Pounce, Pounce, Pounce.
"LAY DOWN COLTRANE!" I grumbled and swatted without opening my eyes.
Pounce, pounce.
"OUCH!" I howled, as Coltrane decided my hair would make an excellent tug toy. "Stupid evil little dog." I glared at him as I sat up in bed, cursing him for waking me.
He eyed me happily, his tiny tail going back and forth crazily, obviously very happy with himself for waking me.
"This is why there are so many homeless pets in the city, they wake their owners entirely too early one too many times and get tossed out!" I glared at him.
I shivered, still half asleep as my feet landed on the cold wood floor. The only plans I had for the day involved my couch, TV. and big fuzzy blanket. The only time I was leaving this apartment was to take Coltrane outside to pee. Which he was currently turning circles and whining at the front door begging to do just that.
"Just a minute baby!" I called to him as I made my way to the bathroom, not being able to stay angry with the little puff of fur.
I chuckled lightly as I took myself in, in the mirror. My hair was hilarious, it never failed to amaze me how much damage I was able to do while I slept. My once pretty, straight hair was now pointing out in a million directions, looking more like a nest of some sort than hair. I quickly tore a brush through it and then tossed it up sloppily into a bun on the top of my head. I finished with washing my face, hoping to bring myself into full consciousness, and that was my extent of getting ready for the day.
Coltrane was still doing his little pee pee dance when I made it to the living room. "I'm coming" I laughed as I slid my feet into my slippers, and made my way over to clip on his leash. "Ok let's go!" I rubbed his chin when I had him scooped up to my chest and started out the door.
I froze for a second as my eyes focused on Edward across from me, coming out of his door at the same time.
"Good morning." Edward smiled.
I just glared at him and turned towards the elevators, it was too early in the freaking morning to deal with him.
"So I guess you're still not speaking to me?" he asked from a few paces behind me, on his way to the elevator as well, I was guessing.
I still refused to speak or even glance in his direction.
"If we're going to be neighbors Bella, we should really be civil with one another. It's been almost three years, you can't possibly still be angry." He increased his pace and was now walking beside me.
I bit my tongue, not willing to give in, but shot a hateful look his way.
"Hmm." was the last thing he said as we stopped to wait for the elevator.
DING.
The shiny elevator doors opened for us. Completely empty. Perfect, more awkward silence in an uncomfortably close closed in space. I complained in my head. We both made our way inside, I stayed in the front corner where I pushed the button for the ground floor, he stayed in the far back corner.
The elevator bounced into motion.
"Those are cute." He grinned and motioned toward my pajama pants, pink with white polka dots. "A bit different than my memories of you in pajamas but still cute." He chuckled.
My face turned bright red when he brought up that memory, it was one I had long ago suppressed. When he first blew me off, almost three years ago now, blocking out everything about Edward, including our almost sexual encounter was key to holding my sanity together.
I was still holding strong, refusing to speak, refusing to show any reaction to him at all, except of course for my traitorous face, but I had no control over that.
He was still chuckling, happy with the fact he still had the ability to make me change colors no doubt, when he spoke again. "That's a cute dog." He stepped closer to pet Coltrane's head.
Coltrane, of course loved every second of it, and happily accepted Edward's attention.
I thought dogs were supposed to be loyal and be able to sense when a person is evil. I rolled my eyes, looking away, not able to witness my dog betraying me any longer. While the two of them continued their introduction, I entertained myself with daydreams of a huge 150 lbs Rottweiler standing at my side instead of the little ball of fluff in my arms. I smiled at the way my imaginary dog would snarl as Edward brought his hand closer. Damn these little yappy apartment friendly dogs!
My daydreams of Edward becoming disfigured at the jaws of my pretend dog were shattered by the DING of the elevator door opening. We both stepped out, myself heading one way and Edward the other.
"See you soon neighbor!" Edward called over his shoulder towards me.
I huffed and increased my stride, not willing to turn around to verify the smug smile I heard in his voice, just anxious to be away from him and outside.
"Remember that little speech from earlier about homeless dogs? You need to remember who gets out of bed just to bring you out here." I turned Coltrane around so he was looking me in the face. "You need to remember who feeds you and stop rolling over for the first person who's willing to scratch behind your ears. Attention whore!." I scolded him before setting him on the grass to do his business.
