad you knew this was coming-" we'd had this conversation multiple times but it was still hard for him to process me leaving and moving to the other side of the country.
"I know, I know," he told me quickly obviously knowing what I was about to say. "It's just that with you leaving and having a boyfriend…" he looked at the floor and then at me. "It's hard to see you as an almost-adult…" He finished off meekly.
"Daddy," I sighed feeling both annoyed and depressed that I would be leaving him. I went to hugged him to which he returned back with fervor. "We still have a year."
"Not true," he pulled us away keeping eye contact, "you'll have senior year to deal with, we'll look for dorms and/or off campus housing, furniture and clothing shopping, setting up your bank account and figuring out an allowance-"
"Dad I plan to find a job so don't expect me to accept an allowance for long." I reminded him even though he chose to ignore me.
"You're still my little girl, I want to buy things for you."
"I'll be eighteen, how weird is it for a parent to still give their eighteen year old kid an allowance?"
"That's not rare honey, besides look at Carlisle and his kids…" He added slyly both to try and convince me and as a side comment towards Edward. I ignored it on both counts.
"They have established trust funds and they are only allowed to spend a certain amount a month."
"A fancy allowance." Charlie told me, nodding once as if making his point.
"It's not the same, Richard Cullen was nothing but a huge spendthrift and he bequeathed the trust funds after every birth as present to Dr. Cullen's family." I knew I was losing but I wouldn't give in yet.
"Whatever the case," Charlie turned around grinning, "Alice has her fancy allowance and you'll have your father's allowance too. I can't have you in New York without money available to you. You never know what could happen."
"Daaad…"
"Did you ask Edward to come pick you up?" He asked me suddenly, surprising me yet again.
"Not yet."
"Go on, call him. You can't be late to Dr. Carter's, you know how annoying it is to wait for someone who's late."
"So you did eavesdrop last night." I told him as I went outside to call Edward from our house line. Charlie turned around abruptly staring at me like a deer caught in the headlights. I laughed at him but decided not to chastise him further. He'd taken The Boyfriend news better than I could have ever expected and I wasn't going to push my luck.
I dialed the Cullens, absentmindedly remembering he'd gotten a cellphone for his birthday. Remember to ask him for his number, just in case.
"Cullen residence." Eliza answered the phone.
"Hey Liza, is Edward up?"
"Bella! Good morning honey, you know what I haven't seen the kid but hold on- it's Bella asking for Edward." I could tell by her tone she was talking to someone in the room. "Hold on honey," she came back to me, "it's Esme she's going to call him down for you, apparently he's not up yet-" my heart dropped, my mind's eye ran through various moments like photos. Edward's tattoo, Esme not knowing about said tattoo, him not sleeping with a night shirt…oh no! Esme's going to flip when she sees it! FUUUUUUUCKKKKK!
"-you know since he probably doesn't sleep when he's at Dartmouth, he's taking full advantage of sleeping in late-" Eliza went on, I could imagine her shaking her head on the other end of the line. "Emmett told me that he would work twenty two hours a day during his first year at Woodbury making miniature models of whatever those professors had them come up with-"
"Really?" I laughed mirthlessly, not knowing what to say or do. Edward was going to get it and I could feel the rumble of the imaginary thunder, why the fuck didn't you ask him for his number last night?! He's had that fucking thing for two weeks now! Esme is going slaughter my gorgeous piece of meat because of you!
"-can you believe that Jasper is already up and went off with Alice for a jog around the Cullen grounds? Alice has been putting on some weight- she needs it in my opinion, she's too slender for being so petite, and asked Jasper to help her bring it back down."
"E-Eliza," I tried cutting her off even though the back of my mind found it interesting that Jazz and Alice were off working out alone. I felt Charlie pop his head into the hallway, I sent him a weak smile trying to placate my feelings of impending doom.
"Woah…" Eliza said more to her surroundings than to me, I could hear yelling on the other side and I already knew the cause of it. "I was eighteen Mom! Here Eliza let me talk to her." Edward sounded exasperated defensive. I head Eliza hand the phone over to him, "Bella?" He sighed heavily into the receiver.
"I'm so sorry, I-" I looked over at Charlie who was not hiding his eavesdropping now, I cleared my throat. I didn't need Charlie to know Edward hid a tattoo from his mother for over a year now nor did I want him to know what it was.
He, he perpetual policeman and straight arrow, would never approve of a "I have sinned" tattoo. It reeked of haughty rule-breaking which went against every fiber of Charlie's being.
"It's ok, you told me you would call me before nine and I forgot to set my alarm- yeah Mom because I knew you would react this way." I bit my lip, mentally chastising myself for inadvertently getting him in trouble.
"If you can't drive me to Seattle-" Charlie shifted in his feet, I could feel his mood shifting with him.
