Chapter 13 – Accord, Finally
By seven thirty the next morning, the entire house had been scrubbed from top to bottom, the old furniture was stacked by the curb for removal, and mine and Esryl's rooms had been prepped for repainting.
Edward ran up and got Esryl, while I made breakfast for everyone from whatever I could find left that was edible. I was going to have to go grocery shopping as soon as possible. There was a conspicuous lack of jocks lined up to eat this morning, which made me wonder about who all had a guilty conscience. We ate and then re-cleaned the kitchen before we went to drag ourselves to our rooms, presumably to get ready for school.
"We aren't seriously going to school after working like dogs all night, are we?" Emmett asked incredulously.
"I figured you'd want to make sure you were eligible for Friday night, if dad will even let you play, and go to Homecoming?" I asked, but Emmett just shook his head.
"Nah, I don't really care anymore. There's more important stuff going on around here than that."
However, Rose and Alice pleaded with him until he caved and agreed to go to class, hoping they could talk their parents into letting them go. I doubted it was going to happen, though, even though they both had already bought new dresses and all the accessories, too. Sucked to be them! They had really screwed up with Elliott and Sue, and I had never seen them so mad. Sue had been totally embarrassed at Rosalie's irresponsible behavior in someone else's home and had grounded her until further notice. She had told Rose that she was going to lose use of her car and cell phone, and she was making her stay home, so she could teach her some manners and how to properly take care of a house, or in other words, Rose was going to be doing some really dirty chores. It was more than about time in my opinion.
Elliott had informed Alice that, from now on, she would be taking a turn cleaning the bathrooms, dusting, mopping and vacuuming, helping in the kitchen, and doing her own laundry. The expression on her face had been priceless, as she looked down at her fancy, professionally manicured nails and cringed. Emmett had to take a turn with everything like Alice, plus help Edward take care of the trash and do poop cleanup in the yard for Honey. And, since he had been the one who was supposed to have been responsible for making sure no alcohol had been brought into the house, he had to attend some AA meetings to see what alcohol addiction did to people.
They were all heading off to go get ready for school, and I was about to give in myself and get ready as well, until I felt Esryl's forehead. She was warm, and I noticed she hadn't eaten much of her breakfast. Her nose was red and runny, and she looked like she didn't feel well.
"Looks like I'll be staying home today after all," I said, as she laid her head on my shoulder. "Mom has meetings all day today, so I doubt she'll even be coming home before nine o'clock tonight, and Elliott is working another double shift, so I guess I'm on duty," I sighed. "Looks like it's you and me at home today, baby," I said, kissing Esryl's warm little head.
Before they left to get dressed, Emmett pulled Esryl and me into a sweet hug. "Thanks, Sis. If you and Edward hadn't kicked our lazy butts last night, we'd probably still be knee deep in crud. I'm sorry for not handling things right, and for putting all this on you. Not just now, but in the past, too. I've been a rotten brother to you, but that's done. I can't promise perfection, but I can definitely do better, and I will."
Emmett released me, and Alice grabbed me and hugged me next.
"Thanks, Bella. You really are the glue that holds this bunch of misfits together. I'm sorry, too, for being such a pain and a brat to you. You have every right to kick my butt if you so choose, but I hope you can forgive me and let me prove I can actually be a good sister." She kissed Esryl's cheek and headed off to her room.
Rosalie approached me last, wringing her hands.
"Bella, I know I've been a total witch to you, and I'm truly sorry. I've said and done things I'm ashamed of, and I hope you can forgive me. I can't say that I'll become perfect overnight, but I'd like to start over and see if we can't be more like family than enemies. Are you game?"
Wow. I'd never thought I would see the day when Rosalie was actually willing to be nice to me. I had every right to hate her, all of them, but that just wasn't me. I wasn't a saint or anything; I could just never stay mad at anyone or hold grudges. Doing that took too much energy, and the anger only hurt me, not them. It just felt better to forgive and move forward.
"Absolutely, Rose. I've always wanted to be close to you and be your sister. I was just waiting for the day when you wanted the same thing. I do love you, you know. Some days, it's just been harder than others."
By this time, we both had tears on our cheeks as we hugged, and she ruffled Esryl's hair before she and Emmett went to get dressed.
Edward stood there quietly during all this. After they'd left, he smiled at me and wrapped his arms around me and Esryl, kissing us both on the head. "You forgive too easily, Bella, but I'm grateful for it. It's what makes you so special. Come on. You need to get some rest."