He of course ignored me and trotted off happily, beginning the drawn out process of sniffing every inch of lawn.
He finished up more quickly than usual and we headed back upstairs, destined for a day of nothing but relaxing on the couch.
I had been happily numbing my brain with random sitcoms and drifting in and out of sleep while Coltrane snored contently on my chest for a few hours when I heard my phone ringing from my bedroom.
I gently slid Coltrane off of me and onto the couch, I wouldn't have thought he noticed at all if not for the slight growl he let out before snuggling into my blanket. I jogged across my apartment, hoping to catch my phone before it went to voicemail.
"Hello?" I panted not sure if I had made it in time.
"Hey!" Leah's voice smiled. "Whatcha doin?"
"Being lazy." I replied simply.
"Must be nice. Emmett has been making me help him all freaking morning." she complained.
"Uh oh, what's the project now?" I asked laughing. He was constantly doing this or that, I'm still not sure how one person can find so many things to do in a one bedroom apartment.
"Shelves, more freaking shelves." She groaned.
"HI BELLA!!" I heard Emmett calling in the background.
"Tell him if he glues himself to something else, I'm not coming to help." I laughed, remembering our adventure last month when Emmett had super glued his entire hand to the handle of their coffee pot. "Well, I guess his BFF is living here now so he can always call him." my eyes rolled automatically with the mention of Edward.
"Yeah, how's that going?" Leah asked.
"Eh." I shrugged. "I saw him this morning. He was charming in his obnoxious Edward way."
"Well that's um…actually I'm not sure, is that good or bad?" she chuckled.
"Annoying." I answered.
"oh ok!" she laughed. "So what did Alice have to say last night?"
"That she didn't do it?" I sighed. "I fairly positive it was Carlisle."
"I told you she wouldn't have!" she scolded. "But Carlisle? Edward's dad?"
"Do you know another Carlisle?"
"Well, no, but how would he know where you live?" She obviously thought I was a bit crazy.
"Don't you remember me telling you about running into him and Tanya's dad the other week. Remember, I told you how he was asking about where I lived and all." I refreshed her memory.
"Oh yeah, that's right! So you really think he had Edward move into your building." she still didn't seem to be buying my theory.
"Yeah I do. I'm going to go down to his office tomorrow to find out why."
"You can't just walk into Carlisle Cullen's office Bella. Even Emmett schedules appointments to go in and talk to him."
"Yeah well, we'll see. If I can't see him, I'll get his cell number and I'll call him. Either way I think he owes me an explanation." I said.
"Well, just make sure he actually did do it before you fly of the handle." Her faith in my ability to be rational was obviously as strong as Alice's had been last night.
"Ugh, of course I will. I just want to find out what he was thinking." I assured her.
"OUCH DAMNIT OUCH!!" I heard Emmett yelling in the background.
"Damnit Bella, I have to go, my boyfriend is bleeding again." Leah rushed.
"Ok bye!" I was laughing as I hung up the phone. God only knew what Emmett had done to himself this time.
I settled back into the couch, and Coltrane was snuggled comfortably into my side before I was even completely situated. Alice and Leah's doubt about me confronting Carlisle was setting in. I don't know why I was letting them get to me, of course I would be polite. Carlisle has been very nice to me, I had no reason to be rude to him. I would just simply ask what the hell he had been thinking. I was fairly sure I'd figure out a way to ask with a bit more tact by tomorrow morning.
My worrying was interrupted by the sound of a woman laughing outside my door. Weird I thought, I hardly ever heard anyone. My apartment was the last on the hall, it had just been me down here til he moved in. I pulled myself off the couch and across the room to investigate through my peep hole.
I only caught the back of their heads, Edward and some blonde walking into his apartment, still laughing. Tanya I figured, and groaned to myself. I hadn't even thought of the hell of having to deal with her, I had been too focused on Edward. This situation just kept getting better and freaking better!
Monday morning I woke up with a bit of a nervous knot in my stomach. I wasn't exactly sure why. Carlisle and I had always had very polite conversations and I was sure this one would be the same. But still, I was nervous.
I made my way out of bed before 8:00 Am, hoping if I caught Carlisle early, he would have time to sit down and talk with me.
