Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns these characters and the awesomeness that is Twilight! I'm just subjecting them to my fun little schemes.
Chapter 29
Bella didn't know how it happened. This never happened...even when there wasn't an awkward distance between them...they never woke up like this. After not falling asleep until much later than she should have, Bella woke up with one arm folded and tucked between her and Edward and one arm holding tightly to him. He was facing her as well, both of his arms pulling her close and one creating a pillow for her. When she opened her eyes, she was met with Edward's green ones.
He smiled that crooked smile and she had to wonder if maybe this was all a dream. She went to pull away from him, wanting to get up and use that bathroom, when he sighed before letting her go. "You woke me up last night when you were clinging to me. I was hoping it would last."
She didn't know what he meant by that but he seemed to be throwing in the proverbial towel and Bella couldn't stand how rejected he looked. "Edward..."
"It's fine. I have to go back to the doctors today. Jasper's still going to keep an eye on Kaley. Do you still plan to come with me?"
"Yeah...yeah..."she said, nodding her head violently, "absolutely."
"I'm going to go...um...check on Kaley," he said, pushing the covers back and pulling himself up off the bed. His shirt was off and Bella saw that the bruises were all a strange yellow color—which meant he was healing. If all was well, the doctor said they could cut the stitches out today. There was no way she wasn't going to be there.
After a hot shower and digging through her warm cardigans, Bella was ready to face her two year old and the cold weather. Fall was there with a fury and she reminded herself to tell Edward they needed to get both him and Kaley some warmer clothes...when Bella went to get clothes out of the little girl's closet, she realized a lot of them were too small...even though there were bought recently.
"Mommy!" Kaley squealed, waving a pink plastic fork in the air.
"Morning, baby!" Bella cooed, kissing her cheek and heading back out to let Peanut go to the bathroom. Jasper walked over and came back in with her. "Alright, Jazz, we won't be too long. There is a jacket on the bench downstairs as well as her sneakers in case you want to go outside."
"You have my cell number. Call if you need anything. The emergency numbers are on the fridge, including my dad's number..." Edward rambled.
"Call him first if it's a medical emergency and then call you...got it. Edward, this isn't my first time watching her, man."
"I know. I just worry...want some coffee?" he asked, pouring Bella a hot cup of tea and handing it to her.
"No, thanks."
As they launched into something about cars, Bella looked out the window. Fall had always been her favorite time of year. The beautiful trees, Halloween, school, haunted houses, and even football games that Charlie watched religiously even though she had no clue what was going on. Ever. That's when she decided what was really wrong. She needed to go to Seattle, get this homesickness out of her system, and then things would be fine. She was stressing over nothing. That's all it was. Unnecessary stress.
"Max, I hate to tell you this but no matter what the verdict, I'm going back to work Monday," Edward told the kind man and Bella rolled her eyes.
"Well, I think things look okay. I don't see why you couldn't. The stitches are ready to come out and the bruises are fading. Still no heavy lifting."
"I can handle that," Edward confirmed, shifting so that the doctor could get to work on the thread. Bella watched from a seat in front of him, much like the last time, but not holding his hands.
Halfway through the visit, her cell phone went off and seeing that it wasn't Jasper, she shut it off—embarrassed. "I'm sorry..."
"No problem," Max smiled, going back to what he was doing.
When he was done and Edward had his shirt back on, they discussed the pain pills and he gave him a different prescription of something else with a lower dose. They dropped it off at the pharmacy on the way home to be picked up later—even though Bella was pretty sure he didn't need them and wouldn't take them-and eventually Edward broke through their silence to ask who had called her. "Jake. Probably about this weekend. I'll call him later."
"Oh. Alice is going, too, right?"
"Yeah," Bella rolled her eyes again, as much as he said he was okay with Jake, she knew better.
When they got home, Bella stayed outside to call her favorite Seattle neighbor. He answered and asked how she was, when she was coming, and if Alice was coming with her all in a rush. "Hello to you, too," she laughed.