Edward decided he didn't care if he didn't get to play in the Homecoming game and chose to stay home with us, so I gave Esryl some fever reducer, we grabbed our pajamas, and then Edward followed me up to the attic room. We piled into bed with Esryl between us and Honey at our feet, all four of us out cold within minutes.
A few hours later, I was roused into consciousness by the sound of the attic room door being slowly opened. Sometime during our sleep, Esryl had ended up on Edward's chest again, with his arm around her. I was wrapped in his other arm and snuggled against his side, with my head on his shoulder and my arm also around her. I cracked open an eye to see a grinning Elliott, Carlisle, and Esme peeking in at us. I waved to them and gently slipped out of bed without waking Edward. Esryl stirred and started to whimper a little bit, so I lifted her off Edward and covered him back up, and then I brought her with me so Carlisle could look at her. She was still pretty hot. I ushered everyone downstairs quietly, closing the door behind me. I sent Carlisle to get his bag, while we went into the kitchen where I could sit down with Esryl. She wouldn't let anyone take her from me, clinging to me like a baby monkey.
"What are you guys doing here this time of day?" I asked, curious as to why dad and Carlisle weren't at work.
"We all met up for lunch and decided to swing by and see if your siblings had killed each other yet. Bella, what happened here? I was expecting to find chaos, but other than the furniture being gone and the spots on the floor, it looks like it always does in here; perfect. Where are their bodies buried? I promise I won't tell."
"Sorry to disappoint you, Dad, but their bodies are currently occupying desks at school. Since we managed to finish by seven thirty this morning, they decided to go ahead and go, but I'll bet their butts are dragging something fierce. I know Edward and I were exhausted this morning." I yawned, still holding Esryl, while Carlisle listened to her chest and took her temperature.
"Looks like our little one here has an upper respiratory infection," Carlisle announced. "I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm going to go pick up a prescription for her."
Esme and Carlisle left for the pharmacy, leaving Elliott and I sitting at the table. I got Esryl to drink some electrolyte replacement in juice and nibble on a few crackers, still clinging soundly to my chest.
"Bella, I can't say it enough. We'd be lost without you. How you managed to corral those three into getting this place back in order just amazes me. You truly are a wonder, and your mother and I don't tell you how much we appreciate you nearly enough."
I blushed, but I shook my head. "It wasn't me this time. Edward came in and laid down the law with them. We weren't going to help them, but it was obvious that if we didn't, it would've never gotten done, or it would've been half-assed, and I would've had to redo it all, anyway. Besides, we didn't help them for their sake, Dad. We did it for you and mom. She doesn't need any added stress right now, and neither do you. You guys work too hard as it is to give us a good life. It was the very least we could do."
He hugged me and placed a kiss on my forehead. "You may not be mine by birth, Bella, but you're everything I could ever want in a daughter and more. I can see why my son is so crazy about you and attached at the hip. You make him a better man. And regardless of what anyone else may think, Esme and Carlisle, and your mother and I, we wholeheartedly approve."
I kissed Elliott on the cheek. "Thanks, Dad. I think I'm getting pretty attached to him, too. He's an awesome guy." Elliott grinned, as I felt two warm arms wrap around me.
"You're pretty awesome, too, and I am attached, quite happily I might add. I just might have to keep you." I smiled up at Edward, and as he placed a gentle kiss below my ear, I momentarily forgot how to breathe.
Carlisle and Esme came back with Esryl's medicine, and after a wrestling match to get some of it down her, she and I both desperately needed a good scrubbing. I took her into my bathroom and ran a warm bath for us in my large tub. Esryl loved to bathe in here because of the size of it, but today, she was content to lie on my chest in the warm water and bubbles as I gently washed her. There was a knock at my bedroom door, and I heard Edward come in. He poked his arm inside the bathroom, offering a stack of fresh towels.
"You might need these," he said behind the door.
"We do. Thanks for bringing them up. You can come in; anything interesting is covered in bubbles and sister."
He peered around the door and grinned at the sight of Esryl almost back to sleep on my chest. That medicine Carlisle had given her must have been some good stuff.
"That looks so comfortable," Edward said, taking in mine and Esryl's leisurely reclining and relaxed position in the tub.
"It is. It feels so good," I moaned with my eyes closed. I opened them to see Edward sitting on the side of the tub with his eyes closed, too, running his hand lazily back and forth in the water. "Join us?" His eyes snapped open, and I giggled at his expression. "I could use some help with her hair. Leave your boxers on, of course." I eased Esryl sideways to show him I still had my bra and panties on.
