A/N: Thanks so much for all your lovely thoughts and reviews, Guys. I'm thoroughly enjoying them!
I kinda goofed in the last chapter, but we can talk about it at the end. :)
Betad by Michelle Renker Rhodes.
Most characters belong to S. Meyer
Chapter 6 – For Mel
EPOV
It takes a few days to get her completely out of my head. But I do. I've got too much other shit going on in there. Besides, she was nothing more than a pretty face - with a great ass.
It ends up working out well, anyway. Seems the pretty dancer stays open late after classes end for the night. Mel's been having a good time, hanging out with her, getting extra dance lessons, and I attend to my meetings without having to leave early. Afterwards, when I pick up Mel, I wait for her outside cuz I don't want to run into Bella's man again. Beating the shit out of him would've been a bad idea; I saw that really clearly once my head cleared up. I don't even want to imagine the trouble it would cause if I ever got myself arrested. Mel's grandparents would jump all over that.
So Mel goes to class, hangs out with the pretty dancer afterwards, and then comes home a lot happier than I've seen her in a while. I go to my meetings and wait for Mel outside the Studio afterwards.
Win-win for all.
Until the pretty dancer corners me right by my truck about two weeks into this convenient arrangement, and I look up, and holy hell, I realize how much I've been lying to myself for the past couple of weeks. Fucking gorgeous is what she is, from the top of her dark head of wavy hair to the sexy as hell legs bared from hips to thighs - and fucking leg warmers the rest of the way down.
"Edward…was it?" she asks, so either she can't remember my name, or she wants to play like she doesn't.
Then her mouth keeps moving, this really great mouth: red, plump lips. You see the Latin in her in the shape of her mouth, but I'm only catching about every other word because she's wearing what basically amounts to a swimsuit in the middle of the street, and I'm supposed to know what she's saying?
It's some sort of small talk; she mentions the weather, and I think I mention tuition just to say something, and then she starts throwing around different times…seven, eight, eight-thirty, I don't know.
Then I try to adjust my legs to give my groin some breathing room cuz it's getting really fucking tight in there, and realize how perfectly she'd fit nestled in between my legs right now – or me between her legs would be even better. Her straddling me in that outfit, yeah, that'd be great. Bent over the kitchen table on a weekend when Mel's at her grandparents, yeah, her ass looking tight and smooth, like caramel. No, not caramel. Honey. Yeah, honey skin. Probably tastes like honey too. She smells sweet. She'd taste sweet everywhere, too; I can tell.
Needless to say, all these thoughts aren't helping the situation in my groin, or my ability to focus on what she's saying.
"…you understand that I can't be responsible for her beyond her class time, don't you?"
This is what she says, but at the same time, there's this gentleness in her tone, this expression of warmth despite the fact that she's basically telling me that I'm being an irresponsible asshole, and suddenly I feel it all at the forefront, the words that'll explain to her why I'm always late to pick up Mel, why I have no idea what I'm doing, why I need someone to fucking tell me how the hell to do this.
And then her boyfriend rounds the corner. He's on his cell phone in deep conversation, so he doesn't look up or else he'd see his girl standing out in the street with me in what amounts to her underwear, and I'd probably have to remind myself again why I can't beat the shit out of him or anyone.
But what it does remind me of now is that she's just a girl. A fucking beautiful girl…but a girl with a man. And I'm a guy responsible for a kid and living paycheck to paycheck, with a fucking monkey on my back that I will never be rid of. Who in their right fucking mind would want all that?
OOOOOOOOOO
That Saturday, my sister Rose and her kids come over for a while.
"How's Mel doing at those dance classes you signed her up for?" Rose asks me when I get home. She's bouncing little Leah, her eighteen-month old, on one knee and at the same time calling out warnings to Seth, her hyper four-year old, while Rachel, her six year old sits on the floor of my apartment playing with a couple of dolls.
Three fucking kids under the age of six and a useless, fucking husband, who's never around. No wonder Rose looks like she hasn't slept in years.
"She's doing well, I guess," I shrug, shoveling the food she made for us into my mouth.
"You guess? Haven't you asked her?"
"Yeah, I've asked her. She said she's doing well. Did she eat?"
Leah starts whining. Rose bounces her faster.
"A little bit. She said it tasted bland, needed more spices or something. So what exactly does she like about it?"
"Well, it's a dance class, so I assume she likes the dancing," I say.