"No, no no. I'll be ready in ten minutes and I'll be over in fifteen; your session starts at ten thirty right?"
"Yes." I smiled, part of me was surprised he'd remembered.
"See you in fifteen then."
"'K." I said simply and heard the line cut off. I hung up, frowning at myself. I could imagine Esme following Edward around reprimanding him for being so reckless and stupid.
"Everything alright?" Charlie asked me digging for information.
"Yes." I told him after hanging up the receiver and going to sit in the living room. I ate my apple as Charlie moved around "looking" for things to fix but really trying to read my body language.
"You never told me how you two… realized you liked each other. From what I gathered you never got along." Charlie mused as he browsed the magazine that had inspired me to recommend Finding Nemo to him, to which I would force him to watch when it came out on video.
"It just happened." I told him this because I didn't want to go into details, my skin was prickling from embarrassment; it was so weird talking to my dad about these… kinds of things.
"Oh." He nodded, supposedly having nothing better to say and being submersed in months', maybe years' old fishing articles. "So no Jacob then?" He asked me still trying to sound uninterested and blasé. I took a bite from my apple, staring at him as I chewed slowly. He looked at me, shamefaced but not breaking eye contact.
Jacob still tried to get me to go out with him especially after Charlie got me the truck and Jake acted as my mechanic but I declined every time. Charlie and Jacob worked together but after yelling at both of them separately, they'd backed off.
I was somewhat indignant because Jacob had been rumored to be sleeping with two different girls around town, one was part of the reservation and another that went to Forks High. Alice had been on the hunt for the girls' identities but so far she'd come up with nothing.
I understood Jacob's fascination with me; he thought childhood love was everlasting love but I didn't understand Charlie's obsession with making it work. I found this time to be the perfect time to ask.
"Dad, why are you so hell-bent on me going out with Jacob?"
"Oh um…" he cleared his throat, turning around and putting the magazine away. He moved around nervously looking around.
"Charlie…" I dragged on questioningly.
"Jacob is a very good, responsible boy is all."
I squinted my eyes at this. He always said the same thing whenever I asked him about Jacob. Therein lies Charlie's opinion of Edward.
I thought about this when it hit me. He wanted me to date Jacob, not because he wanted me to be happy but because Jacob was safe. He knew Jacob was too much of a "good" boy to do things with me not to mention the fact that he knew his family had similar moral and behavioral expectations. What about the Cullens though? I mean he must think the same way about them right?
Charlie considered Jacob to be the only non-threat of all guy-kind for his daughter.
"And… Edward… isn't?" I asked slowly, the level of his overprotection was astounding, I could feel the anger begin to bubble to the surface.
"N-" Charlie began giving himself away but trying to cover up quickly, "I-I know that Carlisle- it's just that Jacob-" he stuttered not knowing how to answer me which pissed me off even more.
"You know Jacob's been rumored to be sleeping with not one but two girls at the same time right?" I said suddenly. I wouldn't of passed on such gossip but Charlie was only seeing what he wanted to see.
He stared at me in complete shock, "no…"
"Yes." I mimicked his tone, "I know gossip is for the idle and we don't have all the proof," he nodded knowingly, "but these rumors were pretty strong around school."
"They are still rumors Bella." Charlie told me holding on the fact. "If I were to arrest or release every Joe Schmo-" The doorbell rang just then. I got up automatically to get the door remembering I'd been waiting for Edward.
I opened the door to find him standing there in a thin camel-colored turtleneck, black jeans jacket and Converse. He carried a faux leather messenger bag crossed over his shoulder. "Morning Bella." He told me overeager and oddly stiff.
"Hey." I smiled, I stopped myself from kissing him because I knew Charlie wouldn't like the PDA. Dad cleared his throat and came out into the foyer. "Good morning Chief Swan." Edward stood straighter and blinked a few times. I bit my bottom lip from trying to stop myself from laughing, where was the bad boy cherub I liked so much?
He sent me an infinitesimal look of "help-me-make-you-dad-like-me" that made me melt at his feet. God… must he be so cute? The voice sighed gawking at him.
"Morning Edward. So you're taking my Bella to Dr. Carter's right?" He asked pointedly.
"Yes." Edward nodded gravely.
"And you'll drive at a safe and legal speed right Edward?" I couldn't help but roll my eyes at his childishness.
"Yes sir."
"And you'll have her back as soon as possible right?"
"That's right."
"She has to study, she's brought up her GPA since last year and I wouldn't want her to lose her standing because of… distractions outside of school." Charlie was speaking in code which both embarrassed and infuriated me further.
"Yes sir I understand," Edward turned to me and smiled expectantly, "it's great that Bella was able to do everything she set out to do." I smiled widely at him, feeling his magnetic energy begin to pull me in. His green eyes began to churn making my heart flutter.
