Update 2 of 2 for today!
-119-
The weeks that follow are...better than I can ask for.
Bella comes to the hospital every single day, always bringing flowers, food, and various comfort items. She even buys Mom an iPad, teaches her how to use it, then glares at both Dad and me and tells us we better not pull any of our spy shit with it.
Mom tells her to watch her mouth, and I laugh because whether she wants to be or not, she's been accepted into the Cullen family fold. No matter what happens with us in the future.
I don't push my luck with her at first. I keep the conversation light, and I don't touch her more than absolutely necessary. But that gets harder and harder to do as time goes on, and soon I'm looking for any chance I can find to brush my hand against hers, or grasp her arm to get her attention or make sure our legs are touching when I sit next to her, or maybe even like… 'accidentally' lay my head on her shoulder to fall asleep.
She doesn't flinch away, though. In fact, she gets increasingly touchy-feely with me as well. Playfully slapping my arm when I'm teasing her, making sure she brushes against me when she passes, looking into my eyes just a beat longer than a friend would.
I meant it when I said I understood that I hurt her, but the more I'm around her, the more I see that this inexplicable 'thing' between us is still there. And I'm willing to put in the time to let her realize it for herself.
I'm walking her to her car one night when the shift really happens.
This isn't a new thing; I walk her out every night. Mom insists, not that she has to pull my arm.
When we get to her beat-up truck, I open the door for her and watch her get in like I always do, but the air is different. I don't mean the weather; I mean the energy between us is different.
"Drive safe. Text me when you get home," I tell her, just as I have every night before this.
Except this time, her hand on my arm stops me, and when I look at her, she's…
Fuck.
She's so fucking beautiful in the moonlight. I mean, I can always see her beauty, but there are times like right now where it just punches me in the gut.
"Edward, wait," she starts, tiny fingers gripping onto my coat. Winter is officially here, the chill in the air pinking up her nose and cheeks, making her lips redder and fuller like they're begging to be sucked. "I want to say thank you."
"For what?" I ask, tilting my head.
"For...understanding. For giving me time. For not making things weird between us. I'm just really glad to still have you in my life."
I let myself cave a little bit, bringing my hand up to cup her jaw, my thumb brushing her cheek.
"I'm not going anywhere, Bella. No matter what happens, you're basically stuck with me."
"I always kind of was, huh? Stalker," she teases, eyelashes fluttering down. She's shy right now, and it's fucking cute to see her this way because she doesn't let just anyone see her like this. She's usually quick to guard herself with anger or snark, but I could get used to this new vulnerable Bella.
It takes everything in me not to kiss her, but I know that would be pushing it too far.
But this moment tells me all I need to know. All I've wondered about in the past two months since we broke up.
Bella loves me. And she's at least in the process of forgiving me.
And the next day, when I show up at the hospital and am told that Mom has made a miraculous turnaround and her cancer is shrinking, I decide I'm not going to wait any longer.
Bella needs to know how I feel about her, and I'm going to tell her loud enough she can't ignore it.
TELL HER! See you tomorrow!