"You assume, but you haven't asked her? Seth, take off Uncle Edward's dirty boots. Have you asked her if it's the dancing, or the meeting new kids, or if it's healing for her? Does it make her feel better about-"
"Jesus Christ, Rosalie. Seth, Buddy, stop throwing my boots around. They're the only ones Uncle Ed has right now. Rose, she likes going to dance. I haven't commissioned a major study into why."
Rose sighs. Leah starts whimpering. I stuff another forkful into my mouth.
"Have you spoken to her dance teacher?"
"About what?" I ask quickly, narrowing my eyes.
"About Mel! How does she fit in? Is she getting along with the other kids?"
"Mel always gets along with other kids."
"That was before. How many friends do you see her with now? She's having a hard time adjusting."
"She's having a hard time adjusting," I say, glaring down at my plateful of shells, "because she lost her parents, and my having a long, pointless talk with her dance teacher won't change that."
Leah is full out crying now. Rose bounces her higher and higher so that the kid's sobs sound all discombobulated. I set my fork down and reach my hands out.
"Gimme." Rose hands her over. "Come here, Sweetie. Uncle Ed's got something for you." I reach down on my belt and unclip my Leatherman, holding it up for Leah's inspection. Her sobs slowly dwindle as she watches the shiny, silver tool glint and gleam.
"Careful, Edward!"
"I'm not going to give it to her, Rose," I smirk.
"Well, did you look up the school's info and rep before you went ahead and registered Mel?"
"No, Rose," I hiss. "I didn't look up the damn school's rep or info."
"You should've. That's what a responsible parent does. You research everything before putting your kid in something. I did the research because I knew you wouldn't. Thank God it's got a good rep since you apparently couldn't be bothered-"
"I fucking" – I mouth the word 'fucking' so the kids don't hear – "work my ass off from sun-up to sundown six days a week, and then I've got my meetings three days a week. When the hell am I supposed to do research on some goddamn dance school? Besides, it's been two weeks, and she's still alive, so I guess it's not a meth lab in disguise."
Seth runs over to us. "Uncle Edward, let me see your pichuh there!" he says, tapping my back.
"Sure, Buddy," I grin softly, pushing my chair back so that I can reach down with one hand and remove my shirt.
Rose continues her tirade. "That wasn't funny, Edward."
"It wasn't meant to be funny," I snort, hunched over for Seth's inspection while his fingers trace a line from shoulder blade to shoulder blade and then down to the middle of my back. Leah stretches over me to see what Seth's doing.
"I want one."
"No, Seth," Rose answers. "Those are ugly and dangerous and lead to blood poisoning."
"How?"
She ignores his question. "Anyway, like I said, I checked it out online. The owner's name is Isabella Swan. I googled her and-"
"You googled her?"
"Yes, I googled her. I couldn't find where she completed her dance training, but she's had a couple of parts in Off-Broadway productions, and she got pretty good reviews, so I suppose she's qualified."
"I can't believe you googled her," I say, shaking my head while Seth traces the cross now, fingers on my spine. "That's pretty friggin'…intrusive, don't you think?"
"When you're a parent, these are the things you have to do."
"You have to google dance teachers?" I chuckle. Behind me, Seth chuckles too though I'm not sure he even knows what we're talking about.
Rose shakes her head. "Like I said, you're not funny, and all you're proving, Edward, is how little you know about parenting, and how unprepared you are for all of this."
I roll my eyes. "You know what, Rose?" I hiss. "Ah damn."
I hand her kid back over because my body's vibrating right about now, and when she takes little Leah from me, I stand up and put my shirt back on, take a few steps away, rake both hands through my hair and just hold on tight because there's the craving...
"Hey, Aunt Rose." Mel comes out of her bedroom, and all three kids immediately run to her.
"Hey, Sweetie." Rose is all smiles, her irritation with me apparently on the backburner – for now.
OOOOOOOOOO
Rose cleans up the dishes, cleans the kitchen, and straightens up my small living room. She's the caretaker; has been for all our lives.
She's still pissed too, but she won't show it around Mel. She showers her with affection and cheeriness, asks her all the questions I guess I was supposed to have asked about her new dance school.
"Mel, do you want to come home with me tonight?" Rose asks while she gathers her kids and their stuff up. "We can go to the park tomorrow, and when the kids nap, we can talk, and I can do your nails."
"No thanks, Aunt Rose, maybe next time."
