Chapter 67 – Well Kept Woman
Bella
I awoke to the smell of food cooking. I stretched and yawned before I finally opened my eyes. I sat bolt upright, realizing by the angle of the sun coming in through the curtains that it must have been at least noon or later. I jumped up in a panic, racing into the bathroom to get ready for work. I was so late, and I wondered why no one had woken me up. I took the fastest shower I had ever taken, the whole time wondering how much trouble I was going to be in when I finally strolled my oversleeping butt into the office. Rose was going to have my head!
When I ran back into the bedroom to get dressed, I found Edward placing a tray of food on the table next to the bed.
"Why didn't you wake me?" I asked him, as he stood there grinning at me. I had left my towel in the bathroom and was standing there, frantically trying to run a comb through my hair, totally nude. He cleared his throat before going to his dresser and pulling out one of his t-shirts.
"I didn't wake you because I already talked to Rose. You're out on a personal day today," he said, as he came to me and slipped his long t-shirt over my head before he wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my neck and inhaling deeply. "You still look so tired, sweetheart. You tossed and turned all night, not to mention the talking," he teased, but his face was concerned.
"What did I say?" I asked, horrified that I might have said something to upset him by the look on his face. "It was bad, wasn't it?"
"You're still blaming yourself, Bella," he sighed, pulling me tighter into his chest. "You have to let it go. You didn't do anything wrong. Nothing that's happened surround this whole mess has been anywhere near your fault."
"I know that, but I can't help feeling responsible. This whole mess started because of me. All those people…" I muttered, but he shushed me and scooped me up, sitting me against the headboard and pulling the covers up to my waist. He sat the tray of food on my lap and kissed my cheek.
"The only thing you're responsible for is keeping yourself healthy. You can't help anyone if you let yourself get run down and end up sick. Don't make me have to call Rose and Alice to come here and lecture you on this, too. You know they'd do it," he said with a raised brow and picked up the fork. I scowled at him, as he began feeding me like an infant, but he was so cute doing his little impressions of a daddy that I didn't want to stop him. I finally took over, though, because I knew he needed to head back to work. He had already been up early and at the hospital to check on his patients, and now, he had run home to make sure I was fed and doing okay. How I deserved this man, I would never know, but I thanked God he was mine.
"I ran into Father Lebuteur again this morning, and he offered to see you as soon as you're up to it." Edward had a serious look on his face, and I figured he really wanted me to see the priest sooner rather than later, so I agreed to call him before the week was out and set up a time. I wasn't sure what good it would do, but if it would help give Edward some peace of mind and relieve his worry any at all, I would do it gladly.
I was fully awake after Edward left, so I finished eating, then I got up and threw on some underwear and headed downstairs. I might have had the day off, but I knew there was something I could be doing not to waste it. I could hear dad giggling hysterically from the living room, so I poked my head around the corner discretely to see what was so funny. I slapped my hand over my mouth at the sight before me. My dad had one of the stringed cat toys, and he had both cats practically doing backflips trying to catch the fuzzy bird he was swinging tantalizingly over their heads. Every time they would launch themselves into the air, my father would cackle gleefully. He heard me snickering and looked up with a huge grin on his face.
"If I'd known they were this much fun, I would've had a couple of cats while you were growing up. These guys are a riot!"
"It's never too late to adopt a few, you know," I teased him, and then I remembered my dream from earlier. Two kittens. Dr. Stanley had said she needed to check on her kittens. I couldn't help the overwhelming feeling of responsibility I felt towards her beloved little ones, and I hoped they were alright. Surely, the police had been to her condo by now and had discovered them, or the neighbor who had been helping had continued taking care of them.
I rummaged through my purse, finding the card the detective had given me. I called the number on it she had told me to use if I thought of anything or had any questions. She told me the kittens had indeed been found and removed from the condo. Since Dr. Stanley had no family in the immediate area, the kittens were being held at the animal shelter, awaiting a foster placement to take them in. Hearing that broke my heart.
The neighbor who had been helping her with feeding them had declined to get involved by taking them in, so I asked if it would be possible for me to care for them until their fate had been determined. She gave me the number for the shelter and the name of the person to speak with to arrange it. After the call, I threw on some warm clothes and headed out the door. I might not have been able to help anyone else right now, but there were two little victims of this horrible mess I could save.
