EPOV

Bella doesn't call me on her layover, and I'd be lying if I said it doesn't hurt. I don't understand what's happening. I just know I don't like it.

Rose comes over to comfort us. She's sitting on the opposite end of the couch with a still-sniffling Marley's head in her lap. The crying has exhausted my Muffin, but she's fighting sleep. Hard.

Just when I think the pain can't get any worse, she gives a weak cry for her mommy, and knowing I can't do anything to give her what she wants is torture.

I'm cradling my phone in my hand, and my leg is bouncing from the nerves.

"Edward, think rationally," Rose whispers when Marley finally dozes off.

"Why didn't she call? Why was she so distant before she left?"

Rose sighs. "This wasn't something the two of you planned. I'm positive it killed her to leave you guys, but I understand why she felt she had to."

I swallow thickly. "You do?"

Rose nods and reaches under the collar of her shirt and pulls out the locket that contains some of Emery's ashes. "Those small things may seem insignificant to you, but they were the only tangible items she had to remind her that it was real. She didn't receive ashes, and her scars don't count."

I nod and check my phone even though I'm sure Bella is on a plane headed straight for Seattle right now.

"Mommy, come back," Marley cries in her sleep, and it's like a knife straight to my heart.

"Shh, Marzipan," Rose soothes and rubs her back. "It's okay."

I want to tell her that it's really not. It stopped being okay the second we got back from our daddy-daughter date, and I found Bella losing it in the kitchen.

"She'll call, Edward."

"She will?"

"Of course she will. She loves you guys so much."

"But does she? I know she loves Marley, and we were getting close. I thought we had more time, Rose. I never told her how I feel."

Rose rolls her eyes. "Oh, please. You guys have been in love since you picked her up from the airport. You just didn't realize it until you gave her some of that good 'ol sexual healing."

I can tell she's just trying to get my mind off things, and I appreciate it.

I scoff and try not to check my phone. I fail. With a frustrated sigh, I lean back and stare up at the ceiling, contemplating the reasons why Bella hasn't at least called to check on Marley.

"There has to be a logical reason she hasn't called you." Rose pats my hand. "Why don't we take advantage of Marz napping to watch a movie that isn't animated?"

She won't let up until I'm distracted, so I can at least fake it for my best friend. I owe it to her for coming over.

I let her pick the movie, and she chooses a comedy from our teenage years. I try to focus, but it's hard. I manage to laugh at the appropriate times and acknowledge her commentary.

When Marley wakes up, she has a stuffy nose, and her head hurts from crying so much. Rose offers to run her a bath and give her some Tylenol while I make her a can of chicken noodle soup. I'm plating crackers for her to dip when my phone rings, and my heart drops when I see that it's an unfamiliar number. I almost ignore it. Almost.

"Hello?"

"Edward!" The relief in her voice is evident.

"Bella." I breathe. "I was starting to think you forgot about us."

She clears her throat. "I wanted to call you as soon as I landed in Dallas, but my phone died." She sighs. "I forgot to plug it in last night, and like an idiot, I checked the bag that has my charger. Do you know they have a vending machine for cords and power banks?"

I cradle the phone on my shoulder and pull Marley's soup out of the freezer. "I did not know that."

"Yeah. I just paid fifty-eight dollars for a set, and it took forever for my dead phone to wake up. Of course I don't have service in Texas, but I was able to get your number, and I'm calling from a pay phone. Another thing I didn't realize was still a thing."

"You're still in Dallas?"

"Yup. My connecting flight has been delayed twice. My nerves are completely shot, so I'm going to hunt down a Starbucks or maybe a cafe for something sweet when we're done talking."

I'll never be done.

"I'm so glad you called even though it's probably cost you a hundred dollars to do so."

"I'd break the bank for the two of you. I'm so sorry, Edward."

"For what?"

She sighs and I can hear the emotion in her words. "For panicking. For leaving the way I did without talking to you. We agreed that we would work things out together and I failed. I failed you."

"No, Bella. Don't apologize. It's both of our faults. We should have communicated better."

"This is all so new to me."

"Me too. We were completely blindsided by this and we both didn't react rationally. I didn't ask you to stay or when you were coming back."

"I didn't want to assume. Like I said. I panicked. We both could have, should have reacted differently."

I agree and we promise to communicate more. Bella tells me her flight should board soon and asks about Marley.

"How's my baby?"

I climb the stairs. "She's having it rough. I can't get her to stop crying so Rose came over. She just put Marley in the bath and gave her some Tylenol."