Coltrane and I moved swiftly through our morning routine. No Edward this morning, thankfully, I didn't need to start today of on that note. He was probably still frolicking in bed with Tanya. That thought made me want to throw up a little. It shouldn't have, I mean honestly they were perfect for each other.
Having my little fur ball all taken care of, I retreated to the shower, hoping the hot water would get rid of some of the nerves. It worked slightly, and I had calmed down some when I opened my closet searching for what to wear, not sure what would be appropriate.
I decided being myself was the best option, and so I chose a simple pair of jean capris, a solid red t-shirt, and comfy pair of flip flops. I pulled my hair back in a pony tail, still effortless, but neater than the sloppy bun from yesterday.
I was kissing Coltrane goodbye and promising an early return when my tattered brown leather messenger bag that I used for work caught my eye. I figured as long as I was going that direction today, I could stop in at Rolling Stone and drop off the two articles I had finished. I had planned to email them, but this would be a nice chance to stop in and say hello to the people I had worked with while I was an intern.
I slung the bag on my shoulder and across my chest and headed for the door, hoping the cab I had called would already be waiting. Here we go I sighed to myself as I closed my apartment door behind me.
The cab ride was frightening, then again that was pretty normal for a Monday morning before 9 AM. Thankfully the cabbie knew the Cullen firm because I hadn't thought to look up and address. When he finally pulled to the curb outside the building, it was pretty much what I had pictured. Huge, elegant, typical office space for people like the Cullen's. I opened the door and paid the driver, tipping him generously for getting me here quickly and not being creepy.
Inside was just as the outside suggested it would be, fancy. Lots of important looking people walking around in important looking clothes. All rushing off somewhere, most of them buzzing conversation on their cell phones. No one even bothered to notice me, although I'm not sure how they missed me, I couldn't look any more out of place. I was very quickly regretting not putting on my more professional clothes.
There was an extremely gorgeous woman sitting at the front desk of the building. She smiled brightly as she filled me in on the floor for Carlisle's firm, and directed me toward the elevators.
Her directions were simple, and I found the elevators easily. I ran to catch the closing doors heading up, thankfully a man held it for me. I jammed myself into the already crowded space and asked some the man who looked just like all the others to push the button for the 17th floor.
The elevator ride was taking longer than I had hoped, stopping at just about every floor, and then waiting for people to file out, only to be replaced by new faces that looked just like the ones that had just left. This was giving me too much time to think, to worry, to be nervous again.
I hesitated when the elevator paused at my stop. I honestly considered just going a floor up and then catching the next elevator down. Even if Carlisle had set up this not so cozy living arrangement did I really need to call him out on it? Perhaps just ignoring Edward would work, he was bound to grow tired of the lack of luxury in our building and move on. Artist or not, he was still a Cullen and certainly used to a different kind of lifestyle than the lower east side offered.
A few people shot me annoyed looks, they had heard me request this stop, and were apparently in the same rush I had been when I got on, and were waiting not so patiently for me to get out so they could continue up to wherever they were going.
The scene I found before me when I stepped off of the elevator wasn't hugely different than the one in the lobby downstairs. A lot less crowded, but still the same general people, all looking busy, rushed, and with cell phones to their ears. I couldn't imagine living this way.
The woman sitting behind the desk up here wasn't blonde, nor did she look quite as friendly. Her black hair was a little messy, and she looked stressed. She didn't even bother to look up at me. I had to clear my throat louder than normal for her to acknowledge I was standing in front of her.
"Can I help you?" She looked at me over her glasses.
"Umm, yes I need to see Carlisle Cullen please?" I smiled, hoping to get a friendlier attitude.
"Do you have an appointment?" she asked doubtfully.
"Well, no. Carlisle is a umm…" I hesitated. What exactly was Carlisle, a friend? An acquaintance? "he's a friend, and I was hoping he could fit me in." I decided friend held the best odds of getting me in.
"He's actually quite booked for the day, and doesn't see anyone without an appointment." she finished and turned her eyes back down, back to whatever it was she was doing before I interrupted her.
I stood there in front of her, trying to come up with another angle that could possibly get her to do me a favor and slip me in to see Carlisle.
