Posted 2020-02-06; Many, many thanks to chaysara for her editing work, and then equal apologies for tinkering with it after the fact.
"Okay," Edward said, pulling his hands back, wondering what he'd done.
Bella stood up awkwardly from the church's gym floor, picking up her bag and walking out. Edward followed, ignoring the surprised thoughts and looks behind him.
She was standing by the door, huddled in her jacket when he reached out to touch her. "Bella?"
"Please don't." She breathed in and out deliberately. "I need to go home. Please."
"Of course," he said, picking up his umbrella.
She was very wet by the time they reached the car and didn't say anything when Edward put Sarah in her car seat.
The car ride was a silent one, Edward wishing desperately, again, that he could hear her thoughts. They remained most obstinately muted to him.
After he helped her inside, he wondered if he could convince her to go sleep while he watched Sarah, but no, she was eyeing the paperwork on the table. Her gaze slid over the messy stack, then to the various piles of things that obviously wanted tidying. Her eyes didn't focus though, and he wished again that he could hear her thoughts.
"I upset you," he said softly, watching her sit down at the table.
She didn't answer right away. "It wasn't you," she said. "Jacob," she began, "used to rub my back. He—" Then she burst into tears.
It ached, watching it. He wanted to do the most natural thing and pull her into the comfort of his arms but resisted, sitting beside her instead, his hand on the table, an offering she was free to take.
She didn't.
"The last night I saw him," she sniffled, wiping her nose with a tissue, "he did, and then we had . . . " how could she describe that? " . . . a fight."
Edward listened. He asked what almost anyone would ask. "What did you fight about?"
She turned a florid shade of red and shook her head.
"Never mind," he murmured. He waited a moment. "Can I suggest something?"
"What?"
"Sleep."
"No." It was a firm refusal.
"You're exhausted, Bella."
"That's parenthood," she shrugged.
"It doesn't have to be." He was frustrated, but this shifted when he remembered how she'd managed her grief after Sarah's birth. He softened his approach. "How can I help you?"
"Distract me, please," she said.
He remembered asking the same of her once.
"Sure," he said. "Why don't I fill in some of those for you, too?" he said, fingering a stack of applications.
"But—"
"I think I can fill in the basics." he said.
"Okay," she said, letting him slide a stack over.
"But over here," he said, moving to one of the couches. Maybe if she sat somewhere comfortable, she'd fall asleep. Maybe.
She followed.
"So how else can I distract you?"
"Surprise me," she said, shrugging.
He thought for a moment and then grasped something in his memory that she would appreciate. As he began, she interrupted him. "Really?" she said. "You met Robert Frost?"
He chuckled. "I wouldn't say I met him, but I heard his thoughts. It wasn't until later, when I read his work, that I recalled it. Just snatches of some lesser poems."
This was exactly the kind of diversion she needed, and he kept talking, filling in forms as he went. Her own writing slowed and then stopped entirely as she sank lower into the couch. He lowered the pitch of his voice, still talking, reciting lighter poems and verses that he hoped would fill her dreams with gentle things.
He finished all the forms, sliding the one she'd been working on off of her lap.
When Sarah began to stir, he rifled through the fridge, finding a bottle of breastmilk. He hoped Bella didn't mind, but she needed to sleep, and picked up Sarah peremptorily. He was delighted at her recognition and walked her into the kitchen, softly talking to her, changing her, and enjoying her minute awakeness in his arms. When her thoughts shifted to Bella, he took her to see her, smiling at their mutual contentment.
"That's your mom," he whispered to her, narrating her thoughts, "and that's your papa, and that's Alice. She's a friend. I'm a friend, too."
He wondered if he would ever earn a greater title. He hoped so.
Edward was surprised to hear the sound of Charlie's car approaching. It was close to one o'clock. From her father's thoughts Edward gleaned that Charlie was checking on Bella, ensuring Edward had brought her home. It wouldn't surprise him. He'd earned Charlie's distrust.