Bella gasps. "She's sick? Already? I just left this afternoon. I shouldn't have left." She berates herself again but I stop her and remind her that we're taking this all by trial and error and we're bound to have errors. We agree that tonight, no matter what happens at her apartment we're going to sit down and talk about our next steps together.

"She's just stuffed up and achy from all the crying. She'll be okay," I assure her.

"Can I talk to her?"

"Of course. I'm taking the phone to her now." I find Rose and Marley sitting on the bed.

She's wearing her robe while Rose brushes the knots out of her hair.

"Hey, Muffin. Guess who it is."

Her eyes light up, and she snatches the phone out of my hand. "Mommy?"

For the first time since Bella dropped the news, I see my favorite smile. Knowing that she's going to be okay, that we're going to be okay, Rose and I leave her in my bedroom so she and Bella can talk.

I tell Rose about Bella's experience, and she hums. "Hate to say I told you so … but."

"I know. I should never doubt the wise and powerful Rosalie McCarty," I say, my voice thick with sarcasm.

"You forgot beautiful beyond belief, but I'll take it."

I laugh and it feels strange because Bella is still gone. Sure, she's called, and I'm happy to hear her voice, but it's over the phone and not in person.

"All right, Emoward. You've talked to your girl, Marzipan is happy for the moment, and I'm starving. You get to make me one of your grilled peanut butter and jam sandwiches."

"I haven't made one of those in ages."

"Yup. National Lampoons and grilled PB&Js. The perfect blast from the past."

I don't mention that the last time I made her a sandwich she was pregnant, and I don't know if she remembers.

We're eating our sloppy snack when Marley joins us. She has a small smile and a bright red nose. I jump up and grab her soup from the microwave.

"Mommy had to go to get on her plane." She sets the phone on the counter and lets me help her get situated on a stool. "She said her phone is gonna be ready, and she's gonna call when she gets to Seattle." Her voice breaks, and her lip starts to tremble.

I'm scrambling for something, anything, to distract her from her sadness when Rose swoops in like the hero she is.

"Hey, Marz. Wanna try my sandwich?" she asks, holding out the melting and dripping sandwich.

Marley grimaces. "What is it?"

Rose explains, and Marley takes a small bite and automatically reaches for a napkin to spit it out. "Ew."

We laugh at her theatrics and finish our lunch.

Rose is hesitant to leave, but I assure her that we'll be fine. Bella's going to call when she lands, and again when she's finished checking out the damages so we can talk about our next step.

Marley is exhausted, so we pick some movies and get cuddly in my room with Hope and her stuffed monkeys. She makes it halfway through the first movie before she passes out, and of course Bella calls a few minutes later.

"Don't wake her up," she tells me. "This isn't going to be a long call. I'll be there soon."

At least she isn't calling Seattle home.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you hear me?" she asks hesitantly.

"You'll be home soon."

"No, after that."

"Oh. No, I didn't hear. Marley started talking in her sleep, and I wanted to make sure she was okay." I lie. "What did you say?"

"It doesn't matter. It's not important."

"Tell me, cookie."

"We're here," She whispers. "I'll call you later."

"No, Bella. Tell me."

I hear rustling and the sound of her door closing. She thanks her driver before acknowledging me.

"I said I miss you guys already and that it feels like I left my heart in Jacksonville, but I know it's safe with you and Marley."

I feel like my face is going to split in two—I'm smiling that wide. "That matters, Bella. You don't know how much that means to me. We already miss you so much it's crazy."

I can hear her sharp intake of breath. "My super is waiting for me. I have to go."

"Call me and let me know what's going on, please."

"Of course," she says nervously. "Bye, Edward."

"Bye."

~MM~

I forget about the time change and try to stay up, waiting for Bella to call, but eventually succumb to the exhaustion of the last day.

She doesn't call until one in the morning my time, and she can barely talk because she's crying so hard.

I'm instantly on alert. Thinking the worst. That all of her things were ruined by the flooding. That I need to wake up Marley and book two flights to Washington.

"Bella?"

"Oh, God, Edward." She breathes. "All of it is safe. It was the unit beside mine that got hit. I would have called sooner but I brought everything upstairs just to be safe, and it took forever."

"That's amazing."

"I know."

I sneak to the bathroom and shut the door, not wanting to go too far just in case Marley needs me.

Bella and I speak at the same time.

"When are you coming home?"

"I want to come home."