"Was there something else I could do for you?" The lady looked back up to me, obviously more annoyed this time.
"Well, I was just really hoping…" I started, but a door opening from the other side of the room distracted both of us.
Carlisle was saying goodbye to some man in the same suit everyone else in this place was wearing. He was just about to close the door again when he spotted me.
"Bella?" He smiled and started towards us.
The not so nice receptionist looked at me shocked. Obviously she hadn't bought the "friend" story.
"Carlisle!" I smiled, relieved to see him.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" he leaned slightly on the reception desk, still smiling, beside Suzy Sunshine.
"I was actually hoping you had a few spare minutes, and we could talk." I shot an I told you so glace at Suzy, who was still looking like she didn't believe that I could possibly know Carlisle.
"Of course!" He grinned and shifted to look at Ms Sunshine. "Emily, have you worked Bella in?" Emily, so that was her name, eh, I still liked Suzy better.
"Oh, well no Mr. Cullen, I mean umm. She didn't have an appointment, so I thought…" She was fumbling though what looked like an appointment book, obviously regretting her decision on disregarding me.
"Yes, well Bella is a personal friend, she doesn't need an appointment." he smiled at me. "When is my next appointment coming in?" he asked Emily.
"Oh umm…" she dragged her nail down a list of names in the book, obviously still rattled. "Fifteen minutes."
"Perfect." Carlisle turned back to me. "I'm a little pressed for time this morning, but we can talk now if you'd like?" He started back towards the office and I followed.
"Great!" I smiled, happy with my success. Emily trailed closely behind us.
"Can I get you some coffee or perhaps some water Ms." Emily offered, now treating me like I mattered.
"No, I'm good thanks." I smiled.
"Ok then." She returned my smile and ducked out of the office, closing the door behind her.
"Please, have a seat." Carlisle offered and he lowered himself into a huge leather chair on the other side of the desk. "I hope this is a social visit, and you're not needing any legal advice." he chuckled as I sat.
"No pending charges I promise." I laughed. "Actually, I just got home from D.C. Saturday and the funniest thing happened." I was trying to figure out the best way to approach the subject.
"Oh?" He shifted his eyes nervously away from me, answering the pending question of his guilt before me even having to ask.
"Yeah, and as it turns out, Edward seems to have moved into the apartment right across from mine. I was wondering if you knew anything about that?" Alice and Leah had been ridiculous, I was doing just fine!
"Well, yes. I arranged the apartment after you had mentioned where you were living. Edward had mentioned that area, I never dreamed he'd end up right across the hall from you." He still wasn't willing to meet my eyes.
"And you didn't think us living in the same building might be a little awkward?"
"I didn't mean to put you or Edward in any sort of awkward situation. And perhaps I should have mentioned it to you, and to him as well." He sighed. "I thought it would be nice if the two of you became friends again."
"Well don't you think the status of our friendship or lack of should be our decision?"
"Yes it should be." He admitted. "I just feel responsible for the two of you no longer speaking."
"Carlisle, what Edward chose to do is hardly your fault." I assured him.
"I'm not sure Edward chose to do anything, the decision was made for him." There was the look of shame I remembered from the night three years ago in Vermont.
"I don't understand what you mean?" The look was still as confusing to me as it had been back then.
"Esme, well, she thought you were a bad idea for Edward. She thought you didn't have the right family, upbringing or future. She insisted that Edward stop fooling around and that he mend things with Tanya." He took a breath and met my eyes, apologizing. "The Denali's have been friends of Esme's family for a very long time. They're old money." He looked me over again, perhaps gauging my reaction. "The last night you kids were in Vermont, we expressed our concerns to Edward. He was upset, he cared for you so much, but there's no arguing with Esme. Trust me I know. I knew it was wrong, but I went along with it anyway. I'm sorry for that, and I just wanted to fix my mistake." He was still looking at me, apologizing with his eyes.
"Interesting." I finally spoke. "It still doesn't change anything." I said in almost a whisper, still trying to take everything in.
"I know how this must make you feel Bella, and I'm so sorry." He walked around the desk to sit down beside me.
"I very much doubt you know anything about how I feel." I said, more sharply than I had intended.
"You might be surprised to find you and I aren't so different Bella." he placed his hand on my arm.