"Sorry, I guess hello could have been more appropriate..."
"It's fine. I'm coming tomorrow, I'm hoping to be there by lunchtime."
"You're only staying one night?"
"Yeah..." Bella realized she wouldn't mind leaving sooner, wanting more than anything to go home and vent to her mom and Alice. Jake would never know the situation with her and Edward. No way in hell was she going there with him.
"Alright. Well, I bet it will cheer Embry and Leah up big time if they get to see you. Stop over when you get to your dad's. Is that where you're staying?"
"Yeah."
"I'll take you over to Embry's then."
"Sounds like a plan. I don't know what Alice's plans are..."
"You? You don't know what Alice Brandon's plans are? You two can't function without each other!" Bella gave a small, sad smile, trying to remember when the last time she even spent time with Alice—really spent time with her—had been. The scary part was she was talking to Rosalie these days more than Alice and that was ridiculous. "Bella? Are you still there?"
"Yeah. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay...see ya then," he said it as if disheartened by their conversation.
While Edward watched Bella call Jake from the kitchen window, he called Alice. Unsure of what the actual problem was with him and Bella, he didn't give her a lot of details but explained that Bella was really stressed and needed a friend. He had been tiptoeing around her for days, afraid she was going to run. There was a reason a lot of people didn't have kids while they were in college, it was a lot of stress and he was worried she couldn't handle it.
He knew he had to get things figured out on his end but he had already figured out that he wanted to be with her and he didn't care how would get it but he would. She said it was what she wanted as well but it was obvious she was unsure of things. He remembered the way she was trying to pull him towards her last night, waking him from his drug induced sleep. Every night since the argument they'd had, he wanted to just reach over and hug her. Every time he went to do it, she would turn away from him.
Her body pressed against him that way tested his will power to no end. Of all the girls he'd had over the years, he could never get enough of Bella. The turtle pace their sexual relationship was going was enough to drive him crazy, thankfully the pills dialed down that urge. He wondered when the last time they'd been together that way was, when the last he kissed her, held her...told her he loved her...
"Daddy, you be pwince chaming!" Kaley shouted, dancing around in her little Cinderella dress.
"In a minute, little bug. I have to go talk to mommy real quick..."
"Okay..."
Edward went out when he saw her heading back to the house. He needed to at least say those three little words that he prayed could fix things. He smiled when he saw her striding towards the house, it looked like she was lighter, darkness no longer dragging her down. He opened his mouth, the words on his tongue, but what she said first shook him. "I was wondering if you would mind me going today after Alice gets back from class...instead of tomorrow?"
It was a simple request to go visit her family and friends a day early. Hardly a huge blow to him but it felt that way and the why of it all scared him to death. He willed her to see the 'please don't go' on his face as he muttered the words to go and have fun. She kissed him on the cheek and said thank you before heading past him into the house.
While Bella packed, his head spun with thoughts of how happy she was to get away from him. He should have just taken the damn pills, he should have let her mow the grass...were these petty little things really the issue? Something much, much deeper was going through her own head, he was sure of it. He reached over to turn on the little radio and put in a Ludovico Einauidi cd, he had always been a fan of instrumental music, allowing Kaley to really pretend she was at a ball. He didn't feel much like a prince, though, he felt more like an evil villain. Just as she was asking if he wanted to dance, the phone rang and he got up to get it. It was Esme, asking if she could take Kaley to his Aunt Liz's that evening. She promised to keep her overnight and drop her off at Rosalie's the next day, knowing he'd be gone. After reluctantly agreeing to let her go, and even more reluctantly agreeing to let her spend the night, he plopped down on the couch. Now, he had a whole night free to himself and Bella wouldn't be around.
Jasper eventually arrived with Alice, who was dancing around like a crazy little pixie excited to go home. Unlike him, Jasper seemed completely at ease over the whole situation...though he highly doubted his friend was sharing the same fears he had. "Hey, man, we're all going to the bar tonight. Even James is coming out."