"Are you sure?" he asked wide-eyed. "I wouldn't want it to be…weird…or anything."
"And what have we already established about us? Weird is beautiful, Edward. Embrace it," I said with a grin.
He nodded in agreement, stripping down to his boxers, and slipped into the water at the other end of the tub. I carefully laid Esryl in his arms, so I could reach her better to wash her hair. Most babies hated having their hair washed, but not Esryl. She loved the way I massaged her head and was careful with the water not to get it in her face. I straddled Edward's legs and sat down on his thighs, so I could reach her easier without straining. After I finished with her, I knelt up and did the same to Edward, gently scratching his scalp with my nails, as I massaged the shampoo through his hair. I used the handheld sprayer to rinse both of their hair, and then Edward passed Esryl back to me and had me turn around. He returned the favor by washing my hair as well. Once he finished, we stood up, and he rinsed the three of us off before getting out and wrapping a towel around himself. He then took Esryl from me into another towel. She never woke up during the whole thing.
I headed into my bedroom and dug through my bags of folded clothes, finding some things to put on. I peeled off my wet undergarments and quickly got dressed, and then I took Esryl from Edward, so he could go find clothes as well. But before he left my room, he wrapped his arms around me from behind and pulled me against him.
"There are just no words, Bella…" he said into my hair before dropping several soft kisses on my shoulder then leaving one on my neck that made my knees go weak.
I found some pajamas for Esryl before heading back up to the attic. I dried her hair and dressed her, laying her back in the crib, and then grabbing the baby monitor, I went down to start dinner. Edward came in as well and helped me cook, as we discussed our siblings' seeming change of attitude. I just hoped the change was permanent.
By the time everything was done, our siblings were coming in from school, and Esryl was awake. Rosalie and Alice brought my assignments, and Emmett had Edward's, so we sat down to eat and do our homework. Esryl was still not well, so I gave my completed homework to the girls to turn in for me tomorrow, as did Edward with Emmett.
I gave Esryl some more of her medicine, which knocked her out again, so we put her to bed upstairs before we all tackled my room and then the new nursery with rollers and paintbrushes. By the time mom stopped by around eleven o'clock, both rooms were finished, but we had shut the doors, refusing to let her peek until the furniture was in. She was very tired and ready to head over to the Cullen's to go to bed. She was so fortunate that she wasn't huge while pregnant; otherwise, it would have been so much harder for her. She was just starting to show good now, and she was already almost seven and a half months along. With Esryl sick, she told me to give her a goodnight kiss for her before she left, so she wouldn't be exposed to whatever Esryl had.
After my mom left, Rosalie pulled me aside, curious. "Bella, do you ever get tired of having to take care of your little sister?" she asked me seriously. "It just seems like she's always been your problem. It's almost like Renee just dumped her on you and isn't even her mother, you are. That just doesn't seem fair to you, or Esryl."
I thought about what she said for a moment and then smiled. "There are definitely some days it'd be more convenient for me if my mom stayed home or maybe worked a little less and took more time with Esryl, but for the most part, things just work like they are. I wouldn't trade the bond we have for anything, and I can't imagine loving my own child any more than I do Esryl. Whether it's fair or not, well, I guess it doesn't really matter, but it's probably good practice for when I have my own family someday. I suppose as long as it works for me and Esryl, it's all good."
The next morning, Esryl was feeling better, but she was still a bit feverish. Mom was off to New York for three days, so I stayed home with Esryl, and to also await the delivery of our new furniture. The truck arrived right on schedule, and it only took the men about three hours to unload and assemble everything. Edward came in from school at lunchtime to check on us, and after I made us something to eat, he helped me make all the new beds with the linens we had bought. He ended up not going back to school, because we were having so much fun doing the nursery. The new dark mahogany crib, changing table, dresser, and dark blue recliner we had ordered for the nursery were perfect with the sailboat-themed décor.
I was afraid Esryl would be upset over losing her room to the new baby, but she was excited about him and about getting to sleep with me. She was busy being a big helper by wadding her clothes up and jamming them into our new dressers, while Edward and I set up the nursery.
"Of course, you know this one's mine," Edward said in a teasing tone of voice. I looked up at him, curious to hear what he was talking about.
"Yours?" I asked, not following.
"You took care of Esryl when she was born. I want to be there for this baby, like I wasn't for Esryl. Think you can share?" he asked, grinning.
"Oh, I think we can work something out. Are you sure you're up for the middle-of-the-night feedings and exploding diaper changes?" I teased.
"I think I can handle it,' he stated confidently.
I couldn't wait to see this.