Charlie cleared his throat uncomfortably forcing us to look away from each other. "What that you've got there Edward?" Charlie asked, curiously, suspiciously and awkwardly.
Edward looked at him questioningly for a second and then looked down at his person. "Oh!" I giggled at his absentmindedness, wondering the same thing though.
"I brought some work myself for when Bella's in with Dr. Carter. It got pretty boring last time I went and I figured I could read something from school while I wait."
"'Last time'?" Charlie asked him before turning to me.
"Edward drove me to Dr. Carter's two weeks ago because it was raining and he didn't believe the truck would get me there safely."
"It's a good, sturdy truck." Dad said to Edward, "and it has the best mechanic in the area." The veiled snide comment didn't escape my notice, I almost told Charlie off but Edward beat me to it.
He chuckled effervescently, throwing his head back slightly. "I'm sure you wouldn't entrust Bella's truck and safety to just any mechanic who learned the trade by watching his father and never got his license Chief Swan." I gawked at Edward with my mouth slightly agape.
That was an underhanded comment if I'd ever heard one. I didn't understand Edward- one second he was uncertain and self-conscious about Charlie and the next he was back to his over-confident, reckless self.
Charlie reddened slightly clearing his throat, "yes well…" Charlie raised his eyebrows at me, a look of unguarded surprise and… respect cross his face but then covered it quickly, "you should get going or you'll be late. I'm sure Avery wouldn't like that."
"Avery? Who's Avery?" I asked stupidly, Dr. Carter stupid! You don't even remember her first name? Wow! Self-involved much?
"Dr. Carter, I mean." Charlie looked away, his blush deepening.
"Oh." Is that a look of…
"Yes, lets." Edward told me impatiently, he opened the door for me and I went to his car without stopping. I looked back to find Edward and Charlie in a weird handshake, Charlie was serious while Edward was emitting confident ease. I sighed at Charlie's immaturity.
Sure I expected it from Edward, but Charlie?
Look at him, the voice told me swooning slightly, Edward is so fucking hot taking on Charlie.
I took a second and did what she asked, there he stood all tall and grinning. Charlie wasn't able to tell like I could but there it was, the triumphant "I-am-worthy" air that was so him.
"Edward!" I called out, they both turned to me surprised, "let's go!" He grinned turning back to Charlie, my dad asked him something to which Edward blanched but quickly recovered. He nodded back and walked towards me.
"What was that?" I asked once he reached me.
"Nothing, he was just reminding me to drive at the designated speed… or else…" He waited for me to jump in and closed the door behind me. I looked at Charlie through the glass window studying him. He had his hands deep in his pocket, looking at me pensively.
I waved goodbye and he returned it, "ready?" Edward asked me bringing me to him.
"Yes."
"Strapped in?"
"Strapped in? Don't you mean buckled up?"
"No," he nodded glancing in Charlie's direction slightly, "strapped in. I want him to see me taking care of you."
"Oh come on." I turned around to Charlie rolling my eyes, surprisingly he laughed.
"Come on, make a show of it."
"Edward seriously-"
"Come on, I'm itching to get out of Forks so I can kiss you, I'm having withdrawals." He told me starting the car and sounding impatient. My heart skipped a beat feeling the familiar buzz of excitement when he spoke to me that way.
We drove out of town not ignoring the few looks people around town sent us as he drove by. The news that we'd started dating had slowly percolated into town, shocking more than a one person. I'd had calls from most every girl in my class asking me for details. I'd answered yes but didn't say anything further, I knew though that once school started I would get the third degree.
"There goes Mr. Gunner." Edward said under his breath. I turned to his side of the street. Mr. Gunner was the town's Homer Simpson; he was a generally nice man who liked food, booze and football.
"What about him?" I asked Edward surprised he would give Gunner the time of day.
"He's going to die of heart disease, liver and kidney failure and high cholesterol if he doesn't change his lifestyle." He answered darkly.
"Seriously Edward, two semesters at Dartmouth and you already see yourself as Dr. Cullen." I jabbed light-heartedly. Edward turned to me following along; he winked and went back to the road. His smile faltered though.
"I'm serious, I also wouldn't be surprised if he developed Type Two diabetes."
"I was about to." I said absentmindedly.
"But you changed your lifestyle." Edward told me positively and to prove a point. I nodded, "because I had to."
"Why can't Gunner and the rest of the world realize it too?" I shrugged, quietly stunned at the change in his tone. He sounded so mature and so unlike Pirate Edward. I looked at him taking in his face, apart for the obvious, puberty had done its job in maturing his face but his tone and manner sounded years ahead.