"You should go, Edward. If your mom takes Kaley, you'll be here by yourself all night..." Bella urged, with a smile.
"I guess..." he said quietly, grabbing Bella's bags to carry them out to her car. When the stockpile of make-up, clothes, and shoes accumulated by Bella and Alice was loaded up, he walked her over to the drivers side and opened her door. "I'll miss you."
"I know. I'll miss you, too. Call me later tonight, alright?"
"Yeah. Be careful driving. Call if you need anything. I love you, Bells," he whispered, kissing her gently, feeling slightly high just from finally getting to say those words to her.
"I love you. I'll be home in a couple of days. Remember what we talked about—no lifting and watch the physical activity. I'm serious. Those muscles are finally starting to heal up." He promised her he'd be careful and closed her door after she climbed in. It hurt to watch her leave, wishing they could have taken advantage of his mom having Kaley so the two of them could have an evening to talk.
Later that night, Edward was handed a shot by Emmett. "You've barely drank anything and that's not cool. Drink this." Edward rolled his eyes and slammed it back. "Now what the hell is making you so mopey and weepy?"
Edward wasn't drinking a whole lot because he knew they all had to be up early the next day. He couldn't deny that the burn felt good though. "Bells left for Seattle."
"So you're solo tonight?" Emmett asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah..." Edward looked down at his mug, playing with the condensation.
"Come on, man. We have shit to celebrate! You're officially a divorcee, I'm going to be a dad—which is scary as hell for all involved. It's good times, my good man, good times!"
Jasper walked up to them and patted Edward on the back. "The girls made it to Seattle safely, that's reason on it's own to celebrate."
"It's them coming back that I'm worried about..."
"What do you mean?"
"I think I threw too much at Bella at once. I'm worried about her. I'm worried she's going to run."
"Well, look at it this way, she has Ally. She has to come back," Jasper smirked.
"Alright, enough of all this whiny crap. Bartender, I need a shot of Wild Turkey for all my dear friends here," Emmett gestured in a circle over the group of them, setting a hundred dollar bill down on the bar.
"Yeah, man. You just need to have a couple drinks and relax a little. Bella loves you. You two will figure this out."
Two shots later, Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire was blaring from the speakers and the guys were on the dance floor. The song had become sort of like an anthem to them and Edward had been dragged out by Emmett when it started. He found himself clumsily swaying along to the song, wondering if maybe Jazz was right, maybe he did just need a few drinks and some relaxation. He was off the pills and Jasper drove so he wasn't being as careful as he would otherwise be but at least he was less tense.
Tyler had pointed out to everyone the group of girls with pink tank tops that had Greek letters across their chests. They were looking at the guys with definite interest and Tyler was really the only one paying any attention, having bought one of the blondes a beer. The interaction had stopped at that but Edward caught them looking at him a few times. As he made his way back to the bar, he ordered a water and waited for it. One of the Greek girls, a small brunet made her way over, standing close enough that their sides were touching. "Hey," she said, her eyes looking him up and down.
"Hi."
Edward paid the bartender and went to turn around but she stopped him. "Would you like to dance?"
"No. Sorry," he went to walk away but she grabbed his arm.
"Oh, come on. One little dance. Surely you have time..."
"Look, I'm sure you're a nice girl but I'm taken."
"You're not wearing a ring."
He raised an eyebrow. "I have a girlfriend."
"Where is she?" the feisty little girl asked him. When he didn't answer she nodded her head, "Not here. See? She never has to know."
"I'm really not interested. I'm not something you want. I have a girlfriend and a daughter, besides the fact that I'm at least five years older than you..." his words made him want to roll his own eyes. Bella was five years younger, yet she bought into the whole package of him and his messed up life.
"I'm not looking for something long term..."
Edward decided to ignore her and made his way back over to the guys. Had she offered it even just three months ago he may have considered it but there was no way in hell he was going to hurt Bella like that. After everything with Tanya, he knew the pain that came with that type of betrayal. He just wanted to keep his distance from the pink squad, things between him and Bella were rocky enough already.