"Carlisle, you've always been very nice to me, even when you were the only one extending that courtesy. That, I do respect you for. However, I can't think of one thing we could possibly have in common."
He chuckled. "Bella, I've always liked you so much, because in so many ways you remind me of myself when I was young. When you and Edward showed up in Vermont, it was almost like watching an updated remake of the early days of Esme and my relationship."
I just laughed, how ridiculous.
"Seeing me, us, now, it might be hard for you to believe. When I met Esme, the only thing her father approved of was the fact that I was attending Harvard." He began. "Esme's father was a powerful attorney in the city. Esme was gorgeous just as she is now, she was strong, and confident, she knew exactly what she wanted and the lifestyle she intended to live. Why she ever gave me the time of day I've never understood." He grinned thinking of the memory. "I wasn't studying law when Esme and I met, I was studying to be a doctor. It was my passion, just as Journalism is yours. That might sound like every father's dream for his daughter, but the way I wanted to be a doctor was different. I had hopes of becoming part of doctors without borders. I didn't care about the money, I didn't care if I made a dime practicing medicine. I wanted to help people." I was getting very into this story, it was nothing like I had imagined it would be. "I knew a Harvard education was one of the best, so I studied nonstop to get into the school. My family was nothing like Esme's my mother worked at a factory, and my father had retired from the military. We were from a small town in Pennsylvania, you couldn't have gotten much farther from the life of luxury the Hale's lived." He chuckled, and suddenly the full name of the law firm made sense. "Cullen and Hale". "Demetri disapproved of me from the first time he met me. There wasn't a single thing he liked, not my average joe appearance, not my liberal ideas, not my hoping to work for free, he was certain I couldn't give Esme the life she deserved. However, Esme was just as head strong then as she is now. She refused to stop seeing me, a decision I wish Edward would have made about you. But there are very few people who have the iron will Esme has." Carlisle grinned. "Her father finally tried to accept that I was who Esme had chosen. One evening he pulled me aside, he explained that the only way he would accept me was if I joined him in the firm, and provided his daughter the type of life she deserved. The law firm was a family tradition, Esme doesn't have any siblings and so the only hope of it carrying on after Demetri retired was for Esme's husband to take over. I thought it over, dreading the idea of switching my studies, of giving up the dreams I had, but obviously you know which decision I made." He finished, looking past me.
"That's ridiculous." I said before thinking.
"What is?" He chuckled at my bluntness.
"You gave up your dreams, everything you ever wanted, to be what those people wanted you to be. If that's the end result, I'm glad Edward made the decision he did, cause I would never. Tanya is obviously the better choice for him." I explained.
"I chose between two dreams. I loved medicine, but I love Esme more. I would make the same decision over and over again to have my wife and children." He smiled.
Ok, that was sweet, I still thought it was ridiculous, but it was sweet. "Well, I'm glad it worked out for you. But watching Tanya and Edward play house next door is a small price to pay to be living the life I've always wanted."
"Well, I doubt you'll be seeing any of Tanya." Carlisle said casually as he returned to his side of the desk.
"Why's that?" it made no sense, I had just seen her with Edward yesterday.
"Well, her and Edward aren't together of course. That ended about the same time he left the firm. I thought it was him just trying to rebel against his mother. But his art is quite good, and he enjoys it very much." he explained, apparently not noticing my shock at the Tanya discovery. "I'm really sorry to rush out dear, I wish we could talk longer, but I'm late for my meeting." He said looking at his watch. "Stop by again soon?"
"Umm, yeah sure." I agreed standing up and starting for the door.
I walked out of his office in a bit of a daze, I had come here to just to confront him, and some how ended up walking out with all of this information. None of it made sense really. I decided to skip dropping off my articles, and just head home, there was just too much going on in my head.
The cab ride home seemed short, I didn't remember most of it, I was so caught up with trying to figure things out. All the things Carlisle had told me had my mind on overload. I looked at Edward's door for a minute before opening mine. My idea of him was softening just a little. There was definitely more to the story than I thought. However, he still made the decision he did, so it hardly made him innocent.
Ok, there's a nice long chapter. Lot's of information. Wonder what happens with Bella and Edward from here??? As always, feel free to review!! Hope everyone is still enjoying the story!!