He'd always been intelligent but he didn't flaunt it like his other traits, he'd rather talk about sex and music than the world's current affairs.
He caught my eye, "what?"
"Nothing." I looked away embarrassed that I'd been caught staring. I knew Pirate Edward like the back of my hand but I had no idea this new Edward was beginning to form. It was startling.
He glanced at me intermittently while watching the road, "you sure?"
"Yes." I smiled, "so we left Forks five minutes ago." I said pointing at the state freeway, "when are you going to pull over and kiss me?" I looked at him expectantly cocking an eyebrow.
"Good point." He nodded signaling and pulling over to follow through with his promise.
~.~.~.
I shook Dr. Carter's hand and waited for Edward to finish putting his books away. "What were you studying Edward?" She asked inquiringly glancing at the chemistry book he'd been reading when we walked into the waiting room.
"Chemistry, it's the bane of my existence and I can't seem to grasp it no matter how much I go over it." He said frustrated with himself.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out." Dr. Carter smiled her eyes sparkling in a way that told me she was analyzing him. "I'll see you next week Bella." She turned to me and waved goodbye, she turned on her heel and went back into her office.
I caught Heidi ogling Edward from her perch "sorting" some paperwork. I looked over at him and like always, he was oblivious to the staring. "So," he looked at up at me after he slung his bag over his shoulder, "a quick bite to eat before we head back?" He looked hopeful and eager.
"Sure, but no Pacific Anchor." I winked wrapping my arm around his elbow as we walked out into the cloudy parking lot. He's mine bitch! Remember that!
Edward opened the door for me when we reached his car and soon after we were going down towards Pike Place Market listening to Top 40 music.
We reached the Market and decided on crepes since we weren't in the mood for a big lunch. "I haven't been here since Charlie got promoted to Chief of Police." I mused as we entered Crepe De France in the Economy Market building. We walked through the long corridor taking in the sweet aroma of vanilla, batter and coffee.
It was filling up with people on their lunch break so we wasted no time ordering, I ordered the tomato cheese and spinach crepe and Edward ordered the salmon crepe. "You really like fish don't you?" I asked starting to pay attention to his eating habits. He asked for black coffee with two sugars before answering me.
"Hey I'm from Washington of course I'm going to love fish." He winked as he tucked his chin under his palms staring intently at me.
"True." I nodded rolling my eyes, the waitress came and went with his coffee, "don't you want something to drink?" He asked me eying my glass of water.
"I'm good." I said not in the mood for anything else.
"Just water then?" He looked at me skeptically, I could feel Esme's influence in his question. She didn't believe in just drinking water during meals. "Yes." I nodded, "granted, it's not the same thing as water with lemon… but…" I smirked leaning forward.
"Are you sure?" He asked me looking for the waitress.
"Water is the source of life- not coffee, tea or juice." I said looking at the beverage selection the place offered. Edward looked at me and grinned, "I should know right?"
"Yes." I nodded giggling at his insistence, "so your mom went nuclear with the tattoo thing huh?" I asked nervously. He sighed just as the waitress came and with meticulous attention set his order down and pointed out the sugar tray in front of us leaning over him, "in case you like to add a little bit of sugar on your savory crepes."
"Sure." He nodded giving her a small polite smile, oh hello Maria. The voice said with dry humor.
Maria?
Female version of Mario.
Oh… immediately my skin prickled and I plastered on the most syrupy smile and waited for her to pay attention to me. After she didn't I cleared my throat, Edward looked over at me and turned to Maria, "is my girlfriend's order ready?"
"Oh." The waitress blushed once she realized he wasn't whispering sweet-nothings to her.
"My girlfriend's order..?"
The waitress laughed nervously and apologized to me saying the cook was working on mine. She skidded off, her hips swinging slightly as she went to the pick-up area.
"Hmph." I crossed my arms glaring at the back of her head.
"Jealousy looks cute on you." Edward whispered more to himself than to me. I looked at him surprised as he watched me like a puppy dog. "I'm not jealous." I huffed wrapping my arms closer to me.
He smirked rolling his eyes and taking a drink from his coffee. "I'm grounded." He said suddenly, sounding both surprised and amazed.
"What?" The change in subject surprised me.
"Not grounded like when we were kids, mind you." He said chuckling and sounding amused, "she's cutting off the monthly allowance I receive a month for the rest of the year."
"What? Why?"
Edward touched his left side just above his heart, he smiled cocking his eyebrow. "Oh!" I felt immediately guilty. "I'm so sorry-"
"It's not your fault baby," he said quickly, "I just remembered that's why I mention it."
"But if I hadn't called you-"
"I was going to tell her one of these days anyway, don't worry- you told me you would call in the morning and I didn't set my alarm. It was no one's fault but my own."