He was stepping outside about an hour later to call Bella when the girl in the pink walked out behind him. He went about his business, pulling his phone from his pocket and unlocking it. Watching the girl out of the corner of his eye, praying she was just heading to her car, he found her heading straight towards him. He went to back away and about walked into the dumpster on the other side of him as he was looking at his phone.
"Change your mind, yet?" she asked with a smirk.
Edward wasn't giving her the benefit of discussing it. Not again. As he went to move away from her, he tried to squeeze between her and the dumpster but just then everything happened at once. The door to the bar flew open and out stepped Jasper, Emmett, and the other guys as the girl pulled him to her and kissed him hard. He pursed his lips and turned his head but not before the guys had gotten a good show. "What the fuck are you doing?" Emmett asked, looking back and forth between him and the girl he was currently holding away from him at arms length.
The little brunet giggled before telling him to call her—though she never even gave him her number- and walking away. "Seriously, dude, what the fuck?" Jasper managed to get out.
"It's not how it looks," Edward said, feeling like it was exactly how it looked, "she came onto me. It didn't..."
"We saw you talking to her earlier tonight, man..." Jasper was saying as Tyler and James just shook their heads and walked to their cars.
"It was nothing, Jazz. I turned her down both times..."
"It looked to me like you were doing the exact opposite, my friend."
"You know what, I don't need this. I would never cheat on Bella. That bitch was just trying to prove something to herself. You think I would hurt Bella that way? Really?"
Jasper and Emmett both seemed to loosen up a little. Jasper sighed, "Alright. Your right. I'm sorry. Seriously, though, you should tell Bella it happened. If you don't and she finds out about it..."
Edward sighed, completely tired and still slightly buzzed. "Jazz, can you give me a ride home?"
"Don't let some little sorority girl ruin your night! It's not even midnight yet..."
"I need to call Bells anyway. Please."
Bella sat on the floor of Alice's childhood bedroom eating popcorn and watching an old horror movie. Jake had just left and they were discussing the Edward situation—for the hundredth time. A situation that Bella had sworn Alice to secrecy on. Jake would not know about this one. "I just don't know what to say or do and I'm terrified that he's going to realize he doesn't need me and that will be it."
"Bella, there is such a thing as two people being able to survive but still needing to be with each other. If he loves you, he'll need you no matter what his life is like."
"Then why does it feel like he's a million miles away when he's really in reaching distance? Why?"
"I don't know, Bells..."
"We've only slept together three times, Al. That's it."
"Oh..." Alice seemed to be deep in thought over that, both girls pretending to watch the movie in silence. There wasn't an explanation Alice could give and Bella doubted there was one that Edward could help her out with either. The ringing cell phone in Bella's overnight bag made both girls almost jump out of their skin. With a small laugh, Bella grabbed it and answered the call. "Hello?"
"Bella? Hey. It's me." The sound of his voice was a respite from the longing she felt for him, the small regret she felt for leaving early...something she still felt guilty for. In that voice, though, was exhaustion...and something that almost sounded like regret.
"You don't sound like yourself. Are you okay? Is it your back?" Bella blurted out quickly.
"No. Bella, I was calling to check on you anyway but something happened that I need to tell you about." Her stomach clenched as she thought of what could be so bad. Her mind drifted to Kaley then to Annie. Bella prayed no one was hurt and Annie looked absolutely run down the last time she had seen her. When she didn't say anything, he continued, causing her heart to squeeze tight just like her stomach. "Something happened with a girl."
You are all too sweet with your reviews and encouragement! I saw some of you even checked out my other stories and left even more kind words for me! I freaking love you guys and wish that there was a way for me to update more but there just aren't enough hours in the day. Keep up the support and I'll keep the chapters coming :) I have a lot left to this story, I've decided to just make it a nice long one for you all but within the next couple chapters, things are going to skip ahead in time...not too far...but far enough. Until next time, LP xxxxxxxxx
