"What are you doing here?" Edward asked his brother. He'd just stopped to take a break from the piece he was working on when Emmett came striding into the back through the front reception area.

"Rose basically told me to get out of the house unless I want Bree to be the only child we ever have." He looked extremely stressed out for such a laid back person.

Edward barked out a laugh. "Driving her crazy, huh?"

"I guess. I try to be helpful, but she said she just wants some alone time during Bree's nap."

"Well, I can definitely use your help." He looked around the workshop. "It feels real good to be back in here."

"I bet. Makenna seems to be working out up front." Emmett wandered, picking up a sandpaper block and getting to work on the supple curves of the headboard Edward was in the process of making.

"She's smart and fast, both a plus."

"Good. Rose will be pleased to hear that."

They worked in silence for several minutes, Emmett sanding and Edward sketching the outline of the entertainment center on order. One of the things Edward appreciated most about his brother was that he didn't need to fill the air with idle chatter.

Still. "I decided to find a therapist in Hoquiam."

Emmett didn't stop moving or look up. "Good."

Edward straightened, wiped his brow. "That's all? Good?"

"Yeah, brother. I know you're doing much better, but it can't all be smooth sailing. Doesn't mean I need to throw you a parade for making the right choice."

Edward snorted.

"You give any thought to women?" Emmett said, maybe less casually than it sounded in his head.

"Women? Like dating them?"

Now Emmett snorted. "Yeah, dumbass. What else?"

What else, indeed? "No, I haven't thought of women since Beth and I began dating."

"You should have, years ago." Emmett ran his hand over the smoothness he'd created. "Like a baby's ass."

Edward watched his brother with the sandpaper, wished for a stiff drink. Rolling his shoulders, he put his pencil behind his ear and walked to the mini fridge in the corner. "Want a bottle of water?"

"Nah."

"So I should have been dating by now, is that what you're saying? Just add it to my list of faults."

"That's not what I said." Emmett watched Edward unscrew the lid of the water, tilt the bottle back. "Bella is pretty, and she doesn't seem to find your emo ass annoying."

Edward choked on the water, causing Emmett to guffaw.

When he could breathe again, he said, "What the hell?"

"Timed it just right, I'd say." Emmett grinned and hummed a tune as he finished off the section he was working on.

"Why are we talking about Bella?"

"I would have thought it was obvious, but let me spell it out. She likes you. She's not ugly. She fits in with the family. Maggie loves her." As he made each point, he ticked them off on his fingers.

"I can't say that I realized any of this." Okay, maybe he noticed that she's not ugly. "She is good with Maggie, but that's not a reason to date somebody."

"Not a reason not to either." All serious, Emmett met his brother's gaze, held it steady. "All I'm saying is, it wouldn't kill you to find some happiness again."

"I love my wife."

Emmett's tone gentled, even as he toughened his words. "Beth is dead, Edward. You aren't."

"There's no way I could ever love anyone the way I loved Beth." He felt the claws ripping their way up his throat, tried to smother them with more water. He breathed deliberately, evenly. Slowly.

"Look, I'm not saying it would be the same. Of course it'll be different. But that doesn't mean it isn't as strong or as good." He walked over to Edward, put his hand on his shoulder. "Sometimes you can find happiness when you aren't even looking for it."

"I don't even know what to say to that."

Emmett shrugged and went back to work. "Just think about it."

He thought about it, all right. Couldn't stop thinking about it as he finished his work day and went home. His parents were heading out of town for a few days, and Edward found his father packing in his bedroom.

"Dad, can I talk to you?"

"Of course, son." Carlisle set aside the sweater he held and sat on the edge of the bed by his suitcase.

Edward remained standing, paced the room and came back. "Do you think that true love is a one-time deal?"

Carlisle smiled warmly. "No. I think there are levels of true love, if you will."

Edward sank into an armchair by the window. "What do you mean?"

"When I was in high school, I was in love. Head-over-heels in love with Mary Ellen, the senior editor of the school paper. She and I had everything in common." His smile changed, became nostalgic. "Mary Ellen was my One with a capital O. She and I were made for each other. We had plans to get married, and I prayed it would work out. She was my dream."

"What happened?"

"You don't realize that first love can feel like the end-all, be-all even when it's not. You don't realize that sometimes it's only so intense because it's all you've ever known." Carlisle pointed to the picture of Beth and Maggie on the bookshelf. "She was your first love, Edward. There's no telling if the two of you would have been happy all your lives."

"We would have."

"I understand your vehemence. The two of you were very compatible, and you're the constant sort. You would have made your marriage work."

"So what are you saying?" Edward asked impatiently.

"I'm saying that some people love more than one person at a time and have to choose, or have both. I'm saying that some people fall in and out of love at the snap of their fingers. And most of all, thank God I met Esme before I married Mary Ellen."

Edward left the room feeling more confused than ever. If what he'd had with Beth was just the rush of first love, did that mean there was more out there for him? Had he buried his head in the sand because he assumed there was no point in finding second best?

His cell phone rang, and he fished it out of his pocket as he headed into the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Edward, it's Jasper. Alice wanted me to give you a head's up."

"Okay." He opened the refrigerator and tried to decide what to make for dinner.

"Tyler is sick. I'm sorry we didn't know before the party, or we wouldn't have brought him."

He shoved the door closed with a thud and leaned on it. "What does he have?"

"Stomach bug. Sorry, man."

Edward thumped his head on the fridge. "Not your fault. I need to check on Maggie."

"Sure. Bye."

Dinner forgotten, Edward climbed the stairs to see how Maggie was doing. She'd been napping when he got home, which hadn't seemed like such a big deal at the time. Most six-year-olds didn't nap, but most of them hadn't been through what Maggie had.

