BPOV
The house was way too quiet for my liking. No one was home. Edward was in with Carlisle and I was dying to know what they were discussing. It didn't take me long to do the kitchen. I didn't move a lot around, but I did redo the whole pantry. I was scared when Esme called me downstairs; I thought I crossed a line. She smiled sweetly at me when she said it was okay, and I loved that she wanted my help. I loved the feeling of being needed. I saw Edward head up the stairs with his head down, and I knew he was upset. A few minutes later Carlisle came out looking pale.
"I'll be home by curfew," Emmett said heading for the front door. You could tell that Emmett was being pissy about something, but that was none of my business.
"He and Rose must be fighting again," Esme said with a sigh. "To be young again," she said with a chuckle.
"Where's Alice?" Carlisle asked.
"Where is Alice, always?" she asked as they both chuckled. "You feeling okay?" Esme asked Carlisle.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Do you think Charlie would help me find someone?" Carlisle asked.
"I don't see why not. Who do you want to find?"
"Tanya McCoy, although I'm pretty sure she would have changed her name now," he told Esme.
"It doesn't hurt to ask, but speaking of the name Tanya, I saw Alec at the store and they had a boy," she said all smiles.
"Yes, I knew that. Sorry I didn't share."
"It's okay, you have had a lot on your mind. Anyway, they are bringing the baby over tomorrow!" Esme said clapping her hands together. "So, I went and bought them some stuff."
"That's very thoughtful of you," he said kissing the top of her head. He left the room, and I finished what I was doing before heading up the stairs. I found Edward typing away on the computer.
"Everything okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, I just have to get this done. Go hang out with Esme more if you want. I'll come get you when I'm done," he said dismissing me. I felt a little pushed away, but I knew he would talk to me at some point.
"Do you want me to make some dinner?" I asked him.
"Yeah, that would be great. Make..." he said as he typed away. "Whatever, Baby." I knew that he didn't want me around for some reason. I headed downstairs, and I saw Esme looking at the pantry.
"I like it better this way, thank you," she said to me as I smiled.
"You're welcome. I thought I crossed a line. I don't think twice about things sometime," I said with a shrug. "Can I cook tonight?"
"Of course, what do you want to make?" she asked as I stood there for a little bit.
"How about this really yummy chicken dish I know. Do we have brick cheese?" I asked as she pulled out some. "Awesome! I need rice, cream of chicken soup, broccoli, some chicken, and we have the cheese. Oh, do we have everything else?" I asked. Esme said we did, she and I worked together, it was...nice.
We talked about books while we cooked. We had a lot of the same favorites. She had me call Emmett and tell him that I was cooking dinner, but he declined. Needless to say he was very upset about it. I loved that he loved my cooking so much. Dinner was done and I had yet to see Edward. I headed up the stairs and I found him still typing on the computer.
"Babe, dinner is done," I told him as I watched him look out the window and then back at the clock.
"Wow, where did the day go?" he said. "I'm really hungry," he said as I chuckled at him.
"I'm sure you are, so come eat. Whatever you are typing can wait for a little bit. I won't bother you for the rest of the night as long as you come with me and eat," I told him as he chuckled at me.
"Okay Baby, let's go eat some dinner," he said getting up out of the chair. I tried not to laugh at him, but he was hunched over and limping.
"Have you gotten up from there at all?"
"No, and I have to pee really bad," he said as he limped his way to the bathroom. I did try so hard not to laugh at him, but he looked like a little old man.
"What are you typing?" I asked him from the bathroom door.
"The letter about James," he said as my eyes filled with tears. "I'm going to do my best to make sure you are not around when it is read. There are things that you don't know about me, and I kinda want to keep it that way," he told me. All that did was make me want to know more.
"Nothing could make me love you less," I told him as he washed his hands.
"I know, but that part of my life...I just want to leave it in the past," he said as he hugged me. "I love you, Bella and I don't ever want to lose you."
"You won't. For everyday of forever...right?"
"I want that more than anything."
"I think that we are going to have that. We have to. We have been through so much in our lives already that it has to get better. I need it to get better. I know we are never going to be normal, but I want a happy life," I told him as his smile grew.
"You make me so happy! Let's go eat dinner," he said as he kissed me.
"How was your time with Carlisle?"
"Eye opening," he said with a smile. I knew that was a good thing. There was something different about Edward. It was a good change.
Edward ate a lot of food and fast. He was really hungry. As soon as his last bit was gone, he kissed the top of my head and left the kitchen.