"Why are you placing all the blame on yourself?" I asked him my anger getting the better of me. The waitress set my plate down, looking at me with a smug expression. I blinked realizing what was going through her head. She must have thought we were arguing.
Oh ho ho, no no no hoe. Wrong!
Must you be so harsh?
Must you be such a push over?
"Could you bring me a cup of fresh blueberries and raspberries."
"Sure." She smiled venomously and went off sending Edward a coquettish look before going off. You should have asked for hot sauce.
And what would I do with it?
Throw it in her face, duh.
Jeez, you're violent.
"Bella?" Edward asked me pointedly.
"Yes?" I asked stupidly, he chuckled, "you seem angry." I blinked trying to come back to earth. "Annoyed."
"Why?"
"Maria over there." I cocked my head to the side in her direction. "Maria? I thought she said her name was Joanna."
"She's the female version of Mario- an idiotic, stupid, meddlesome waitperson." I rolled my eyes, pissed off now.
"You're so fucking cute, I just want to sit you on my lap and f-feel you up." I squinted my eyes staring at him, his stumble made me wonder what he was about to say but he just laughed and told me to dig in.
'Fuck you.' He wants to sit you on his lap and FUCK you; and baby I would let you any time you want!
I blushed looking at my food, before I could think twice I said, "maybe you should dig in too." I gasped at myself. He stared at me with his mouth slightly agape but soon blinked, shifted in his seat and laughed out loud.
I didn't look up from my crepe putting too much attention into eating it.
~.~.~.
"Look," he whispered into my ear pointing at the tattoo parlor on Western. We'd decided to walk around for a bit before setting off to Forks, enjoying the sights.
"Another tattoo?" I asked him pointedly. "You just got grounded babe, you want your mom to cut you off completely?" I laughed knowing the risk drove him.
He shrugged, "I've been good with my money. Dad taught us well, and if I'm smart and invest wisely I can grow the money I have saved in the bank." I was speechless, this mature Edward was seriously taking me by surprise. "What?" He asked, "did you really think I burned through my allowance?"
"You call it an allowance?" I asked thinking back to Charlie. Edward took my hand and started walking again, he shrugged once more, "isn't it? I mean it's not my money. Its money my grandparents bestowed on me for being part of their family not because I earned it."
"But you earn an allowance," I pointed out knowing Charlie would be self-satisfied if he'd heard us, "by doing chores and things like that."
"But doesn't your dad buy you things- not counting food, clothing and shelter, because you're his daughter and he wants you to be happy?"
"Yes," we stopped in front of a flower vendor; I was too enthralled in our discussion to realize he was nonverbally asking me what flowers I liked. "Which bothers me because he still wants to pay for everything," I looked over the blue bellflowers that were in season.
"Really?" There was a slight humor in his voice. "Yes," I told him, "especially now that I've decided to stay in Hyde Park instead of commuting from the city every day."
"It makes sense doesn't it?" He asked as he stepped away from me, I was too interested in the beautiful array of flowers and my thought process to "wake up."
"Well yes because Hyde Park is two hours from New York City and it seems stupid to get an apartment in the city when I need to drive two hours so I might as well just settle in Hyde Park."
"I'm sorry about that." Edward said absentmindedly.
"It's ok." I looked over at some jasmine not done with my venting, "Alice and Rose were pretty bummed but we figured I'd go down every other weekend and vice versa."
"That's good."
"Anything else sir?" The tiny woman with a green visor asked him from her seat. She was wrapping the bellflowers with green ivy in pink wrapping paper. I blinked feeling stupid for not paying better attention, "no thank you that'll be all."
"Edward." I went over to him feeling embarrassed but loving the buzz running through me. "Bella." He mimicked my tone handing over a few bills and offering me the bouquet. "You distracted me." I accused taking the bouquet and taking in its aroma.
"I thought you were paying attention…" He was half serious half kidding. "That little grin tells me you knew you what you were doing." I told him taking his hand walking away after we thanked the saleswoman.
I stopped him after a few steps, "thank you." I kissed him sweetly.
"You're welcome." He whispered when I stepped away. Our eyes met yet again, feeling my heart against my chest and my breath hitching in my throat he came down for another.
"Charlie's waiting for us." I sighed leaning on his arm still into my flowers after we broke away. I knew I'd feel flattered when I imagined a boy giving me flowers but I didn't realize I would feel so fuzzy and warm.
"Do we have to?"
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes! Come on, Edward. You don't want to throw all of our work by the wayside just because you didn't want to take me home." I pulled his arm towards the direction he'd parked the Volvo.
He groaned putting all of his weight on his feet and dragging himself down. After a bit of arguing, I was able to get him to admit he would hate to have Charlie waiting for us with his gun waiting at the ready if we didn't get to Forks before nightfall.
