Author's Note: This chapter is for Sherry Neal who let me know that this story was Drabble of the week and for Liz Hobbs, who requested it :)
Chapter 10
Bella
I was falling for him, and hard. It had been such a short time period, yet Charlie held a huge piece of my heart and I was so glad that I was given the opportunity to play such an important part in his life. I'd nursed him successfully all day and he was able to latch on most of the time on the first try.
He'd just finished nursing and had fallen asleep when I heard Elizabeth scream. It was the kind of scream that makes a mother's heart drop into her stomach. I jumped up and put Charlie in his crib as quickly as I could. I heard her scream again and then laugh. I ran down the hall to hear another screech followed by more giggles.
I don't know what I expected to see in the living room, but it wasn't Edward with a towel over his head chasing Elizabeth around. She was screaming and giggling as he'd get closer to her.
"The tickle monster is going to get you," he laughed causing her to scream again and run from him, only to run closer a moment later so that he could 'catch' her and tickle her. When he let her go it started all over again.
I couldn't help myself and I burst out laughing. Edward pulled off the towel and looked up at me with the sheepish little boy grin on his face that melted my heart and made me forget for a moment that he was another woman's man.
"I uh… we were playing," he explained.
"I see that," I said, walking down the stairs. I looked around for Alice.
He must have known what I was thinking because he continued explaining the situation. "Oh, um, Alice went to help the woman who came to pick up Tanya's dress choices for the Oscars. I said I'd keep an eye on Elizabeth. We were playing I hope it's alright."
I bet Alice loved talking to the designer, even if it was just an assistant. Alice was always into fashion and had once wanted to work in costume design for movies. And of course it was alright. I was just about to say that when Elizabeth spoke.
"More!" she giggled picking up the towel and handing it to him. He looked at me and back at her. "Pweese!"
I saw his cheeks turn a bit pink before he put the towel back over his head and resumed chasing her around the room.
"Of course it's alright. She loves it!"
They were still playing when Alice came in. Elizabeth couldn't get enough. She seemed to crave the 'rough house' type of play. It made me worry that I wasn't playing with her in the way that she needed and it made me a little bit more angry that Jacob had left her life before she was even born.
Our first night started out uneventfully. I gave Elizabeth a bath and put her to bed. She slept in Charlie's portable crib, though Edward said he'd order her any crib I wanted to put in her room.
She went to bed without a fuss and I found myself in the room between hers and Charlie's. The new pair of pajamas I'd ordered felt amazing on my skin as did the sheets. I was asleep in no time.