"What has he been doing all day?" Esme asked. There was no way I could hide my smile, I was on cloud nine that he was really going to go through with the letter.
"He has been working on the letter against James," I said as Carlisle smiled proudly.
"That is just...wonderful," Carlisle said. I agreed. Now that Edward and I were on the same page, I was glad we were doing this. Having a little taste of normalcy made me want more. I was hoping for it.
Esme and I cleaned the kitchen, chatted for a bit, and then I headed up the stairs. I knew that I was going to give Edward all the time that he needed. We didn't talk the whole night, and I fell asleep waiting for him. I knew he came to bed at some point because I felt the amazing warmth that covered my body form him. He was my forever...
The next day was unlike anything I have ever experienced. The day started off great! The end of the day almost had me hating Edward...
School was the same, but I did notice that Edward wasn't being as strict with who I was talking to, I kind of liked it. He saw me talking to Mike, and didn't say anything. He saw me talking to another girl, and didn't ask his usual twenty questions. He was right, we were both changing, but I truly thought it was for the better. I liked the freedom of being able to talk to other people without worrying that I was going to get in trouble later, it was refreshing.
"No practice today. Coach had some family emergency," Emmett said unlocking his Jeep for us.
"Well, that kinda sucks," Edward said as we climbed into the backseat.
"Where's Alice?" I asked.
"Who knows, but I am only waiting five minutes for her," Emmett said turning on the radio. "I really don't want to go home."
"Why?" I asked.
"One of my mom's friends is coming over, and I can't stand her! She talks like she is better than everyone else and her husband is a douche!" he said as Edward and I chuckled at him. I did have to take in to account that if Emmett didn't like these people then I probably wouldn't either.
"Well, if that's the case, we will just stay in our room," Edward said as if he could read my thoughts.
"I thought you already left," Alice said out of breath.
"I was about to," Emmett said with a stupid smile on his face.
"Has he left you before?" I asked Alice.
"Yeah! At least once a week! Last year he left me three days straight!" she said as I giggled at her dramatics. "Wanna know the sad part of my story? My parents did nothing about it! They said that I needed to move a little quicker!"
"The world does not stop turning for you," Emmett said. She said she hated him, and he said that he felt the same way, but he stopped by a gas station so Alice could get a fountain soda. The two of them made me laugh!
"Bella! I can't wait for you to meet Tanya!" Alice said to me as Edward flinched at the name. "She is awesome...well kinda, but she makes super cute kids! Her son is like five I think, his name is Seth, and he is so cute! She just had another baby a couple of weeks ago. He has to be just as cute," Alice said extra hyper.
"What is Tanya's last name?" Edward asked.
"Ryan, why?"
"Just wondering," Edward said, but I could tell that he was happy to hear that. I didn't understand it, but I was going to find out.
When we pulled up to the house, I did see that there was a SUV in the driveway. I really didn't like to meet new people, so I was hoping to escape to my room before I had to meet them. Once we were inside, so many things happened at once that I could barely keep up. I saw a woman maybe in her very early twenties with blond hair and big eyes.
"Edward?!" she said as she clung to the little baby in her arms.
"Edward? The Edward?" a very large man said. Tanya's face said it all. I looked to Edward, and he couldn't take his eyes off of Tanya. He looked as if he was looking at a ghost. My hand was ripped away when the big guy grabbed Edward by the collar of his shirt and put him against the wall.
"Tell me why I shouldn't knock your fucking head of your shoulders," the big guy said and I started to shake.
"You should," Edward said keeping eye contact with the big guy.
"Edward, what is going on?" I asked as I started to cry.
"Emmett, get Bella out of here," Edward said as Emmett moved behind me trying to get me to walk.
"Go ahead, beat the shit out of me I deserve it. I will never say any different," Edward said as the big pulled back his fist and punched Edward in the jaw, I think. I was able to get out of Emmett's grip, and I put myself between Edward and the big guy.
"Please no hitting. We were told we were safe here, that there would be no hitting. Don't yell please, I can't take it. You said there was going to be no hitting," I said looking to Esme. "I don't know what Edward did, but I can take a guess. I am not stupid, but please no hitting," I said looking at Esme who for some reason gave me strength to speak my mind. "It wasn't his fault, it was all James, and we are trying to make sure that he is in jail."
"Daddy! No hitting! Do you want a time out?" I heard a little voice say. I looked down to see a little boy with Edward's eyes, Edward's jaw, and Edward's hair.
"Holy shit!"