A/N: I don't own this, we all know who does. If I did, Rpattz would be putting my dinner in the oven, 'cause I'm tired and don't wanna make it. :D
This is unbeta'd, so any and all mistakes belong to me. But I have Cherry Vanilla Pepsi fresh from the convenience store where I went to buy newspapers for their coupons, so I'm okay with being a little bit wrong today. :D
This is for my wifey, Mrs. Robward. She has a "date" with ttharman next week. Hmmmmmm...I guess this is where the trust thing comes in. It's okay, she'll make it up to me... :)
Thanks to Luxure & EdwardsBloodType for prereading this. "With the lights out, it's less dangerous. Here we are now, entertain us. I feel stupid, and contagious..." Wait, Luxure wasn't even born yet when this song came out. Oh geez, EBT, we're old. :D
**disclaimer **
This story is a bit taboo. To answer a couple things quick, since I'm not gonna have time for review replies again today. :( (That's me, sad) Bella's husband has believed her so far about the baby. He has no reason not to. As Claire gets older, he'll start to wonder, question things. Let's keep in mind that Bella has red in her hair, and her mother has light brown hair and blue eyes, so it's not completely out of the realm of possibility that one of her children would inherit something along those lines. Dominant and recessive genes, people. Biology 101. :D Also, Bella has no where to go, if she did want to leave her husband. We'll find this all out soon, but basically, she has NO ONE. Keep that in mind. :)
Another thing, I know that the way I'm spelling Bitties is not the correct way, it should be biddies. Bella calls them "Bitties" because they spew bits of information when they gossip. There's a method to my madness. For realz. :)
Now, on with the show.
~:O:~:O:~:O:~
… Chapter Eighteen - Bitties … Edward …
~:O:~:O:~:O:~
Thanksgiving seemed so far away, and yet here it is, and I'm back. The town feels different, smaller. I feel different.
But not when it comes to you.
I'm still madly, obsessively in love with you. It won't quit.
I'm faithful to Leah, which seems odd. I lived in the same town as her and couldn't keep from cheating. Now I live hours away and I can't think of ever being with anyone there. Maybe it's because my only temptation is you. And you're not there.
My mother's church group is at the house, putting together the food for the homeless shelter's holiday meal.
"I heard it's Mr. Whitlock over at the hardware store. Gladys said she saw his wife screaming at him in the street, calling her a home wrecker. You've seen that hair, how light it is. Mr. Whitlock has the lightest blonde hair of any man in town."
"Well, I heard it was Mr. McCarty, who coaches the football team down at the high school. His wife Rose went to stay with her mother, told him to confess or she wouldn't come back."
"Well, girls, I heard it was that attorney, Mr. Jenks. Apparently she was seeing him, seeking legal counsel, and he offered her another way to pay her fees, if you know what I mean."
They were in full gossip mode. You always called them bitties, I can see why. They just spew out bits of information, never telling the whole story.
"All I know is if the Reverend doesn't do something about that wife of his soon, he's going to lose the respect of his entire congregation. I mean, what good, church going person would want to listen to a sermon preached by a man that can't even keep his own wife from straying?"
Wait, what? They're talking about you? And all those men?
That can't be.
They must be wrong.
I try to put it out of my head, telling my mother I'm going to pick up Leah. She's been calling non stop, wanting to see me. I can't put it off any longer.
Leaving the room, I pause outside the doorway. Waiting to hear what they say.
"That poor girl, such a sweet soul, and to have that woman for a mother... Esme, aren't you worried that she'll do the same thing to your Edward?"
"Yes, how can you let him get involved with that jezebel's daughter? You know they always say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
"My Edward is a smart boy. He'd never get mixed up with someone so low, so disgusting. Besides, we don't know anything for sure about Bella. Maybe it's those recessive genes, you know? I mean, I don't know much about her heritage, so you just never know."
I leave, curious about the baby, you, the gossip.
Your house looks the same. Leah's out the door before I can turn off my car. She jumps, her legs wrapping around my waist, her tongue in my mouth. It feels good, being wanted this way.
She hugs me and I look up, seeing you through the window, and instantly...I'm hard. Harder than I've been in months. She thinks it's for her and she presses her hips against mine.
"Let's get out of here," she whispers, letting go and running to my car.
The look in your eyes as we drive away will haunt me for days.
It consumes me all night, and I take Leah to dinner, a movie, a party...trying to stall her.
Finally, I give in, taking her to your father's old barn, where I'd taken you so many times.
In the loft, nestled in the hay, I make love to her. Careful, sweet, tender. It's never been this way with us, and she thinks it's my missing her.
It's not.
In my mind, she's you. I only see your face, your eyes. I can't stop myself.
I need you.
Now that I've seen you again, I don't think I'll be able to stay away anymore.
In church Sunday, I sit with your family, at the other end of the pew from you. Claire is in a carrier on the floor, sleeping. I try to watch you, make eye contact, but you're careful. So careful. Every eye in the room is on you.
When the baby fusses, you pick her up, cradle her to you. Her little bonnet hides the light hair I heard the women talking about. Wispy ends stick out the bottom, and they are light. To me, they look red.
Is there red in her hair?
Finally, she turns her face, staring directly at me. Her eyes blink.
Blue-green, giant, wide. She smiles.
The bonnet slips a little. I see more of the light hair. It's not light, it's red.
Strawberry blonde, some would say. I only know because my baby pictures have the same color.
When you finally look over, your eyes close, tears glide down your cheeks.
At long last I see it.
The lies.
You lied to me.
And I let you.
~:O:~:O:~:O:~
A/N: Uh oh...you think he's making any connections yet? Guess we'll see...
Next chapter tomorrow. I've gotta make dinner, clean my kitchen, do dishes, cut 2 boys' hair, and get kids to bed on time tonight. Oh, and then I got coupons to cut out afterward. And little candy awards to make for a church thing Wednesday, and burp clothes and cards for that, too. Ugh...it's gonna be a long night. :( Oh, and did I mention the cold water in my shower wouldn't turn off? Yeah, it's totally off now, thanks to my hubs who hates working on our shower, probably because it breaks so often. Maybe if we played in there more often, or I flashed him my boobs while he worked on it, he wouldn't mind so much... Some things to think about...
Reviews are better than rolling in the hay with Edward. (They're so totally not, I couldn't even type that with a straight face! :D )
Leave one.