The door creaked just the slightest as he opened it. She appeared fine from where he stood. He went back down the hall to his father.

"Has Maggie said anything about not feeling well?"

Carlisle zipped his suitcase as he answered. "No, just that she was tired. Why?"

"Jasper called. Tyler has the stomach flu."

"That's not good. You need me to call your mother? I was going to pick her up so we could head straight to the airport, but we can probably work something out."

Edward just shook his head. "No, you two go. I'm sure the medical conference will be tons of fun."

Carlisle chuckled and clapped Edward on the back as he passed him. "It's not about the conference, Edward. It's about the hotel room."

"Oh, ew. I didn't need to know that."

"Bye, son!" Carlisle called from the staircase.

Mildly disgusted, Edward followed slowly. He made a sandwich and ate standing at the sink, feeling just like a bachelor. If Maggie woke up sick, he'd deal with it. Nothing else he could do.

"Daddy?"

He turned to find her in the doorway; her cheeks were flushed, her hair matted to her face with sweat. Fuck.

"How do you feel?"

"My belly hurts." She sat at the table, laid her head on her arm.

He rested his palm on her forehead, knowing she would be burning up before he touched her. "Sorry, kiddo, but it looks like Tyler gave you the stomach flu."

She moaned. "I want to go back to sleep."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded as she stood up. He trailed along behind her and waited for the other shoe to drop because he knew it would. He gave her something for the fever and hoped it would work before she threw it up.

If he thought they would make it through the night without too much trouble, he was sorely mistaken. By eleven, he ended up camped in the bathroom with Maggie, helping her each time she got sick. He'd pulled her hair back from her face with a quick bun and he bathed her face with a cool washcloth. She slept fitfully with her head on his lap, only to startle awake and lean over the toilet. The fever he couldn't treat worried him. She would just throw up whatever he administered.

By the time the sun came up, they were both exhausted. Hoping for the best, he left her in the bathroom to find his sanity in the bottom of a cup of coffee. By the time he got back, she was throwing up again.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry."

"S'okay."

They continued that way for the better part of the day. She dry heaved when there was nothing left in her, and each time he urged her to swallow a few drops of water, she'd lose that, too. He grew frustrated, bleary-eyed, and wished his daughter wasn't in pain. He spent some time on the phone with his mother, who assured him it just needed to run its course unless her fever got too high, and to continue trying with the water.

Late that afternoon, she finally rested her head on the side of the tub and dozed. Frowning over the entire situation, he wished he had backup. Just an hour of sleep would be life changing at that moment. He didn't want to risk infecting Emmett, so he was out. His parents were enjoying Los Angeles by then, more power to them.

It was there in the back of his mind. Her name glowed like a neon sign, the words of his brother and father circling. He didn't want to impose on her though. He had no right to ask it of her. They weren't even really friends. There were a million reasons he could think of to dissuade him from calling Bella.

He pulled up her number in his phone, snorted over the fact that he'd never thought he'd actually use it, and hit the button. What was he thinking?

It rang twice before she picked up. "Edward?"

She sounded as shocked as he felt. "Um, yeah. Hi."

"Is everything okay?"

How pathetic was he that she automatically assumed something was wrong? And yet, she was right. "Sort of. It's just that Maggie is really sick and I'm here alone."

"Do you need to take her to the doctor?"

"No, not right now, at least. She picked up Tyler's stomach flu."

She tutted. "Oh, the poor lamb. How can I help?"

The fact that she offered before he had to ask made his shoulders relax. "I could use some company, that's all."

"Sure. I'll be there in about half an hour."

"I appreciate it."

He had second thoughts as soon as they hung up. He shouldn't have asked. He shouldn't have even called her to begin with. He didn't know her that well, they weren't even friends, and he didn't know what he'd been thinking.

The doorbell rang, and he sucked in a breath. He could do this. He could accept her help, lean on her, and be friendly. He kind of always did, anyway. He'd find out if there was any truth to what Emmett had said. He'd find out if there was any interest on her side. And then what? His head swam with all the crazy possibilities as he opened the door.

He realized with a jolt how good she looked as she stood on the threshold. He stepped back and let her in, noting that she carried an enormous bag.

"I brought some things I had at home."

"Thanks."

He followed her to the kitchen, realizing she knew her way around. She set her bag down and began pulling items out Mary Poppins-style. She had an electrolyte drink, crackers, a box of chamomile tea, and a frozen dinner.

"This is for you." She held out the cold box. "I'm sorry it's not more manly, but you eat this and I'll go check on Maggie."

"I . . . she's in the upstairs bathroom off the hall."

Bella nodded and took off. He watched her go, wondering if there was any chance he could be attracted to her.

He stood in the kitchen watching the meal revolve in the microwave. Bella reappeared, scaring the shit out of him.

"I tucked her in bed. She said she hasn't thrown up in a little while, but I left her trash can right by her head in case she can't make it to the bathroom."

"Thanks for coming." The microwave beeped before he could say anything else.

He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge for each of them and sat at the table. She joined him, and for a minute they were silent.

"I'm glad you called, Edward."

He looked up, trying to read her mind. He didn't have Rose's talent in that area. "I feel like I impose on you too much as it is, but I didn't know who else to call. I just need a minute that doesn't revolve around worrying over Maggie."

"That's understandable."

They heard footsteps hurrying across the floor above them and rose at the same time.

"I've got her. You eat."

Edward couldn't be sure if it was the right move, but he listened. It was what he wanted when he called her, after all. It was just that now he sat there alone again.

He knew he'd had blinders on. He could see clearly now that the world had been turning while he remained frozen. What he didn't know was how to get back on the carousel of life.

I'm sure we can all agree we've been waiting for this for a long time.