Good thing we got home before supper time otherwise Charlie would have gone to Seattle looking for me.
"How was Dr. Carter?" He asked after Edward said goodbye and apologized for taking longer than expected.
"Good," I nodded thinking back to our session, "she was shocked when I told her about Renee- which she told me I could have contacted her during our hiatus. I told her I didn't want to ruin her vacation and thankfully I had Edward and my family to support me." I said washing my hands and going to sit at the kitchen table.
Charlie grunted approval and came to sit with me. "I cleaned the gutters and oiled your truck honey." He informed me.
"Thank you." I smiled feeling tired.
"What did you do with Edward after the session?" He tried coming off as blasé and imformal but I could tell it was killing him to know what we'd been up to.
"We went to grab a quick lunch, walked for a bit and headed back."
"He gave you flowers." He accused eying the bouquet which now stood in a vase with water. "Yes." I nodded glancing at the flowers, sighing yet again.
Charlie looked at me but said nothing. He got up suddenly, cleared his throat and excused himself. "Don't make dinner tonight, I want to treat you." He told me suddenly.
"Dad already took out the steaks for the fridge-"
"We're going to Johnnie's!" He told me in his no-nonsense tone as he left the kitchen. I rolled my eyes and went to put the steaks away. I went back to my flowers and after playing with the petals of a bloom I decided to take it to my bedroom where I could look at it without feeling judged about it.
~.~.~.
EPOV
"Did you drop Bella off?" Mom asked me as I walked through the kitchen towards the stairs.
"Yes." I answered trying to decide whether to kiss her hello or just forget it.
"What?" She asked me from the kitchen table where she was arraigning a new flower bouquet for the living room. I smiled to myself thinking of Bella's face when she realized I'd bought her flowers. She was so easy to distract I loved it. "I said, aren't you going to kiss your mother hello?" Mom asked me pointedly.
I thought about my safety for a moment but knowing she wouldn't like that, I did was I was told. Mom stuck her cheek out defiantly, I kissed her quickly and was ready to head upstairs when she stopped me, "your father thinks cutting you off for the rest of the year is going too far," she told me, "so we're going to cut it in half instead."
"Ok." I told her trying to sound repentant but not really caring. I knew my spending habits and I had enough saved up in my personal account to not worry about running out after six months. Mom gave me look of simmering anger but I wasn't going to open my mouth. It could cause me to lose my arm and possibly my life if I did.
"We can go to Port Angeles instead, they have really good restaurants-" Alice bounced down the stairs sounding bright, Jasper trailed behind her. "Oh hey Edward you're back?" She asked sounding breathless.
"Just got in actually," I said not going to greet her hello. Our relationship had cooled since my birthday because of her reluctance to accept Bella and I as a couple and me finding out she'd resent my relationship with Emmett.
"How was Seattle?" Jasper asked me sitting down in one of the bar stools at the breakfast bar.
"Fine, it was a nice day to be out." I told him going to sit with him, "what did you do all day?"
"After we went jogging," he said nodding in Alice's direction, "Alice and Rosalie took me to the lake; by the way Irina Denali asked me to dinner at Johnnie's tonight but I declined."
"Irina asked you out?" I asked staring at him. Tanya's cousin Irina was a cookie cut version of Tanya in both looks and personality but with a slight dorky edge. Alice huffed going to the fridge and getting some ice cream.
"Yeah, she got all up in my personal space asking me to take her out tonight." Jasper was a grade-A stand up guy but when he wasn't in a committed relationship he liked looking around. He called it "surveying the goods." If I had to peg him for something, it was Casanova's little brother. I guess that's why he and Emmett hit it off, they have the same philosophy about girls.
"But you said no?"
"Yessir." He nodded sighing gravely, "she's not my cup of joe."
"You mean tea."
"No, I mean joe, I'm not a fan of tea." He winked laughing at his own joke. I rolled my eyes and excused myself upstairs. I wanted to shower and change into my sweats, I felt like lounging around for the rest of the day.
After I showered and changed I came downstairs to find Jasper and Alice in the game room. Alice was flipping through a book while Jasper played solitaire pool. "What are you reading?" I asked Alice both out of curiosity and because I was trying to make an effort in getting our old relationship back.
"Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix." She told me absentmindedly, flipping some more. "It was released two weeks ago."
"I thought you didn't like the series."
"No," she dragged closing the book and sounding irritated, "I like the series, I just don't think your obsession with it is healthy."
"I'm not obsessed." I countered as Jasper handed me my favorite cue to join him, "I'm just an average fan. You don't see me dressing up like Potter and going to the midnight book slash movie releases." There was nothing wrong with that but although I'd been a hardcore fan when the first book came out, I'd never seen the need to wait in line for hours when I could just get it once the line of avid fans left the bookstore.