I see the way Rose's forced smile falters, and for a second, I feel bad for her. As much of a pain in the ass as she is, she really loves Mel.
But Mel doesn't want her.
Mel doesn't want me.
Mel wants her mother and father. Instead what she has is a tired, overwhelmed aunt, a tired, drunk uncle, and a set of grandparents who'd take her in a heartbeat to force her into the cold, over privileged life her mother did her best to leave behind.
Poor damn kid.
OOOOOOOOOO
Downstairs, I help buckle Leah into her car seat and quietly promise Seth I'll get him a Nerf gun soon.
"Hey Rose, I need a favor…"
"What is it?" she asks warily, probably thinking that it's money like I don't know that with three kids, a mortgage, and a piece of shit for a husband she doesn't have much to spare.
"Mel's dance class…it ends at seven on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and those happen to be the days when I've got my AA meetings. I've been leaving a bit early to pick her up, but I'm still getting to the studio kind of late. I know you're pretty far, but everyone else I know works, and I was wondering…"
She watches me carefully and then sighs. "Edward, if I could pick her up for you, I would. I don't want you missing your meetings. You're responsible for our niece now, Ed, you can't start drinking again."
"I know that, Rose," I say tightly.
"You can't, Edward."
"I know that!" I say more vehemently.
She holds my gaze and then snorts. "I still don't understand why they left her to you."
"Goodbye, Rose." I turn around and walk back into my building.
OOOOOOOOOO
I'm out in the hallway having a smoke by the window when the door across the hall opens and out walks Heidi.
Al and Jasper's accident forced me into soberness which left my head spinning in a completely different way. Not only were Jasper and Alice gone, but a few days later, their last will and testament left their only daughter to me. Rose was shocked, I was dumbfounded, and Alice's parents were infuriated.
I suppose part of the reason I got her was because Mel had my heart from the second she was born, but those first couple of months were…hell, dealing with so much shit and not being able to find comfort in the bottom of a bottle. I mean, it'd been easy to love her before because at the end of the day, I wasn't responsible for her. But now I had to figure out how the hell to be a guardian to a twelve-year old, how to hold down a job, and how to stay away from the life I used to lead.
And one day, Heidi moved into the building.
It was always just sex. Mel went to her grandparents for the once a month weekend visit we'd agreed to in court, and Heidi and I ended up in her bed.
I told her everything; that I was a drunk, that my brother and his wife had been hit by a drunk driver, and that now I was responsible for their daughter. I didn't tell her because I trusted her or because I felt any closeness to her, but because I wanted one thing to be clear: this was just sex.
"I'm not looking for a relationship, just some release. That's all I want and it's all I need."
I made sure I was clear because I didn't have time for miscommunication or misunderstandings. I was in the beginning stages of a sobriety program, and even if I'd wanted one, a relationship was impossible. I had a kid now, and a job with which Jasper's best friend had entrusted me for the sake of his friendship with Jasper. I had AA meetings to attend to make sure I didn't fuck the rest up. That's all I had time for.
And she agreed. She wrapped her legs around me and agreed.
Mel hated her on sight. And then after a while…well, I may have respected her more if she'd just stopped being such a hypocrite when it came to Mel.
But now she walks out of her apartment, long, blonde hair swinging behind her. Her face lights up while her heavily made-up eyes make a not-so-subtle trip over my body.
"Edward," she grins, "what are you doing, tonight, Baby?"
I lean against the wall, crossing my feet, hand in pocket, and take a long drag. "Watching TV with Mel. How 'bout you?"
"I've got some girlfriends waiting for me in the city…but I can always change my plans if you'd like to do something else…"
I stare at her for two seconds and then move my gaze beyond her, tipping my head up and exhaling the smoke.
She sighs. "Well…if you change your mind…you'll always have my number, Edward." When she moves past me, the air is saturated with a heavily sweet scent that burns my nose.
Another scent suddenly invades my memory. Honey. Pure and simple honey.
I stomp the cigarette out under my boot. "Hey, Heidi, what time do you usually get off work?"
The click-clack of her heels halt. She quickly backtracks to me.
"I rent my booth at the nail salon, so I can pretty much make up my own schedule. Why? What do you have in mind?" she asks excitedly.
"Look, I know you and I…well things have been…awkward lately and I apologize for that, but…I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"
"Oh. Well, sure," she shrugs. "I'll try. What is it?"
