Hi loves! I'm sorry I've been gone for so long. I realized I'd pretty much been writing non-stop since January, and I desperately needed a break the last two months. I'm back though, and I have the rest of the story plotted, so I'm hoping posting will be able to resume as usual.
Thank you all so much for your patience!
All mistakes are on me.
Chapter Thirty-Three: Edward
October 31, 2022
Cambridge, England
I've had nothing but back to back meetings all day. Lectures, unexpected talks with professors, followed up by an impromptu meeting to discuss some research being done in Sweden. I was supposed to be home hours ago, but instead it's past dark, and I'm hauling ass down the slick cobbled streets of Cambridge, praying my wife won't kill me.
She's been talking about Halloween for weeks now. I know it's her favorite holiday, and I hate that I'm running late today. She's had our costumes picked out for over a week now, and though I didn't dare wear it on campus, I know it's bound to be a long night in whatever insane getup Bella has put together.
But of course, for her, I'll do it.
It's unexpectedly quiet out, even though it's dark, and my heart starts to sink when I realize there really aren't that many trick-or-treaters out.
By the time I make it back to the flat, I know without even having to open the door that Bella will likely be in a bad mood.
I gaze at the strung up cobwebs she spread over our front door, my chest tightening as I think about what might await me. I work the lock with my keys, jiggling it and throwing my shoulder into opening the door.
Bella will be furious, I know she will. She loves messing with trick-or-treaters, and I have barely seen any out.
I push into our flat, and what I see stops me in my tracks.
Bella is curled up in the entry, a bowl of candy in her lap and tear tracks down her cheeks.
"Babe?" I fall to my knees beside her, which fucking hurts, but not nearly as much as seeing her crying. "Are you okay?"
She blinks hard, bringing her palms up to wipe at the black streaks under her eyes. It only smears it more. "No," She says, shaking her head.
I move the bowl of candy—still full—from her lap and gently pull her to me.
"Sweetheart, talk to me." Can this really be about trick-or-treaters?
Bella lets out a small sob. "Why is everything so different?"
I frown. "What's different?"
She hiccups. "Being here, my body, my fucking hormones. It's all different."
I immediately feel guilty. "I'm different," I say quietly. She doesn't respond and my guilt magnifies. "I'm so sorry, Baby."
She shakes her head against my chest. "Shut up," she says weakly. It almost brings a smile to my face. "Why doesn't anyone in this stupid town trick-or-treat?"
I smile against her hair. "They don't know what they are missing."
She sniffs. "I miss home."
My heart squeezes, and I pull my arms tighter around her. "I know Baby. I do too."
It's true. I've loved being here, loved the experience I'm getting, but part of me misses L.A.
My admission seems to calm Bella down, and she takes a deep breath. "I didn't know you miss it," she says after a moment.
I frown. I've been such a shit partner. "Of course I miss it. We had a great life there." I reach up to rub her back. "I still get a craving for those beignets we used to get from that little restaurant by the water, remember those?"
Bella groans. "Yes. I'd shank someone for one right now."
I chuckle and press a kiss to her hair again. "Would it help you if we talked about home more often?"
Bella is quiet. "I was afraid to bring it up."
I flinch. "Why?"
She sighs, pulling back from me. Her cheeks are smeared with black but she still looks beautiful. "Because I thought if I talked about home, you'd think I didn't want to be here and you'd give all this up."
I'll admit, it is my natural instinct to do whatever I can to make her happy, but now I'm seeing the downside of that. "And you want to stay here?" I ask, trying to make sure.
Bella nods. "It's hard, and it's stupid, but you need to be here. We need to be here."
I lean down, pressing a kiss to her lips. They are salty from her tears.
"I'm so sorry, Bella. I didn't want to make you think we couldn't talk about it." I pull back from her slightly. "I promise I won't assume you want to move back home anymore. Not unless you tell me outright, which I know you will."
She snorts softly. "Yeah, I will."
I nod, and the silence that settles around us feels like a burden has been lifted. I didn't realize how hard not talking about home had been on her.
"So, no takers?" I ask, nudging the bowl next to us. She huffs.
"Not a one."
I nod, shifting under her. "All right, let's go fix that."
She looks up at me in confusion. "What do you mean?"
I stand us up and when I do, I see she's wearing a jack-o-lantern t-shirt. I smile at it.
"Get me into my costume, we're going out."
…
It takes me almost twenty minutes to put on the t-shirt Bella got me, because I cannot for the fucking life of me, stop laughing.
It's so simple and so fucking brilliant.
It's an orange t-shirt with a name tag that reads "Peter Peter".
"Peter, Peter pumpkin eater," Bella tells me with a smug smile. I look at her pumpkin attire and lose my shit all over again. She giggles with me, reaching out to my jaw and scratching at the short beard she asked me to start growing. "Look, you've even got some orange on your face."
I can't fucking breathe. I'm laughing so hard.
Eventually, we get our shit together, and when we're both dressed, we add an extra layer of coats, though we keep them open to see our costumes. Every time I glance at my reflection, I start laughing all over again.
I grab the bucket of candy Bella had in her lap, and taking my wife's hand in mine, we head out into the night.
We stop and give candy to everyone not wearing a costume—reverse trick-or-treating. Bella immediately starts getting into it and I love seeing her face as she hands out the candy to unsuspecting strangers.
Eventually, we run out, and after a quick stop in the supermarket to buy another bag, we decide to head to the pub to warm up with some drinks and dinner.
Inside the pub, it's crowded as hell and Bella is delighted to see a couple of halloween decorations hung up. I find a table as my wife moves around the pub, offering people candy.
It's untraditional, a little weird, and so us.