"Yeah well arguing for three hours about it makes you a different kind of obsessed." Alice answered me petulantly, "besides, I'm doing research."
"On Harry Potter?" Jasper asked his turn to sound curious.
"Yes." Alice blushed looking away.
"You're not in school right now though, what could you be researching for?" I asked putting my cue down and finding this to be odd. Alice only read works of fiction when they were assigned choosing to read fashion magazines and fashion history books. She wasn't a keen reader like Bella who loved to read a good novel as much as she loved cooking and baking.
"It's personal ok?" She snapped leaving Jasper and I in the game room.
"What did we say to upset her?" Jasper asked stupidly, he looked to me for an answer but not knowing how to I just shrugged and picked up my cue asking him for a game of pool.
~.~.~.
After an awkward dinner on two fronts, my angry parents and an even angrier Alice we called it an early night and headed to bed. Jasper hated sleeping in the guest house by himself so he'd asked Mom and Emmett if it'd be ok to sleep in his bedroom. Both found it ok and since Emmett went back to Seattle after my birthday, Jazz had been sleeping in his bedroom.
"I'm thinking of going to Chicago for the rest of vacation." Jasper told me as we walked up the grand staircase. Alice stopped behind us, "how come?" she squeaked.
"Because I haven't been since I was ten and I want to look around the condo near Rush Street that Lisa gave me- I want to check out the nightlife more than anything." He grinned excitedly, I rolled my eyes. "Hey just cuz you got yourself a girlfriend it doesn't mean you have to act like a Smug Married."
"A smug what?" I asked him stopping yet again and turning to him.
"Married, it's a Bridget Jones' term." He told me defiantly outstripping me and going towards Emmett's bedroom.
"Bridget Jones?" I laughed out loud, "you're reading Bridget Jones's Diary?" I asked him incredulously.
"Yes," he rolled his eyes, "it's a very funny, witty and slice-of-life type of book."
"Since when do you read Chick Lit?"
"Since Rosalie commented about it this morning, she's reading the sequel and let me borrow the first book."
"What the fuck?"
"Don't judge," he raised his eyebrow glancing at Alice quickly, "I didn't judge about… you know…" My mouth dropped but started laughing, "well fuck me." I said shocked he would go there.
"Not my type, man. Sorry." He patted my arm once and wished us goodnight before running into Emmett's room.
"He didn't judge you for what?" Alice questioned me putting her arms on her hips.
"For dating Bella." I lied quickly and not missing a beat, Alice dropped her hands harrumphing and rushing to her room saying something about calling Rose or whatnot.
I entered my bedroom and let myself fall down face-first on my pillow. I sighed, feeling the emptiness from Bella's bedroom. I turned on my back and closed my eyes. My mind began to race towards the memories of the day and further back.
Feeling her underneath me in my bed as I pecked her skin, tracing the curve of her jaw, kissing her collarbone, feeling the warmth from the apex of her thighs…
I groaned feeling the blood rush southward knowing where this would lead. I felt lonely and wanting to hear her voice as I came fueled me to call her. Rushing to find my cellphone I dialed her private line. I would ask her to act as if she was speaking to Alice if Charlie asked who it was.
"Hello?" She answered after the second ring.
"Hey baby." I breathed feeling Edward Jr. grow.
"Edward." I could hear her voice pep up making me smile, "where's Charlie?"
"Sleeping, we went to eat at Johnnie's and the food knocked him out cold once we got home." She told me, I could see her rolling her eyes that second.
"What are you up to?" She asked me, "I love your choice in words baby…" I told her palming myself and feeling my heart beat quicker, my skin began to feel hot under the hoodie making me curse myself for not taking it off before calling her.
"Oh? Why is that?"
"Take off your jeans and follow along and you'll catch my drift." She laughed a deep throaty laugh she only reserved for our pre-Renee late-night conversations. "Is that why you called? For phone sex?"
"Yes and no." I got myself comfortable kicking my boxers off with my sweatpants, "yes because you know I miss our nightly visits and no because I really do miss you."
"You saw me a few hours ago…"
"You know that's not enough and besides we went out on our do-over first date, I wouldn't put out on the first date." I answered playfully.
"That was our do-over first date?" She asked me surprised.
"Well, yeah." I dropped the slow voice and came back to reality, "you didn't think it was?"
"Um… now that I think about it I guess it was, I just expected more fanfare…"
"Do you want more fanfare?" I asked nervously feeling stupid for not making a bigger deal of our date earlier that day.
"No," she told me quickly, "I loved it now that I see it as our first date, I just didn't realize it at the time." She answered meekly. I sat up feeling my body slow down, "Bella if you want more fanfare I'll give you more fanfare I promise."