I tell her about Mel's dance class, and then I tell her that I just need someone to pick her up and bring her back to the apartment, so I can go to my AA meetings in peace. She doesn't need to babysit. I just don't want her walking around by herself after dark.
"Sure, Baby," she agrees with an easy smile. "I usually leave the nail salon at six, so I can definitely pick her up by seven." She reaches up and strokes my face with one finger, her long, red nail scouring me from cheek to jaw to cheek. "I'd love to do this for you…and for Mel, of course."
I offer her a half smile, nodding, knowing I'm getting myself into deep shit, and then turn and walk back towards my apartment, pausing at the door.
"For Mel," I echo quietly…remembering…
oooooooooo
She was blond; I think. I'm pretty sure.
Honestly, I can't really remember too well. I think she was blond.
It was Friday night, and I'd met her at the local bar down the block from the apartment where I lived with Jasper and Rose. Sam and I had been hanging out a bit there on weekends, just to fuck around, and I guess the girl and I stumbled back to my place afterwards.
So we're in bed, and I'm pounding into her, and the sudden bang on the door scared the shit out of me, almost making me blow my load right then and there.
"Go away, Rose, I swear I'm using protection!" I laughed.
I think I remember the blond under me giggling.
"It's not Rose, little bro. Open up!"
"Jasper, I'm in the middle of something here!" I called out, ramming faster into the blond (I think), kind of entranced by the way her tits bounced all over the place. But then I had to close my eyes because between her bouncing tits and my throbbing brain, it started making me nauseous.
More banging on the door. "Edward, open up!"
"Fuck." I climbed off of the blond and threw on my underwear before opening the door. When I opened, Jasper was leaning against the wall, waiting. His eyes moved beyond me, and then back.
"You went to school today?"
I raked a hand through my hair. "Yeah."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure."
"You drunk?"
"Maybe," I chuckled.
He shook his head and moved past me into my room. "Alright, Sweetheart, get your clothes on and get."
"Yo man, we weren't done!" I complained.
"You know my brother here isn't even seventeen yet, right?"
She must've been surprised; I can't really remember her face, but I remember her saying over and over, "He said he was twenty-one!"And I remember laughing and laughing.
"Well, he's not, so I think you should leave."
After that, the next thing I recall is Jasper shoving a huge mug of strong, black coffee in my face, forcing me to take these huge swallows. He's saying things, but in my memory, I can only see his mouth moving.
"You listening to me now?"
"What?"
"I said don't start with this shit, Edward. This is like the third time this month. Getting plastered is dangerous territory for us, Bro, with Dad's history. You know this."
"Dad was an asshole," I chuckle.
"Yeah, he was," Jasper agreed after a beat. "He was a drunk asshole who didn't take his role as our dad seriously, so good-bye and good riddance when he left and same thing for Mom when she left. You, Rose and I just got each other now, and it's my job to look after you. So keep away from that shit, you understand? I said, do you understand?"
"Yeah, yeah, alright."
Then he got up and walked to the garbage bin, peeked in, and walked back to me.
Out of nowhere, he popped open my shorts and looked down into them.
"What the fuck?" I laughed, pushing him away.
"Just making sure you covered that shit before screwing that chick. Dude, I know you're drunk, but you can take that thing off now," he snickered.
After I'd done just that, he signaled for me to come sit down again. "Now listen to me. You listening? Cuz what I've got to tell you is pretty damn important. So you listening?" He tapped my head. "That head cleared up a bit?"
"Yeah, yeah, it's clear! What is it?"
The grin. The grin I remember clearly – as clear as if it had just taken place yesterday.
"It's my turn to be a dad."
I was sure I was so wasted I was hearing things. "What? You better be fucking kidding me."
"Why?" he chuckled.
I opened my eyes wide, trying to keep the room from spinning so I could focus. His green eyes were wild, thrilled and full of a light I'd never seen in them.
"A baby, Jasper? A goddamn baby?"
"Well, yeah, a baby," he snorted. "What else would Alice be pregnant with?"
I stared at him, shaking my head before dropping it into my hands. "Weren't you just checking me to make sure I covered my cock before sticking it inside some random chick?"
"First of all, Alice isn't a random chick. She's the girl I love, so watch your mouth," he said solemnly, "And I sure as hell didn't meet her in a drunken haze in the middle of some cheap hole-in-the-wall bar," he smirked.