He positioned himself with Sarah close to the entrance way, hoping Charlie was quiet when he came in.
Charlie was, opening and closing the door carefully. Edward waved with his free hand, putting a finger to his lips as he tilted his head towards Bella on the couch.
It was a perfect opportunity to build some trust. He brought Sarah to Charlie, carefully handing her over so his hands didn't make contact with Charlie's.
"She fell asleep," he said apologetically. "I didn't want to wake her, but I should get out of your way."
Charlie's surprise pleased him. He had expected Edward to find a reason to stay.
"I used the bottle in the fridge. She's clean," he said quietly.
"Okay," Charlie said, looking at his watch, frowning. He had come home to make sure she was okay and then head straight back to work.
"Do you need me to stay?" Edward asked, watching, still going through the charade of getting his jacket on.
Charlie lied. "I just came home to get some paperwork I forgot, but yes, I should get going pretty quickly." He looked over at Bella, sleeping. He hated the idea of waking her. She'd been so tired lately.
But the idea of leaving Sarah with Edward. This didn't sit well.
Edward quietly said, "Would you like me to see if Alice is free?"
Charlie nodded, and Edward pulled out his phone, texting quickly. The reply was instant. "Yes, she's just in town and can be here in a few minutes."
Charlie nodded and added a gruff "Thanks," and Edward made a quick departure.
"So," Alice said in a low voice when she arrived shortly after Edward's departure, "do I need to alert Carlisle?"
Charlie frowned. "No, why?"
"Just want to make sure Edward doesn't need any bullet holes patched up. That's all."
Charlie snorted, handing Sarah over. "Thanks, Alice."
"Oh," she said, "I wouldn't blame you. He's been the biggest idiot ever." She smiled at Sarah, the contrast of her expression with her words startling to Charlie.
"Bella made me promise I'd be nice to him," he grumbled.
Alice looked up at him, faking surprise. "Really?" When he nodded, she shook her head. "You're a saint, Charlie."
He grimaced a bit at this. "If he helps her, I can't complain. She needs it, and she won't take much from me."
"How so?" Alice asked innocently.
"At night. Tells me to go get some sleep. Won't let me handle any of the feedings," he said, forgetting to collect his made-up paperwork as he put his shoes back on.
"You know, the boys are all away this weekend. Maybe Bella wants to join us for a girls night on Friday? I think we can help her get a good night's sleep."
Charlie was nodding. This would be helpful, and if Edward wasn't there, all the better.
"I'll mention it," he said. "Thank you again," and with a brief hug for Alice and a quick kiss for Sarah, he was gone.
The daylight had all but faded when Bella started awake. She wasn't exactly surprised to see Alice, but she felt an unwelcome flicker of disappointment finding Edward absent. When she looked at her watch, she was panicked.
"Sarah," she said, "she must be—"
"Fine," Alice said. "Edward used the bottle in the fridge. I found more in the freezer. It isn't rocket science."
Bella laughed. "Feels like it sometimes."
"She's still good, but you should probably go take care of yourself for a bit. I'm going to have to pretend to go home soon."
Bella's stomach twisted, hearing this. Yes, they were still all arranging their lives around hers.
"Don't you dare feel badly about that," Alice added, seeing Bella bite her lip.
Bella smiled weakly.
"Friday," Alice said, watching her stand up, wobbly with tiredness, "I'm kidnapping you for a girls' night. All Charlie-approved and everything."
She laughed at this. "Yes, because at twenty—and, as a parent—I'm totally used to my father making decisions for me."
"The boys are hunting Friday. You know, it would be nice to actually be inside for once."
Alice knew just how to pull at Bella's guilt. "Of course," Bella said, "right."
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes, Alice," she sighed. "No makeup though." There had to be some boundaries with Alice.
Alice determined that nail polish did not constitute make-up. Nor did facials.
"Okay," she said, "deal. Now go. Take care of yourself."
DISCLAIMER: S. Meyer owns Twilight. No copyright infringement intended.