"Actually, I liked the level of non-fanfare we had today." I could hear her smiling but she still sounded shy. "It was nice-no. Better than nice. It was perfect."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Bella I don't want you-"
"Edward," Flirty Bella was back, "I really really really wish we were in the same room together…"
"Bella I don't want to change the subject just yet."
"But I want you to know how much I miss your hot, wet tongue on my hot, wet pussy…" she moaned knowingly into the phone.
"Fuck." I whispered, my instincts getting the better of me.
"You want to know what I'm imagining right now Edward?" She asked me knowing what she was doing. "I'm imagining you pinching and twisting my tits as you trail down… down… down…"
I groaned lying back on my pillows, closing my eyes and feeling my breath both deepen and speed up all at once. "I want to fuck you with my mouth Bella, so fucking much you have no fucking idea how-"
"Fucking much?" She giggled finishing for me.
"Fuck yes."
"Someone likes the word 'fuck'," she teased her sentence ending in a wistful sigh. Feeling brazen and dirty in the most delicious way I went for it, "oh baby I wish I could show you how much I love that fucking word."
She gasped but followed with another breathy giggle shooting straight to my dick. "Really?"
"Yeah."
"What would you know about fucking Edward?" she challenged me.
"It's not much of a stretch baby." She gasped again and moaned into the phone, "what are you doing right now?" I asked wanting to see it myself.
"What do you think?"
"You're watching PBS and they just showed a Congressional meeting." I faked innocence wanting her to describe every detail to me.
"Oh yeah," she giggled playing along, "Clinton made a surprise appearance."
"Really? Did he fuck Monica in front of everyone?"
"He wishes," she laughed, "no, she just blew him on top of a congressman's desk from Texas." I clicked my tongue in faux shame, "what will Jasper think?"
"Jazz will be very upset," she agreed, "Clinton enjoyed it more than I could have ever imagined."
"Oh?" Was she alluding to me or vice versa? Fuck, fuck, fuck.
"Oh yes," she moaned, "can you imagine Edward?"
"Mmmm…" I grasped myself feeling the slow burning tension, "can I?"
"Oh yes I want you to imagine me going down on you baby. Are you doing that?" My eyes flew open, Bella and I had never touched on this particular subject and the fact that she was hinting at it almost brought me over the edge.
I bit my lip and tried to control myself, "Bella you are going to kill me."
"I want to wrap my mouth around your big, hard dick and suck you dry baby." She whimpered making my skin prickle all over, "do you feel it baby? The heat of my mouth and the slickness of my tongue? Hmm… I wonder if it's a good imitation of the real thing…"
"Fuck me," I pumped myself a few times imagining her hot little mouth instead of my hand. "Oh Edward…" she groaned, I could only imagine what she was doing on the other side of the line.
"I love how you say my name Bella." I said rolling my head back digging into the pillow.
"I love how you make me feel Edward," she countered, "I wish I was there with you right now helping you reach the peak the way you always help me."
"Oh god."
She giggled, "you mean 'goddess' right?"
"Oh yes most definitely." I said remembering what she was referring to. I'd made her reach the orgasmic peak eight times in one night and I wore that fact like a fucking crown. I just wish we could have a repeat performance sooner rather than later.
"Oh fuck me." I whispered again when I rubbed myself the right way, I felt a cold shiver run through my spine making my toes curl in anticipation.
"Do you want me to Edward?" Her voice came out cautious but interested.
"Is that even a question baby?"
My heart beat a mile a minute against my ribcage and my skin flared inside my fucking hoodie.
"I will." She told me sounding shaky herself, "in time I will," she promised longingly her voice sounded like it was gaining confidence. "Just give a little bit of time and we'll be fucking all day long." That sent me over the edge. I felt everything stop, my heart beat painfully hard and everything tightened. In a second I screeched out a muffled groan as I let go.
I could hear Bella giggling in the other end of the phone but I needed to catch my breath as the orgasm ripped through my synapses. Everything around me shook and moved around, she would be the end of me.
After a moment I came back to the phone, "I resent the fact that you're so shameless over the phone and so timid in person." It was true, she was a totally different person when we spoke over the phone than when we were face to face.
"I don't know," she spoke to me in her usual voice, "maybe the phone is to me what alcohol is to other people."
"I don't like that baby." I snorted crossly, she laughed but stopped abruptly. "Charlie's up, ttyl." Next thing I knew the line went dead. I stared the screen as call ended flashed three times before going blank. I put it down in my night table and sighed feeling both annoyed at Charlie and lonely once again. This new arrangement has to change... but how?
Your thoughts?
P.S. If you live in NYC/NYS and are willing to answer a few questions about the lifestyle/locales PM me please because I want to be as accurate as possible when the girls move east. I would seriously appreciate it! ~I.E.