I nodded warily. He laughed. "This is great news, Ed! You're gonna be an uncle!"
"Do Alice's parents know?"
He smirked. "Yeah, we told them tonight. Needless to say, they weren't too thrilled, but they're more upset at the embarrassment," he spat, "that this is going to cause with their friends. We promised them that Al's gonna finish school, and I told them I plan to support her and the baby one hundred percent, but it doesn't change anything. They're embarrassed. Ashamed. They threw her out."
"What?"
He laughed. "It's okay! She's in the living room," he said, jerking his chin in the direction of our living room. "She's going to be staying here until we can find a place of our own."
"You're moving out?"
"I've got to, little bro," he grinned. "I'm gonna be a dad now. I've got to make a home for the mother of my kid. Time to take responsibility," he snorted, but even as drunk as I still was, I could hear the pride and commitment in his tone.
"You gonna leave me here alone with Rose?"
"Rose isn't so bad, Ed. She tries her best. Cut her some slack. It shouldn't be her job to take care of us; she's only a handful of years older than you, and only a couple of years older than me."
"Yeah, whatever. But…but how the hell are you gonna take care of you, Al and a baby now?"
"I'll get another job," he shrugged easily. "You know my friend, Emmett? He's in construction. Says they're always looking for hard workers who know what they're doing. You know you and I have always been good with our hands, Ed. Anyway, between that and my job at the restaurant, we'll be alright."
I just kept shaking my head. "You're fucking nuts. You're gonna work two jobs for a girl…and a baby?" I scowled. "I mean, yeah, Al's cool but…you think she's worth it?"
Jasper held my gaze calmly, not a trace of doubt anywhere in his expression. "I don't think she's worth it, Ed. I know she is. I know they both are."
But I couldn't stop shaking my head. He laughed again, patting my shoulder. "S'alright, you're still a kid. You'll understand someday."
"I'm only a year younger than the girl you just knocked up," I reminded him.
"You're right," he agreed. "And someday, you'll meet someone, Ed. And I don't mean in some cheap, run-down bar. You'll completely lose your head over her and do shit you never thought you'd do for her. Everything will be for her."
"I don't know," I smirked doubtfully, hanging my head cuz yeah, I was pissed off. I mean, I liked Alice a hell of a lot, but now Jasper was leaving, and I'd be stuck with Rose…
And as always, it was as if Jasper could sense my mood.
"Well, I do know. That's what's in your future, little Bro, and that's what's in mine. We're not going to have the fucked up type of relationship Mom and Dad had. We're going to find us good women, you and I. Women that make us better men. I already found mine, and when you're a man, a real man, you'll find yours. So don't be pissed off, Ed. Just because I won't be living here anymore doesn't mean I won't still be looking out for you." He ruffled my hair and I pushed him away, making him chuckle. "You're my little Bro; no matter where I am, I'll always look out for you."
And he did.
'Til the very end.
OOOOOOOOOO
I open the door and walk into Mel's and my small apartment.
She's sprawled on the sofa, her eyes glued to the screen. "You ready to watch the movie, Uncle Ed?"
I hate the movie she wants to watch, but for her, I'll watch it.
For Mel, I'll hold that damn bottle hidden under the bathroom cabinet every night and say a prayer that I'll never fall to its mercy again.
For Mel, I'll wake up at the crack of dawn and break my back every day, come home with dirt and concrete and wood under my fingernails.
For Mel, I'll go to those AA meetings as often as I have to.
For Mel, I'll ask Heidi for a favor even though I know I'll regret it.
For Mel, I'll keep looking at her…at Bella, even though I know I can never have someone like her.
So I guess Jasper was halfway right. As for the other half…
I snort and sit next to Mel, knowing this is as much as I'll ever have.
She puts her head on my shoulder.
And all through the movie, it's that beautiful, honey-toned face that I see…
A/N: Thoughts?
So I kinda goofed up on my Spanish translations last chapter.
In Spanish, "Maricon" is actually a derogatory term for gay; it doesn't literally mean "Asshole," as I'd translated it. But, when used in everyday conversation and thrown around as an insult, it can generally mean simply "asshole." It's like when you call someone "Bastard." You're usually not claiming that their paternity is in question. Anyway, I apologize for any confusion. :)
Song that kept going through my head this chapter:
One Last Breath by Creed. :)
See you on Thursday!
Twitter: PattyRosa817
Link to "Stories by PattyRose" is on my profile page.